Following its reveal just last week, we are honored to sit down with Jaeho Hwang, Head of Mintrocket and Director of Godzilla Defense Force: X, to discuss the upcoming mobile title. As a longtime fan of the original Godzilla Defense Force, this interview is especially exciting, as it provides a rare opportunity to learn about the sequel’s development well ahead of its release. I would like to sincerely thank Hwang for taking the time to share these insights with us.

With that said, let’s begin this interview, which was conducted asynchronously.

Anthony Romero (Toho Kingdom): Godzilla Defense Force: X marks a continuation of the original Godzilla Defense Force rather than a completely new concept. What made Mintrocket want to revisit this title and create a sequel?

Jaeho Hwang (Mintrocket): My team and I created the original game, but the studio shut down just a month after launch, and we never had the chance to service the game properly. It was a shame not being able to continue the service, as many players enjoyed playing it and there were a lot more we could have done to improve. With Godzilla Defense Force: X, we assembled a new team and brought the title back, reborn as a far more polished game with not only upgraded art quality but entirely new systems.

 

Romero: How did the opportunity come about for Mintrocket to take over development of the Godzilla Defense Force brand from the original development team?

Hwang: To begin with, several people who worked on the original project are now at Mintrocket. We had always carried a sense of regret that the project ended unfinished, and watching it remain without further content updates during its time under Nexon, we were determined to rebuild it properly ourselves.

We took the project over, received approval from the original rights holder TOHO, and began developing roughly two years ago.

 

Romero: Mintrocket is well known for Dave the Diver, which also featured a Godzilla collaboration that included Ebirah. How did that experience working with the Godzilla license influence the team’s approach to creating a full Godzilla game?

Hwang: My relationship with TOHO actually traces back not to Dave the Diver, but to the original Godzilla Defense Force. As a longtime Godzilla fan, I prepared a proposal myself, visited TOHO’s headquarters, and presented my wish to make a game, and TOHO graciously agreed.

As I mentioned above, we were ultimately unable to operate that game for long, but five years later, following the success of Dave the Diver, I approached TOHO once again to discuss a collaboration. They remembered me, and they supported the collaboration wholeheartedly.

The team in charge at TOHO had changed since my previous visit, yet every one of them shared the same profound affection for the Godzilla IP, and they reviewed our work with great care and offered guidance to ensure that no misinterpretation of the IP could arise during the collaboration.

 

Romero: The original mobile title had a unique identity by combining Godzilla with base management and card mechanics. What elements of that identity were considered essential to preserve when creating the sequel?

Hwang: The concept of our game is that every kaiju that appears has been brainwashed by the Xiliens and is assaulting Earth. Once players defeat them in game, they can unlock the kaiju’s codex and can deploy them as cards in battle. We have also implemented a gallery where players can see how each kaiju appeared in the actual films, which is a system consistent with the original.

It allows players to summon a kaiju that has become an ally and make it fight against an enemy kaiju. For instance, you might summon Burning Godzilla (1995) to battle 2001 King Ghidorah.

Romero: Were there specific features or systems from the original game that the team felt needed improvement, refinement or redesign?

Hwang: Beyond what I described above, a fair amount has actually been redesigned.

The most significant change is the system in which players recruit citizens from cities and assign them to bases and production facilities to generate resources. Citizens rescued in each city can be freely assigned to material production and research facilities, allowing players to obtain resources or upgrade their base.

In addition, placing these citizens in facilities across the map automatically produces weaponry, so players won’t have to continue tapping like they did before.

Alongside these major changes, we have added various contents, such as recruiting G-Squad and growing Jet Jaguar, which I hope players will look forward to.

Romero: The original game featured supporter allies that players could deploy to assist in defending locations. These allies were based on characters from Toho films, such as the Empress of Mu from Atragon (1963) and the Dorat from Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Based on the trailer, it appears that a similar mechanic may be returning in Godzilla Defense Force: X, although the characters shown seem to be original creations rather than existing Toho characters. Assuming this interpretation is correct, how has the team approached this feature in the sequel?

Hwang: Indeed. This time, a unit of adjutants known as G-Squad appears and takes on the supporter role. They grow through different systems and are deployed throughout the cities to aid the protagonist in combat.

We also hope to reintroduce the supporter allies based on the original later on, in a different form.

Romero: The trailer brings back characters such as Operator Yui and General Tywin from the first game. Does the team view Godzilla Defense Force: X as a direct continuation of the original story, or as a new standalone adventure that uses familiar characters and concepts?

Hwang: In terms of the timeline, the game is not in fact set after the original, so it may be understood as sharing the same setting as the previous title. That said, by deepening the narrative detail that had been lacking and strengthening the interactions between characters, we intend for them to function as important figures within the game rather than mere NPCs who exist only to help the game advance.

Likewise, by opening the game on Odo Island rather than Tokyo like we did in the original, we aim to deliver a more reinforced story surrounding the kaiju’s resurgence and their origins.

Romero: How would you describe the core gameplay loop of Godzilla Defense Force: X compared with the original game?

Hwang: The original followed a simple loop in which players accumulated money, upgraded their base, and defeated the kaiju that appeared.

In this game, players rescue citizens, deploy them to facilities, and grow their base using the resources produced here. Furthermore, compared to the original generating only fixed bases, this title offers the freedom to place one of the base options that are qualified.

Because each citizen possesses different stats, understanding them and assigning them to the appropriate facility is important.

Beyond production, citizens can be stationed at each base to generate troops automatically, allowing players to automate their facilities rather than producing troops solely by tapping, as in the original.

Romero: The original game used cards that provided buffs and skill attacks that summoned a monster or mech. From the trailer, this system appears to return. How has the card mechanic evolved for Godzilla Defense Force: X?

