We sat down with the founder of DreamCore to discuss the product's philosophy and future vision.
Democratizing Game Development
── First, tell us about DreamCore's mission.
"Turn dreams into games." That's our mission.
Game development has always been reserved for people with special skills. You can't do it without programming knowledge, without a high-performance PC, without setting up a development environment. But should it really be that way?
── It's true that making games feels out of reach for most people.
Exactly. That's why DreamCore aims to provide an experience where you can create games just by talking. Whether you have zero programming experience, don't own a powerful PC, or live somewhere without access to development tools—if you have a browser, you can become a game creator. That's the world we want to build.
How DreamCore Started
── What made you decide to create DreamCore?
I used to run a studio that made games for UGC platforms like Fortnite and Roblox. That's where I really felt the potential of game platforms.
Then AI came along. I thought, "We can build an AI-native platform." I wanted to create something like "TikTok for games."
The "Purikura-fication" of Games
── Where did the concept of "Purikura-fication of games" come from?
It came from a casual conversation with Yoichi Wada, former president of Square Enix.
I was showing him DreamCore and we were chatting about games, technology, all sorts of things. Then Wada-san said something that struck me: "TikTok is like Purikura."
── TikTok is like Purikura?
For context, Purikura are Japanese photo booths where friends take pictures together, decorate them, and share them. They transformed photos from "something you pose for" into a "communication tool."
When I heard that TikTok did the same thing for video, it hit me. DreamCore could be "Purikura for games." Making games itself becomes communication. That's our core value.
── Did that realization click immediately?
It made sense right away, but it kept deepening over time.
Rather than creating polished, high-quality games, the act of making games becomes communication between users. That worldview became clearer and clearer.
Not Just a Tool—An Ally for Creators
── DreamCore emphasizes "creator support." What does that mean specifically?
We're not just a tool provider. We want to be creators' ally.
Remove technical barriers. Provide monetization opportunities. Support growth through community. These three pillars help creators make what they truly want to make.
── What kind of users are you targeting?
A wide range. Complete beginners with zero programming experience who want to try making games. Hobbyist developers who want to create something on weekends. Professional creators who want to prototype new ideas. Kids and students exploring programming through game-making. And creators in developing countries who just need a browser.
What they all share is the desire to create something. We want to help them bring that desire to life.
"Small Finished Games" Over "Masterpieces"
── What characterizes games made with DreamCore?
Rather than creating masterpieces, we value "small finished games."
Playable in 30 seconds. No complex tutorials needed. Rules that are easy to understand intuitively. But with unique ideas that let personality shine. That's what we want DreamCore to nurture.
── Why "small games"?
Because finishing matters. It's far more valuable to complete something small and publish it than to aim for a masterpiece and give up halfway. The experience of finishing builds confidence and leads to the next creation. We want to create that positive cycle.
And there's another important point: we're aiming for the "Purikura-fication" of games. Rather than creating polished, high-quality games, game-making itself becomes communication. That's our worldview.
What "Purikura-fication" Really Means
── Tell us more about this "Purikura-fication of games."
Purikura transformed photos from "something you pose for" into a "communication tool." Friends take pictures together, decorate them, share them. Taking photos became fun in itself.
DreamCore wants to transform games from "something you play" into "something you make." Making games becomes communication. Sharing with friends, remixing others' creations. Game-making as a new form of communication.
── So it's more of a concept than a specific feature.
Exactly. We're not copying Purikura's "decoration feature" or anything like that. Just as Purikura transformed the act of taking photos into communication, DreamCore transforms the act of making games into communication.
── What's the essence of this transformation?
Four things: Democratization of expression, casualness, connection, and self-disclosure.
Anyone can be a creator. It doesn't have to be perfect—just fun. Creating connects you with others. And you can express yourself and be understood. That's the essence of game Purikura-fication.
The Experience with My Son
── Have you experienced "game-making as communication" yourself?
Yes. I made a game based on my son's idea.
── What kind of game?
An action game. My son is still in elementary school, but he told me what kind of game he wanted. As I built it in front of him, watching his idea become a game, he was so happy.
