This series features interviews with developers of intriguing new indie games. In this installment, we bring you a mini-interview with the developers of *Dungeon Settlers*, a dark fantasy strategy game developed by CanOpener that launched in Early Access for PC and Mac on September 4.
This game blends colony simulation with dungeon crawling. As the leader of an expedition sent by your guild, you’ll establish a base in a desolate land, produce weapons and armor in the smithy, secure food from your fields, and aim to conquer the dungeon—the source of all calamities.Japanese language support is included.
“Dungeon Settlers” is currently available via Early Access for 2,480 yen.
――First, please introduce yourself. What’s your favorite game?
Logan: I’m Logan (TunaCan), CEO, Producer, and Director at CanOpener, the development studio behind *Dungeon Settlers*.
There are many games I love, but if I had to choose just one series, it would be the *Mount & Blade* series. I’ve played it for a very long time, and I especially love how it masterfully blends management and strategy elements.
――Please tell us about the game’s key features. Also, how did you come up with the idea?
Logan: I believe the defining feature of *Dungeon Settlers* is how closely base management and dungeon exploration are intertwined. If you manage your base effectively, your expedition members can prepare more thoroughly for combat.
At the same time, successful dungeon exploration yields new resources and opportunities to develop your base. Because these two elements form a continuous loop where they constantly influence each other, players are constantly forced to make decisions on both the management and strategic fronts.
The concept of combining these two elements has been one of the most important ideas at the core of this game since the very earliest stages of development.
――Were there any games that influenced the development of this title?
Logan: *Dungeon Settlers* was influenced by *RimWorld* and *Darkest Dungeon*. Like in *RimWorld*, players manage a base and care for a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique conditions and needs.
However, once those characters set foot in the dungeon, the gameplay shifts to a more tactical combat system that requires players to consider various stats, status effects, positioning, and enemy behavior. In that sense, when it comes to dungeon exploration and combat, it’s closer to *Darkest Dungeon*.
――Could you share one of the most memorable moments from the game’s development?
Logan: One of the most memorable moments was when content creator Splattercat posted a video of *Dungeon Settlers*.In the comments section of that video, Tynan Sylvester, the creator of *RimWorld*, appeared and wrote, “You guys are doing great.”
During development, it’s often hard to tell if we’re really heading in the right direction, and there are times when we start to lose confidence. That’s exactly why receiving those words from the very developer of the game that inspired us gave the entire development team immense confidence and courage.
――What kind of user feedback did you receive after release? Please share any that left a particularly strong impression.
Logan: I have to admit, negative feedback tends to leave a stronger impression. The most common criticisms included: “There isn’t enough content at this point,” “Base management needs more depth,” and “The character progression elements sometimes feel like a chore and are exhausting.”Since there are still many unfinished aspects to the game, we plan to continuously improve these elements while following the Early Access roadmap.
One piece of feedback that particularly stood out was a comment from a content creator who pointed out, “Currently, ranged characters have too much of an advantage compared to melee characters.” I agree that this sharp observation highlights a fundamental issue with game balance, and it served as a catalyst for us to take a more serious approach to resolving this problem.
――Taking user feedback into account, could you tell us about your plans for future updates?
Logan: First and foremost, we plan to continue adding new content over the long term. The current Early Access version primarily includes “Region 1” and “Region 2,” but we ultimately plan to expand up to “Region 6.”
We also aim to enrich base management by introducing new systems such as animal capture and character training.
Beyond simply adding new content, we’ll continue to make adjustments to game balance, improve comfort, and otherwise enhance the overall gaming experience based on feedback from our players.
――Could you tell us about the Japanese language support for this game? What was implemented, what were the challenges, and what has been the reaction from Japan?
Logan: Currently, *Dungeon Settlers* supports Japanese text through AI-powered machine translation. At the same time, we’ve established a system where players in the community can report unnatural phrasing or mistranslations, and we review that feedback to incorporate it into the game.
One of the biggest challenges for us was that the development team was unable to properly evaluate the quality of the Japanese text.
Fortunately, based on the feedback we’ve received so far, we understand that Japanese players are able to understand the game content and enjoy playing it without major issues, even with the current translations.
――Why did you use AI-generated content in this game, and how exactly did you implement it? Also, what are your thoughts on generative AI?
Logan: We used generative AI for the translation process. *Dungeon Settlers* contains a massive amount of text, and we wanted players from a wide variety of linguistic communities around the world to be able to enjoy the game.
At the same time, we fully understand that many players currently have negative impressions of generative AI or take a cautious stance toward it. That is precisely why we believe that, as developers, we must exercise the utmost care and approach the use of AI with sincerity.
――Is it okay to stream or monetize this game?
Logan: Yes, it’s fine. We fully permit players and content creators to stream *Dungeon Settlers* and upload gameplay videos. This includes general monetized content on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
As long as it’s not a special case where you’re directly selling *Dungeon Settlers*-related items without permission, content related to normal gameplay is, in principle, perfectly fine. It brings us great joy to see you all playing the game and spreading the fun.
――Finally, please share a message for our Japanese readers.
Logan: Just the other day, we had the opportunity to showcase *Dungeon Settlers* at the Tokyo Game Show. It was a very fresh and enjoyable experience for us!
At the Tokyo Game Show, we received a great deal of interest and warm words of encouragement from many Japanese players, and we are deeply grateful for that support. *Dungeon Settlers* is still in the Early Access phase, and there are still countless areas we want to improve and features we want to add.
We will continue to devote our full efforts to the game’s development so that we can evolve it into a title we can be truly proud of. We would be delighted if Japanese players would continue to watch over the game as it grows.
Thank you so much for your interest in this game and for your support!
――Thank you very much.
◆ About “Spotlight on Indie Mini-Q&A”
This series features email interviews with indie developers shortly after their games’ release. To ensure regular publication, we’ve standardized the questions, with the goal of sharing the perspectives of as many developers as possible. Please also enjoy our archive of over 1,000 other interview articles.
