"We've long had the desire to play Disgaea as an action RPG" - Disgaea Mayhem's developers discuss the upcoming release, Disgaea's charm, learning from past entries, combat, coffee, and more

RPG Site: It felt like we'd never see a Disgaea spin-off given the cadence of new mainline games and ports in recent years. What made you want to do a new spin-off after all these years?

Disgaea Mayhem Development Team (DMDT): We've long had the desire to play Disgaea as an action RPG—to let loose a Demon Fist Big Bang on a horde of monsters. As it happened, we were actually tasked with developing an RPG with no connection to Disgaea, but since the opportunity had presented itself, we decided to make something we truly wanted to make, and pitched and developed this project from there.

RPG Site: In Japan, Disgaea Mayhem didn't have the Disgaea in the name, but it had a lot of staff and crossover content. Aside from marketing reasons, what made you want this to be the first true Disgaea spin-off in the West?

DMDT: We are hoping to attract players who simply enjoy action RPGs, whether or not they have played Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) titles or the Disgaea series. It's our hope that the title doesn't create preconceptions, but rather communicates its appeal as a new game.

On the other hand, the setting and systems of Disgaea Mayhem are built upon the elements and playfulness we've cultivated in the Disgaea series. For that reason, it's important to us that existing fans feel that this game fits the image of NIS and Disgaea.

Regarding the title itself, we intend to have new players engage with it as a fresh title that stands apart from the Disgaea series, but we also aimed for a name that would resonate with fans of NIS and Disgaea. We hope that the title "Disgaea Mayhem" communicates the unique appeal of this game to both new and longtime fans.

The word "Kyouran" in the Japanese title also involves a bit of wordplay, and "Mayhem" is one potential translation of that phrase.

RPG Site: What were your main influences for the action combat here and also the monster/weapon system?

DMDT: For the fundamentals of the action gameplay, we referenced a wide range of action RPGs currently on the market. From there, we blended in elements that make it feel like Disgaea, and that's how this title came together.

RPG Site: In our preview, Kennedy said Disgaea Mayhem felt like a tried and tested Musou-style combat experience with Disgaea on top. Did you run into any challenges with the combat where it might have felt too similar to say Musou games or tamsoft RPGs as development progressed, without feeling like an NIS title?

DMDT: Given our limited experience with developing action RPGs, we actually concluded that it was better to follow the established rules of the genre for the foundational action elements. That said, what we found through actually making the game is that the reason action RPGs end up being similar to one another isn't because developers are trying to copy each other, but because when you build them rationally, they naturally converge along similar structures.

RPG Site: Disgaea is known for its over the top stats and stages. Were you able to retain that for the action combat and structure in Disgaea Mayhem?

DMDT: Of course.

RPG Site: Ever since NIS' tried a full 3D entry in Disgaea 6, we've seen the games feel more polished. What learnings from Disgaea 6 and 7's aesthetic did you bring to Disgaea Mayhem?

DMDT: Our experience with 3D has been applied across the board, but this title in particular takes the reproduction of Takehito Harada's art style to a higher level—not just for the characters, but also with the 3D environments.

RPG Site: How was it working with Tenpei Sato on the music in Disgaea Mayhem?

DMDT: Tenpei Sato is an incredibly passionate individual who thinks carefully not only about the music itself, but about how it will be used within the game and in promotional videos. When it comes to music production, we generally just convey the mood and purpose of a piece and leave the rest to him, and he consistently delivers excellent work, which we're very grateful for.

RPG Site: Since Disgaea Mayhem is launching months after its Japanese debut here in the West, what sort of experience should players expect on day one with updates and DLC? Were you able to take player feedback from the Japanese launch and implement it to make Disgaea Mayhem's Western release better?

DMDT: Players can expect the same core experience as the Japanese release, with additional bug fixes for the Western launch to ensure the best possible day-one experience. We hope everyone enjoys the game!

RPG Site: Having worked on so many titles released in the West, what have you noticed different when it comes to player feedback overseas and in Japan for the Disgaea series?

DMDT: Disgaea fans around the world share the same passion for deep strategy, over-the-top gameplay, and memorable characters. While every region has its own preferences, we're always excited to see players discover different ways to enjoy the game and share their experiences with the community.

RPG Site: Spin-offs are usually good to get newcomers into the mainline games, but the combat style difference might put some off from trying the tactical RPGs. Do you think Disgaea Mayhem still has enough of a mainline Disgaea's over-the-top charm?

