Devlog #1: Unfolding the History of Hirogami

Hi everyone, and welcome to Hirogami ’s first ever devlog! 🌸

I’m Ariana (hello!!! 👋), the Communications Director for Hirogami ’s publisher Kakehashi Games, and I’ll be the vague disembodied voice behind these posts. (I promise I won’t haunt your computer or anything.)

As we steadily inch towards Hirogami ’s launch date (September 3rd!!! AHHH!!!), we thought it’d be fun to share more about the characters, world, and development with you all, featuring Q&A sessions with the developers themselves. (We know it’s more exciting to hear from them, anyway!)

Starting today, you can expect a new developer diary to be published roughly every two weeks, full of inspirations, challenges, concept art, and more - so grab a snack, get cozy, and let’s dive in!

The Adventure Unfolds: How Hirogami Began

So, where did Hirogami’ s development start?

YANDHIE PRATOPO (Hirogami Creative Director): Bandai Namco Studios Singapore (BNSS) had been around for over a decade (primarily supporting other projects) but we never had the chance to develop an original title of our own. When GYAAR Studio (indie label within BNSS) introduced the “Full Game Challenge”, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to showcase our team’s creative potential and prove what we were capable of!

Although the resources were limited and the team had to operate with an indie spirit, we embraced the challenge. The core development team remained small (less than seven people permanently attached to the project throughout the entire dev cycle!) but being part of BNSS meant we could call on support from other colleagues during quieter periods of their other assignments.

With the backing of our publisher, Kakehashi Games, and the determination to overcome all odds, we managed to bring Hirogami to life.From several ideas, our imagination was immediately sparked by the vision of an origami world, and the rest is history!

What are some of the inspirations behind Hirogami?

YANDHIE: Hirogami draws inspiration from a blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics, origami symbolism, and our love for action-adventure games with emotional cores. We were particularly influenced by the idea of fragility as strength, like paper that folds, bends, and transforms without breaking. That theme shaped not only the visuals, but also how Hiro evolves as a character!

We wanted the world, Papyrunia, to feel handcrafted yet otherworldly, mystical yet grounded. Those contrasts became a constant guidepost throughout development, from level design to narrative beats to the flow of combat, and more!

Papercraft Passion: Why Hirogami?

What is it about Hirogami that excites you the most?

YANDHIE: For us, it’s seeing how all the pieces fold together—pun intended, haha! The transformations, the expressive animation, the layered environments… it all feeds into this feeling of discovery and grace.

And what about the players, what’ll excite them?

YANDHIE: We think players will love the depth behind the combat and movement, but also the small moments. A quiet glade, an unexpected relic, a line of dialogue that hits just right… there’s action, yes, but also heart, mystery, and a world that remembers your touch.

Hiro-ic Hopes: A Message to the Players

Last question for today… How do you hope players feel after experiencing Hirogami for themselves?

YANDHIE: We hope players walk away feeling that beauty can come from brokenness, and that even a fragile thing can fight back, adapt, and protect. Hirogami is ultimately about resilience, memory, and healing. The characters are folded by their pasts, just like Hiro, but they still choose to rise! If players feel even a flicker of that message, if they pause to reflect, or smile at a small detail, then we’ve done our job.

Thanks for reading, everyone! 🌸 We’ll see you again soon to share more insights behind Hirogami - next time, we’re talking all things character design!

Hirogami launches on PC & PS5 September 3rd, 2025!

Remember to wishlist here on Steam to be notified at launch! Until then, follow us on socials for more updates: Twitter / X | Bluesky | TikTok