We recently spoke with Zach Aguilar about Demon Slayer, Smash Bros., and even his experiences as a cookie – learn more with our interview…

Zach Aguilar Interview – Iconic VA Talks Demon Slayer, Smash Bros & More 

Gamers Heroes

It’s a huge honor! Needless to say, your work needs no introduction.

Jumping right into it, I have to talk Demon Slayer. 

I actually just interviewed Jonah Scott [Demon Slayer’s Kokushibo] a few weeks ago, and I was singing his praises too! I was there for Infinity Castle, and have been watching Demon Slayer since the beginning.

A lot of people grew up with your work as Tanjiro –  you’ve touched a lot of lives! 

Throughout the Demon Slayer series, Tanjiro has gone through a lot. 

From The Entertainment District to Infinity Castle, what has been your favorite part voicing the character through these different arcs?

Zach Aguilar 

It’s so hard to say! 

Every single part feels like a part of me, now that I’ve gotten to go on this crazy journey with Tanjiro.

I’ve been doing this since 2019 – if I had to pick a favorite, it’d probably be The Entertainment District.

I love all the fight scenes, and I love the camaraderie between Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke.

I even like the comparison between Gyutaro and Daki and Tanjiro and Nezuko!

A lot of people at that point finally understood Tanjiro’s outlook, and the empathy he has for others – even for the demons he defeats. 

Gamers Heroes

That’s a great way to look at it. 

You definitely put a lot of passion into it, always working on that Total Concentration…

So doing a bit of homework here, I noticed on Twitter you said you wanted to manifest a deep voice. 

So I know all about NDAs – I’m under a few myself! – but how are you looking to channel that deep voice?

Are you going to do that signature epic movie voice – “In a world…” style – or something along those lines?

Zach Aguilar 

That’s a good question! 

I would love to play some kind of superhero or supervillain – just do something super fun and kind of different! 

Don’t get me wrong; it’s definitely a blessing to be cast as the main character and a bunch of different things to play the “nicest, bestest” boy in so many different franchises. 

But yeah, I would love to give myself a bit of a challenge in that way, doing a different type of character. 

I think the only thing that relates to what I’m talking about is kind of like playing a superhero or villain that’s just edgier, maybe more similar to David Martinez.

Something along that realm where I’m not just like a super nice boy, but just kind of edgy. 

Gamers Heroes

I like that!

Are there any types of anti-heroes or villains that you’re drawn to? Somebody like Homelander from The Boys?

Zach Aguilar 

I love The Boys – I love it so much! 

I’m watching all the new episodes as they’ve been coming out.

Gamers Heroes

Nothing but the best taste!

Zach Aguilar 

And Invincible too – I’ve been watching Invincible. 

Yeah, I would love to be a Marvel or DC-type of villain. 

I’m not entirely sure what I would play, but I think it’d be so cool. 

Gamers Heroes

I could absolutely see that – and I’m sure you got it! 

I’d also love to talk about your community stories…

I saw you’re going to be at FANEXPO Dallas – I’ve previously gone to the San Francisco one, and I have lots of great memories with great people.

I also saw your Valentine’s Day video!

On that note, what are some of your favorite community stories? 

As far as the fandom goes, I’m sure you’ve gotten a lot of great pieces of art, touching stories, and more…

Zach Aguilar 

You’re right – there are so many good stories!

It’s hard to kind of pick just one, but mostly meeting families. 

I love meeting just a whole family of people – they tell me how they bonded over Demon Slayer, and they’re all in cosplay! 

The dad is Rengoku, the mom is Shinobu, and the little kids are Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Inosuke.

I think that’s super cute! 

And as you’ve said, I’ve gotten fan art – I get so much fan art! I do always appreciate it – but I ask myself: “Where do I put this?”

I have bins full of different art, paper, and canvases! 

I have been gifted so many things – it’s such a blessing for people to put time and effort into something like that and share their work with me. 

It’s really special and cool, something I don’t take for granted at all.

I never thought that I would be doing something like this. Being that person one spends hours on a drawing for… 

I mean, what act of love from fans is greater than that?

Gamers Heroes

That’s a great way to describe it – “act of love!”

I’ve been to artist alleys and seen people wearing Demon Slayer garb – not to mention the art. I hear you loud and clear!

Like I said, you’ve touched a lot of lives – including mine.

Changing gears a little bit… 

I saw you did Super Battle Golf with the Genshin Impact stars! 

We’re talking about the fans, but you’ve also got great foils with all your cast members.

What are some of the standout moments when it comes to collaborating, whether it be the nonstop chaos of Super Battle Golf or anything else?

Zach Aguilar 

When it comes to streaming and interacting with people, the cast is awesome! We don’t always get to have those kinds of interactions. 

It’s funny, because some of them I haven’t had really in-depth conversations with – they just kind of just pop up and do something really fast. 

That stream for Super Battle Golf was actually way more chaotic than I thought it was going to be. I mean, it was non-stop talking. I don’t think we had a moment of silence! 

We have a great time, and it’s fun getting all the actors together. 

We all record in the same sort of way and work with the same team of people, so it’s nice that we can all kind of connect in that way. 

I’m glad that the fans also get something out of it! We’re doing it for the fans – we think that the fans would think that’s really cool to interact.

And sometimes, the voice of our character slips out! It’s kind of like the characters are unofficially talking to each other.

I’ve seen that in my chat all the time too. I’ll say something, and people will say that sounded just like Tanjiro, and I’ll say:

“What? That’s not intentional – that’s just my voice!”

Gamers Heroes

Definitely take pride in it! 

For people to remember that – that’s a lasting effect! 

So talking energy, I’ve got to talk CookieRun and your work as Espresso Cookie! 

I’ve immersed myself in all things CookieRun: Kingdom as of late; I know there’s a pop-up in New York, there’s the KPop Demon Hunters collaboration – and I love how you ate a cookie every time you didn’t get Espresso Cookie.

That spirit is just incredible!

That’s a great cast too – I’ll also co-sign Erik Braa, who’s Burning Spice Cookie. I’ve seen him at a couple of events, and he’s truly great as well!

What are some of your favorite moments throughout the CookieRun series?

Zach Aguilar 

CookieRun! 

Feels like I’ve been doing that game for a while now… 

I think the best part about working on that franchise is Devsisters being so freaking cool to work with. 

They’re so hip with the times and social media, and they want us to collaborate. 

That’s not always the case. Sometimes companies are very corporate, and say while we got you on that game, we’re going to be over here and you over there – don’t cross the threshold too much. 

But Devsisters has been one of those companies that’s amazing to work with! 

We all record individually, so meeting the actors and hearing their lines in the game or clips online, I see how much bravado some of those cookies have! 

And it’s just hilarious – the writing is incredible! 

I’ve worked on so much CookieRun dialog as Espresso Cookie, and I am never once not entertained by what they have written. 

It is just so fun, so lighthearted and comedic – even in very dark situations.

Because at the end of the day, they are just literally cookies!

Gamers Heroes

I just noticed there’s one in the background too – true to form!

Zach Aguilar 

I got that from Devsisters – they’ve seriously been amazing! They’ve gifted me all sorts of different stuff and merch.

I have merch of Espresso Cookie, I have shirts, I have hoodies – I have just so much stuff. 

I’m super thankful to them, and I’m glad they’ve asked me to be a part of the project. 

I’m looking forward to just continuing the relationship with those guys with some more CookieRun stuff to come.

Let’s continue the CookieVerse! 

Gamers Heroes

That’s the way the cookie crumbles, right? Sorry, I love my dad jokes… [laughs]

So changing gears a little bit, I’ve got to talk Super Smash Bros. 

I grew up playing the Nintendo 64 version – and you’re Byleth in Ultimate! 

I remember in 2020 when he was revealed – everything was just hinging on those trailers. 

And sure enough, you’ve got Abby Trott [Demon Slayer’s Nezuko Kamado] singing Ultimate’s main theme Lifelight!

I have to ask: What has it been like working on the Smash Bros. series and working with Sakurai?

Legends are working with legends here, creating one of the best games of all time – no joke!

Zach Aguilar 

Honestly, it was incredible! 

When I first went in to record on Smash Bros., they told me and my agent in the mass email thread that we usually have going on that it was for Fire Emblem: Three Houses DLC. 

I go to record, and I say a few lines, and then they show me a video where the Smash envelope is being delivered.

I have to match the timing to that as part of doing the voice,

And I see it, and I say: 

“Guys, what’s that? That’s not in Three Houses; that’s Smash!”

I mean, I had followed the Smash announcements for so long – I would talk a lot with my friends, asking: “Who do you think is going to be the next character on the roster? Who is it? Sora?”

Everybody was hoping for Sora; people were praying for Sora [we eventually got Sora]! 

And I look over to the Director, and he presses the intercom button so I can hear him through this giant wall of plexiglass. 

And he says:

 “Byleth is going to be in Smash.”

Gamers Heroes

There you go!

Zach Aguilar 

He said:

“I don’t know when it’s going to be announced. It could be three months, it could be a year. It could be even longer. 

Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone, or I will find you.

Do not tell a soul. I don’t want you to tell your mother, I don’t want you to tell your dog.

Don’t tell anyone.”

And that was probably the hardest secret I ever had to keep. All of my friends and I would go over to my buddy’s house, and we would all play Smash together.

They would talk about the next character, asking “Who do you think are the top five characters?” 

We just talked about that every single time I would go play Smash – and I’m a Jigglypuff main!

Gamers Heroes

Yeah, watch out for that “Rest” – I got you!

Zach Aguilar 

It was the craziest thing!

And then when Byleth came out, I got so many text messages congratulating me. 

Friends of mine were like: 

“What the heck – why didn’t you say anything?”

I couldn’t say anything – but I really, really wanted to! It was just kind of like a wave or rollercoaster, just going up and down. 

So many people on the internet were like: “We wanted Sora or somebody else – why another Fire Emblem character?” 

But then I got a ton of love too! 

Once people gave Byleth a chance, and MKLeo ended up naming Byleth as one of the best…

He’s one of the best Smash Bros. players in the world! I mean it – it was just so cool to be a part of.

For me, it was also really nostalgic. I played Melee on the GameCube all the time as a kid.

It really was a full circle moment, something I couldn’t even believe I had been a part of.

Gamers Heroes

It is incredible – and it’s a great part too. You’ve even got a stage in Ultimate! 

Leading up to his reveal, were you playing any other Fire Emblem characters like Marth or Roy?

Zach Aguilar 

I played some Lucina…

Jigglypuff is still my best, but my top two characters now are Jigglypuff and Byleth – because I have to, of course!

I was so bad with Byleth when he first came out, but I’ve gotten a lot better – way better.  

