GungHo
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. They are primarily known for hosting the Japanese server of '' Ragnarok Online'' (developed by its listed Korean subsidiary Gravity), as well as their development of '' Ragnarok DS'' for the Nintendo DS. More recently, the company has reported huge financial success thanks to its mobile game '' Puzzle & Dragons'', which, in 2013, was reportedly responsible for 91% of the company's $1.6 billion revenues for the year. History The company was established as ONSale Co., Ltd. on July 1, 1998, as a joint venture between Softbank and onSale Inc. to engage in the online interactive auction business in the US. *In 2000, the company moved its headquarters to Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan and changed its focus to providing auction systems, etc. using ASP. *In 2002, the company once again changed its focus, this time to Online Game Services. Primarily hosting the Japanese server of '' Ragnarok Online''. *In 2004 the company began joint developmen ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Puzzle & Dragons
is a puzzle video game with role-playing and strategy elements, developed and published by GungHo Online Entertainment for the iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire platforms. ''Puzzle & Dragons'' is a match-three puzzle game, requiring players to move and match colored orbs arranged in a grid. The amount and type of matches determine which of the six monsters on the player's team attack the waves of enemy monsters and how much damage they do. An additional layer of challenge is the acquisition, selection, and improvement of a team of monsters from among thousands ranging from standard fantasy fare, to deities from several religions and mythologies and characters from popular entertainment franchises. The game is free-to-play and financed by the sale of in-game currency. It is a commercial success in Japan, where it was downloaded 32 million times by November 2014, and was released in other Asian countries as well as in North America and many European countries. Total worldwide do ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Grasshopper Manufacture
is a Japanese video game developer founded on March 30, 1998 by Goichi Suda. They are well known for creating titles such as ''killer7'' and the '' No More Heroes'' series. History The company was founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, Japan. Its founder, Goichi Suda, gave two reasons why he chose the name "''Grasshopper:''" The first being a reference to the song of the same name by UK band Ride, which he was listening to on repeat when forming the company. The second reason is that originally he wanted to use a Japanese word ''"battamon"'' as the company name. ''"Batta"'' means ''"grasshopper"'' and ''"mon"'' is ''"a thing"'' and when you put the words together, it means ''"copy or fake."'' However, he later changed his mind and stuck to Grasshopper instead. The word ''"Manufacture"'' was added in because his game company was about "building things." Headed by Suda, GhM were responsible for several original titles, ones that are also fraught with financial risk, but ult ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Emil Chronicle Online
''Emil Chronicle Online'' ( ja, エミル・クロニクル・オンライン), often referred to as ''ECO'', was a massively multiplayer online role-playing game created by Headlock and published by GungHo. It was first released in Japan on November 24, 2005 for Microsoft Windows. Gravity purchased the worldwide distribution rights for all regions except Japan from GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. in November 2005. On December 18, 2006, Infocomm Asia Holdings licensed the game for release in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Currently, there is no set release date for this version. On January 17, 2007, The9 licensed the game for Mainland China. On May 9, 2007, Gravity partnered with NHN Corp. to bring "Gravity Zone", a portal website which will eventually "offer up to 12 online games and "Emil Chronicle Online" will be the first online game offered through "Gravity Zone" commencing from the end of May 2007". Run Up has obtained the distribution rights for Malaysia and Singapore from ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Game Arts
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, it expanded into producing for a number of game console and handheld systems. Its President and CEO in 2007 was Yoichi Miyaji at which time it was a member of the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association of Japan (CESA). Its major trading partners then included Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Koei Tecmo, and Gung-Ho Online Entertainment, some of whom co-developed or produced games in cooperation with the company. The company has produced a number of games for several genres, beginning with the action game ''Thexder'' for personal computers in 1985. A number of traditional and Mahjong-related games have also been produced for Japanese audiences. In the Western world, Game Arts is best known as the producers of the ''Lunar'' and ''Grandia'' series of role-playing video games, as well as the ''Gungriffon'' line of vehicle simulation game ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Taizo Son
Taizo Son (孫泰蔵 손태장, born September 29, 1972) is a Japanese businessman of Korean ancestry. He is CEO of Mistletoe, a company that he founded in 2013, and chairman of mobile gaming company GungHo, which he founded in 2002. GungHo's market value in 2013 was $10.4 billion, making Son a billionaire. He is the youngest brother of SoftBank magnate Masayoshi Son. Early life Taizo was born in Tosu, Saga, Tosu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. After he graduated from a secondary school connected to Kurume University, he enrolled into the University of Tokyo and studied business administration. While he was still considering his career after graduation, his older brother Masayoshi asked him to join the Yahoo Japan project, where he met Jerry Yang (entrepreneur), Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo. Taizo pitched Yang his idea of how to efficiently launch Yahoo Japan. Eventually the position of content development leader was given to Taizo although he was still a student. During the pr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gravity (Korean Company)
