'Horror Isn't Just About Scaring People': Hidetaka Suehiro Talks Hotel Barcelona's Under New Management Update and Films That Inspired the Game

When Hotel Barcelona, the 2.5D horror roguelite action game from Japanese studio White Owls Inc., launched in September last year, the reaction from players was decidedly mixed. The game's striking art style and its 80s slasher-inspired themes were held back by technical challenges and gameplay bottlenecks. But the creative choices and oddities that make a game stand out were clearly there.

It's no surprise that Hotel Barcelona embodies a distinct voice. The game comes from two industry auteurs, Hidetaka Suehiro and Goichi Suda, known for their unconventional games that push the medium into wacky territories. Over the years, Suehiro, who goes by Swery65, and Suda, popularly known as Suda51, have been the creative forces behind unique and bold video games that blend genres. Suehiro is most widely known for directing Deadly Premonition — a cult classic that incredibly holds the Guinness World Record for the most critically polarizing survival horror game. Suda, on the other hand, leads Grasshopper Manufacture, the Japanese studio behind hack-and-slash cult favourites like Lollipop Chainsaw and No More Heroes.

Hotel Barcelona was the result of the collaborative vision of Swery65 and Suda51: a horror roguelite action game set in the shifting corridors of a hotel that takes inspiration from 80s slasher films, serial killer mythology, and surreal dream logic — a strange and violent amalgam of genres and ideas that often stumbled over the game's complex systems and overlapping mechanics of roguelike loops and hack-and-slash combat.

Developer White Owls Inc., a studio founded by Suehiro in 2016, is now trying to rectify that. On March 5, Hotel Barcelona received a major gameplay update, titled “Under New Management,” that overhauls the game's systems with the intention to fully realise the original vision of its creators. White Owls has said that Under New Management is not a “routine patch,” rather a “structural refinement of the player experience.” Alongside major changes to combat, multiplayer, enemies, and levels, Hotel Barcelona is also getting performance improvements and five new playable skins — all free for existing owners of the game.

The focus is on an overhauled player experience through gameplay while maintaining Hotel Barcelona's weird and wacky tone that both parodies and pays homage to its film inspirations. With the release of Hotel Barcelona Under New Management, we caught up with Swery65, the director and writer of the game. In a wide-ranging interview over email, he talked about the game's new update, Hotel Barcelona's film inspirations, and his affinity for the horror genre. Swery65 also touched upon the controversial, hot-button topic of generative AI in game development and in his collaboration with Suda51, shedding light on how their early conversations solidified into the game Hotel Barcelona became.

Hotel Barcelona's Under New Management update incorporated player feedback
Photo Credit: White Owls Inc.

Hotel Barcelona was praised for its visual style and its unique ideas when it launched last year, despite complaints about technical polish. What were the primary goals behind the Under New Management update? Could you say that the gameplay experience is now completely fresh?

Swery65: In the launch version, we deliberately incorporated strong design principles such as “you must experience death” and “you cannot progress without using the Phantoms” to ensure players experienced and understood the Slasher Phantoms, one of the game's main systems. In other words, the developers' strong message about "how the game should be played" was at the core of the game experience.

However, once released, it became clear that not all players progressed at the same pace or followed the same learning curve. Recognizing this, Under New Management removed that original premise and returned the game to the simplest philosophy: “you can use the systems we've provided if you want to” and “the game itself should be enjoyable even if you don't fully understand it.”

To make this shift in philosophy work, we didn't just make partial adjustments. We reworked multiple core elements. Specifically, we reorganized the comfort and responsiveness of the controls, readjusted the difficulty and rules (mechanics), stabilized and improved performance, and redesigned online features (including PvP). We reworked all these simultaneously.

Therefore, rather than calling it “a completely different game,” it's more accurate to say, “the core remains the same, but the initial experience, accessibility, and flow of gameplay have been renewed.” We believe both new players and those familiar with the launch version will find the gameplay to feel very fresh.

Hotel Barcelona Under New Management reworks the game's combat systems
Photo Credit: White Owls Inc.

Were there any specific points of reference or a jumping-off point in the launch version of the game that served as a foundation for the new update?

Swery65: The starting point is precisely the strengths that earned praise in the launch version. The visual style, the stage structure as a showcase for horror, the killers with their intense personalities, and the reversal mechanic of the Slash Phantom. These are the core of the work, so we didn't discard them.

However, having a core alone doesn't guarantee players will enjoy playing continuously. To make the core shine, you need the surrounding scaffolding. The feel of the controls, the pacing, the learning curve, how information is presented on screen, and performance. Furthermore, when including online play, the very premise of the experience changes.

