Cygames

Cygames, Inc. is a Japanese video game development studio established in 2011 by CyberAgent. Mobile and e-commerce company DeNA acquired a 24% stake in the studio in 2012, and Nintendo acquired another 5% stake in 2018, leaving CyberAgent with 69% of the shares and as such, they are the parent company of Cygames. From its formation, the company produced mobile games, initially on the Mobage platform, and from 2013 on Android and iOS. The company headquarters is located in Tokyo while other divisions are located in Osaka and Saga in Japan and Seoul, South Korea.

Key IPs include Umamusume: Pretty Derby (2021), Princess Connect! Re:Dive (2018), Shadowverse (2016), Granblue Fantasy (2014), The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls (2011, with Bandai Namco Entertainment), and Rage of Bahamut (2011). The company began development of console games in 2015.

In 2016, Cygames began funding anime adaptations for its mobile property and for new projects and adaptations for anime. During the same period, the company also entered the manga, music and design market in the same time period. It later announced the establishment of its own animation studio, CygamesPictures. The studio was later consolidated under CyberAgent through a direct share acquisition in February 2026.

History

2011–2016

Cygames, Inc. was established May 9, 2011, by CyberAgent, a Japanese web services company. In 2012, DeNA purchased a 24% stake in Cygames. Shortly thereafter, the studio was chosen by Game Developer (formerly Gamasutra) as one of the top ten game developers of the year. In June 2012, Cygames founded CyDesignation, a company specialized in Design, Illustration, Game planning and Game development.

In March 2016, Cygames announced the establishment of its own anime production division and anime studio as a subsidiary known as CygamesPictures to do planning, production, and animation both for Cygames own IPs and original anime projects as well. In June 2016, Cygames announced the acquisition of the gaming and anime background studio Kusanagi.

2016–2026

In 2016, Cygames announced that it was developing Project Awakening, its first large-format title for consoles, as well as the establishment of their Osaka studio focused on console games.

In May 2017, Cygames and Kodansha announced that they formed a partnership to launch a new label called Cycomi to release volumes in print distributed by Kodansha for manga already published online by Cygames on its digital manga website called Cycomics, while Cygames' established its first overseas subsidiary, Cygames Korea. In April 2019, Cygames formed a new partnership with Hitotsubashi Group (Shogakukan and Shueisha).

On June 8, 2017, Cygames and its parent company CyberAgent announced that they jointly established CA-Cygames Anime Fund, a fund for investing in anime IP which will inject funds to the anime production committee to obtain the rights to stream anime videos on the Internet and produce games, with a total amount of funds to be three billion yen.

In 2017, Cygames founded its esports team, Cygames Beast, with Street Fighter players Daigo Umehara, Snake Eyez, and PR Balrog. In April 2018, a partnership with Nintendo was announced to develop the game Dragalia Lost, for the purpose of facilitating the partnership Nintendo will obtain approximately five percent of Cygames's issued stocks. In May 2018, Cygames announced the establishment of a subsidiary for music production and artist management called Cymusic.

In April 2021, Cygames announced the establishment of a subsidiary called CySphere which is focused on 3DCG production for anime and games. Cygames produced the anime The Marginal Service, which started airing in 2023.

In April 2023, Cygames opened two more international offices focused in marketing for its regions; one in Los Angeles called Cygames America and one in London called Cygames Europe.

In December 2024, the company established a subscription-based video game service called Cygames ID for the purpose of using various services.

In January 2026, the company established Cygames AI Studio, a subsidiary that develops and provides services and tools using artificial intelligence. In April 2026, CygamesPictures was renamed to CyPic after its consolidation as a subsidiary under CyberAgent through direct share acquisition in February 2026. In May 2026, Cygames acquired 3DCG and visual effects studio Griot Groove and a partnership within Rodeo FX's Mikros Animation focused on 3DCG animated industry.

Sponsorships

In July 2017, Cygames became a sponsor of Italian football team Juventus; after a pause in 2019–20 following its signing of competitor Konami, the sponsorship was renewed in 2020. In January 2024, it became a sponsor of J.League football team Sagan Tosu.

As a tie-in with the Umamusume franchise, Cygames began to notably sponsor a number of international thoroughbred racing events, beginning with a title sponsorship of the Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2024. In 2025, Cygames sponsored the Unbridled Sidney Stakes, held as part of the Kentucky Derby weekend; the company also ran an infield booth at Churchill Downs, featuring demos of Cygames titles such as the then-upcoming English release of Umamusume: Pretty Derby. In June 2025, Cygames and France Galop announced that the company would become title sponsor of the Grand Prix de Paris.

On December 22, 2025, Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that Cygames would become the "Platinum Sponsor" of Wrestle Kingdom 20, featuring Hiroshi Tanahashi's last match. In addition, Tanahashi appeared in a TV commercial for Granblue Fantasy, portraying Beelzebub.

Games developed

Mobile/web browser games

Console/PC games

External links

• Andriessen, CJ (July 12, 2018), , Destructoid