── How did you feel seeing his reaction?
Happy. And certain. Also surprised.
── Certain of what?
Many things. DreamCore's value. The power of games. The possibility that even children can be creators. And the path I should take.
── What surprised you?
How big his reaction was. How easily it could be made. And that conversation was born from the game.
Honestly, I didn't expect to feel so happy myself. That was also a surprise.
"Looking Good" Means "Becoming Your Own IP"
── With Purikura, "looking good" matters. What's the equivalent for games?
What Purikura and TikTok have done is turn people into their own IPs, their own characters.
"Looking good" in DreamCore is the same. You become a game character yourself. Self-expression becomes easy without using real photos. Your "personal style" gets emphasized, which drives engagement and buzz.
── Can you explain "becoming your own IP" more concretely?
Establishing a persona—being recognized as "the person who makes this kind of game." Your work becomes an extension of yourself, a medium that conveys "who you are." Keep going and you'll gain fans. Eventually, you can even monetize.
In other words, through games, you become a character and a brand. That's what "looking good" means in DreamCore.
Creators Who "Get It"
── Do you ever see someone making games and think, "This person gets it"?
Yes, definitely.
── What are they like?
People who create for someone. A specific person, their friends, or someone they haven't met yet. People who create with a face in mind are strong.
Also, people who express themselves. Who finish things. Who have fun. And who keep it short.
These are the characteristics of creators who "get it" in DreamCore.
Remix as Conversation
── Purikura is fun because you "take photos together." How does DreamCore replace that?
Several ways.
Remix as conversation. You see someone's work and think "I'd do it this way," then remix it. Like writing a reply poem.
Getting people to play. The joy of someone playing what you made.
Receiving reactions. Connecting through likes and comments.
Competing on themes. Everyone creates on the same theme and shows each other.
You're not creating together in real-time, but asynchronous communication through works emerges. That's DreamCore's version of "together."
We're actually seeing DreamCore creators remix each other's work and share feedback with each other.
The Crucial Difference from TikTok
── What's the crucial difference from TikTok or Purikura?
Interactivity.
You watch TikTok. You look at Purikura. But games, you play. The receiver actively experiences it. There are rules, winning and losing, objectives. And works persist, being played continuously.
It's not just consumed content—it remains as an experience. That's games' unique strength.
AI as "Partner"
── DreamCore uses AI. What's your philosophy on using AI?
AI isn't "a tool that demands perfect instructions"—it's "a partner that thinks with you."
It understands user intent. It gets vague instructions. It's okay to be casual. It works without perfect directions. That's the experience we're aiming for.
── What are your technical priorities?
First is speed. Fast generation and response is the core of UX. Second is stability. Reliability that doesn't crash. Third is scalability. Architecture that handles massive users. In that order.
Five-Year Vision
── Where do you want DreamCore to be in five years?
Three goals.
First, a platform used by creators worldwide. Across languages and regions.
Second, a birthplace of new game culture. Where hit games born from DreamCore emerge.
Third, disruptive innovation in the game business. Bringing game production costs close to zero. Massive emergence of "games that don't need to make money." Games that couldn't exist under traditional business models appearing. That's the world we want to create.
A World Where Games Become a "New Language"
── In a world where "game-making as communication" is normal, how will people's lives change?
I think games will become a new language. Like text or video, games become one form of expression.
How we preserve memories will change too. Like photos and albums, a culture of preserving memories through games might emerge.
Games beyond commerce will explode. Games not for selling, but for expressing. Inside jokes as games. Anniversary games.
And an explosion of creators. Right now, "people who make games" are special. But in the future, everyone will be a creator.
Message to Creators
── Finally, what do you want to tell people using DreamCore?
Have fun. Finish it. Share it. Be free.
Those four things.
Don't overthink it. It doesn't have to be perfect. When you want to show someone—that's the best timing.
"Turn dreams into games." We'll keep building a platform that embodies these words.
── Thank you.
Thank you too.
Interview: February 2026