From there, Suda explained that through the process of making an artistically ambitious project such as Killer 7, it takes an equally visionary producer to collaborate with an uncompromising director. He recalled a story regarding the only time during the game's creation that Resident Evil producer Shinji Mikami got angry at him. After Nintendo announced the "Capcom Five" exclusives for GameCube, the company balked at the inclusion of a game with "killer" in the title. Suda was concerned that the game might be prematurely shut down, so he called Mikami to ask for suggestions for a new title. Mikami yelled at him, saying that as the creative visionary, that was Suda's job, not his, and that no matter what, Capcom would completely back whatever he did. Suda emphasized this incident as a lesson in not only maintaining one's vision in the face of adversity, but in aligning one's self with a producer who believes in that vision. "A director only creates a game with the trust of the producer," he said.

Suda then covered the role of the director in the process of making a game. In directing a game, he explored a few key questions. Does a game produce a new type of creator? Can a game's effect produce a new audience? Can a game attract audiences outside of hardcore gamers, such as film buffs and comic book fans? Ultimately, he came to the conclusion that game directors lie on two extremes: business (one who only creates what a publisher demands) and artistic (one who plays by his own rules and has no concern about time or budget). Neither can truly thrive alone, according to Suda. A business-only director will feel unfulfilled with his work, and an artistic-only director will never get a project off the ground. Directors are sensitive to criticism, he said, but should be both tough and proud enough to stick to their guns, but pay attention to business, or else no games are getting made.

Grasshopper head Goichi Suda answers a fan's question at the panel discussion.

He continued with his idea that the compromise between artistic vision and commerce is one that affects all forms of art and entertainment. While directors are sensitive to bad reviews and harsh customer feedback, they must understand that it's a learning experience, Suda explained. Gaming, he said, is a very young industry compared to the culture of filmmaking and criticism, and everyone, from industry figures to critics to customers, is still establishing ideas and mores. Suda mentioned that he found inspiration in bands such as Joy Division, Nirvana, Stone Roses, and the Beatles as artists who've managed to stay true to their visions while being successful in their industries, and it will take a compromise between artists and business to reach that point in gaming.

He closed his session by stating that life without games is no fun for anyone. Artistic development teams have a responsibility to stay true to their vision, but they must find like-minded producers for collaboration. In Japan, he said, the situation for developers is dire. Game sales have stagnated, and there's a fear that games will fade from the culture. As a result, Japanese developers have had to focus on making games that are much more globally friendly. Suda finished by saying that developers have to continue making punk games; Shigeru Miyamoto is a prime example, and that the history of games must include a broad canon of genres and styles, instead of a few money-making franchises. The session closed with a trailer for Grasshopper's latest project for Wii, No More Heroes, which received a great deal of applause from the audience and the announcement that The Silver Case is being remade for Nintendo DS and mobile phones, although there's no announcement of a localization for the US or Europe.

Ultimately, in spite of the title, there were no rock n' roll horns thrown up and no profane tirades on the state of the industry. Instead, the audience got a glimpse into the mind of a development team known for its uncompromising sense of vision. If nothing else, the audience left with a sense of excitement regarding Grasshopper's upcoming titles. With that, we'll keep you informed regarding No More Heroes.