To a T Fails: Is Takahashi Retiring?

To a T is a game developed and published by Annapurna, but it's spearheaded by the designer who originally created the Katamari Damacy series, Keita Takahashi. The game was first shown in 2023 with a trailer that we reported HERE and was then released on May 28, 2025.

Perhaps due to insufficient marketing and advertising that failed to bring the game to players, or perhaps due to the "less Japanese" choice of platforms – PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S – or perhaps even the quality of the game itself, the fact remains that sales of To a T are reportedly very disappointing, so much so that Takahashi is forced to make important decisions that could lead him away from the gaming industry.

"I recently returned to Japan – he tells GamesRadar – and the reason I had to do that is because To a T didn't sell well. My next goal is to support my children and find them a good school in Japan. After that, if I feel like I no longer belong in the game industry, I'll have to look for something else."

Once Upon A KATAMARI

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To a T: An Experimental Game in Takahashi's Style

In To a T, the player experiences the adventures of a boy named Teen who has a peculiar characteristic: his arms are locked in a horizontal position at his sides, in the so-called "T-pose" that 3D models adopt during the early stages of development to effectively calculate the space they will need for animations and thus avoid unwanted interpenetrations or contacts. In some way, this iconic pose, which is a true Meme for developers, inspired Takahashi with the idea of a character who has limitations in life but also special powers, such as the ability to fly by spinning like helicopter blades.

This is undoubtedly an alternative and experimental project: the interviewer therefore asked Takahashi if the failure of To a T could be linked to the industry having somehow "flattened out" and no longer offering space for games of this type: "I'm not sure – Keita admits – but it has certainly become more difficult for me to make these kinds of games anymore."