Gamers Heroes

That’s great! I’m still playing to this day – it’s a fantastic game.

I believe you got your start as a voice actor in 2014 – how would you say the landscape has changed in the past decade? 

Have you noticed any major trends or changes when it comes to delivery or anything else?

Zach Aguilar 

I think our process has stayed relatively the same when it comes to recording. 

But something I have noticed is voiceover feels to me a lot more competitive than it used to be – everybody wants to do voiceover work now and be in an anime because it’s super popular. 

I had a chat with a casting director – she was one of the people that she was one of the people that helped me get my start. 

Her name is Mami Okada – she told me that so many people and big agencies of celebrities have reached out to her trying to get them or their celebrities into anime.

These are agents that don’t know this realm or medium at all. 

They might think: “This anime gets hundreds of millions of views, I can get my client $200,000 an episode.”

Or something crazy – anime doesn’t pay you that. 

It’s still kind of this medium where it’s probably about to explode even more in terms of profitability when it comes to theatrical releases. 

I think that’s the next wave of anime, anime genres, and even Hollywood recognition.

As we’ve seen with Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man, all these great anime movies are coming to the big screen. It’s definitely changed in that regard.

I’ve learned so much throughout that that time span; just meeting people, networking, sending emails to studios. 

I didn’t even have an agent for a while – I would send my stuff to studios and say:

“Hey, I would love to audition for you guys.” 

And just pray for a response. 

And it worked a few times – compared to the few 100 times it did not work. So it’s definitely a changing industry. 

I’m excited to see where it goes from here, if it’s going to become more like Hollywood, more red carpet-y, more press, more promo-like. 

I think that one of the biggest things we’ve seen change with anime becoming popular are the conventions. 

I remember I would go to conventions in 2016 and 2017. People would show up, and it was pretty good. I would talk a maybe 20% filled whole panel room. 

Now, every single time I go to a convention and doing a panel on a stage – even if it’s just a Q&A –  hundreds of seats are all completely packed in there! 

We’ve seen the popularity of anime and how it kind of spread to the voice actors. 

People started recognizing voice actors, knowing their names, watching their streams, and following them online! 

It’s been very interesting!

I got into voiceover because I love anime – I watched Naruto, Death Note, DBZ, Your Lie in April…I was an avid anime watcher!

When Netflix started going digital, I watched everything on there at the time. 

It’s just been incredible to see just the explosion of anime, and I’m excited to see where it goes. 

I hope we get to see some Oscar-nominated anime – I think that’d be incredible!

Gamers Heroes

Absolutely, I can definitely see that! 

Talking about my experiences going to theaters around the San Francisco Bay Area, there were packed houses for Infinity Castle, Reze Arc, and other anime releases – I saw billboards everywhere too!

I’ll definitely co-sign that one.

Ending on a short and sweet note, what would you suggest to those looking to enter the voice acting space themselves? 

Going to events like FANEXPO, or even gaming events like the GDC Festival of Gaming or Summer Game Fest, people say they want to do voice acting work themselves.

I’ve asked this question to a number of voice actors – some mentioned you should go to iwanttobeavoiceactor.com, while others suggest you join clubs.

There’s not necessarily a wrong answer, but I’m always interested to see exactly what one suggests when looking to enter the space…

Zach Aguilar 

Both of those are great options! 

I think there are a lot of roads and a lot of doors somebody starting out need to try. You never know what path is going to be your “in” to the industry. 

I would say focus on your acting. Take theater classes, film and TV acting classes – voiceover classes, specifically – and just basically become an actor. 

Don’t worry about just voiceover; become an actor. 

Focus on your brand and do everything that you could imagine that that would entail.

Make a website, get a demo reel done, make sure you’re training consistently – constantly working on your craft, networking, and learning how to network.

At the end of the day, this is business. I do believe it’s really important to network with people and be able to separate your brain into two different spaces. 

One part of your brain is your creative space, where you focus purely on the craft you love, what you do. 

The second space is purely business and understanding. 

Why are you valuable to this agent, this studio, or someone else? What can you bring to the table that maybe other people can’t bring?

Is it your social media following? Is it maybe on-camera credits? Maybe you have something that ties into voiceover there. 

Maybe you can speak another language; maybe you can do accents really well; maybe you just have a really cool voice!

Or maybe you don’t have a cool voice. Maybe your voice is a little strange…use it to your advantage! 

Don’t try to hinder yourself, and don’t be something you’re not. 

When it comes to the industry casting, everybody sees that authenticity. 

So if you are authentic, you love the craft, and you are focused as a business person… 

You take acting classes, voice acting classes, you make that website, you get headshots done, and you promote yourself as a valuable brand… 

I think you will be successful!

Gamers Heroes

I think that’s a great combo! Being passionate, showing professionalism, and being genuine – it’s a winning formula. 

From the expert, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

So on that note, I really appreciate the time! I hope to see you at a future event – we’ll have to get a picture.

Thank you so much!

Zach Aguilar 

Thank you so much Casey – appreciate you having me!

Gamers Heroes

Pleasure is all mine!

For those feeling social, be sure to follow Zach Aguilar on Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube social media channels.

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The post Zach Aguilar Interview – Iconic VA Talks Demon Slayer, Smash Bros & More appeared first on GamersHeroes.

From inspiration to community, we recently talked with Gambonanza Grandmaster Blukulélé about this Roguelike-Chess match made in heaven…

Gambonanza Interview – Grandmaster Blukulélé Talks Inspiration, Community & More

Gamers Heroes

I love the turn-based chess roguelike concept of Gambonanza!

What were some of the inspirations behind this project?

Blukulélé

Thank you so much, really glad you like it!

Gambonanza actually started from The Queen’s Gambit. I got completely hooked by the show, so I jumped into Chess.com… and got destroyed.

First game, crushed. Second game, crushed. Third game… same story

And I remember thinking: how can this game feel so cool in the show, but so frustrating when I play it?

That frustration is what sparked everything. I wanted to make my version of chess, one where you can actually feel that excitement and power, even if you’re not good at the game.

At the same time, I was playing a ton of Balatro, and it really clicked something in my head as a dev.

Taking a well-known game and twisting it into something chaotic and modern… I loved that idea.

So Gambonanza is basically that mix: my frustration with chess + the madness of Balatro.

A chaotic, fast-paced and accessible version of chess where you break the rules, bend them, and create your own way to win.

Gamers Heroes

I saw that Gambonanza was shortlisted at SXSW Sydney 2025 – congratulations!

What were some of your favorite experiences around the event?

Blukulélé

It honestly felt completely surreal, I still can’t really believe it happened!

One of my favorite memories from the event is a small anecdote: the game was available on a single PC, like many other games there. But at some point, one of the organizers messaged me saying that Gambonanza was so popular they actually brought their own personal laptop just so more people could play it.

That was incredible to hear!

It was also the very first time people got their hands on the game, so I was extremely nervous.

Seeing players fully engaged, reacting, having fun, it meant so much to me!

At the same time, it definitely put some pressure on my shoulders, because I really wanted to live up to their expectations!

Gamers Heroes

When it came to the Gambonanza playtests leading up to launch, what was the best piece of feedback you received?

Blukulélé

Honestly, the biggest thing I learned is how passionate and dedicated the community can be!

At the beginning, I was actually a bit scared. Showing a game like this while it’s still unfinished is pretty intimidating… especially a chaotic one like Gambonanza where things can go in so many unexpected directions.

But they helped me find so many bugs!!

There are thousands of possible interactions and synergies, and as a solo dev, it’s just impossible to test everything. They were there, constantly breaking the game in ways I never could, reporting issues, pointing out small frustrations, helping me polish every corner of it.

The game wouldn’t be what it is today without them, not even close. And now, it’s become part of how I make games.

I need that feedback loop.

I still have a clear vision of where I want to go, but I rely on the community to help shape it and make it understandable and enjoyable.

Working like this is honestly such a great feeling!

Gamers Heroes

I also saw that there are official Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Discord channels, along with an upcoming Twitch extension!

What are some of your favorite community stories around Gambonanza?

Blukulélé

Yeah, there’s a lot going on right now! 

Honestly, my favorite moments are when a player jumps into the Discord and shares a completely insane combo they discovered, something I never even thought about.

That’s just magical to me. Being surprised by your own game… especially as the creator, it’s such a special feeling.

It really makes Gambonanza feel alive. I don’t see it as something fixed, I see it as something organic, almost like it has a life of its own, constantly surprising me.

There’s one story I really love, even if it’s a bit tricky to explain.

There’s a boss in the game that hides your pieces, you can’t tell which one is which. And there’s also a Gambit that gives you the piece you have the most of in your stock, and it shows the icon of that piece.

So one player came up with this clever workaround: they emptied their stock, then placed their pieces one by one, using the Gambit to reveal the icon each time… basically figuring out all their pieces despite the boss’s power.

I could have patched it out, but honestly, it was too smart. The player outplayed me there

That interaction deserved to exist. It’s clever, it’s creative, and it’s exactly the kind of thing I love.

And things like this are happening all the time right now, especially since release.

Players keep sharing their runs, their discoveries, their crazy ideas… I absolutely love it.

(The player is placing its pieces one by one in its stock on the left and check the Gambit icon on the right to figure out which piece is which against M3CH4GNUS C4RL5EN)

One can get Gambonanza via its official Steam page, along with the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

For those feeling social, be sure to follow the official Twitter/X and Bluesky social media channels.

An official Discord channel is also available for those looking to join the conversation.

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KuloNiku: Bowl Up! Interview – Gambir Studio Talks Characters, Community & More

Gamers Heroes

From Ume to Stella, I loved each character’s personalities!

Whether it be anime, gaming, or anything else, what were some of the inspirations for its lively cast?

Raka (Project Manager & Story Writer)

Our inspirations include comedy anime like Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun. 

The characters have one easily understood and recognized personality trait as their foundation, which we can then expand upon.

We also threw in a dash of farming sim writing style, think Stardew Valley or Fields of Mistria, so you’ll see different sides of the characters as you get to know them.

We hope to make the players excited to learn more about the characters and how they became the people that they are now.

Gamers Heroes

What has been your favorite part working with Raw Fury on KuloNiku: Bowl Up? I greatly appreciate what they bring to the gaming space!

Gian (Game Designer & Programmer)

Definitely the vast experience that they brought to the table. 

They could share why a certain gameplay feature or story beat might work well for KuloNiku, and they have the data to back it up.

But that is not to say they’re detached; they are also gamers and would chime in with what additions might make the game even more fun to play. 

So it’s been so wonderful to have both professional and personal opinions. And, of course, they trust us to make the final call.

