Exit 8 Director Genki Kawamura Discusses Adapting The Game, Narrative Inspirations, And Advice From Shigeru Miyamoto

"The Exit 8 traps players in a realistically rendered looping hallway of an empty Japanese subway station, tasking them with studying their sparse surroundings to spot visual discrepancies, called 'anomalies'."

"Correctly identifying anomalies allows players to progress to the next loop, starting from Exit 0 and ending at Exit 8. Failing to identify an anomaly resets the player to Exit 0."

"Genki Kawamura expressed amazement at the game design and the simple rules, noting that the lack of story in the game was a significant appeal for its adaptation into a film."

The Exit 8 is a horror game set in a looping Japanese subway station where players identify visual anomalies to progress. Failing to spot anomalies resets players to the beginning. The game gained popularity and was adapted into a live-action film, premiering at Cannes in 2025. Director Genki Kawamura found the game's design and simplicity compelling, noting its lack of story as a key factor for adaptation. The film aims to add an original narrative while maintaining the game's unsettling atmosphere.

Read at Game Informer