News

GREE partners with Crunchyroll and Sumitomo to globally distribute games based on Japanese anime

Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese goes first

Date Type Companies involved Size
August 31st, 2017 partnership Crunchyroll
GREE
Sumitomo Corporation
Not disclosed
GREE partners with Crunchyroll and Sumitomo to globally distribute games based on Japanese anime

GREE has struck up a partnership with anime and manga distributor Crunchyroll and Sumitomo Corportation to publish its games based on anime globally.

The partnership will see GREE continuing to develop games for the Japan market, as well as handling all live ops. Crunchyroll and Sumitomo will handle distribution, localisation, and promotion.

The first game to benefit from this partnership will be Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese, which will be released in early 2018. It has already launched in Japan, where it has secured over three million downloads in its first month.

A waiting audience

The move could be hugely beneficial for GREE, as it will directly target the audience who will most likely play its games. Crunchyroll currently has over 20 million registered users and 1 million premium subscribers to its anime and manga service.

GREE pivoted away from developing for the Western market in July 2017 when it shut down three of its studios and focused entirely on its Japan studio. Its current plan is to develop for the Japan market, and distribute these games globally, rather than attempting to target a global audience.


Editor

Ric is the Editor of PocketGamer.biz, having started out as a Staff Writer on the site back in 2015. He received an honourable mention in both the MCV and Develop 30 Under 30 lists in 2016 and refuses to let anyone forget about it.