How do you make a genre that has been done to death feel new? That was the question I first asked myself when I initially heard about CONQUISTA: Tide of Wills. On the surface, it may seem like another strategy simulator, similar to the likes of the Civilization or Age of Wonders. However, upon closer inspection, I quickly discovered that it tries to make each member of your civilization feel like a unique character, each with their own wills and desires.
How have SHUEISHA GAMES and Micro Simulation managed to strike the balance between these two styles? During Gamescom 2026, I was able to interview Soya Nakano, and Nagahiro Enatsu, CTO at Micro Simulation Inc., to find out the answer to this question. We also discussed the game’s unique mechanics, as well as where the idea for it stemmed from. We hope you enjoy this exclusive interview, and we’d like to thank Shueisha Games for making this coverage possible!
Where did the idea for this game stem from? What made you go “I want to make a game that is similar to other entries in the genre in these ways, while being different in other ways?”
Nagahiro Enatsu (NE): So what makes this game different is that it focuses on the individual residents within the kingdom. So instead of looking just at the macro, it goes all the way down into the micro level of these residents. Being able to answer the requests of the people in your kingdom will change the outcome. So, in a sense, you are starting with the individuals and going from that to the broader scale.
What about that “individual level” was so important to you?
NE: So, when I was back in university, I was actually doing a lot of simulation studies on how a population works on the micro level. That ended up tying into why I made this game, my university background and the experiences I had during it.
That’s great! I am curious, how were you able to use those lessons from university and directly apply it to the gameplay mechanics?
NE: During my time in university, I learned a lot about what makes a civilization successful on both the micro and macro level. The survivability of each civilization ended up depending on the environment around the civilization. So, that was actually reflected into the game. We wanted to give the player the ability to directly ask the residents what they wanted from the civilization that they are building. Almost like a president or a mayor.
So for example, if you impose heavy taxation, some of the residents will complain about. The player is gonna have to choose whether to reverse that choice or deal with it. Whatever they choose will affect the legacy of that kingdom. That was specifically influenced by history, and there are many of those choices scattered throughout the entire game.
When anyone plays a simulation game, they kind of immerse themselves into this experience and think of themselves in a specific way based on the game’s view. Sometimes people think they’re kind of like a God overlooking all of these people and influencing their lives. How do you want the player to feel in this game? What do you want them to be thinking as they’re trying to make these choices?
NE: So, the difference is that here, you are closer to the actual residents. You get to hear their comments and their critiques, and you’re going to have to deal with it. So you’re more like a mayor or a king, which makes the experience a lot more relatable.
When I play Civilization games, I always have a core memory I take away from it. What is something that you want your players to take away from this game? What is the mechanic that you’re very excited to see players use?
NE: So we definitely want players to enjoy the connection with each residents. Whatever choice they make can directly impact the history of that kingdom that you create. And there will be some unexpected reactions that all players will be able to observe throughout their playthrough.
That all sounds fantastic! Thank you so much for your time, and I can’t wait to see when the full game releases!
 and Nagahiro Enatsu (CTO at Micro Simulation Inc.) on CONQUISTA: Tide of Wills.){kind=link}