Gamers Heroes

I love the KuloNiku: Bowl Up! fan art I’ve seen! 

From Twitter/X to Bluesky to Discord to even Reddit, what are some of your favorite community stories around this release?

Raka (Project Manager & Story Writer)

We’re so grateful to have such a passionate and awesome community! 

It really makes our day when we see someone who likes KuloNiku enough that they recommend it to others on social media and forums.

It’s also been very fun reading the speculations and analyses about the characters in our Discord. 

It means there’s enough, ahem, meat in the writing that people can really dig into.

And of course, all the fanworks in different styles!

Gamers Heroes

Also talking Reddit, I saw you mentioned there will be “new dialogues and illustrations in April, new decoration sets in May, and a new cooking-related feature in June.” 

I’m sure there’s a lot still under wraps, but what was the one thing you absolutely had to add post-launch?

Gian (Game Designer & Programmer)

We’re listening to what the community wants, and one theme is creating custom recipes. So we’re exploring ways to make that happen. 

We also want to make Teto the cat a more important part of the game because… cats are great!

Gamers Heroes

Finally, I have to ask – from sweet to spicy, from grilled items to skewers, what’s your ideal order at Bakuso?

Gian (Game Designer & Programmer)

Slightly sweet and slightly spicy noodles with meatball and chicken, plus iced tea!

Raka (Project Manager & Story Writer)

Mine would be a slightly spicy and slightly salty Classic Bowl, with lamb skewer on the side and a glass of ice tea. 

Don’t forget the spoon and fork!

Be sure to get KuloNiku: Bowl Up! via its official Steam page – a demo is also available!

Make sure to also check out our review of KuloNiku: Bowl Up! (80/100!):

“A cozy cooking game that’s got the sauce, KuloNiku: Bowl Up! hits the sweet spot with its signature blend of minigames, social elements, and over-the-top personalities.”

For those feeling social, make sure to follow the official Twitter/X and Bluesky social media channels.

An official Discord channel is also available for those looking to join the conversation.

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Sam Haft Interview – Platinum Artist Talks Living Tombstone, Favorite Lyric & Favorite Curse

From the Hellaverse to The Living Tombstone to even his favorite curse word, we recently joined Sam Haft to discuss his runaway success…

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Kelsi Davies Interview – Psychic/Clairvoyant Talks Haunt Escape, Disneyland & More

A Professional Actress, Content Creator, and Clairvoyant, Kelsi Davies has welcomed millions on her spiritual journey. From her popular Haunt Escape release to Disneyland, learn more with our interview….

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ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies Interview – ZA/UM Studio Talks Writing, Audio & Espionage

Briefing us on its writing, audio, and espionage roots, we recently joined ZA/UM Studio’s Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe and Honey Watson at GDC 2026 to learn more about ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies.

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The post KuloNiku: Bowl Up! Interview – Gambir Studio Talks Characters, Community & More appeared first on GamersHeroes.

From the Hellaverse, to The Living Tombstone, to even his favorite curse word, we recently joined Sam Haft to discuss his runaway success…

Sam Haft Interview – Platinum Artist Talks Living Tombstone, Favorite Lyric & Favorite Curse

Gamers Heroes 

The legend is here – it’s a huge honor!

Jumping into it, I actually got the chance to interview Richard Horvitz last November – he built you up too! 

Sam Haft

I will sing his praises too! 

Really, everything I’ve learned about directing actors, I’ve learned by observing him doing his thing and practicing his craft – which he is so excellent at.

Gamers Heroes 

Absolutely!

So I’d love to know: What’s your favorite part working with this all-star cast across the Hellaverse?

Obviously there’s Horvitz, but across so many iconic roles – you’ve got yourself a dream team. 

What’s your favorite part working on all these different properties with these great, great people?

Sam Haft

My favorite part of the process is getting to see them hear a song for the first time and getting to see their excitement!

So much of our process is really built around, 

“How do we help them have the best time they could possibly have on a microphone?” 

Getting to see them really excited for the song they’re about to sing is such a pleasure.

Gamers Heroes 

I mean, it’s a Happy Day in Hell – what’s not to like, right?

That actually leads to my next point…

Right after my Horvitz interview, he did a Helluva Boss panel to a packed house – the energy was just electric!

I always love talking about and learning about these community stories. 

And I’ve also done a little bit of stalking! I checked out your MAGWest panel – which is actually local around here! – your favorite type of cereal…

That’s genuine, that’s legit! 

So what are some of your favorite community stories? You’ve definitely got your fans!

Sam Haft

Oh gosh!

You know, one of the favorite things I like to hear from people coming up to me at conventions are the ways in which the songs have been slotted into their own lives and their own experiences. 

It’s always a pleasure when I hear someone say:

“Your song ‘2 Minutes Notice’ helped me quit my crappy job” 

Or:

“Your song, more than anything, was at my father-daughter dance at our wedding.” 

Things like that, where it really feels like the music that we’ve made has become part of the fabric of their lives.

Gamers Heroes 

I totally understand!

As a segue there, I know you’ve got your Multiplayer Tour – a World Tour! 

I’m looking to make it to your stop at the San Jose Civic on October 8 – I’m getting my tickets this week and will be there [got them!].

So on that note, I know you previously had a four continent tour last year, one that was sold out everywhere. 

What are you looking forward to regarding the tour this year?

Sam Haft

A couple of things!

I mean, we didn’t want to go back on tour if it was just going to be more of the same. 

Not that there wasn’t an appetite among the fans for more of the same, but we want to level up every time we do it. 

So when we go back on tour, we’re going to have some great upgrades to the costumes.

More importantly, we’re also making upgrades to the lighting and video presentation part of the show as well.

Gamers Heroes 

I look forward to it! 

I know you’ve got your Tombsona rust; will there be any redesigns there, or anything else you’re going to go “even further beyond,” Dragon Ball Z-style?

Sam Haft

There will be some minor redesigns with rust!

I would say the character that’s getting the biggest upgrade is zero_one, and I’m so excited.

Gamers Heroes 

Nice – there you go! 

Sam Haft

Yeah, it’s going to be really, really great!

We’re getting to see countries and cities that we haven’t been to before. We’ll be getting into markets and meeting fans we otherwise haven’t had a chance to get in front of. 

We’ve never been to Scandinavia before, and we’re doing that. We’re also going to parts of Eastern Europe that we’ve never been to before, with shows in Poland and Lithuania. 

I’m so excited!

Gamers Heroes 

It’s going to be great! 

So on that note, I do have to give a shoutout to Yoav. 

I mean, you guys are great foils to one another, getting “Brighter” – so to speak. 

What would you say is your favorite part helping each other grow? 

Obviously you guys are two peas in a pod, thick as thieves! 

Sam Haft

You know, I think one of the things that I really love about my work with Yoav is the way that we complement and complete each other artistically.

I feel like we have kind of like a yin-yang dynamic, and it plays out not just in our friendship, but also on stage. 

And I really like how we’ve been growing together as artists and friends for almost 10 years!

Gamers Heroes 

Yeah, it’s a winning combo right there!

Sam Haft

Yeah, I couldn’t possibly have foreseen where we would have been today 10 years ago…and I cannot imagine where we’re going to be 10 years from now together!

Gamers Heroes 

So on that same note…

You’ve got so many different properties – where you draw inspiration?

We’ve talked about Richard Horvitz, but are there any works – whether it be games, movies, or even other artists – that inspire you?

Like, something that came to you when walking the dog?

Sam Haft

There are definitely artists that I find a lot of inspiration from! 

An artist that I brought up a number of times is Mitski. 

Speaking as a lyricist, I really adore her lyrical work.

I love the way it can be so incredibly direct, while also speaking symbolically about things.

And I love the way she can talk about something by talking about something else that represents that something.

And, you know, it’s my work. 

In musical theater or in the Hellaverse, stuff is so very different. 

In musical theater, you really have the songs carry a lot of burden of exposition, with people exploring their feelings in a more “direct to the audience” kind of way. 

I think the work of Mitski makes me think about the ways I can show and tell – without showing and telling. 

I feel like that’s been a big inspiration on that front musically.

I just love musical theater – period. 

For me, rather than drawing inspiration from any one particular musical theater creator, part of it is getting to say:

“This song has a kind of Robert and Kristen Lopez feel. 

What if this song has kind of a Stephen Sondheim feel, and this song has kind of an Andrew Lloyd Webber feel?”

It’s getting to pull from all the influence buckets. 

One of the things I love so much about making music for the Hellaverse is that no two songs are ever that much alike. 

We get to pull from so many different influences rather than just saying this whole show is influenced by this particular person.

Gamers Heroes 

So I know it’s like picking a favorite child – I know we love them all! – but if there’s one lyric you’re especially proud of, which one would it be?

Sam Haft

No, I know immediately! 

Season Two of Hazbin Hotel has a song called Piss (A Love Song).

There is a line:

“They say time heals all wounds, but the wounds are what I miss.” 

That song, that line – this idea of missing the violence, the drama, and the trauma.

It’s something that is so immediately recognizable to a listener.

Even though you might go:

“I’ve never felt that in my life.”

You instantly go:

“I understand exactly what he’s saying and how he feels that way.” 

It’s something that communicates an idea so completely in such a succinct way, and is also such a beautiful way to say it.

Gamers Heroes 

Absolutely! It’s got that power.

Great, great pick. 

I did get a chance to check out the LA Note interview you did, and you said you’re looking to do a stage musical!

I know there’s NDAs – I’m under some myself! – but what inspired you to take a musical on in the first place?

Sam Haft

I think starting to work on the music for the Hellaverse really started scratching this theater kid itch for me! 

I went to school to write theater – my degree was in playwriting.

It was something I had always looked at and technically kind of trained for. Yet, I had just gotten further and further away from in my career.

It just feels like a homecoming, you know? 

It feels like:

“Hey, it’s about time to start making a piece of theater, because it’s what I’ve loved my whole life.”

It’s such an enormous influence on me as a songwriter.

I feel I’ve gotten to the point in my career where I’ve kind of mustered up the nerve to really try to step into that arena.

Gamers Heroes 

Yeah, you got it! 

Talking the game angle, I actually just saw this right before the interview, there’s going to be a Fortnite event: “The Living Tombstone: Can’t Wait To Die!”

I saw there’s going to be an art contest along with a Discord – there’s that community element. 

What went into its design? It sounds like a lot of fun!

Sam Haft

Oh yeah! 

So first of all, I play a lot of Fortnite.

It’s one of the games that I have wasted quite a bit of time on – and unfortunately, quite a bit of money on. 

It was one of those things that seemed so obvious for on the side of The Living Tombstone! 

