JRPGs weren’t born where you think. We unpack the origins of the term, the genre, and the influences that defined it.

In this episode of State of the Arc, Mike and Casen begin a multi-episode deep dive into the history of JRPGs—where the genre came from, how it evolved, and why it took the shape it did. We’re joined by Pat Holleman, author of the Reverse Design series and director of the indie RPG Quartet, whose research into genre origins helps ground this discussion in real historical context. If you enjoy deep-dive game design analysis and want to support future episodes, consider joining our Patreon. Thank you for watching and listening.

Thanks to @patrickholleman9323 for joining us for this discussion!

Play Quartet: store.steampowered.com/app/1307960/Quartet/

Reverse Design Series: thegamedesignforum.com/books/books.html

Time Codes:

01. Intro (0:00)

02. The Coining Of The Term "JRPG" (1:30)

02. The Origins Of The "JRPG" (91:33)

03. The Codifying Of The "JRPG" (1:13:01)