Playism
Video game publisher and localizer
Playism (stylized as PLAYISM) is a Japanese independent video game publisher operated by Active Gaming Media. Playism started as a digital distribution platform for PC games in May 2011.
01History
Playism was launched by Active Gaming Media in May 2011 as a digital distribution platform for PC games. It was founded by Shunji Mizutani, who has run it as executive producer since. Its launch titles included Machinarium and SpaceChem. Its goal was to introduce western-developed indie titles to the Japanese market, and to localize Japanese doujin games for overseas audience.
In April 2013, Playism began a project with HAL College of Technology & Design in both Osaka and Nagoya. The project involves students creating games in four-person teams over a period of several months. The games would then be judged by Playism staff, Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya (Cave Story), Smoking Wolf (One Way Heroics), and members of Nigoro (La-Mulana). The highest-rated games were then localized by Playism, and released on the PLAYISM store page for purchase.
Playism was closely involved in the administration of the indie-based game event BitSummit in March 2013, helping both with translation and interpretation as well as with logistics. In September 2013, Playism collaborated with Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia on an event called Indie Stream. Originally planned by indie developers Nigoro and Nyamyam, Indie Stream was designed to bring indie developers from both Japan and abroad together to meet and share information. It was announced at Indie Stream that PLAYISM would be assisting indie developers in publishing their games on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in Japan.
Playism closed its digital storefront on March 24, 2021, ceasing download service and sales of Steam keys on the website. The company announced that this would not affect its other businesses, and would continue publishing video games for Steam, GOG.com, and other home game consoles.
02Works
| Year | Title | Developer | Additional note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Ether Vapor | Edelweiss | Originally published by Nyu Media; publishing rights transferred to Playism in 2022 | |
| I'm Gonna Be God of the Forest | Shindenken | |||
| La-Mulana | Nigoro | Remake | ||
| 2013 | Artifact Adventure | Bluffman | Re-release on Steam in 2015 | |
| Unholy Heights | Petit Depotto | |||
| 2014 | Astebreed | Edelweiss | International release | |
| Kero Blaster | Studio Pixel | |||
| Magical Battle Festa | Fly System | |||
| Meadowland | Mårten Jonsson | |||
| Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae | Zenith Blue | |||
| One Way Heroics | SmokingWOLF | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| Revolver 360 Re:Actor | Cross Eaglet | |||
| Rime Berta | Next Soft+ | |||
| 2015 | D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die | Access Games | PC version | |
| Forget Me Not: My Organic Garden | Cavyhouse | |||
| Gocco of War | peakvox | |||
| Hacker's Beat | Team Tands+ | |||
| Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans | Nussoft | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| An Octave Higher | Kidalang | |||
| One Way Heroics Plus | SmokingWOLF | Expansion of One Way Heroics | ||
| Prismatic Solid | YO1 KOMORI | |||
| Star Sky | Mårten Jonsson | |||
| Starchaser: Priestess of the Night Sky | Nonlinear | |||
| Torquel | FullPowerSideAttack.com | |||
| 2016 | Ace of Seafood | Nussoft | ||
| Alicemare | Miwashiba | PC re-release | ||
| Awareness Rooms | Game Na Kibun | |||
| Croixleur Sigma | Souvenir Circ. | PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC versions | ||
| Futuridium EP Deluxe | MixedBag | PC version | ||
| A Healer Only Lives Twice | Pon Pon Games | |||
| Helen's Mysterious Castle | Satsu | |||
| Her Story | Sam Barlow | Japanese localization update | ||
