The developer of Vampire Survivors, poncle, will establish a new studio in Japan with Takeyasu Sawaki as studio head. Takeyasu is known as the creator of El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron and CEO of crim at poncle’s new Japanese studio.
The news that poncle is opening a studio in Japan was revealed in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu. The plan is part of poncle’s expansion strategy, and the company has also expressed interest in creating new intellectual property in the future.
Luca Galante, the founder of poncle and creator of Vampire Survivors, said that the idea of opening a studio in Japan had been on his mind for years. This was influenced by his admiration for Japanese game as well as his positive experiences during his visit to Japan.
The Beginning of Luca Galante and Sawaki Takeyasu's Collaboration for poncle Buka Studio Japan
Plan poncle The Japanese studio began to take shape after Galante was introduced to Takeyasu by Matteo Sapio, Poncle’s chief strategy officer, around 2023.
It turns out that Galante and Takeyasu have long admired each other’s work. The name “Poncle” itself comes from the Poncles that appear in *Okami*, a game for which Takeyasu served as character designer. Galante has also been a long-time fan of Takeyasu’s artwork.
On the other hand, Takeyasu is already a fan of Vampire Survivors. He met Galante while developing his own game, Mythical Concept: STARNAUT.
Sawaki Takeyasu's Role at Japanese Studio Poncle
As head of poncle’s Japanese studio, Takeyasu will support the company’s broader goals while building poncle’s foundation in Japan.
The studio’s long-term team size has not yet been determined. However, Poncle plans to continue operating with a relatively small development team.
According to Galante, poncle’s game development philosophy is centered on three core principles: creating games that the team wants to make, respecting players, and prioritizing accessibility. These values will continue to serve as the foundation for poncle’s future projects.
Japanese Studio Poncle Will Focus on Passion and New Ideas
Takeyasu said he wants to build a studio driven by passion, rather than simply following market trends. He also hopes the studio will open up opportunities for aspiring developers regardless of age or experience.
In addition, Takeyasu wants to raise awareness of Vampire Survivors in Japan. He also hopes to create an environment that allows creators to experiment with new ideas through smaller-scale productions.
Going forward, Poncle plans to have its regional teams work on projects separately. Collaboration between regions is still possible, but the development process will largely proceed independently. Galante also confirmed that future projects may come from the Japanese studio.
Poncle Also Opens a New Studio in Italy
In addition to its plans to open a studio in Japan, Poncle has also established a new studio in Italy.
Galante said that Poncle’s future projects may still draw inspiration from the Vampire Survivors universe. However, the company is also interested in creating new intellectual property.
The latest title from Poncle, *Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard* from *Vampire Survivors*, was released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store on April 21.
