Kazutaka Kodaka on Danganronpa's early sales slump and sequel success

Series creator Kazutaka Kodaka reflected that the first Danganronpa game launched with slow sales and no initial plans for a sequel, leaving the team reassigned to other projects. He considered leaving the industry, saying he was "heartbroken" when a second game was turned down.

Word‑of‑mouth promotion eventually lifted sales, prompting the offer to write the Danganronpa Zero novel, which kept him on the project. With the series gaining traction, development of Danganronpa 2 began, and Kodaka noted the sequel "felt like it sold pretty well right out of the gate." The franchise has since grown into a multi‑entry series.