By Dr. Serkan Toto – On Japan's Game Industry
Two investment-related news items from CyberAgent today: first, the decision to invest $120 million in startups in China and Taiwan and later the announcement to invest in Vietnam-based online shopping mall Vatgia.com. According to CyberAgent VC subsidiary CyberAgent Ventures, Vatgia.com is...
Tokyo-based Tonchidot today announced the release of Kamitsuku on GREE, a social game that lets the player take on the role of an apprentice on their way to become a “god”. Users compete with other players to create a powerful civilization from scratch. Tonchidot says that in the game...
In 2009, Tokyo-based PHIRIA DESIGN landed a surprise hit with the “Bijin Tokei” (hot girl clock) app, which shows random Japanese girls holding up a sign that displays the current time – and nothing else. The company launched Bijin Tokei on various platforms (i.e. the iPhone)...
Japan’s biggest business daily The Nikkei is reporting today that CyberAgent plans to step up their venture capital investment activities in Asia. Back in December last year, CyberAgent said it partnered up with DeNA and venture capital firm Japan Asia Investment (China) to invest a total of...
Tokyo-based social gaming company Rekoo Japan (the parent company has its HQ in Beijing) caused a sensation in summer 2009 with a title called Sunshine Ranch. Rekoo launched the Farmville-like game on Mixi, right after Japan’s biggest social network opened its app platform, and attracted a...
If you have ever wondered how DeNA can generate over $1 billion in sales with a Japan- and mobile-only social gaming platform, here’s a pointer: Tokyo-based social game maker GMS announced that “Daisoudatsu Legend Card” just hit 100,000 users on DeNA’s Mobage gaming platform...
By Dr. Serkan Toto – On Japan's Game Industry