The ideas for Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Freaks came about due to the popularity of the first Beatmania game at the Amusement Machine Operators Union (AOU) Show in February 1998. Sound directors and composers Naoki Maeda and Mutsuhiko Izumi observed the popularity of a DJ simulation game and wanted to replicate the idea with dancing and playing the electric guitar respectively. Izumi became the sound director of Guitar Freaks as he was the only staff member at the time who could play guitar.