Director Takeshi Yamazaki had wanted an adventure game set in the world of Ace Attorney; while they initially planned to set the game in the courtroom like the main series, they decided to use the crime scene as the primary setting, with Miles Edgeworth and Dick Gumshoe investigating it together. Yamazaki originally proposed to use Ema Skye as the main protagonist, as she dreamed of working as a forensic scientist, but the fan adoration of Edgeworth largely contributed to him being chosen instead. Yamazaki later stated that the perceived "star qualities" of Edgeworth; his charisma, his status as a genius prosecutor with a clear mind, and Phoenix Wright's influence giving him the will to pursue truth and justice, made him a worthy protagonist.