We’ve always wanted to do something on the Fortnite platform, and always wanted to do something with Epic Games – fingers crossed that may be in the cards in a more official capacity in the near future! 

I felt like we had to do something, and we had to start somewhere – so where we’re starting is this! 

It’s called “Can’t Wait to Die!” – it’s a sort of a custom Living Tombstone, co-op shooter experience in the platform.

It’s got voice acting too, with little bits of story with our original characters: the Tombsonas.

It’s a really fun experience, and also it’s kind of a living, breathing experience.

We’re not just dropping it and saying: “Okay, it’s done.” 

We’re putting it out there and asking our fans:

“What features would like to see in this? What are ways that you feel like it could improve?” 

Because as gamers, we have so much respect for our fans. The last thing we would want to do is just release something and go, “Okay, that’s it. Hope you like it.” 

We care so much about their experience, and want them to have a good experience. 

It’s important to us that this is as good as it plays, and really stand out among the sort of third party created content on the Fortnite platform. 

There’s a lot of that stuff – I’m sure a lot of it is very good!

However, I’ve found that in exploring that platform, a lot of people are kind of applying the same formulas over and over again. 

We wanted to do something that felt different, that felt curated, that felt like part of the TLT universe.

Gamers Heroes 

Yeah, I’ve talked about that quite a bit lately – being passionate, professional, and genuine. 

You don’t want to “Fellow Kids” it 30 Rock, Steve Buscemi-style – people see right through that. I can tell you it’s going to go off like gangbusters. 

So keeping things short and sweet…

I’m stealing this from Inside the Actors Studio – I loved that show growing up. 

So James Lipton would always ask: 

“What’s your favorite curse word?” 

Figure it’s appropriate here – you’ve got to read the room! 

But this one I think is a good fit.

So…what’s your favorite curse word?

Sam Haft

Dipshit!

Gamers Heroes

That is a good word – hell yeah!

Sam Haft

It had its heyday when I was a kid, and I feel like it’s kind of fallen out of vogue. 

But you know, it’s a really great way to call someone a dummy!

Gamers Heroes

Yeah, it’s absolute! It just shuts things right down – I love it. 

And on that note, it’s been a huge honor. 

Thank you so much! 

For those feeling social, be sure to follow Sam Haft on Twitter/X, TikTok, Bluesky, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube.

Meanwhile, fans can follow The Living Tombstone on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Spotify, and get tickets for the Multiplayer Tour via its official website.

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Kelsi Davies Interview – Psychic/Clairvoyant Talks Haunt Escape, Disneyland & More

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ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies Interview – ZA/UM Studio Talks Writing, Audio & Espionage

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The post Sam Haft Interview – Platinum Artist Talks Living Tombstone, Favorite Lyric & Favorite Curse appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Between her popular Haunt Escape game and her many haunt visits, we recently joined Kelsi Davies for an intimate chat around her spiritual journey….

Kelsi Davies Interview – Psychic/Clairvoyant Talks Haunt Escape, Disneyland & More

Gamers Heroes

It’s a huge honor!

Even though we’re primarily a gaming site, my wife is a huge fan of yours. She’s does a number of paranormal investigations herself!

She’s done overnights at the USS Hornet, I’ve stayed with her at the Stanley Hotel on the fourth floor – you’re after our own heart here!

Doing some show-and-tell, she’s got a Boo Buddy, a Flux 2, and even has her own Halloween group called “Halloween Addicts Group Support” – or HAGS for short.

So even though my background is primary in gaming, we’re huge fans of you in this household. 

I was actually just at a haunted hotel this past weekend – the Holbrooke Hotel.

Even though nothing happened at the hotel itself, a storm knocked out all power in the area, so the lightning definitely set the mood… 

Jumping into it, I got a chance to check your recent video at the Whaley House – “America’s most haunted house!” 

I don’t think I can top that, but what made you want to take on that location of “hangings, death and paranormal activity?”

Kelsi Davies 

It was really, really great! That one was really fun, because we got to go with our friends overnight. 

I’ve always wanted to go to that place, but it was not in my budget, and it was far – I mean, not far compared to everywhere else I go. 

I think there’s a difference between flying and driving somewhere. 

It was such a long drive, but we finally ended up going, and it was definitely worth it. 

I don’t know if I’d necessarily go back, but I did have an amazing experience.

Gamers Heroes

Absolutely!

We also caught your Paranormal: Caught on Camera episode at Bracken Fern Manor – that was great! 

What was it like working with Discovery on that one, and what drew you to the haunt in the first place?

Kelsi Davies 

That one was really cool!

That one was so long ago – I think it was word of mouth. 

My friends told me about the Bracken Fern Manor, and that the Tudor house is up there. 

They were like, 

“Let’s just go and see what’s up!” 

And then we experienced so many things. 

I still don’t know if someone was in there – or if it was paranormal. There were people’s clothes, and it was a really weird scenario….

I’d like to go back to that one and re-investigate. 

It was really cool working with Discovery and The Travel Channel, just being on there and being recognized for the paranormal activity that we potentially caught on camera. 

Gamers Heroes

For an encore investigation, what are you hoping to do?

What are some of the learnings you had that you want to apply for round two of the Bracken Fern Manor?

Kelsi Davies 

I’m so much more in-tune with things now. 

I think I just know how to investigate better – I’m not as fearful. I’m not going to run away this time.

I think it’ll be a more in-depth understanding of exactly what’s going on in there, with my whole portal room and my investigation board – all the things. 

So let’s go back and connect the strings!

Gamers Heroes

I also got the chance to check out your Disneyland video! 

What’s interesting too is that my wife was at Disneyland last October, and there was somebody who passed on the Haunted Mansion ride that day.

In the video, you mentioned how water and joy are powerful conduits – and my wife wants to add churros too!

It was a great watch. 

I know you mentioned Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, but have you noticed anything else since then when it comes to the supernatural in the park? 

Kelsi Davies 

Oh my gosh, yeah – every single family. 

If you’re all together as a family, doing a family reunion, or making an annual trip; if you had ancestors that used to join you and they passed on…they are there.

I’ll see them with the groups of families trailing along – it’s very interesting! 

Every person brings spirits into the park – it’s just a place people want to come back to.

Like, if I passed, I would want to come back to Disneyland and relive a lot of these core memories. 

I’d want to go on my favorite rides without waiting in line! 

Every time I go, I always see someone. Then I’ll look, and then they’re gone. And I’m like, 

“Oh, spirit – cool.”

Gamers Heroes

Core memory is a great way to describe it! Definitely have a lot of those of my own as well. 

Talking about the gaming side of things, I did get a chance to check out the Moonlight Tunnel in Haunt Escape. 

What was it like working with Hibby Games on the release, and what was the one thing you had to include in the release?

Kelsi Davies 

Aaron Hibbard has been amazing! 

He’s just so passionate about it – this is definitely a passion project. He loves game development, and he’s so good at it.

That’s hopefully at the end of this year – we’re crossing our fingers! 

But he’s been working a lot on that. 

Even having like Easter eggs and different elements were just a must. 

And of course, having like orbs and other paranormal things incorporated into the game. 

It’s so cool!

Gamers Heroes

On that same note, I did check out all the resoundingly positive feedback! 

Quoting this one from “kelsidaviesfannnnnnn” – likely getting the number of “n”s at the end wrong, because there’s like 20 of them:

“It is mind-blowing and I love it”

You know what? I couldn’t have said it better myself.

I mentioned that my wife and I are fans, but what are some of your favorite community stories – whether with this release, meeting your fans in-person, or anything else?

Kelsi Davies 

It’s just so cool, because I know a lot of them! 

Everyone’s just from a different walk of life, and not all of them like playing video games. 

I just happen to love video games – it’s a hobby of mine. I don’t know if a lot of people know that, and I think it’s cool for them to expand and try something new.

They’re dedicated and want to support me in any way possible! I think that’s really, really special and really cool to share.

Even if some of them are not great at video games, to hear them say:

“I was walking around as you, and I was playing with the cats!” 

…instead of playing the game.

That’s really cute, and I appreciate that!

Gamers Heroes

They appreciate you – it’s very genuine! 

On that note, I did get chance to check out some of the video of the haunted dolls you got – looking forward to watching the rest of it!

You mentioned Lola, and I’ve seen some of the other ones as well.

Will we be seeing some of these other dolls in the second part? 

Kelsi Davies 

Oh my gosh, I do want to incorporate them! It’s just been so long in the development process. 

Maybe we can add little Easter eggs! I could actually message him and see if we can add little things, but then I would have to design each doll… 

I don’t know how much work that is – maybe through updates and stuff we can add like findable dolls. 

You can click on it and collect them – I think that’d be really cute!

Gamers Heroes

I look forward to that! 

So talking horror titles – are there any title you gravitate towards? 

You’ve got your Resident Evils, you’ve got your Silent Hills, but then you’ve also got your Dead by Daylights and things like that. 

Is there a title or series you just fell in love with? 

Kelsi Davies 

I love the new Resident Evil games, like Village and Requiem!

Gamers Heroes

Great taste – I love those!

Kelsi Davies 

I also love Dishonored! I like the dark, macabre, and kind of eerie vibe to it. 

And I just love graphic action games. I’m weird – I like to slice their head off, carry their head around, and throw it, you know?

Gamers Heroes

We’re kindred spirits! 

I mean, Resident Evil is perfect – you control Leon Kennedy and you are good to go. 

So talking about these game releases, is there anything you absolutely wanted to add?

It’s certainly different compared to Resident Evil and Leon Kennedy, but is there anything that like you wanted to draw from you were inspired by? 

Something you wanted to do your own interpretation of?

Kelsi Davies 

Growing up, I would always play Tomb Raider! I love puzzle games and solving puzzles while exploring. I’ve also always loved escape rooms! 

I think Aaron also loves games like that. Just off the bat, he was able to put all that together. He has done such an amazing job – it’s just fantastic.

He’ll add little aspects too – he knows I like eyes, so he made a puzzle with all these eyes in the new one.

Pulling things from all the games we have always loved has been great. 

I also used to play Club Penguin a lot, and they had all these minigames – and I found out Aaron developed a lot of those minigames! 

And so this is such a full circle, really awesome moment.

I’m so excited to release this!

Gamers Heroes

I also want to talk about your sold-out line of merchandise – I love the work you did with the sketchbook and LavenderSeance. 

Like you said, you captured that blend of dark whimsy and spiritual energy.

What was it like collaborating on projects like that? 

You talked about the collaboration with the game, but you’ve got all these great people working together to bring your vision to life.

Kelsi Davies 

It’s just amazing to work with such talented artists that are so good at what they do!

As an artist myself, I appreciate everything they put into it – I always want to credit them and help support them in any way I can. 

