An exclusive interview with the developer of SEGA Football Club Champions 2025
Exclusive Interview: Charting the Global Course for SEGA Football Club Champions
We had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Chief Producer Katsuya Hisai. He shared his insights on the highly anticipated new title, SEGA Football Club Champions (SFCC). This is the latest installment in the long running Sakatsuku football management series. This game marks the franchise’s bold expansion onto the global stage. Mr. Hisai discussed the game’s unique design and its focus on fan engagement. He also addressed its key features for players across Asia.
TIG Team: How did SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 get started?
Katsuya Hisai: After the “Sakatsuku Road to World” that is still in service. We started planning this project to continue and develop the “Sakatsuku” IP to the next level. In the past, RTW has focused more on social player collectible games. As for this new installment. We want to take fans back to the traditional experience of Sakatsuku again. With a gameplay that is closer to a game console.
TIG Team: I would like you to explain the highlights of the Sakatsuku series to readers who may not be familiar with this game a little more.
Katsuya Hisai: This game is the perfect combination. It must be explained that although the game retains the realism of the management of a football club. But we also put in fantasy, such as having players who are fictional characters for players to create their own stories. This game is not a complicated simulation, but focuses on fun and fun in player development, or simply put, it is a “character game” that focuses mainly on players. The real charm of this game is that you get to put your love and attachment to the club and the players you create.
TIG Team: This game was created to be more accessible than the original soccer team management series. What do you think is the main challenge in designing a game that is “simple yet deep”?
Katsuya Hisai: One of the key points of the game that we pay a lot of attention to is “how do we convey the charm of real football into a fun game?” In the SEGA Sakatsuku series, players can usually trade players throughout the year, unlike real football, which only has a summer and winter trading period. When developing the game, we tried to make a system that limited the trading range to only those two periods like the real thing. But in the end, it was found that allowing players to trade all the time. It’s a lot more fun and free.
When negotiating with a player, the player must choose a “promise” that will change according to the personality and needs of each player. The outcome of the bargain will depend on who we promise to whom. But we intentionally kept the part that players see simple. It’s easy to play and fun from the start.
The TIG team: The game is designed to be played on mobile, console, and PC.
Katsuya Hisai: What we thought a lot about in this round of development was the overall “pace” of the game because it will be available on multiple platforms. When I tried it myself, I noticed that when I played it on mobile, I felt “I want the game to be a little faster”, but if I play it on PC or PlayStation, I want to play slowly and plan gradually.
Simply put, the right timing is different from platform to platform, so we’ve included an Auto-Progress feature so players can choose how fast or slow they want to play. On mobile, the game can move faster. On PC or console, you can also turn it off for casual playback. It can be said that it is a game that can be adapted to the player’s style.
TIG Team: This installment of the game focuses on simplification to attract new players. How do you ensure that fans of the original game who love deep resolution will still find it fun?
Katsuya Hisai: We use the idea of “as the player plays, the game will gradually unlock new features”, which we designed so that older fans will still feel like they have something to do. Definitely not bored. We’re adding a number of features that weren’t available during the beta, such as a “Loan Transfer” system that allows players to send young players who haven’t had the opportunity to play yet to gain experience with other teams.
We’ll also be rebalancing it based on feedback from the beta period. One of the things we found was that the development period was too short, so we will extend this period to make training feel more meaningful.
TIG Team: How does the development team approach updating players and new content to keep players feeling fresh at all times?
Katsuya Hisai: Since this is an online game, we plan to update new features continuously. Every few months, there will be a major update, with the main focus being on “Sakatsuku Mode”, which will both improve the original system and add what fans have wanted to see in previous installments.
We will also update the roster to reflect the actual season of the World Cup, such as the European league which starts the new season in the summer. A few months later, The seasons in the game will also be updated.
Simply put, this time players will experience a new experience that the previous Sakatsuku game never could: playing every year with a freshly updated roster.
TIG Team: Are there any plans to expand the team and league licensing further in the future?
Katsuya Hisai: Yes. We are now negotiating with several leagues and many clubs behind the scenes. If there is any agreement that can be concluded at any time, we will immediately announce the good news to everyone.
TIG Team: I would like to leave a message to fans and gamers who are waiting for this game.
Katsuya Hisai: All this time, The series has always only been released in Japan, but this time around we really intend to expand our fan base around the world, and we’re very happy to see the response from players in Southeast Asia. We’re putting all our efforts into translation and adapting content to each culture. So players around the world can have fun together.
For those who have never played Sakatsuku before. I believe that you will definitely experience a unique and unique football game. Once the game is released, don’t forget to play this game!
On this occasion, the team would like to thank SEGA and Katsuya Hisai for giving the team this special interview, and I can say that our website will definitely have special interviews for everyone to follow. Don’t forget to follow us!
Sega Football Club Champions 2025 is the latest installment in the SFCC football management simulation series, which inherits the series’ original strengths, such as player development and club management strategy, while evolving in line with the modern era. As a manager with full powers, you can create your own team. Aim from a local club to the top of the world or enjoy drama like transforming a club in your city or favorite region into a world-class club.
Officially licensed by the MEIJI YASUDA J League, the game will allow you to meet 60 real clubs and players from J1 to J3, as well as over 5,000 real players from major European leagues, FIFPRO, K League and other leagues. There will also be a collab with Manchester City Football Club within the game.
Official Website: https://segafcchampions.sega.com/en/
