Atelier Resleriana developer Akatsuki has signed a new partnership with Sony and Koei Tecmo, aimed at strengthening the studio's "game development system".
According to an official announcement, the deal is intended to anticipate the mobile market's "evolution into a new market of multi-device, multi-language 'live gaming'".
The deal involves a disposition of shares to Sony and Koei Tecmo, according to a detailed breakdown document, with Sony receiving 9.87% of Akatsuki's stock and Koei Tecmo receiving 7.97%.
With Sony, Akatsuki is aiming to engage in "co-production and development of new IP and content", as well as "cooperat[ing] in overseas market expansion for mobile games", both for games currently in the works and those to be created in the future.
The deal's goals seem somewhat similar to those of the agreement signed between Sony and NCSoft earlier this year, although that deal doesn't involve share disposition on NCSoft's part.
Similarly, Akatsuki hopes to work with Koei Tecmo on the aforementioned "multi-device" live-service games, as well as working together on new IP and services.
Partnering with Koei Tecmo makes a lot of sense for Akatsuki, since the studio will be helping with the Western version of Atelier Resleriana, which is due to arrive in 2024.
Akatsuki's desire to expand its mobile live-service business and encapsulate other platforms makes sense too, given that the company is arguably best-known for its work in mobile gaming.
Mobile games developed or worked on by Akatsuki include Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle, the cozy puzzler KonMari Spark Joy!, and the RPG Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe.
It's all part of a desire to utilize "digital content to compete globally in the long term", apparently. Signing a business deal with Koei Tecmo and Sony certainly seems like it'll help to achieve that aim.
We'll have to wait and see what this collaboration with these two studios yields in the future. Stay tuned for more.