LavenderSeance was a fan of mine too! I reached out to her and she was like, 

“Oh my gosh, yes – let’s work together!”

I’ve been commissioning artists to help with merchandise – I commissioned another one recently, and those are going to come soon and are really cool. 

And to make my own sketchbook! 

I used to have hundreds of sketchbooks growing up from Justice or wherever – I would just love to doodle in them.

Just to be able to have my own is so special – little Kelsi would be so happy!

Gamers Heroes

I say that too! Little 12-year-old Casey would be over the moon.

That leads to another point…

I know you mentioned that you want to be authentic and real – I think those are excellent, excellent qualities to have! 

I definitely appreciate how genuine you are. 

With over three million followers on YouTube, I always get star-stuck every single interview I do – including this one!

But again, you’re authentic, real, genuine, and kind – it really goes far!

What would you say are some of the upsides – and possibly drawbacks – to this viral success?

Kelsi Davies

There are so many pros and cons to it…

Of course, you’re being judged for everything you do by someone.

I feel like you experience that in daily life, but here it’s just kind of put forward – people will write out exactly what they’re thinking of you. 

You have to have a strong backbone – you kind of have to not let people’s comments get to you.

Sometimes people make whole hate videos about you, and it’s just like: 

“What made that person so sad in their own life?” 

Gamers Heroes

That’s a good attitude to take! 

Kelsi Davies

Yeah, everything’s a projection of yourself and the way you treat other people. 

I really take that to heart, and I’m like, 

“You know what?

Maybe this person had a really bad day.”

If they write something really unnecessary, I’ll hit them back with logic. 

I never feed the fire, because it’s not worth it – it’s not worth my time. 

Gamers Heroes

As the old saying goes, 

“Haters gonna hate.” 

and 

“Don’t feed the trolls!” 

Kelsi Davies 

It’s been really cool, because I’ve just met so many amazing people. 

To have people come up to me while I’m at Disneyland to say they watch my videos and want a picture…that’s the positive quality!

It’s just awesome, and it makes me feel good. 

And I’m like, 

“Whoa, I helped that person in some way, and impacted their life even a tiny way.

Maybe I made them smile one day!”

That just means the world to me.

Gamers Heroes

You’ve certainly helped us – that’s a micro-case study right there!

What are you looking to promote next that we can highlight?

Kelsi Davies 

We’ve been working on candles!

I’ve always wanted to have my own candles and scents, because it goes into the spooky, and you can use them for spirit communication – I have always loved them! 

We’re coming out with soy wax based candles, and they’re going to be smell absolutely amazing. 

They’re not filled with all the chemicals, and we’ve been working on them for so long. 

The design of the box itself took us so long to make with the back and forth – and we finally have all the boxes! 

The candles are curating right now, and so they should hopefully be ready in the next couple of months. 

I’m really excited!

Gamers Heroes

I look forward to it! 

Finally, here’s a hypothetical for you…

If you could pick one place as your forever haunt, which one would it be? 

Kelsi Davies 

As of right now, I feel like I would just travel! 

I would be on planes – I think I would just go everywhere I’ve always loved to go to. 

And if I see someone ghost hunting at a place that I’ve been to a bunch of times, I’ll go visit them and visit my childhood home. 

I don’t think I’d be bound to one spot.

I’m a free spirit – I’ll carry that into the afterlife!

Gamers Heroes

Variety is the spice of life! 

Like I said, you’ve inspired my wife – you’ve inspired a lot of people! – and it really means the world.

I really appreciate the time – thank you so much!

Be sure to check out Kelsi Davies: Haunt Escape via the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

For those feeling social, be sure to follow Kelsi Davies via her official Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube social media channels.

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Jonah Scott Interview – Professional Voice Actor Talks Alpha Aniki, Big Brother Energy & Being Genuine

We recently spoke with Jonah Scott on his incredible voice over work, his Alpha Aniki VTuber persona, and the importance of being genuine – learn more with our interview.

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ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies Interview – ZA/UM Studio Talks Writing, Audio & Espionage

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The post Kelsi Davies Interview – Psychic/Clairvoyant Talks Haunt Escape, Disneyland & More appeared first on GamersHeroes.

We recently spoke with Jonah Scott on his incredible voice over work, his Alpha Aniki VTuber persona, and the importance of being genuine – learn more with our interview.

Jonah Scott Interview – Professional Voice Actor Talks Alpha Aniki, Big Brother Energy & Being Genuine

Gamers Heroes

Thank you for the time today! I love finding the stories people have.

Whether they’re a voice actor, a developer, or any other role – everybody has so much heart. 

What I’m finding is a lot of people got into the space because they’re just as passionate – I grew up reading Electronic Gaming Monthly and watching Toonami myself. 

And I’ve seen a lot of your works – I loved seeing Infinity Castle on the big screen!

I’m sure it is the same with you – just channeling that passion into professionalism, you know?

Jonah Scott

Absolutely – it’s something to take pride in! I really like to be accessible for people too.

That’s one of the reasons I’m a Twitch streamer – it’s like having that door open and being accessible. Letting people come on in, ask questions – things like that. 

That being said, if you ask me a silly question – or if you say something ridiculous – you’re gonna get roasted.

Gamers Heroes

I do love your Thirst Trap Tweet videos!

I love them – and my wife loves them too. I know where you’re coming from!

Jumping into things, I love your work as Kevin Rian in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.

I’m a huge SNK fan – I even made a mini Neo-Geo machine! 

Jonah Scott

Oh my god! 

Gamers Heroes

I’m serious! 

I love playing Garou, and you’re incredible in City of the Wolves! With the recent release of Blue Mary, there’s also a bit of yin and yang.

You’ve been in so many different roles, and you’re so dynamic – and you’re great every single time. 

How do you manage this balance? How do you go from Kokushibo to Kevin Rian, or anything else?

Jonah Scott

So for video games, we’re lucky that we get a little leeway.

Anime is very “in a box,” very meticulous with its precision. 

But with video games, even with localizations of video games, you can be a little bit more fluid with it. There’s a little bit more room to breathe, as it were – literally and figuratively.

When I’m doing a video game, I’m able to go back and forth with the Producers on the line at SNK. 

That team is incredible – the developers over there provide such key insights!

Not just that, but since it is a localization – and City of the Wolves is a fighting game – there’s even more precision to it. 

Like:

“You have to do this line in 1.5 seconds.”

Gamers Heroes

No pressure, right?

Jonah Scott

But the fun part is making that work!

Having a back and forth with the team, we make sure the vibe of a character is correct – especially in a fighting game.

You have to have an archetype, be directed into that archetype, and then be continually consistent with that. 

In City of the Wolves, there’s not a narrative arc for Kevin you need to keep.

He is a type of character, and he’s going to fulfill this role, and he’s going to be effective in that. 

I love doing video games – they’re my favorite thing in the world! I sort of have an instinct for it. 

If you land on something that resonates with the team, they’ll definitely get back to you and see where we can all guide it. 

That’s when we get in the booth, you can guide it into something a little bit more specific. 

For Kevin, it was great – he’s a SWAT officer, he’s an all-American guy, and he’s this paternal-like father figure – this uncle character to Marky! 

You’ve got to maintain that dynamic. 

He tries to curb his swearing and tries to make sure Marky is growing up with a really good idol, somebody he can look up to – a father figure of sorts. 

Gamers Heroes

I definitely appreciate that! And it shines bright in City of the Wolves and Episodes of South Town.

That actually leads to my next point…

So again, another shoutout: I interviewed Adam McArthur last year, and he told me about Date Everything! – that game is incredible! 

We gave it a 90 out of 100 on Metacritic ourselves – and Sassy Chap Games does great work.

In that release, you’ve got so many great co-stars. You’re Eddie and Volt – and then Adam as “Trash Cam,” along with others like Dorian.

So this is a big hypothetical, and can definitely be a shout-out…

If you had your own pair of Dateviators, which one of your “ducky whatsit” co-stars would you date?

Of all the objects in the house, is there anybody you’d especially gravitate towards?

Jonah Scott 

Let’s see… 

Freddy the Fridge was really fun – I enjoyed the performance there. I didn’t know who it was at first, and then I listened a little bit closer….

I also really liked Luke Nuke’m!

Gamers Heroes

I love the jokes – there’s dad jokes all over!

Jonah Scott

Yeah, it’s fantastic! 

He’s the kind of character that is funny accidentally – he’s funny because he plays it completely straight and believes everything that he’s doing. 

I really latch on to characters like that, because there’s a certain blissful ignorance about it, which I really like. 

But yeah, the whole cast is fantastic! They brought their A game for it, and the best part is they knew what they were making.

Because of that, we were able to lean into certain things and and make certain words and stuff like that pop!

Everybody is so accomplished at their craft in that game.

There’s nothing like it out there – it’s fantastic!

Gamers Heroes

So let’s flip the script a little bit… 

Let’s say there was a somebody you wouldn’t invite to the Breaker Box – it could be a friendly type of friendzoning. 

Who would it be? 

Jonah Scott

Let’s say it’s Hector the Vent…

He would probably want to get in – his whole thing is secrets and whispers and things. 

He would want to get into the Breaker Box, because there’s all sorts of things being laid bare in there. 

He’d be the kind of guy to sneak in – I imagine he’s the guy that the bouncers are trying to keep out!

Gamers Heroes

I like that!

So talking about the fan community…

I follow your YouTube – you got your VRChat stuff, your Thirst Tweet readings, your green screen work…

What would you say is your favorite thing when it comes to interacting with fans on your YouTube channel?

Is there anything that made you say:

“I’ve got to do even more and zero in on that!” 

Jonah Scott

I’ve gotten cast as some more pretty fan-favorite characters in recent years, so I should probably go back to doing those! 

But a lot of my creative energy, or at least content creation energy, has been going into the graphic novel that I’ve been writing. It’s about my VTuber and his whole world! 

I spend a day or two a week getting down to the nitty-gritty with this team of artists that we’ve put together. We got 10 artists working on that! 

But every now and again, I do have thoughts of going back and doing some content creation in ways that have to do with my voice over work.

One of the reasons that I’ve pumped the brakes on that is because we don’t own these characters.

We need to make sure we’re making something fun and engaging at the same time, not disparaging any of the characters or the stories that they find themselves in. 

That’s why I kind of made my own guy – so I can do whatever the heck I want! 

And it’s 100% A-OK – I don’t have to ask about anything.

Gamers Heroes

That leads to my next point, because I did get to check out Alpha Aniki recently.

I was actually an event a couple of weeks ago called Carrier Con that was all about VTubers – they had “Oshi on Deck” and the like.

