"Don't overlook any anomalies
If you find anomalies, turn back immediately
If you don't find anomalies, do not turn back
To go out from Exit 8"

You may not have heard of Japanese independent developer KOTAKE CREATE, but you might have heard of his first & most popular game: The Exit 8. You might've seen the game on streamer thumbnails, featuring a seemingly ordinary subway station corridor just like any you'd pass through in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, etc. You might have even seen Ojisan, an affectionately nicknamed balding salaryman NPC who's become The Exit 8's de facto mascot.

Now you can find KOTAKE's first independent title on the trailer for the Exit 8 movie, coming exclusively to theaters across Japan in 2025. TOHO studios announced the film and simultaneously dropped the teaser on YouTube only days ago, where it's already approaching 1 million views as of this writing.

That's right, this is no cheap adaptation getting thrown on streaming platforms, but a full theatrical production from one of the biggest film studios in Japan.

KOTAKE published The Exit 8 on Steam in late November 2023, making the game barely over 1 year old. But within that year, Exit saw over a million downloads, over 100 million views for streams, clips & other related content, a sequel, console ports, and now a feature-length film production. And what's even more impressive about Exit was the creation of a new strain of indie game following its example; a new format with a distinct balance between focused parameters and open creativity for creators & players.

This new genre, the "Exit 8-Like," often shortened to "8-Like", and its ongoing popularity is a testament to KOTAKE CREATE's impact on indie games. While this may be recognized in the Japanese indie game community, perspectives from KOTAKE, the opinions from others in the industry, and the works of the game creators he inspired remain unknown to many indie enthusiasts around the world, or obscured behind the language barrier.

But with an upcoming movie poised to unleash the maddening, claustrophobic experience of Exit 8 to a wider audience, now's a good time to take another look at the Japanese indie game anomaly that many have overlooked.

Don't overlook any anomalies

As soon as you launch the game, the broad instructions of Exit 8 are displayed for you on a sign in the subway corridor that’s as convenient as it is realistic. Underground stations in any major city in Japan have signs exactly like this, stilted English translations and all. No cutscenes or exposition paragraphs here, the efficiently condensed world of the game silently sets the scene.

The attention paid to the textures and each piece of the confined "world", from the utility doors to the ads posted on the wall, boast some serious craftsmanship from KOTAKE. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to appreciate the environment, down to the last floor tile.

To complete the game, you need to escape this endlessly looping corridor. You start from exit 0, and have to pass through the stage until you get to the game's titular exit 8.

Then come the “anomalies”, randomly triggered abnormalities that will determine whether or not you progress to the next exit. If you see something out of place, turn back and you'll proceed closer to the end. But if you pass through without noticing something off in the game's environment, you'll have to start all the way from 0. An anomaly can be hiding anywhere, in any part of the environment (even your only friend Ojisan!), so you’ll need a keen eye for detail if you want to make it out alive.

Some anomalies are goofy, some are startling, some are glaringly obvious and some are so cruelly minute that you’ll be absolutely convinced there’s an unnoticed bug until you finally notice it on another go-round. 

KOTAKE’s biggest source of inspiration for his game was Finnish developer notovia's I’m on Observation Duty, according to his recent talk at the Indie Developer's Conference in Tokyo. A short yet successful horror experience, the tense atmosphere and “spot the difference” gameplay made a lasting impression on him.

KOTAKE also wanted to make something to support himself while he continued work on a longer, still unfinished game. He decided to make something that could be completed in a short time, and after playing Observation Duty, he enjoyed the idea of trying his own “spot the difference” horror game. 

He picked the subway corridor location as it was familiar to him, not to mention most players in Japan, and created it in Unreal 5 using assets and his own photo references. He changed Observation Duty’s fixed security camera perspective to a first person view, opting to have the player move through the space as they look for changes. After a few short months of development and some fortuitous promotion on social media, KOTAKE CREATE released The Exit 8 on Steam.

