No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: The Somnium Files Intervew - A Talk with Director Kazuya Yamada

During Anime Expo 2025, we had the chance to sit down with Spike Chunsoft to discuss No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: The Somnium Files with the game's director, Kazuya Yamada. We discussed a bit about the game - including some of the challenges of developing for a new system like the Nintendo Switch 2.

RPG Site: Can you introduce yourself, and what your role on No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is?

Kazuya Yamada: Hello, I am Kazuya Yamada. I mainly worked on the Somnium segments of the previous AI games; aspects like the writing the story for inside the Somnia, to what effects we wanted to include, and the scripting that ties those scenes together. For No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES I am the Director and Scenario Writer.

RPG Site: How does the team consider No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, and how it relates to the other two titles in the series - is it a mainline title, or a spinoff?

Kazuya Yamada: We're positioning it as a spinoff. That being said, it does take place in-between the other two AI games. All the things that happen in this game, and in consideration with how it relates to the other games in the series, it's part of the canon.

RPG Site: So it's a Gaiden style adventure?

Kazuya Yamada: Yeah.

RPG Site: One of the new headlining features for No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES has been the escape room segments, which is a bit of a return to form for Team Zero Escape for obvious reasons. Since this game is considered a spinoff, are these segments meant to be a teaser for games to come, or is it just its own separate thing?

Kazuya Yamada: For now, we're treating the Escape Room segments as an experiment. Whether it will return in later mainline entries is entirely up to the fan response; if fans really like the segments, we'll consider if and how these segments might continue in the future. That being said, it's probably too early to say - future games might have their own unique gameplay elements instead that end up being completely different.

RPG Site: One thing that stands out with No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is how it's one of a handful of early 3rd party Nintendo Switch 2 games that releases day-and-date on other platforms. Have there been any sort of unforeseen challenges with developing for such a fresh piece of hardware in such an early stage of a console's life cycle?

Kazuya Yamada: The immediate thought that comes to mind was Nintendo and security. It was very high. We needed all this info so we could properly develop for Switch 2. For example, mouse mode on the Joycon 2. The game supports this feature, but we were unable to start working on it until April. It was really, really tough.

RPG Site: Since this was your first time directing a game in the AI series, what's the experience been like?

Kazuya Yamada: Actually, a similar question was asked at our panel. Honestly? It was hell. I'm good with not directing another game for a while, and I'm just glad I can finally get some rest.

RPG Site: Is there anything else you'd like to share for fans of the series, new and old? 

Kazuya Yamada: That was another thing that we discussed during our panel. We know fans may be worried that Kotaro Uchikoshi was not the Scenario Writer this time around, but please don't worry. We've done the best we could; and Uchikoshi has even given us his blessing having played the game. He even joked that maybe we don't need him anymore! So, please feel confident in checking it out. We look forward to hearing what the fans have to say!