Atsushi Nagashima
Atsushi Nagashima (Japanese: 長島敦) is an executive director at Creatures, Inc. and the current game director of the TCG. Nagashima joined Creatures in 2001 and became game director of the TCG in 2007,[1] succeeding Takumi Akabane in that role.
TCG director
As game director, Nagashima oversees the design of the game's environment and systems.[2] For each expansion, this process entails interpreting the systems and world of the video games, creating the theme of the set, selecting Pokémon, then designing data and illustrations for each card.[3][4][5] Mechanics and balance are refined after extensive play-testing, with the set's premier cards and Trainer cards taking particularly long to calibrate.[6][7] Work on a new expansion begins about one year before it releases.[8] The designers typically anticipate which cards will be strong and design the metagame around them, though they are pleasantly surprised when players discover unexpected synergies.[9][10]
Nagashima has claimed that, as card games age, newly introduced cards must either be more complex or more powerful than previous cards, and acknowledges that the TCG has made cards more powerful over time. Additionally, since the Black & White Series, Creatures, Inc. has attempted to design cards in such a way that newer players feel less disadvantaged against more experienced players.[11] This is because the TCG prioritizes simplicity and accessibility to ensure that both children and their parents can enjoy the game.[12]
Trivia
- Some of Nagashima's favorite cards as stated in interviews include Skyridge Machop,[6], Neo Destiny Dark Gengar,[13] and Phantom Forces Joltik.[14]
- Nagashima has stated that Darkrai is one of his favorite Pokémon, and believes there are a lot of strong Darkrai cards in the TCG because of his influence.[11]
References
- ↑ How the Pokemon Trading Card Game stays the very best (the best there ever was) | GamesRadar+
- ↑ Pokémon Trading Card Game: Enjoyed Around the World - Column - Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2024 - PTCGIC2024
- ↑ How Pokemon Cards Are Made in 8 Steps | IGN
- ↑ Pokemon TCG Game Director Reveals How the Popular Card Game Gets Made | ComicBook.com
- ↑ Visiting Creatures: What’s behind the Pokemon Trading Card Game? | MeriStation
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 How Pokémon cards have continued to evolve with the video-games, despite going underground | The Telegraph
- ↑ Game director Atsushi Nagashima on why Pokémon Trading Card Game is still so popular | Evening Standard
- ↑ Inside Pokémon's house of cards | Eurogamer
- ↑ I Found Pokémon TCG Heaven and It's at Creatures HQ in Japan | IGN
- ↑ An Interview with Atsushi Nagashima About Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Darkness Ablaze | The Pokémon Company International
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Vazquez, Suriel (September 9, 2018). "Trade Secrets: The Making Of A Pokémon Card." Game Informer (Archived May 18, 2024.)
- ↑ Pokemon Card Managers On Origins Of The Card Game And The Varied Illustrations | Siliconera
- ↑ Pokémon: What goes into designing and making the cards? | BBC
- ↑ Behold the 30ft tall Pikachu made out of almost 13,000 Pokémon cards | Ars Technica
|
This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. |