I’m still fairly new to the space, but I went to a panel for Mint Fantôme and there was an incredible energy – it was just electric!

So even though I’m new to the space, I’m eager to learn more. 

What made you want to take on that “big brother” VTuber energy in the first place?

Jonah Scott

I am a big brother – I’m the oldest in a family of three. 

My sister is about a year and a half younger than me, and my younger brother is 10 years younger than me – I was the older brother.

His whole vibe is he’s the older brother that goes in like:

“Hey, we’ll go buy Grand Theft Auto. I’m going to play it first, but you get to play it too. 

Don’t tell mom!”

He’s the guy that goes in like,

“We’re going to learn how to use a BB gun. We’re going to go and catch frogs by the creek!”

He’s that kind of older brother that guides you through these illusions of risk, right? 

And he has fun doing it! 

He’s got a little pet snail named Klawed, who’s technically a snail-ian. He’s an alien, but he doesn’t know the difference. 

I wanted to bring that vibe, because I’ve been a streamer for 10+ years and I’ve been a VTuber for two – being a face cam streamer is a little bit different.

You are always trying to find what the next big funny thing is, you’re trying to engage with your audience. You’re always on camera, the lights are in your face…

But being a VTuber is a little bit more insular.

You can play video games in a dark room and nobody makes fun of you for it. 

I realized as I continued voice acting, characters I get cast as are that paternal figure, that older brother, that friendly guy that’s going to take you to do something a little bit risky. 

You’re not going to go to jail or anything crazy like that.

But it’s just like, 

“Don’t tell your mom, or she’ll get mad at you.

We’re looking at plots of land in Wyoming for no real reason, and look at weird sussy land that has buildings on it or something that’s for sale.

Don’t tell mom we’re going to get ice cream for dinner.”

Stuff like that, right? 

So I took all the characters that I voiced at that time, I went to a character artist, and said:  

“Hey, I want to make a VTuber model.

Can we take all of these design elements from all of these characters that I voice, boil them down into something that’s a little bit cleaner and easier to look at?”

And what came out at the other end was Alpha Aniki, or Alphonse Mackenzie.

…who hates his first name and calls himself Alpha – which is even more cringe! 

Gamers Heroes

You’ve got to own the cringe! Cringe is a mindset, and embarrassment is an under-explored emotion! 

I wish I could take credit for that one, but that’s SubwayTakes…

Talking about Frieren – that’s a huge series! I’m definitely a fan, and you’ve been a big part of it as of late as Revolte!

What drew you to voice him in the first place, and what was it like working with the stellar cast?

Jonah Scott 

The cast is incredible in Frieren!

They really bring a solid, grounded performance and make this fantasy-lite world feel super lived in.

One of the things I really love about Frieren is its magic system, and how everything feels like it’s very wizened, lived-in, and storied. 

Honestly, it was a surprise. I didn’t audition for him – that is a very rare thing to have happen in this industry.

Sometimes you just get a last-minute thing with Crunchyroll, and things pretty fast. 

Jad contacted my agent and said:

“Hey, we got a role for Jonah – he would love to take it.” 

And it’s a short role in two episodes or so – maybe 15 lines.

But, you know, demons are very powerful in that world! 

I was very, very lucky to have been given that opportunity by Jad, who has I think has this book of friends. 

It was a similar character that I played, just like, 

“Hey, he’s a bad guy.

He never really spoke and is visible throughout most of the these episodes.

He didn’t say anything, but now he’s saying something, and we need somebody that has that gravitas.” 

So they called me in, and I did it. I knew who the character was, and I was really excited to be involved. 

I’m on the Season poster, which I think is really cool! Honestly, it is super, super encouraging for me as an actor to be able to say that somebody was just thinking of me, right?

Gamers Heroes

About to say, a lot of people look up to you!

We’ve talked about your fans – there’s a lot of people that are interested in getting into the voice acting space themselves.

I’ve asked this question to different voice actors, and they’ve all given me a different answer…

If you’re looking to get into the voice acting space, what would you say the best way to do so?

I’ve heard people go through the Voice Acting Club on Newgrounds, or iwanttobeavoiceactor.com, or even trying something out in the bathtub! 

Jonah Scott

All of those are incredibly viable! They are all very, very simple approaches. 

That’s the thing I really want to hammer home to people – it’s very simple. It’s not easy, but it’s very simple. 

That being said, there is no yellow brick road you follow, right? I slept on my buddy’s floor for two years before I booked anything at all.

In LA, I was out here booking nothing, doing nothing – spinning my wheels. 

That’s what we call in actor speak “putting in your dues!”

If you want to be a voice actor, and you just thought: “I’m a 27-year-old man, and I think that Jujutsu Kaisen is really cool – I want to be in it. What do I do?”

Go to iwanttobeavoiceactor.com! That is 100% the first starting point for you deciding to be a voice actor – period! 

Once you’re on that website, you’re able to see where you can go from where you are – there’s a starting point for there on that website. It’s like a Wikipedia of encyclopedic knowledge of how to start being a voice actor! 

Now that website will not teach you how to act – that is kind of important to being a voice actor. One of the integral parts of performance is being able to perform.

My recommendation, if anybody is looking to learn how to act, is to go and do theater. 

I did theater for over a decade – since I was eight years old. I did theater all the way up until college. 

There wasn’t a year when I didn’t do any sort of stage production or stage show; musicals, opera, Shakespeare – the works. 

That is where I learned the community and the interpersonal skills.

You’d be surprised at how many people don’t know when you come into the industry – as we call it around here – you need to learn how to be kind to Producers and Directors, and work as a team to get this art made.

You need to learn the etiquette of behavior, what you’re supposed to do when in a session, how much you can “get away with” in editorialization in your own performance. 

Because there’s a Producer who’s on the line too; there’s a Writer who’s on the line. 

And if you try and rewrite a line with a Writer on the line, you want to ask them 

“How do you feel about this?”

And be respectful.

Gamers Heroes

I get it!

Jonah Scott

There’s a respect, right? I learned that in theater.

I had done principal characters all the way up until I was in college. 

But it was in college that I learned I know pretty much everything I need to know to be an actor.

But to exist in the communal space of theater and acting, you have to learn how to be a dramaturge; you have to learn how to be a script supervisor; you have to learn how to do sets and costumes; you have to learn how to apply makeup; you have to learn how to do front of housework and ushering. 

There are a number of skills, just like in VO.

There are those that sign you in at rooms, there are the Line Producers, there are Executive Producers, there’s Directors and Engineers especially.

They are some of the people you will interact with the most in the industry. 

Getting to know those people, asking how their dog’s doing, asking how their week went – being friendly with them goes so far.

Especially if you’re genuine!

Gamers Heroes

I get it!

Jonah Scott

Something I’ve learned is that you will work with these people your entire life. 

If you are not kind to them, if there’s something weird that goes on – you have to be communicative, and you have to understand where everybody is coming from. 

The biggest piece of advice I have is to do theater, including the camera-style skills you can learn. 

There is this art, this anime dub won’t get done without a Writer, without an Engineer. 

It’s possible to get any of these parts done, and the act is just a really tiny portion. It is a very important piece, but a very tiny portion of the scope when making this art.

Gamers Heroes

I say this a lot, but there’s strength in community – we’re all in this together! It’s that mutual respect and making sure you’re giving it your all and being genuine.

I’m sure you’re definitely proud of your accomplishments – I am too! But I never take anything for granted.

Ending things on one quick note…

What would you say is the one thing in your toolbox – from theater work, voice acting, or anything else – that you most like?

It’s always a work in progress when it comes to any type of skill, but I’m sure there’s one thing that you especially proud of. 

What would you like to highlight you want people to know is distinctly you?

Jonah Scott

Something that is distinctly me is this cinematic, filmic performance style for anime in the last like five to six years I didn’t originally think was possible. These worlds are willing to accommodate my desire to try that – again, working with the Directors and Engineers.

For anime, a lot of the time we’ll look at a show like Dragon Ball Z, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, or Beyblade – that dial is always at 11. 

It’s always animated, right? 

But being able to pull that dial back and give a filmic performance requires a lot of back and forth from the Engineer. 

After that, everything is sorted if I take this originally bombastic line and try and pull it back a little bit.

Gamers Heroes 

You want to make sure you’re respectful of the material!

Jonah Scott

I think I’m probably the most proud is that performance style.

I didn’t invent filmic acting – not saying that at all.

But being able to adapt that and show somebody something like BEASTARS, or even something as old as Cowboy Bebop.

To be like, 

“Look, this can be grounded and really human, not like Speed Racer. 

This can be really, really good – and dare I say, award-winning?” 

Being able to help pioneer that and open the door for that through BEASTARS and people are saying this dub is really good – because it sounds like this specific style. 

I’ve been really proud of that, and I like to bring that to other shows.

Even Frieren! I found it grounded and very, very close to the chest and everything. It’s very resonant, and it feels really human.

Gamers Heroes

Thank you so much! I’ll keep the praise going, but will save it for social media. 

It’s a huge honor – thank you so much!

Jonah Scott

You take it easy! 

Gamers Heroes

You do the same!

“See You Space Cowboy!”

For those feeling social, be sure to follow Jonah Scott via his official Twitter/X, Instagram, and YouTube social media channels!

Be sure to also follow his VTuber alter ego Alpha Aniki on his official Twitter/X, Twitch, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube social media channels!

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ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies Interview – ZA/UM Studio Talks Writing, Audio & Espionage

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The post Jonah Scott Interview – Professional Voice Actor Talks Alpha Aniki, Big Brother Energy & Being Genuine appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Briefing us on its writing, audio, and espionage roots, we recently joined ZA/UM Studio’s Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe and Honey Watson at GDC 2026 to learn more about CASCADE’s upcoming mission…

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies Interview – ZA/UM Studio Talks Writing, Audio & Espionage

Gamers Heroes

I really appreciate the time today!

I know you were at Day of the Devs, and I know that you’ve got a new demo out right now. 

You have a very strong community, with a lot of people that are very passionate about strong writing in games.

What made you want to take on an Espionage RPG angle for this release? 

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

I would say that we wanted to do something different!

We felt that the espionage genre allows for the type of storytelling we would like to do. 

We were also getting a bit tired of the police story – there’s only so far you can go with the police stereotypes and such devices. 

It’s just a very fertile breeding ground – if you read about the fiction of spies and the reality of spies, the reality is often much stranger than the fiction.

Gamers Heroes

I completely understand! There are a lot of great espionage works out there too. 

Is there anything your team was truly inspired by? 

You’re obviously doing your own thing, but anything that you wanted to tap into – whether it be a TV show, movie, or something else –  that you wanted to basically build upon and create your own vision?

