TOKYO — Building a compelling horror game requires more than technical expertise. According to Silent Hill f producer Motoi Okamoto, it also demands an exceptional commitment to reading.
During a lecture at CEDEC 2026, Japan's largest conference for game developers, Okamoto shared new details about the creative philosophy behind Silent Hill f. The presentation, titled The Art of Producing Silent Hill, featured key members of the development team discussing the production of both the Silent Hill 2 remake and the franchise's upcoming mainline entry.
One of the lecture's most revealing insights focused on the importance of literary influence in game development. Okamoto argued that producers working on narrative driven titles should actively read books and immerse themselves in the works of the writers they collaborate with.
According to him, a producer should ideally be familiar with most of an author's published work before asking them to write a game's scenario. He described this not only as a matter of professional respect but also as an essential way to understand a writer's voice, creative habits, strengths, and limitations. Every author produces standout works as well as weaker ones, he explained, making it the producer's responsibility to recognize those patterns and guide the collaboration effectively.
That philosophy played a major role in Konami's decision to recruit acclaimed writer Ryukishi07 for Silent Hill f. Best known for the When They Cry visual novel series, Ryukishi07 was selected because of his extensive experience with psychological horror, his storytelling style, which Okamoto believed naturally aligned with the themes of Silent Hill, and the producer's own admiration for his work.
Okamoto also emphasized that creative output depends on consistent creative input. To reinforce that idea, members of the Silent Hill f scenario team were encouraged to challenge one another by reading between 100 and 200 books every year. The goal was to continuously expand their knowledge, expose themselves to different storytelling techniques, and develop richer perspectives that could ultimately strengthen the game's narrative.
The approach highlights Konami's broader commitment to treating storytelling as a discipline that extends far beyond game development itself. Instead of relying solely on industry experience, the studio encouraged its writers to draw inspiration from literature and diverse forms of narrative expression.
As Silent Hill f moves closer to release, Okamoto has also expressed a desire to continue experimenting with both story structure and gameplay in future entries. If that philosophy remains at the heart of the franchise, Konami's willingness to invest in literary culture may become one of the defining characteristics of the series' next generation.
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