Even fans admit that, compared to other shorter indie titles, Exit 8 doesn’t have much when it comes to re-playability or overall content. Yet the experience of playing it, even only once, is remarkably one-of-a-kind. Or rather, it was, until numerous Japanese indie creators took to the Steam store and other platforms to share similar games they made after getting inspired by KOTAKE’s viral hit. 

Just by taking time off from another project to experiment with an unfamiliar form in a limited amount of time, KOTAKE had accidentally created a sub-genre.

Much like the uniquely unsettling experience Exit 8 gives the player, it was hard to pin down precisely how to classify it at first. More than a walking sim, yet not entirely horror, and some kind of a “puzzle”. Something like the indie game version of one of those ambiguous yet relatable concepts that always seems to have a specific term for it in another language. So, feeling no need to mince Steam store tags, fans instinctively adopted the term, "8-Like".

Just months after the release of his first game, and “8-Like” had already became a common term on review pages and stream chats, KOTAKE made a sequel. Platform 8 released to a sizable player base eager for a follow-up, and gamers weren't the only ones taking notice.

This time starting the player inside a train with the objective of de-boarding at the right platform, companies like Zone Energy enthusiastically provided KOTAKE with funding in exchange for advertising in the game’s environment, clearly aware how many eyes would be on this game. Japan's biggest Youtuber Hikakin, having streamed Exit 8 for his near-nationwide audience, also performed as a voice actor. Ojisan returns too, of course.

Exit 8 also made it to consoles before its 1st anniversary. After PLAYISM handled the digital Switch port showcased in Nintendo's Indie World earlier this year, the renowned indie publisher released a physical edition combining both 8 titles for Switch, PS4 and PS5. Pre-ordered first run copies even included pack-in bonuses like posters of the ads from the game.

There was even an Exit 8 photo spot set up in a Tokyo subway station for this year's Tokyo Game Show, giving fans the long-awaited chance to pose with Ojisan.

If you find anomalies, turn back immediately

As for the "8-Likes" inspired by KOTAKE CREATE's work, they come in many shapes and file sizes, but they all have most of the same basic principles as the original: a looping stage, differences to spot, and some asset absurdity with sanity-bending frustration for good measure.

The challenge for devs was making something that followed the same parameters while also offering players something unique.

How can an anomaly be recreated, rather than simply repeated?

Among the indie games inspired by KOTAKE, you'll find 3D first-person experiences in varying envrionments and 2D side-scrollers alike. You can get lost in a mall, a school, a shrine, even inside a dream.

Looking for online co-op, an FPS, VR support? A challenging puzzler or a goofy diversion? Something eerily realistic, or maybe a little more meta? Chances are, there's an 8-Like for you.

As we wrap up the first year of the 8-Like, here are just a few standout titles from independent creators in this brave new genre. Some put a new twist on Exit 8's gameplay, some moved the genre in new directions, and some were clearly just for fun; less liminal horror, more dank dadaism. Either way, if you've got a free evening to give your sense of reality a workout, see if you find anything that sticks out to you:

Nibansen - MFC Studio (Steam)
The Null Floor - unbounegg (itch.io)
False Dream - TenkaiGames (Steam)
False Mall - TenkaiGames (Steam)
Mayonaka 10 Chome - Zw Studio (Steam)
Aquarium at August 32nd - Vice Inc. (Steam)
Mister 9 - riinwin (Steam)
Hospital 666 - Lokin (Steam)
Track No. 9 - ゆーじ (Unity Room)
Visiting Shrine at Night - CHARON, Yanase Games, Inc. (Steam)
Debug Deadline - OTL GAME (Steam)
Victor's Test Night - 727 Not Hound (Steam)
Shinkansen 0 - Chilla's Art (Steam)

Yes, unsurprisingly, the best story of any game in the genre so far comes from Chilla's Art, the famed indie dev duo behind Aka Manto, Parasocial, The Closing Shift, The Convenience Store and about a dozen more short but popular horror games.
 
