Zero Escape creator Kotaro Uchikoshi announced the launch of his new game studio, Crash Keys, in a post on X on Oct. 14, revealing that the company was actually started in March 2025 and has already seen one project canceled. Uchikoshi founded the company in March 2025 and serves as CEO and director.
What Uchikoshi Announced About Crash Keys
Crash Keys is based in Shibuya, Tokyo, in the same building as Izanagi Games, and specializes in video game design, direction and narrative writing, according to Anime News Network. The studio takes its name from a fictional organization that appears in Uchikoshi’s Zero Escape game series.
Uchikoshi had originally planned to reveal Crash Keys in 2027 alongside a new game, a project his team had spent about a year and a half developing. That plan changed when the game “was suddenly canceled,” Uchikoshi said, according to Anime News Network. The outlet did not report a reason for the cancellation.
Following the cancellation, Uchikoshi used the announcement to put out a call for work requests and investment proposals for the new studio.
Who Else Is Working At Crash Keys
In addition to Uchikoshi, Crash Keys includes Akira Mine (The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, Danganronpa 2×2) and scriptwriter Muri Sasaki (Seifuku no Ojisama, Zero Escape, AI: The Somnium Files).
The Crash Keys website adds a layer of mystery to the lineup. It includes encrypted biography pages for two additional members listed only under the usernames “HLPUL UFHLK” and “CESTN RTKSH.” Ciphers based on the Zero Escape series suggest the two additional members are actual characters from that series.
The bottom right corner of the website also displays the phrases “RHIZOME-9” and “MEMENTO MORI, IF THE NIN’e’TH LION ATE THE SUN.” The latter phrase appears in the former’s location in Uchikoshi’s Virtue’s Last Reward game in the Zero Escape series.
What It Means For Fans
The Crash Keys launch signals that Uchikoshi remains active in game development after the canceled project. The studio’s focus on video game design, direction and narrative writing aligns with his work on Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files.
No new game has been announced to replace the canceled project, and Crash Keys has not detailed any upcoming titles. The studio’s open call for work requests and investment proposals suggests Crash Keys is still in an early, building phase rather than ready to unveil a new release.
What’s Next
Crash Keys has not announced a timeline for revealing new projects. Fans looking for updates can expect further details to come through Uchikoshi’s own social media channels or the studio’s website, where the encrypted biographies remain unsolved for now.
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