Hwang: At their core, they fulfill the same role. The key difference is that summoning a kaiju now incorporates a simple QTE [quick time event], designed so that a successful input delivers greater damage.

Since the base can be automated, we wanted to provide more chances where players can intervene directly when summoning a kaiju.

As an additional system, we designed cards with special gimmicks, such as cards that unleash more powerful abilities under certain conditions, or cards that chain and evolve in line with each kaiju’s concept, and we revised the design so that equipped cards also influence the combat power of the city in which they are placed. As a result, where and how players equip and utilize their cards has become as important as collecting them.

Romero: In the original game, some strategies became more effective than others over time, such as focusing heavily on critical attacks rather than skill attack cards. How is Mintrocket approaching balance on different playstyles?

Hwang: In Godzilla Defense Force: X, we concentrated on delivering the catharsis of decisively defeating a kaiju that once felt like an insurmountable wall, achieved by letting players experiment with different conditions and discover for themselves what is strongest at the given moment, like finding a solution to a puzzle.

A particular combination may feel powerful for a time, but that represents the answer for that moment, and we designed the game so that the answer is never permanently fixed. Our intention is to keep players reconsidering a fresh approach each time through continuous balance adjustments.

Above all, it is important that the answer never converges on a single solution. Strategy shifts according to which city you fight in, which base you construct, and which cards you equip, and our goal is to sustain a state in which multiple builds remain viable at once.

 

Romero: The trailer shows a player defending Odo Island, a fictional location closely tied to Godzilla’s history. Can players expect more fictional locations from the franchise alongside real-world environments?

Hwang: Yes. There are real-world cities such as Seoul and Sydney, but beyond Odo Island, fictional regions drawn from the franchise will also appear, and I hope players look forward to it.

 

Romero: One of the biggest appeals of any Godzilla game is its monster roster. How does the team approach selecting which monsters appear in Godzilla Defense Force: X?

Hwang: We plan to include the majority of the kaiju that Godzilla fans are fond of. Even if some are not present at launch, we anticipate to add them afterward in various forms.

Romero: Many of the monsters and cards shown so far appeared in the original Godzilla Defense Force, with some new additions such as Godzilla 1973 and the Oxygen Destroyer. How is Mintrocket balancing returning characters with introducing new monsters or weapons to the series?

Hwang: Our goal is to feature as many kaiju and human weapons from TOHO’s long history as possible, and we plan to continue adding them going forward. Rather than distinguishing returning characters and new additions, we view it as the process of building an expansive lineup together.

As players progress, there may be points at which a new kaiju or weapon feels especially strong. However, as I noted in the earlier question on balance, we will not fix the solution in one single way. Instead, we encourage players to find their own combination among many viable answers, and I believe that very process is what makes the game enjoyable.

 

Romero: The Mintrocket website mentions that the game will feature monsters ranging from the “1954 original to Shin Godzilla”. Does this mean the roster will primarily focus on that period of the franchise, or could newer versions and characters from projects such as Godzilla Singular Point (2021) or Godzilla Minus One (2023) appear in the future?

Hwang: The roster is confirmed through Shin Godzilla, and we are actively discussing the kaiju from later series as well. We will strive to let players encounter as many diverse kaiju from Godzilla franchise as possible within the game.

 

Romero: Many Godzilla fans are very passionate about accuracy in monster designs, abilities and appearances. How does the team work with Toho to ensure that each kaiju is represented authentically?

Hwang: TOHO are genuinely attached to their own IP. Each week we send our work to TOHO for review, and they provide meticulous feedback extending to the smallest details, such as the number of Godzilla’s fins and the placement of its eyes, as well as the details of the movement animation. Beyond that, they examine even the narrative settings to ensure nothing diverges from the expectations of established fans, and they share their thoughts with us.

What we appreciate the most is that, alongside this rigorous stewardship of the Godzilla IP, they also grant us autonomy over the systems and new characters we create.

Through this balance, I believe the game is taking shape as one that embodies both the appeal of Godzilla and a creativity of its own.

 

Romero: The first game had a period where major updates slowed significantly a few months after launch. How does Mintrocket plan to approach long-term support for Godzilla Defense Force: X?

Hwang: That is correct. As I mentioned earlier, it was not our intention to neglect the game. The studio’s closure had left us unable to service it anymore, and we deeply regret that.

Mintrocket is best known for Dave the Diver, but many of our members have experience developing and operating mobile games, and on that foundation our goal is to provide content that is steady and satisfies players over a long period.

 

Romero: For players who enjoyed the original game, what is the one thing you hope they are most excited to experience when they first launch Godzilla Defense Force: X?

Hwang: It would be delightful if players enjoy the presentation and kaiju animation that are greatly enhanced. Unlike the original, staged sequences such as cutscenes will appear wherever the story calls for an explanation as players progress.

Through these, we connect the original’s narrative with the game’s world, and portray the exhilarating clashes between kaiju. I hope the players enjoy the enriched storytelling.

Romero: For players discovering the series for the first time, what makes Godzilla Defense Force: X the ideal entry point into the world of Godzilla games?

Hwang: Godzilla Defense Force: X carries the history of Godzilla within it. From the very first Godzilla to the more recent series, a wide array of kaiju appears, and through the codex system we are implementing players can view their actual photographs, hear their roars, and even follow their stories from the original films, all within the game.

I am confident that the distinctive gameplay of Godzilla Defense Force: X, in which players battle countless kaiju of the Godzilla franchise that TOHO has carefully reviewed, and may also recruit them as allies to summon, will offer a fresh and distinctive experience both to those who already know and love Godzilla and to those encountering the series for the first time.