Soon after The Exit 8’s release, comparisons between the feel of the game and Chilla’s works started flying in reviews and comment sections, with little reaction from either creator. But after Exit’s undeniable impact, Chilla’s decided to make their own entry in the genre with Shinkansen 0.

The experience starts like a typical but very polished 8-Like on a bullet train. From there, the less that gets spoiled here the better. After only playing KOTAKE's Exit 8, the idea of an 8-Like movie seems laughable, but after playing Shinkansen 0, it doesn't seem so farfetched.

All the games on the list above offer something unique, but if you play only one after Exit 8, make it Shinkansen 0. 

For such a condensed form, 8-Likes have given players some memorably creative offerings, and all within one year. As one can glean from the infinite "8" in Exit's title, the possibilities of creating memorable experiences for players are endless.

If you don't find anomalies, do not turn back

After finishing Platform 8, KOTAKE CREATE stated he was finished with the 8 series, though he’s certainly not done making games. He’s still working on his big project, a giant monster survival game titled Strange Shadow, which he hopes to finish in 2025.

Along with the announcement and teaser for the Exit 8 movie, KOTAKE also expressed his anticipation for the film, having had the opportunity to visit the set and see his very own Ojisan come to life. He also shared how surprised he was that an Exit 8 movie was announced just 1 year after finishing his game. Hard to disagree there, as its an entertainment industry anomaly that remains tough to decipher.

KOTAKE mentioned at his developer conference talk that a great deal of the early attention for Exit 8 came from making eye-catching trailers and other cryptic yet attention-grabbing promotional posts on social media just before publishing it on Steam.

This may explain how the game generated enough early hype and ended up getting streamed by Hololive vtubers like Hosho Marine & Sakura Miko, or major personalities like Hikakin and even Kaki Haruka from the idol group Nogizaka46. These streamers and their highly clippable frustration undoubtedly contributed to Exit's success, but it's hard to think of a precedent for such remarkable success in such a short time, let alone something like a film adaptation.

Even if it were just a matter of simple viral popularity, an example like the critically-panned Ao Oni movie in 2014 came several years after noprops released the game in 2008. Outside of Japan, the same could be said for something like Five Nights at Freddy's. Undoubtedly bolstered at launch by pop culture vectors like Markiplier, it only recently got a movie treatment after years of sequels and solidified subcultures generating countless volumes of lore. Minecraft, a worldwide cultural touchstone for an entire generation, will see its Hollywood adaptation released in theaters the same year as the Exit 8 movie.

That alone is peculiar enough. But perhaps the biggest anomaly is that a solo indie dev, just by making a game that can be cleared in less than an hour, has left an indelible mark on pop culture, yet there are so few avenues for those outside his home country to take notice and learn from his example.

Ideally, KOTAKE's talk in Tokyo would be given in more spaces for indie developers and interpreted into as many languages as possible.

Any creator interested in making memorable short-form experiences, and anyone who enjoys them, has something to learn from someone who made such an impact with only a sliver of time, a minimal budget and a simple idea.

Hopefully, this movie will bring more attention to KOTAKE CREATE's work from abroad, and the creative potential of 8-Likes for independent creators everywhere. Imagine what 8-Likes might look like from other countries, recreating the liminal spaces they pass through every day, in the language they use when passing them, and the culturally distinct anomalies they may or may not spot along the way.

To go out from Exit 8

Various creators in multiple mediums have proven that KOTAKE's work with 8-Likes is done.

As for the movie: How can an anomaly be recreated, rather than simply repeated?

Who knows, perhaps like Ringu was for videotapes or One Missed Call was for cell phones, a movie based on such an existentially vexing indie game might prove an interesting outing for Japanese horror.

What we can say with certainty is that KOTAKE CREATE made an impressive entrance into the world of indie games, oddly enough, by making a spectacular Exit.