Level-5 Details Development Challenges for Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time on Nintendo Switch

Level-5, the esteemed Japanese game developer behind critically acclaimed titles, has offered a compelling inside look into the turbulent development of its upcoming title, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.

The game, highly anticipated since its original reveal in 2023, is slated for launch on Nintendo Switch on May 21, 2025, and will be available across multiple platforms, continuing the franchise’s legacy of creative life simulation and role-playing. Development of Fantasy Life i has faced considerable challenges, most notably marked by the departure of Keiji Inafune, the well-known character designer from the Mega Man series and former head of Comcept.

Inafune, who joined Level-5 to produce Fantasy Life i, left the company in mid-2024, which also led to the closure of Level5 comcept—the subsidiary formed after Level-5 acquired Comcept.

Following this transition, all ongoing projects were shifted to Level-5’s Osaka office. Taking to a recent blog post, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino addressed the difficulties faced after Inafune’s exit.

"We had to reevaluate and reorganize the entire project to ensure quality and consistency," Hino wrote.

He disclosed that initial internal testing resulted in critical feedback, making it evident that substantial changes were required.

In response, Hino himself assumed the role of producer and transferred core development from Osaka to Level-5’s main headquarters.

Under Hino’s leadership, the scope of Fantasy Life i widened as the development effort became a company-wide endeavor, drawing on the collective expertise of teams from Fukuoka, Tokyo, and other branches.

"Bringing together our resources allowed us to enhance and refine every aspect of the game up until the final stages," Hino explained.

This shift enabled the team to increase quality assurance and make meaningful improvements, including expanded open-world features, parkour-inspired mechanics, a complete overhaul of the progression system, and a more emotionally resonant story. Notably, the team has also implemented requested features such as Cross-Play, Cross-Save, and user interface upgrades, all designed to improve accessibility and enjoyment across platforms.

Hino emphasized that these additions have strengthened the game’s core design, stating that the improvements "did not just fit in—they elevated the overall experience, making Fantasy Life i significantly more engaging." While development setbacks resulted in delays and pushed the release schedule, Level-5's transparent communication has been met positively by fans.

With Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time now approaching completion, anticipation is building for its May 2025 release on Nintendo Switch and other platforms.

Interested players and industry observers are encouraged to follow upcoming updates on the Level-5 website, where Hino has promised regular progress reports. As the launch date nears, Fantasy Life i stands out as a testament to Level-5’s resilience and adaptability in game development.

The company’s commitment to quality and player satisfaction bodes well for this newest installment in the Fantasy Life series, set to arrive on Switch and beyond.

Nintendo Level-5 Switch Keiji Inafune Fantasy Life i Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Fantasy Life Nintendo Switch