What we did in Under New Management wasn't so much changing how the core was “presented,” but rather rebuilding the foundation to ensure the core was conveyed correctly and functioned smoothly and satisfyingly. Starting from the launch version's experience, we unravelled each stumbling block—“where players got stuck” and “why those stumbles occurred”—and restructured the foundation accordingly.

Did feedback from players help inform the approach for the Under New Management update?

Swery65: Yes, it did. The feedback is actually what initiated this work for us.

Specifically, we took all the opinions shared on Steam reviews and social media—both positive and negative—and compiled them into a list. Then, the team read through them together, discussing questions like: “What situation is creating this complaint?” and “What causes it, and how does it make people feel?” If necessary, we also reproduced the issue in our development environment and tested it on actual hardware to confirm. That's the process we used.

Some of the feedback was unbearable to read, but that's part of the reality of the situation. Indie games get direct feedback—both good and bad. We took that feedback seriously and revisited the structure to improve the game. Under New Management is the result of that approach.

Swery65 says some of the player feedback on Hotel Barcelona was "unbearable" to read
Photo Credit: White Owls Inc.

Hotel Barcelona is a unique blend of horror and roguelike action, a genre that has grown in popularity in recent years. How did the two elements come together? Did you and Suda51 always imagine Hotel Barcelona as a roguelike action game?

Swery65: The main mission that Suda-san had presented from the very start was: “Make it something you can play repeatedly as an action game.” So rather than starting with the term “roguelike,” we were first focused on making "something with satisfying repetition that makes you want to play it over and over again."

On top of that, horror, especially the grammar of 80s slasher films, pairs well with repetition. Getting killed makes you think, “I should have done that,” or “Next time I'll try this.” The powerful killers act as "obstacles you want to try to overcome again." The more intense the action gets, the easier it is to create a rhythm of fear and pleasure.

Regarding the story, we designed it so repetition doesn't weaken it, and rather supports it. We designed it so that the story doesn't bring things to a halt amidst the momentum of the action, allowing players to gain fragmented information whenever they return to the hotel to take a breather, gradually revealing the bigger picture. Each run acts as a chance to piece together the story. That's the structure we aimed for.

Hotel Barcelona takes inspiration from 80 slasher films, the mythology around serial killers, and dream logic. Were there any specific horror films or historical/cultural references that were on your mind while making the game?

Swery65: First, my experience in Banff, Canada, greatly influenced my understanding of the power of hotels as stage sets. Places like the Fairmont Banff Springs make you feel like a story is beginning just from the sheer presence of the building. That sensation is at the root of Hotel Barcelona.

In terms of visual grammar, I was conscious of the hotel-specific atmosphere in The Shining and the sense of “the ordinary and the abnormal existing side by side” in the hotel from Twin Peaks. While not horror, I also referenced the colors and ambiance of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the architectural design of Japan's former Imperial Hotel (designed by Lloyd Wright), to establish the hotel's design.

However, the goal wasn't to recreate specific things. What I wanted to do was thoroughly research and catalogue horror subgenres, then create something like a “horror complex” where you could experience them all at once, interconnected. Different aspects of horror grammar emerge in distinct forms on each stage. It'll make fans smirk, while those unfamiliar can discover new genres. That's the kind of showcase I aimed to create.

The hotel in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel served as one of the inspirations for Hotel Barcelona
Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight

Horror is a medium that perhaps enjoys greater reverence in the video games medium than it does in films. Some horror classics like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, among others, are considered some of the greatest games ever made. Is the games medium a better match for the horror genre than films?

Swery65: The strength of horror in games lies in their agency. If the player does nothing, nothing happens. Therefore, it's possible to design scenarios where the player choosing to move “by their own hand,” causes something bad to happen. As this builds up, the player becomes afraid and reluctant to act. Yet, they have to take action to progress. This creates a dilemma.

The horror in movies is fundamentally “horror you are shown.” Of course, movies can deliver incredible horror, but games can mix in the sensation of “pressing the button yourself” or “stepping into it yourself.” I think games are exceptionally well-suited to horror precisely because they can create these dilemmas.

As I've mentioned before, books also possess a degree of agency in the sense that you “turn the pages yourself.” However, games don't just involve turning pages; they present you with multiple choices and their consequences. In that sense, I believe the horror experience in games can be seen as an expanded version of the horror experience found in books.

Many of your and Suda51's games take inspiration from films. Is there a film you saw recently that you think could work well as a video game?

