Shift Up has acquired Unbound, giving the South Korean company extra muscle through a Japanese studio. The move is not just notable from a business standpoint, but also from a creative one: the team behind Stellar Blade has brought Shinji Mikami’s studio into the fold and strengthened its console and PC ambitions at the same time.
Founded in November 2022 by Shinji Mikami – the creator of Resident Evil and producer of Devil May Cry – the Tokyo-based studio is currently developing original IPs for the global PC and console market. Following the acquisition, Shift Up integrated the Unbound team into its console and PC pipeline, while the South Korean company will also take on publishing duties. In the official press release, Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung-Tae said he considers this partnership highly significant, as Unbound brings together a world-class development team under Mikami’s leadership. The acquisition creates an opportunity to deliver top-tier gaming experiences to players around the globe and further strengthen Shift Up’s competitiveness as a global developer.
“At Unbound, we have many talented creators. Those creators aren’t constrained by pressure or strict company orders. We keep rules to a minimum and create an environment that allows our creators to design the best games possible. I think you can expect a lot from us soon. I place the most emphasis on the atmosphere. It’s reassuring when the person at the top is approachable. So, even though I’m often the butt of jokes, it creates an environment where people feel more comfortable speaking up. Believe it or not, I actually really like that. Working with these young people is fun. I’m excited to see the next generation create new and exciting games. That’s what I look forward to the most now.
Shift Up and Unbound are joining forces. For example, they have Goddess of Victory: Nikke and other titles such as Stellar Blade. But the best part is Kim at Shift Up. He’s a creator, too, and he works on-site, putting his all into making games. After speaking with him, we decided to work together toward the same goals. In other words, at Unbound, we’re going to create a masterpiece of a game. I’ve come to see my vision and ideals more clearly. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation where our wavelengths and direction as creators align this closely. For as long as my career continues, I would like to continue working with him. For the first time in a while, I’ll be fully involved on-site working on a fairly large game, and I’m looking forward to it. To all the gamers waiting for it, I hope you can wait just a little longer for its release. That’s how I feel. Thank you so much for everything. Thank you very much.” – Mikami said.
“It’s really free here, right? Everyone is treated equally. I’m really grateful to have Mikami as a boss who looks out for us objectively. He’s always watching over us. No matter how freely we work, he’s there. I feel reassured. Mikami keeps up with the latest games that come out. It’s like, ‘Oh, he’s really keeping up with the times.’ I’m not sure if that’s the best way to put it.” – added Ryuki Tagami, programmer at Unbound.
Ryosuke Suzaki, one of Unbound’s game planners, said everyone is free to share ideas with one another – for example: “Let’s try this or that!” Or someone can ask a colleague privately: “Can you listen to my game idea?” If the concept is interesting, they try to make it happen. That is the kind of environment they have. Sosuke Honda, one of Unbound’s game directors, added that it is really easy to make games there. It is fun, but it can also be extremely challenging. It is both. There is no game company where the work is not hard. But precisely because it is hard, they also make sure people enjoy themselves.
Hopefully, this will lead to something strong. A concept image has already surfaced…
