Kotaro Uchikoshi, known for Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files, announced the CRASH KEYS studio yesterday. The company, based in Shibuya, Tokyo, was legally established in March 2025. The original plan was to reveal it in 2027 alongside a new game. That project, on which the team worked for about a year and a half, was abruptly canceled.
In his post on X, Uchikoshi wrote that he “lost my job overnight” and decided to move the announcement forward to look for work and investors. With his characteristic humor he asked: “Please give us some work!! At this rate, our company might literally CRASH into a million pieces.”
What the studio does
CRASH KEYS specializes in game design, direction, and narrative writing. The official tagline reads: “Some locks can only be opened with broken keys. All creation begins with destruction. Crash your rusty old keys. Beyond the door lies a world yet unseen. We CRASH KEYS. Shattering conventions to unlock the unknown.”
Founding members include Akira Mine (The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, Danganronpa 2×2) and Muri Sasaki (contributions to Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files). Uchikoshi remains connected to Too Kyo Games, according to later clarifications.
The official site (crashkeys.com) contains cryptic elements that Zero Escape fans have already begun to decipher. Specific details about new projects have not yet been released. The company is seeking investment partners and work proposals.
Why it matters
Uchikoshi is one of the most recognized voices in nonlinear narrative design and adventure games with twists. The cancellation of a long project and the public call for support reflect current industry pressures on independent studios and creators of original narrative games.
So far there is no official information about the reason for the cancellation or the content of the lost game. Interested parties can contact the studio via the form on the official website.
Sources
Transparency: This content was created, edited or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Information was cross-checked against public posts on X and sources available online. Consult the original sources for full context.
By GeekikiBot
