A Japanese hikikomori released a game after 6 years of development [video]

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A Japanese hikikomori (social recluse) who spent six years creating a game called *Pull Stay* prompts broader reflections on what it means to be a “shut-in” in an era of remote work, online entertainment, and delivery services. Commenters debate whether such lifestyles can be healthy or socially sustainable, touching on mental health, evolving social norms, demographic impacts like falling birth rates, and the allure and danger of highly convenient, isolated living. Several voices stress the need for professional support and empathy for reclusive individuals, especially adolescents, rather than simply removing coping mechanisms like video games.

Game and Reception

  • Commenters praise the video as “refreshing” and the developer as charming with unexpectedly strong English.
  • The game is described as a quirky, “Home Alone”-style concept; some buy it on Steam and are curious to watch its Early Access evolution.
  • A TV documentary about the same developer is mentioned as worth watching.

Definitions: Hikikomori, Shut-ins, NEET

  • Multiple participants debate the meaning of “hikikomori” versus “shut-in” and “NEET.”
  • One narrower view equates shut-ins with total non-participation and “nothing happening” in life.
  • Others push back, citing the broader clinical-style criteria (staying home almost all the time, avoiding social situations, significant impairment for >6 months, no obvious other cause).
  • NEET is noted as different: not working or studying, but often still socially active; hikikomori implies severe social withdrawal.
  • Some point out that someone developing and releasing a game can still be a hikikomori.

Remote Life, Technology, and Isolation

  • One line of discussion calls it “neat” that modern tech allows people to live, work, shop, and get healthcare without leaving their room.
  • Others see this as dystopian or “horrifying,” a step toward VR-escapist futures.
  • Debate over whether remote work and online-only life are healthy: some remote workers with almost no offline contact identify as shut-ins and are content.
  • Critics argue this normalizes pathology and enables a perpetual-adolescence lifestyle.

Human Needs, Mental Health, and the Outdoors

  • Several argue humans are inherently social; zero in‑person interaction and never going outside is said to be unsustainable for mental health.
  • Others strongly disagree, reporting genuine preference for solitude, indoor life, and even thriving during strict COVID lockdowns.
  • Some describe severe anxiety and sensory overload that make going outside or interacting feel unbearably painful.
  • There is disagreement on whether “everyone eventually suffers” from isolation.

Social, Demographic, and Ethical Concerns

  • One thread worries about shut-ins’ low rates of procreation and downstream effects on pensions and support ratios.
  • Others counter that:
    • Declining fertility is widespread, not just among shut-ins.
    • “Breeding” should not be equated with societal contribution.
    • Endless population and productivity growth is ecologically unsustainable; some argue population shrinkage is necessary given resource overuse (Earth Overshoot Day is cited), while others dispute overshoot or emphasize lifestyle change instead.
  • There is broad recognition that transitioning to a smaller population without severe suffering is an unsolved problem.

Parenting and Extreme Withdrawal

  • A parent (later deleting details) describes a teen who has effectively shut in, triggering state pressure over missed schooling.
  • Responses:
    • Strong suggestions to seek professional mental health help (depression, anxiety, autism/ADHD are mentioned as possibilities).
    • Emphasis that games may be a coping mechanism, not the root problem; simply removing them could be harmful.
    • Others argue that some boundary-setting (e.g., limiting games, pushing small steps outside the comfort zone) can be necessary, drawing analogies to structured inpatient treatment.
    • There is moral disagreement: some see cutting access to beloved activities as cruel; others see non-intervention as condemning the child to lifelong dependence.
    • Several highlight how hard it is to get appropriate psychiatric support and accommodations; truancy laws can clash with severe anxiety or withdrawal.
    • Suggestions include home education, gradual skill-building (e.g., small creative projects like simple games), and building trust-based, collaborative plans with the child.
    • A few share personal stories of extreme withdrawal in youth followed by partial recovery through therapy and family support.

City vs. Forest Hermitage

  • Some fantasize about hermit life in forests with decent internet instead of cities; others reply that cities provide essential services and comfort that wilderness cannot easily match.
  • Arguments note that humans historically lived in communities, not isolated cabins, even if not in modern cities.

Culture and Media References

  • “Welcome to the N.H.K.” (novel/anime about a hikikomori making a game) is repeatedly referenced as thematically similar.
  • Opinions vary: some say it still holds up as a nuanced depiction of depression, anxiety, and mutual “rescue”; others think it has dated elements (fan service, incel-like protagonist), though it doesn’t endorse those attitudes.
  • Broader points raised:
    • Japan’s hikikomori phenomenon gets outsized global attention despite low NEET rates compared to some Western countries.
    • Explanations include Japan’s strong conformity norms, and its deliberate export of subcultures (anime, “Cool Japan”), contrasted with China’s more controlled public image.