| LiEat | Miwashiba | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| Lucy -The Eternity She Wished For- | Modern Visual Arts Laboratory | iOS and Android versions | ||
| Mad Father | sen | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| Memento | Labo Game Studio | |||
| Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight | Bombservice | |||
| Murasaki | Katatema | |||
| NightCry | Nude Maker | |||
| Principia: Master of Science | tomeapp | |||
| The Silver Case | Grasshopper Manufacture | Remaster | ||
| Star Sky 2 | Mårten Jonsson | |||
| 2017 | 1bitHeart | Miwashiba | PC re-release | |
| Garden Tale | Bonion Games | |||
| Lost Technology | Studio 4D | |||
| Misao | The Miscreant's Room | Definitive Edition in 2017; 2024 HD Remaster update in 2024 | ||
| Rosenkreuzstilette | [erka:es] | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| Rosenkreuzstilette Freudenstachel | [erka:es] | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| VA-11 Hall-A | Sukeban Games | Japanese localization update | ||
| Vertical Strike Endless Challenge | Project ICKX | |||
| 2018 | Ark Noir | Amamori Lab | ||
| Artifact Adventure Gaiden | Bluffman | |||
| Angels of Death | Hoshikuzu KRNKRN | |||
| The Boogie Man | Uri Games | |||
| Break Arts II | MercuryStudio | |||
| Cineris Somnia | Nayuta Studio | |||
| The Crooked Man | Uri Games | |||
| Hakoniwa Explorer Plus | Suxa | |||
| The Hanged Man | Uri Games | |||
| La-Mulana 2 | Nigoro | |||
| Murasaki Tsurugi | Katatema | |||
| The Sand Man | Uri Games | |||
| Star Sky 3 | Mårten Jonsson | |||
| Will: A Wonderful World | WMY Studio | Japanese localization update | ||
| Yume Nikki | Kikiyama | PC re-release on Steam | ||
| Yume Nikki: Dream Diary | Kadokawa Corporation | |||
| 2019 | Artifact Adventure Gaiden DX | Bluffman | ||
| Medusa and Her Lover | ship of EYLN | |||
| Night in the Woods | Infinite Fall, Secret Lab | Japanese localization update | ||
| Pixel Game Maker MV | Kadokawa Corporation | |||
| Steel Sword Story | 8bits fanatics | Updated to Steel Sword Story S in 2024 | ||
| Strange Telephone | HZ3 Software | |||
| Touhou Luna Nights | Team Ladybug, WSS Playground, Vaka Game Magazine | Early access release in 2018 | ||
| 2020 | Bright Memory | FYQD Studio | ||
| Fight Crab | Calappa Games | |||
| Giraffe and Annika | atelier mimina | |||
| Necrobarista | Route 59 | |||
| Omori | Omocat, LLC. | Japanese localization update and the console versions | ||
| Orangeblood | Grayfax Software | |||
| Replica | Somi | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions | ||
| Soundart | MercuryStudio | |||
| Umurangi Generation | Origame Digital | |||
| 2021 | Bright Memory: Infinite | FYQD Studio | Full-length version of Bright Memory | |
| Deeeer Simulator | Gibier Games | |||
| Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! | Team Salvato | Japanese localization update | ||
| Gnosia | Petit Depotto | International release; Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 versions | ||
| The Good Life | White Owls Inc. | |||
| Idol Manager | Glitch Pitch | |||
| Legal Dungeon | Somi | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions | ||
| Mighty Goose | Blastmode | |||
| Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth | Team Ladybug, WSS Playground | Early access release in 2020 | ||
| The Sealed Ampoule | Cavyhouse | |||
| Tasomachi: Behind the Twilight | Orbital Express | |||
| 2022 | Drainus | Team Ladybug, WSS Playground | ||
| Ib | kouri | Remake | ||
| Noel the Mortal Fate | Kanawo | Console versions and Microsoft Store release | ||
| Potato Flowers in Full Bloom | Pon Pon Games | |||
| Samurai Bringer | Alphawing Inc. | |||
| Signalis | rose-engine | |||
| Takkoman: Kouzatsu World | illuCalab. | |||
| Temtem | Crema | Physical release in Japan | ||
| Timothy and the Tower of Mu | Kibou Entertainment | |||
| Tokoyo: The Tower of Perpetuity | //commentout | Early access release in 2020 | ||
| 2023 | 7 Days to End with You | Lizardry | Nintendo Switch and PC versions | |
| Drago Noka | GeSEI unkan | PC re-release on Steam and the Switch version | ||