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

We drew upon many different sources! 

Not only did we draw upon the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, we also drew upon John le Carré. 

We also really enjoyed this French show called Libero, which has an awesome American version called The Agency.

We were drawn to this kind of spy fiction that is not necessarily like Jason Bourne or James Bond.

Gamers Heroes

That actually leads me to my next point…

Talking espionage, you’re talking James Bond – and there are so many different Bonds.

You’ve got games like the upcoming 007 First Light that touches upon the origins of Bond, you’ve got Roger Moore, and then you’ve got Pierce Brosnan – they all have a different type of energy.

What went into the design of the agent CASCADE? 

I know players of ZERO PARADES can have different types of elements that include analytical and even anxiety – but let’s not have that last one today! 

What would you say goes into your ideal espionage character?

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

For us, the ideal character has to be someone who is deeply human.

Spies themselves have to wear all these masks, and they themselves are somewhere hidden within.

The work a spy does take its toll on them. 

For us, it was about the character who is deeply human – and there are many more spy operations that fail than those that succeed, you know? 

“What is the weakest link?”

That is always the human element. 

Gamers Heroes

I know exactly what you’re talking about – that human element is what we need more of these days. 

So on that note, I know there was the recent Steam Next Fest demo – what have you noticed when it comes play styles you’ve seen?

Whether through playthroughs on Twitch or YouTube, have you noticed any patterns? Were there any people went pure “Paragon” or “Renegade?”

When you get games that are deeply human, the human side comes out when it comes to choices.

When I’m playing these types of games, I tend to go for the same choices – it also gives great insight into the community!

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

When it comes to what we’ve seen online and how we play in-house, that there are a lot of goodie two-shoes.

Gamers Heroes

That’s me alright! [laughs]

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

Then there are the spies that want to spy, no matter the price – it’s all about the job. 

Of course, people also tend to consider what options we present to them, and they may evolve to become a spy different to what they first envisioned.

It’s a very constrained existence for the spy – they are very much in service of any current reality they are in.

They can’t just back flip out the situation that’s around them!

Gamers Heroes

Tapping into that community side… 

I say this a lot, but there’s strength in community.

You’ve got a devout community – there are so many playthroughs of the demo on YouTube, and you’ve got your fans. 

What’s it like interacting with the community for ZERO PARADES? What are some key insights when it comes to your biggest fans? 

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

The ZA/UM community has been so positive! 

We’re very happy to see that. 

Working on any game for a long time, you know, you kind of lose sight of what is it is that we are making and whether people like it.

I’m very glad to see that people like it! 

I think that we are much more, let’s say “capable” at interacting with the community these days than our previous project.

We are more experienced, and we can draw upon more industry experience as well.

It was great to see the streams, with people reading some of the lines to themselves. 

We are really happy with the writing, the art, the music – everything like that. 

Community is extremely important to us – and I think our community is filled with people really love RPGs and people who love great writing. 

They say the bar for writing video games has been quite low. Our mission has always been to take literature into video games and raise that.

I would say people who enjoy stories, storytelling, and maybe anti-hero stories a bit as well, right?

Gamers Heroes

You hit the nail on the head! There are definitely fans out there. 

They’re looking for deeper writing – and that human writing, as you mentioned. 

That actually leads me to my next point… 

I know you have the Devcast IMPRINT podcast, with three entries so far [now four] – they’re all great! 

I appreciate you providing a candid look into its development, providing key insights every episode. 

What inspired their creation in the first place, and what are some favorite moments recording each one?

Honey Watson

I think my favorite podcast moment was definitely when Mikey decided to come in and just totally steal the show and crash everything! 

He’s an audio guy and did lots of the voices on Disco Elysium. 

He’s also doing some voices in ZERO PARADES – he’s such a character. 

He just came in; it was just me and the Narrative Director doing the podcast, and he just completely stole the show. 

He started telling us what’s what about all our characters – it was really fun!

Gamers Heroes

That’s exactly what I like to hear! 

And people feed off that energy – that’s why they tune in each time, you know?

So mentioning Disco Elysium, I know it originally came out in 2019, with the Final Cut released in 2021. 

The gaming landscape has definitely changed in the last five years; like you said, people are craving that human writing. 

There are also recent releases like Esoteric Ebb that cite your work as an inspiration – it’s fantastic!

So again, you’re doing your own unique thing, but where are some of the key learnings you’ve had since the original 2019 release? 

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

You could say the way we consume media has changed…

I would say the way we consume short form content is more prevalent in today’s society. 

At the same time, there is the text we are able to keep inside our heads.

We don’t have as much patience or concentration – it is very different to 2019.

In 2019, Twitter was quite big – people were used to 140, then 280 characters. It’s quite a lot of words. 

We’re now more used to short-form content. 

I wouldn’t say that we all need to feature short-form content when writing, but we take into account the reality of:

“What is the level of intractability in the world at the moment?” 

We’re used to doing a lot of clicks, tapping things, moving on.

So it informed us, in some ways, on how many choices the player should encounter per hour, and how will they feel so engaged to the story in a way they will say:

“I don’t want to look at my phone.” 

I believe some TV series are already taking into account that people want to look at their phones, and then they’re writing in:

“Okay, repeat the dialog multiple times.”

Gamers Heroes

You’ve got to respect the viewer! I know exactly what you’re talking about. 

It’s definitely changing, and you do have a good point. There’s Twitter and then there’s also new networks like Bluesky.

I know short form content is all the rage these days too. 

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

I have younger friends – they’re very varied like we used to be when we were young.

I think if a young person is into writing, they are into the game. 

If a young person is into RPGs, they will also be into the game. 

Gamers Heroes

I know what you mean! Putting on my corporate hat: “It reaches many verticals.”

Music is also a big part of ZA/UM’s games – with Disco Elysium, you have the English band Sea Power doing the music.

With the demo of ZERO PARADES, I had to put on my Sennheisers – it was truly incredible! 

How are you looking to tap into music with this release?

Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe

Our Audio Director, the musicians we work with, and audio people are so amazing – it’s such a joy! 

I have to say that I have held off playing with audio for some time, just so it will be ready and I can dive into it fully.

Honey Watson

There are a lot of musicians on the narrative team, and our Lead Writer has actually written and performed. 

Music is a huge part of this game!

Gamers Heroes

I’m so glad you agree!

Keeping it short and sweet, what’s the next major milestone you can talk about regarding this release?

Not that I want to get in anybody in trouble… 

Travis Shrodes [PR Representative]

The podcast will continue going once a month, and you’ll see an update soon!

You’ll see that oftentimes that it’ll align with the assets and the interviews and things that we’re putting out at the same time.

When we were talking about the art, we’re focusing on putting more of the key art out there, putting out more screenshots and things. 

Hearing directly from the people involved, their passion, their enthusiasm – that’s what we really want to get out there. 

Gamers Heroes

Absolutely – I look forward to it!

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies will release for the PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG on May 21. The title will also make its way to the PlayStation 5 later this year.

One can also learn more about ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies via its official website, and can also check out the demo via its official Steam page through April 13.

For those feeling social, be sure to follow the official Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky social media channels.

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From community to collabs, we recently asked Mob Entertainment’s Senior Director of Creative, Film & Games George Krstic a number of questions around Poppy Playtime’s runaway success…

Poppy Playtime Interview – Mob Entertainment’s George Krstic Talks Community, Collabs, and More!

Gamers Heroes

Congrats on over 100K sold!

What are some of your favorite fan stories when it comes to the Poppy Playtime community?

George Krstic

Thank you! It’s been so exciting and it’s been a whirlwind of a month since launch. 

One of my favorite parts of any release is watching how quickly players connect with new characters. 

With Chapter 5, it’s been especially fun seeing the reactions to The Prototype and Lily Lovebraids. 

Players seem to latch onto something about them very quickly, but then the opinions and fondness changes over time. The conversations within the community are really entertaining.

Another one has to be, without revealing any spoilers, the reactions to an emotional moment toward the end of the chapter that we knew the players were going to react strongly to. 

And by “knew” we mean “hoped” because you’re never really quite sure how something will land until it’s out in the world, but with this one, we were really confident.

And then there’s the community doing what they always do, which is moving faster than we can possibly anticipate! 

There’s a major Easter egg in Chapter 5 that we thought might take weeks to uncover. It was found in about 48 hours. 

That’s when you realize just how dedicated and observant this community really is.

Gamers Heroes

On that same note, congrats on fostering such a stellar social media community – over 400K followers on Twitter/X alone! 

What are some standout moments you’ve experienced on platforms like Twitter/X and Discord?

George Krstic

Watching the community come together to theory craft is easily one of the highlights. 

We see it most clearly on Discord and Twitter, especially around launches or ARGs. 

People start connecting dots, sharing ideas, challenging each other’s interpretations. It becomes this really cool and inspiring collaborative effort.

During the ARG in particular, we intentionally make some of the puzzles pretty tough, and then we just sit back and watch. 

Seeing players from all over the world put their heads together to crack something is really special.

Gamers Heroes

I love your ARG series of videos leading up to Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5!

What inspired this approach, and what was your favorite moment filming them?

George Krstic

With each ARG, the important thing that signals a job well done on our part is that we’ve given the community something to chew on after the puzzle itself is solved. 

The video series gave us a way to expand on parts of the story more directly, especially when it came to characters like Preston Willard and Jessica Newman. 

It helped add context to how layered the Hour of Joy really is.

As for the process, a lot of the magic happens after filming. The live-action portions were actually fairly straightforward, but once everything came together in the edit, that’s when it really clicked. 

I remember hearing from the team that seeing all the pieces come together after months of discussion was the moment it started to feel real. 

That’s always a special part of the process.

Gamers Heroes

I saw that there’s a new official Poppy Playtime store featuring plushes, apparel, and more – I’ve seen a lot of people asking for a Lily Lovebraids plushie! 

What led to the design of each item, and what has been the top seller so far?

George Krstic

We wanted to build a store that felt like a natural extension of the world, especially with Chapter 5 launching. 

There’s a lot of excitement and demand around the new characters, and we wanted to make sure fans had ways to connect with them beyond the game. And we’re listening to all of the requests for new plushie items and beyond.

The collaboration between our game art team and the product designers is unmatched. 

We’re very detail-focused, and if we’re putting something out into the world, we want it to feel true to the character and meet the quality fans expect from us.

Gamers Heroes

Finally, I love the collaborations your team has done over the years! 

What was it like collaborating with Game Theory and the team behind Minecraft?

George Krstic

Those kinds of collaborations are always a lot of fun, and we’re definitely not shy about having fun with the brand when it makes sense. 

