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Gree closes three studios as it ends Western operations

Japanese publisher retreats after struggling to replicate its native success

Gree closes three studios as it ends Western operations

Gree has closed down studios in San Francisco, Berlin and Melbourne as it ends its operations in the West.

The move means 125 staff will be laid off has the publisher retreats from the West and back to Japan, where it’s been far more successful.

It was reported lasted week that the company had closed its Melbourne office just under two years after it was first opened. The decision resulted in around 50 job losses.

Gree is expected to continue supporting its games already released in the West such as DragonSoul (pictured), Modern War and Knights & Dragons. Future titles released in the region will be localisations of its Japanese games.

Gree International CEO Andrew Sheppard is said to be leaving the company altogether following the closure of Western operations.

Cutting its losses

“We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has worked for or with Gree International since we founded operations there in 2011,” said Gree CEO Yoshikazu Tanaka, as reported by Venturebeat.

“We’re proud of the entertainment experiences we’ve launched in Western markets, and look forward to the next chapter as we focus on publishing our most successful Japanese titles in the West.”

The move comes despite a large investment by Gree in a new game being developed at its Melbourne studio which could have cost upwards of $30 million from development and live operations.

Its not the only Japanese company to fall back from the West and focus on Japan. In October 2016 DeNA dissolved its US subsidiary after its games failed to meet expectations.

PocketGamer.biz has previously reported on the difficulties faced by companies looking to expand East or West in our article: What happens when global expansion goes bad: A cautionary tale from Japan.


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Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.