| From Madness with Love | jamsanpoid, Vampire K.K. | |||
| Marfusha | hinyari9 | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch versions | ||
| Phantom Rose II Sapphire | makaroll | |||
| Refind Self: The Personality Test Game | Lizardry | |||
| Rusted Moss | faxdoc, happysquared, sunnydaze | |||
| Subway Midnight | Bubby Darkstar | Nintendo Switch version | ||
| 2024 | The Detective Reaper Invites | Shinzu Kano Umi | ||
| The Exit 8 | Kotake Create | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, iOS and Android versions | ||
| Maid Cafe on Electric Street | Adventurer's Tavern | |||
| No Case Should Remain Unsolved | Somi | Nintendo Switch version | ||
| Platform 8 | Kotake Create | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 versions | ||
| The Star Named EOS | Silver Lining Studio | |||
| Umurangi Generation VR | Origame Digital | VR version of Umurangi Generation | ||
| Valkyrie of Phantasm | Areazero | Early access release in 2022 | ||
| 2025 | Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery | Silver Lining Studio | Nintendo Switch version, bundled with The Star Named EOS | |
| Blade Chimera | Team Ladybug, WSS Playground | |||
| Break Arts III | MercuryStudio | |||
| CATO: Buttered Cat | Team Woll | PlayStation 5 and Switch versions | ||
| Cling to Blindness | Lizardry | |||
| Heart of Crown | Japanime Games | |||
| The Little Tomb: The Maholova Club and the Search for a Dead Body | Cavyhouse | |||
| Metal Bringer | Alphawing | |||
| Million Depth | Cyber Space Biotope | |||
| Mind Diver | Indoor Sunglasses | |||
| Momodora: Moonlit Farewell | Bombservice | |||
| MotionRec | Handsum | |||
| Nidana | lvl374 | |||
| Nitro Express | Grayfax Software | |||
| Outrider Mako | Asamado Games | |||
| Snezhinka: Sentinel Girls 2 | hinyari9 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S versions | ||
| Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double | toii | 2025 re-launch | ||
| The Use of Life | Daraneko Games | Early access release in 2022 | ||
| 2026 | The Dream of a Cockspur | roccay | ||
| Dyping Escape | Heaviside Creations | |||
| Homura Hime | Crimson Dusk | |||
| 2027 | DevilConnection | ChaoGames | Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android versions |
Upcoming release and others
| Title | Developer | Additional note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bot! | Aimed Freedom | Student project for the PlayStation 4 in 2015; unreleased | |
| Gensokyo Night Festival | WSS playground, tea_basira | Early access in 2019 | |
| MaguSphere: Magical Cannon Girls | Ohbado | Missed release window in 2022 | |
| Fight Crab 2 | Calappa Games | Early access in 2024 | |
| Journey Record | Kochi Create | Missed release window in 2024 | |
| EDEN.schemata(); | WSS Playground, illuCalab. | Release window in spring 2025 | |
| Glaciered | Studio Snowblind | Release window in 2026 | |
| Care Make Arena | Lizardry | Early access in 2026 | |
| The Dream of a Cockspur | roccay | Release window in 2026 | |
| Dungeon Sweeper Plus | Setamo | Release window in 2026 | |
| Haruka: Beyond the Stars | atelier mimina | Release window in 2026 | |
| A Passing in the Night | .iris | Release window in 2026 | |
| Samurai Bringer: Rampage | Alphawing | Release window in 2026 | |
| Skateboard Knight | Playism | Release window in 2026 | |
| There's Something Wrong with the Hero's Choices | minatonezumi | Release window in 2026 | |
| Full Belly Breakout | Zxima | Release window in 2027 | |
| Idol Manager: Virtual Venture | Glitch Pitch | Release window in 2027 | |
| Iron Bramble | Emlise, Mini Bunnies | Release window in 2027 | |
| Midnight Train: New Moon | LydiaBluebell | Release window in 2027 | |
| Sea Sniffers | Blastmode, MP2 Games | Release window in 2027 | |
| 34EVERLAST | Kanata Lab, Hyper Real | Release date TBD |
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Playism”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
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