Apart from the excitement from our own community, the best part of these partnerships is the shared enthusiasm from our partners, and Spark Universe and Theoryverse are two great examples of that. 

There’s a lot of genuine appreciation for the characters and the story, which makes the creative process feel really natural, and we wind up delivering on some great ideas.

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 is now available for the PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Learn more about Poppy Playtime via its official website.

For those feeling social, be sure to follow Mob Entertainment via their official Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram social media channels.

An official Poppy Playtime Discord channel is also available for those looking to join the conversation.

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We recently joined Game Director Dave Hall at GDC 2026’s Xbox Play Anywhere event to talk shop…

Invincible VS Interview – Dave Hall Talks Mechanics, FGC and Brutality!

Gamers Heroes

And we are live!

I love my fighters, and I love the community that comes with them – and of course I love what I’m seeing with this release too! 

First things first – I’d love to know:

What inspired the creation of Invincible VS?

Dave Hall

The inspiration came from this series and the IP! 

I mean, the moment we saw it, we fell in love with it.  

Both myself and Mike, our Executive Producer, just started talking about it, and this opportunity came up. 

We’re former KI [Killer Instinct] devs and missed being in fighting games. We really wanted to get back to it, and so this was our chance to do it. 

When we saw this IP, we were on it!

Gamers Heroes 

That’s the way to do it! 

While I’ve yet to read the Invincible comic, I do love the Amazon show. 

When it comes to Invincible VS’ 3v3 action, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 definitely come to mind.

But then Invincible proper is a very bloody and brutal series – and that brings Mortal Kombat to mind! 

Playing the demo, I was also able to tap into maneuvers akin to Guilty Gear’s Roman Cancel mechanic.

On that note – whether it be fighters or anything else – what did you want to tap into for Invincible VS?

You’re definitely doing your own thing, but what are some things you wanted to go “even further beyond,” Dragon Ball-style?

Dave Hall

Oh yeah, for sure!

I think we were greatly inspired by Mortal Kombat, right? We’re inspired by all of them – honestly, just like pieces of all of them.

And as I said, we’re also former KI devs!

We wanted to bring that feeling of back and forth combat to a tag fighter – which we thought would be kind of unique in this genre.

Usually tag fighters are very combo-centric – like our game is – but they didn’t have a lot of back and forth inside the combo. 

For us, it was really important for us to put our mechanics in there so you’re paying attention the entire time you’re playing.

Whether you’re on defense or offense, you’re always looking out for what’s happening.

Gamers Heroes

Yeah, always being in the moment – I totally understand! 

You’ve also got all these different characters!

Looking at a roster like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and its 56 characters – each of them have their own unique functions. 

What were some of the functions you wanted to include in Invincible VS?

Were there any mechanics like Phoenix Wright’s left-field style in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 that made you want to do your own thing?

Dave Hall

I think our newest character – who really shows off some of that – is Dupli-Kate. She’s really incredible! 

She has her copies that she sends out for you.

It’s something I’ve never really seen that much of in a fighting game – it’s just a really cool mechanic. 

I thought of her from the beginning – we knew we were going to make her. I knew she was going to be a challenge from the get-go, but we planned on it and she turned out great.

Gamers Heroes

When I saw that news last Tuesday, I had to get the word out – I was seeing double! 

On that note, talking Phoenix Wright…

Cecil is a great pick, but he’s definitely unique! How were you able to bring him into the fight? 

I know there’s some things you can’t talk about, but compared to heroes like Omni-Man and Dupli-Kate, it’s a unique approach.

What did you want to add to his character? 

Dave Hall

Well, we loved his personality!

He’s just such a fun character – from the way he emotes, to everything he does, to his whole backstory, to just everything about him. 

I think, for us, it was just like:

“Let’s just have him in there with the superheroes, and let’s have him spend all the money in the world.”

Gamers Heroes

There you go – cash is king! 

On that note, we’re talking about these personalities…

Obviously, you got J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man in the series, along with personalities like Rex Splode.

Everybody in the Invincible series is so unique.

I know you mentioned Invincible VS’ unique intro clips SNK-style – how else are you looking to bring these characters to life?

Dave Hall

We have a lot of clips that come on, especially when they’re coming in and out of the fight and when they’re coming in to tag.

They’re all based on the opponent you’re facing too – which is really fun!

We also have a lot of in-game VO as you’re playing as well.

For instance, when Mark comes in and knocks somebody’s head off, he’s like, 

“Oh shit!” 

True to serious form! 

Gamers Heroes

I like that! 

Dave Hall

Yeah! 

It’s really fun for us to capture their personalities.

Gamers Heroes

So on that same note, I know Ella Mental is new to the title – that’s awesome! 

What was it like designing each character, and what was your favorite part? 

As you said, you’re creating something new to the universe that’s true to series form…

Dave Hall

For Atom Eve in particular – it was fun to try to make her brutal. 

She was really brutal in the series – but making a projectile character brutal in this game was really interesting to do. 

“What kind of constructs was she going to have? How were we going to make this work?” 

It was really fun bringing her to life, especially with this projectile element. 

I mean, she was our first projectile character, so we had to make a projectile system – just to even make it on the screen. 

Figuring out how to make her awesome and brutal from a range – but obviously not somebody that’s going to win in all ranges. 

So she was a fun one!

Gamers Heroes

I previously interviewed MarkMan, and I know Invincible VS was at EVO 2025 – the FGC is truly incredible! 

Talking Bay Area, I grew up with the fighting game scene at Castro Valley Golfland.

What’s it like working with the FGC on this release?

Dave Hall

It is so fun for us! 

We want to have as many FGC tests as we humanly can – we love their feedback. 

We’re sitting in these rooms with them, listening to everything they’re saying. They’ll send us feedback, and then we turn things around. 

It’s one of the big things we’re setting this project up to be – we can quickly iterate on anything that’s happening. 

If they’re feeling something wrong with the motion controls, we can say that we’re going to go right in there and change things a day later. 

We’re very reactive to what they’re saying, and proactive to make sure it’s even better for the next time. 

And so every time they play the game, they always say:

“Wow, it’s so much better than before!” 

That’s our big goal.

Gamers Heroes

That is the highest praise right there!

Keeping it short and sweet…

Who’s your favorite character from the series? I know, it’s like picking your favorite child…

Let’s narrow it down to three – it’s a three-on-three fighter, right? 

Dave Hall

I’ll tell you the team I like using right now… 

I love using Bulletproof! He’s got kind of a mix-up game and is really fun to play with. I love his little clips and everything he’s got going on. 

Thula is also one of my favorites – she’s the one with the hair braid. She’s kind of a mid-range fighter and is really fun.

She can grab, hit with her hair, and bring them up to you – which is really fun! 

Then I kind of go back and forth on my tank-kind of character, but right now I’m Monster Girl!

Gamers Heroes 

It’s all about that balance! Got to have those heavy hitters 

I really appreciate the time, and I’ll see you come April!

Invincible VS will release for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Xbox on PC April 30.

An Invincible VS Open Beta is also set to happen from April 9 to April 11 – learn more via its official website.

One can also learn more about Invincible VS and pre-order the title via its official website. 

For those feeling social, make sure to follow the official Invincible VS Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, and YouTube social media channels.

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Helping with rhythm game staples like Rez and Space Channel 5, we spoke with CORE8 CEO Noboru Hotta at Day of the Devs about Twin Soul’s mission to have us all play, explore, and be moved.

Twin Soul Interview – Noboru Hotta’s Rhythm-Action Adventure!

[Translated by CORE8’s Takako Samura]

Gamers Heroes

Let’s have some fun! 

I definitely love rhythm games, and I love the lock-on technology when it came to this one. 

I love how CORE8 creates games “where stories unfold and hearts connect.”

How are you looking to do so with Twin Soul, and how are tapping into that heart with previous creative experiences with Rez and Space Channel 5? 

Noboru Hotta

He actually started his career as a silkscreen creator! 

While there, he learned about colors, silk screens, and labeling each color.

After learning all about color, he then transformed his career to Konami first, followed by SEGA. 

He draws a huge influence from titles like Rez, Lumines, and Space Channel 5.

He learned all their mechanics, and then felt such an amazing connection from the action-based movement that synchronizes music and sound. 

Gamers Heroes

That’s a great way to put it!

I just played the demo, and I definitely love the musical elements in Twin Soul. 

What are you most proud of when it comes to these elements?  

Noboru Hotta

All movement and actions players make in Twin Soul will make original sounds!

As you play, all of its music will be layered – letting players make their own sound and music.

Gamers Heroes

You previously mentioned Space Channel 5 and Rez – are there any other rhythm games that you are especially drawn to like Patapon? 

Noboru Hotta

With his work on Rez, Panzer Dragoon, and Space Channel 5, he was especially drawn to how each video game was properly synchronized. 

Gamers Heroes

Absolutely, and they’re great games decades later!

So on that note, I know of your other game WonderWander. 

Noboru Hotta

Oh my God – you learned! 

Gamers Heroes

Of course!

What are some of the learnings from WonderWander you’re looking to put into Twin Soul?

Noboru Hotta

You know what? 

We started WonderWonder as a side project.

Have you ever seen that from other game developers?

They love the games and have such a great passion for them.

But once you’re getting around to your own development, there’s no time to play – they’re so exhausted. 

At one point you say, 

“I’m making video games because I love the game – I have so much passion!” 

But as a Game Creator, we gather inspiration from each and every game we play – but there just isn’t any time! 

Nowadays, a lot of games have far too many functions. You have to interact with them 24/7 when it comes to things like online multiplayer. 

That’s why he said:

“You know what? I just want to have a nice, relaxing idle game!”

He’s somebody that WonderWander appeals to.

Gamers Heroes

I like what you’re all doing! 

It doesn’t have to be super complex or AAA – as long as you have the heart and it has the function as you mentioned.

Noboru Hotta

So basically, in Twin Soul, there are two heroes.

The Japanese are very traditional, and the story is written in a long ancient scroll – and the story is written within the scroll. 

The scroll is long, and you can read from the left and right. 

Heroes come through from the left, and then also come from the right. 

Each character has their own pace to things as well. 

There are a total of 10 stages, and each character will go through the whole entire story from a different perspective. 

One day, in the future, the heroes will face each other in soul-to-soul combat. 

Japanese culture is based on the Shinto. 

Shinto is not religious; it is a kind of practice of both respect and gratitude – and everyone has their own pace.

That’s the story of Twin Soul!

Gamers Heroes

I definitely love that!

I really appreciate the time – I look forward to its release!

One can wishlist Twin Soul via its official Steam page and learn more via its official website.

A demo is also available via Steam!

For those feeling social, be sure to follow the official Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram social media channels!

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