Swery65: Lately (and for no particular reason), I've been running my own personal campaign to watch one Liam Neeson movie a day. So, while my opinion might be quite biased, I find myself wanting to create action films set in icy worlds, like The Ice Road, Cold Pursuit, and The Grey.

However, when adapting cinematic content into games, simply taking the "idea" or "setting" often doesn't work out well. What's crucial is the “structure of the experience.” At what moments does the player get lost, what do they choose, what do they lose, and what do they regain? If you can design something like that, a film can become a strong foundation for a game. That's how I see it.

Hotel Barcelona takes inspiration from 80s slasher films and surreal dream logic
Photo Credit: White Owls Inc.

Japanese developers and video game studios have their own rich history of making horror games. I mentioned Silent Hill (Konami) and Resident Evil (Capcom)—there's also The Evil Within from Tango Gameworks, Koei Tecmo's Fatal Frame, and many more. You have designed several horror games, too: Extermination, Deadly Premonition, The Missing. Is there something about the genre that allows you to explore ideas and stories that other genres can't?

Swery65: Yes, there is. Horror isn't just about scaring people. It can incorporate messages about society, feature mystery structures where you hunt for the culprit, or serve as a mirror that reflects the zeitgeist. It's a genre with a high level of entertainment value.

Above all, horror lays bare the frailty, cruelty, and ambivalence of the human condition. I believe that side of humanity - the idea that "people are absurd, and can sometimes become more violent and cold-hearted than we imagine" - exists within everyone.

That's why horror is well-suited to depicting humanity. That might be why I create things with horror elements in them.

Can you also talk about your friendship and collaboration with Suda51? What makes you both great collaborators?

Swery65: Suda-san is my senior, someone who gives me the real push I need to do what I want to do. To give an example, he's like a Jedi master, and I'm like a padawan. Things went a lot smoother than I imagined.

What was your collaboration on Hotel Barcelona like? Can you talk a bit about the early stages when you and Suda51 talked about what kind of game it would be?

Swery65: During the early stages of developing Hotel Barcelona, we spent endless hours discussing horror movies, refining our shared sense of “horror temperature.” Suda-san came up with the game's title and the idea for the main character at the start, then I proposed some mechanics, which were later fleshed out with Suda-san's ideas and advice.

The first concrete step toward realization came during Halloween 2019 at Reboot RED in Banff, Canada. Over dinner, we had fun discussing the overall concept, which ended up becoming our first step toward realizing the project. Also, Suda's drive is truly astonishing. Once the idea solidified, he said, “Let's pitch this right now," and we did. That speed became the driving force behind the project.

Suda51 came up with the premise of Hotel Barcelona
Photo Credit: White Owls Inc.

Did you play Suda51 and Grasshopper's new game, Romeo is a Dead Man, which also takes some inspiration from films? Did you like the game?

Swery65: Of course I've played it. It doesn't surprise me that I'm impressed by the way it fuses dark, cool and humorous elements together.

Finally, your work is known for a striking visual style. Of late, there has been a conversation about utilising generative AI technology in game design, even to help in creative work done by humans like concept art and voice work. What are your thoughts on AI and its utilisation in video game development?

In my view, the uses of AI fall into two main categories. The first is behind the scenes, with operations and administrative tasks. This includes translation where speed and word choice matters (eg. conversations between myself and non-Japanese partners), organizing which messages that require immediate responses, and refining business procedures. Since I've long managed both management and production single-handedly, AI significantly reduces operational friction, freeing up time for creative focus. AI is extremely useful here. The other is within the content itself—using AI to create resources that are implemented in a game.

During the pandemic, when overseas voice recording was difficult, we used AI-generated voices for the in-game VHS content of HOTEL BARCELONA. We utilised a service that processed the voices of licensed, registered voice actors, but we didn't disclose the AI usage on the store page. This was an oversight that I deeply regret.

Personally, I thought “having audio is better than silent footage for the players,” and since we were in an environment where recording was impossible, I decided to use the AI voices. The problem wasn't the quality. The fundamental priority should have been transparently communicating the fact that AI voices were being used, and only then should discussions about quality follow. This premise was not upheld. I have deeply reflected on my actions and learned from this experience.

Therefore, for HOTEL BARCELONA, we re-recorded the audio and removed the AI content. Based on what I've learned, what I can say at this stage is that the most crucial factor isn't AI itself, but rather how the people operating it utilise AI and how they should communicate their messaging. I think there's very little resistance to people using AI to streamline the bureaucracy of running a business, but there's a great deal of ill feeling toward AI being involved in creative endeavours.