Behind the anonymous Dr. Shokunin, who claims he will revolutionize Singapore's game industry

We received an e-mail release a few days ago from a new Singapore-based company called Shokunin Interactive. The release, written by Shokunin Interactive’s founder “Dr. Shokunin”, said that the team “humbly believes” it will produce “the strongest, most creative, and entertaining export out of Southeast Asia for mobile gaming.” It asked readers for help connecting the company with Facebook co-founder (and wealthy Singapore-based investor) Eduardo Saverin.

However, the trailer that came with the e-mail didn’t quite support that bold claim. Apart from computer-generated narration and footage reminiscent of Anonymous, the gameplay footage included did not show any actual game mechanics. It was both disappointing and intriguing: we had to find out who was behind Shokunin Interactive.

The truth was not far away in a country so small. Feelers were put out and via a friend (thanks, Kevin!) we lucked upon 23-year-old Jeremy Wright, who was promoting Shokunin Interactive on social media. His brother-in-law had founded Shokunin Interactive, Wright said.

He went on to spill the beans completely.

He’s originally from the fashion & music industry. Grammy-nominated music producer. He does not want to publicly come out as being the game creator, he wants the success of Shokunin Interactive to be self-built and not based on his previous success or name in other industries.

Out of respect for Dr. Shokunin we’re withholding the key clue to his identity, but having found the man behind the mask, we wanted to learn more. We spoke to Shokunin over email and found some surprising information about him and his company.

Shokunin is a complete newcomer to the gaming industry. His background checks out: he actually does have a Grammy nomination, he really does design clothes, and he is all Singaporean. But does that mean he can make a game?

His small team of three are making a “semi-casual mobile game set in a transcendental post-apocalypse realm, where main character Sasu battles with sushi-flushing humanoids and cyborg pirates that have kidnapped one of her kin.”

The game prototype, character concept, game design, and animation is being closely led by 33-year-old Shokunin, who picked up all his current knowledge online. He feels that there is “a lack in core character design with emotionally-based subconscious relations” in current video games. Referencing older video game icons like Mario, Sonic, and Donkey Kong, Shokunin said that top mobile games nowadays “rely on character groups and not core-based character creations.”