DMDT: This title was developed so that players can enjoy what makes Disgaea feel like Disgaea, so if you find yourself enjoying that, we think you'll enjoy the strategy RPG Disgaea games just as much.

RPG Site: Post Disgaea 5, we've not really had consistency across platforms for the series. Disgaea Mayhem is launching on PS5, Switch 2, Switch, and Steam together. Do you worry that locking updates and content behind specific platforms is holding the franchise's true reach in the West?

DMDT: Thank you for the question. Our goal is always to bring our games to as many players as possible, and introduce the Disgaea series to even more fans around the world. We don't view platform-specific content as something that defines the series' reach. Instead, we remain focused on creating great experiences and making our titles accessible to as many players as possible across multiple platforms.

RPG Site: Are there any plans to bring Disgaea 7 Complete's update and DLC to more platforms in the West?

DMDT: Thank you for your interest! If there's any news to share, we'll be sure to let our fans know as soon as we can on our official channels.

RPG Site: Also since Disgaea Mayhem is an action RPG, are there any plans to bring it to Xbox consoles? Aside from Disgaea 4 on the Windows Store, there isn't any Disgaea on Xbox platforms at all.

DMDT: There are no such plans at this time.

RPG Site: Will Disgaea Mayhem have PS5 Pro and Steam Deck support at launch?

DMDT: There are no PS5 Pro-specific enhancements. As for the Steam Deck, the game supports 16:10 output.

RPG Site: Going back to Disgaea Mayhem's gameplay, what replay value does it have for those who stick around beyond the initial credits roll?

DMDT: True to Disgaea series tradition, we've prepared character and item progression systems, as well as high-difficulty stages.

RPG Site: Will there be any save data bonus for players who have saves from prior NIS titles or Disgaea games?

DMDT: Nothing in particular, no.

RPG Site: If you could work on any other genre for a new Disgaea spin-off, what would you do after action RPGs?

DMDT: There's no particular genre that comes to mind, but if pressed, perhaps a dungeon RPG. We've had involvement in titles like Makai Kingdom, the Guided Fate series, and the Witch and the Hundred Knight series, but we've never made one under the Disgaea banner, so we think it could result in something with its own distinct flavor.

RPG Site: If Disgaea Mayhem does well enough, how would you expand on it in a sequel? What would you want to do?

DMDT: We'd love to expand the roster of playable characters and further enhance the visuals.

RPG Site: This is not a question, but I hope NIS and NIS America both consider doing proper physical releases for Switch 2 with the game on card going forward. As someone who bought just about every NIS America physical release on Switch and PlayStation when I could, I've stopped buying Switch 2 key card releases and moved to just getting the PS5 physicals.

DMDT: Thank you very much for your feedback and for your continued support of NIS America over the years. We truly appreciate you sharing your perspective. We'll be sure to take your feedback into consideration as we evaluate future physical release plans

[Editor's note: This interview was conducted before Sony announced plans to stop producing new game discs in 2028]

RPG Site: Final question. How do you like your coffee? Go into as much detail as possible. Ask as many people from the team for this one if you'd like. 

DMDT: We asked everyone on the team.

A: I like drinking coffee during breaks at work or while driving. I add both sugar and milk, but maybe it's an age thing. Lately I've been finding black coffee less off-putting than I used to.

B: I'm the type of person who just can't drink coffee.

C: At this point, it's basically milk coffee. I like pouring milk into a cup and adding a spoonful each of instant coffee and sugar. (I prefer it sweet, and it's quick and easy to make.) Grinding my own beans is very rare. (I can't drink it black since it's too bitter, and more than anything it takes too long...)

D: I drink it with vodka and milk added to a sweet coffee. (A Kahlúa & Milk enthusiast.)

E: My caffeine tolerance is so low that just two sips of a regular canned coffee is enough to keep me up all night, so I can't drink it. I can manage something like coffee diluted about 50 times with milk—basically warm milk with a touch of coffee.

F: I drink it with a lethal amount of sugar. Or I'll have it black alongside chocolate or Japanese sweets.

G: I like it sweet—milk coffee, Vienna coffee, that kind of thing. Lately I've been really into making café au lait with almond milk...!

H: I only drink it black when I want to look sophisticated. Otherwise, I just add milk and sugar more or less at random.

I: I'm fine with anything—canned black, with milk, whatever. When I was a kid, kicking around the empty can afterward was part of the ritual.

J: I drink coffee to push through the drowsiness.