Bunny Garden 2’s Shadow and Light Craze—Why Shuhei Yoshida Won’t Call It a Turn-Based RPG

On August 17, 2026, at the Busan Indie Game Festival in South Korea, Shuhei Yoshida revealed a pivotal moment in the development of Light & Shadow: Expedition 33: he advised studio Sandfall Interactive to avoid labeling the game a “turn-based RPG.” Roughly two years before launch, while serving as an advisor to Kepler Interactive, Yoshida played an early demo and issued a blunt warning—industry sentiment at the time widely dismissed turn-based JRPGs as outdated—and using that label risked turning players away before they even tried it.

The team took his advice. Instead of embracing genre conventions like Dragon Knight Saga—which proudly brands itself a “JRPG”—Light & Shadow: Expedition 33 adopted neutral phrasing such as “reactive turn-based combat” in its marketing. It wasn’t about masking weaknesses. It was about giving the game room to surprise players who’d otherwise scroll past anything labeled ‘turn-based RPG.’

Yoshida’s story highlights a recurring trap: indie teams chasing trends like “open world” or “Souls-like,” even though genre fortunes shift constantly. His remark—“the types considered outdated back then are now the darlings of the market”—captures the turnaround almost too neatly. It’s ironic: the same turn-based RPG pitches ignored in 2023 are now flooding in, thanks to Light & Shadow’s breakout success.

Light & Shadow found audiences on both PC and consoles almost immediately—a rarity for turn-based games, long pigeonholed as handheld-only experiences meant for slow, portable play. Dynamic camera work and environmental interactivity proved these games could feel cinematic and urgent—not just tactical. At its price point, it’s the best narrative-driven RPG available—if you can look past the “turn-based” label.

The lesson for indie developers is clear: don’t contort your vision to fit fleeting trends. Polish your core experience—and frame it so players actually see it.