User Interview: Nadya & MJ – Visual Arts team tours bars at night while focusing on game production in Tokyo

I’m planning to stay in Japan for three months, with about two and a half months working here at CASE. I first visited CASE five years ago, in 2019.

I first came to CASE last year, in 2023. Now, both of us rent desks here and work every day.

Our last game was mobile-only, but this time we’re creating a PC game. It’s a puzzle game inspired by point-and-click adventure games, so players spend a lot of time reading the story, but it’s also a visually rich experience. You’ll visit different locations, meet characters, and learn about the world.
MJ is our writer and narrative designer for the project.

I’ve been a writer for a long time. These days, I write game narratives, but I’m also an editor at the Evergreen Review, a literary magazine that’s been around since 1957.

I’m not as prolific as MJ when it comes to publishing, but I’ve been working with a Japanese publisher on an art book, and occasionally contribute written pieces to the Japanese magazine S.

Our new game is set in a bar—kind of like this one. (She shows a prototype picture.) The player starts in a modern Texas bar, but from there, you can travel to other bars set in different time periods— like Japan in the 1980s, France during the French Revolution, Italy during the Italian Renaissance, etc.

We’re aiming for a 2026 release.

Honestly, I’m surprised things are going as smoothly as they are! I think it’s partly because CASE is such a great place to work.

Yes, though it’s been a long time. I used to work as a fashion and portrait photographer, focusing on alternative subcultures. Unfortunately, I developed glaucoma and lost a significant amount of my eyesight, so I had to step away from photography as a career. But there was a silver lining—I think I am able to tell more complex and sophisticated stories in games than I was in my photos. I’ll always be grateful for the people I met during my time as a photographer, especially other photographers who taught me about lighting, composition, and visual storytelling.

In a way, yes. I’ve always loved the visual arts, and that passion definitely shapes the work I’m doing now. I think there’s a strong connection between my love of photography and the artistic direction of the game. HoloVista was a game in which the main mechanic is taking photos of fictional spaces. So in a way, photography directly helped to shape my first game.

I first heard about Takadanobaba through Lonely Planet, so I searched for coworking spaces here and found CASE.

When I visited for the first time, I was nervous. The staff on shift that particular day didn’t speak as much English, but they were so kind and welcoming. We ended up communicating through Google Translate, and it worked great.

Once I became a member, I was really impressed. CASE has excellent accessibility, which is important for me because I’m visually impaired. I was able to create a workspace setup that perfectly suited my needs, and I even replicated the same setup when I went back to the U.S.

This coworking space is just beautiful. The whole place feels harmonious—it’s retro yet futuristic, which I love. It’s both calming and inspiring to work here.

Also, since I’m a night owl and a bit of a workaholic, the fact that it’s open 24 hours is perfect for me.

Not at all—it’s actually really nice. It feels comfortable, and I can stretch my toes. Plus, the floors are spotless.

I like to attend and perform at literary events. I like the event called “Drunk Poets See God,” organized by the Tokyo Poety Journal, Writers and poets gather for readings, and it’s a lot of fun. I also went to a book launch party recently for our friend’s book, NecroCity.

I went to an electronic music festival called Mutek, which was incredible. I also love visiting hot springs—LaQua in Suidobashi is a favorite of mine. And, of course, catching up with friends here in Japan has been great.

Absolutely. I love bars where you can strike up conversations with people—that’s part of what makes Tokyo so special. Shinjuku’s Golden Gai is one of my favorite spots. The tiny bars create such an intimate and welcoming vibe.

The people at CASE are so inspiring. Everyone works hard and is incredibly creative. Being around “our co-workers” pushes me to work harder, too.

There’s just something about Japan and CASE that feels perfect for me. It’s calming and inspiring in a way I can’t quite explain.

As a workaholic, being surrounded by people who believe in the joy of work—both as a writer and as an artist—has been invaluable. I’ve written some of my best stories here.

Working in New York is amazing, but I feel the same way about Japan. It’s a privilege to be here, to work here, and to create art in this space. Thank you.