Gravity Co., Ltd. ( ko, 그라비티 주식회사) is a South Korean video game corporation primarily known for the development of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game ''Ragnarok Online''. History The corporation started as a small business in Shinsa-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul, South Korea and has expanded to an international corporate interest with several subsidiary divisions. On 8 February 2005, Gravity Corporation made their IPO and traded $108 million US dollars on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol GRVY, making it the first Korean game company to be listed on the NASDAQ. The company has had a rather turbulent history initially involving internal political conflicts between CEO Hakyu Kim (who eventually left the company), and company president Jung Ryool Kim (who later assumed control as CEO), but has since stabilised and expanded operations to all of north and south-east Asia through supervised partnerships with native corporate entities. However, while Gravity Corp ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Softbank
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo which focuses on investment management. The Group primarily invests in companies operating in technology, energy, and financial sectors. It also runs the Vision Fund, the world's largest technology-focused venture capital fund, with over $100 billion in capital. Fund investors include sovereign wealth funds from countries in the Middle East. The company is known for the leadership of its controversial founder and largest shareholder Masayoshi Son. It operates in broadband, fixed-line telecommunications, e-commerce, information technology, finance, media and marketing, and other areas. SoftBank Corporation, its spun-out affiliate and former flagship business, is the third-largest wireless carrier in Japan, with 45.621 million subscribers as of March 2021. SoftBank was ranked in the 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list as the 36th largest public company in the world and the second-largest publi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Acquire (company)
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, mainly known for their ''Tenchu'' and ''Way of the Samurai'' series. Acquire was founded on December 6, 1994, and in 1998 developed '' Tenchu: Stealth Assassins'' for the PlayStation, which turned into a franchise. The developer pushed for a more sandbox approach to the level design, which found its way in other Acquire titles like ''Way of the Samurai'' and '' Shinobido: Way of the Ninja''. In 2011, the company was acquired by GungHo Online Entertainment. Acquire co-developed ''Octopath Traveler'' with Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ..., releasing in 2018. Acquire was chosen as development partner for the game based on their affinity with pixel-art and prior work on the '' What Did I Do to Deserve This, M ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ragnarok DS
''Ragnarok DS'', known in Japan as , is a Nintendo DS video game based on the MMORPG ''Ragnarok Online'' and was released in Japan on December 18, 2008. It was announced that publisher Xseed Games had teamed up with developer GungHo Online Entertainment to bring the game to North America on February 16, 2010. It had also been announced that it would be released in South Korea. GungHo Online Entertainment, the company that hosts the Japanese server of ''Ragnarok Online'', announced it would expand its business for video game consoles; ''Ragnarok DS'' is the sixth of eight games for DS to be released by them, along with ' Love Revo!! DS'', '' Indo Shiki Keisan Drill DS'', '' Aqua Zone DS'', '' 100 Kiri Golf DS'', Hero's Saga Laevatein Tactics, '' Minna de Jibun no Setsumeisho: B-Kata, A-Kata, AB-Kata, O-Kata'' and '' Ecolis: Aoi Umi to Ugoku Shima''. Gameplay The massively multiplayer features of the original are not present in this version, but will support up to three players simul ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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G-Mode
is a Japanese company that specializes in games for Java-compatible mobile phones. The company also licenses content for mobile telecommunications operators, as well as being involved in the original equipment manufacturing of mobile phone games. History G-Mode Co., Ltd was founded in July 2000 and merged in March 2014 with ONE-UP Co., Ltd. (a corporation established in 2006) who then renamed itself G-Mode Corporation. G-Mode is headquartered in Tokyo. G-Mode saw the potential in mobile gaming and managed to obtain the rights to ''Tetris'' in Japan in 2001, and currently uses this license to remain a major player in the mobile entertainment industry in Japan. In 2004, G-Mode acquired the back catalogue of Data East Corporation. In 2005, GungHo Online Entertainment invested in the company. They currently license out these Data East titles on the Wii Virtual Console, Gametap, and Mobile Platform A mobile operating system is an operating system for mobile phones, tablets, sma ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Broccoli (company)
is a Japanese media company that publishes manga, anime, video games and trading card games. It operates a chain of retailers in Japan called ''Gamers'' which carries similar products and accessories. Broccoli is best known for their ', ''Galaxy Angel'' and ''Aquarian Age'' franchises. History Satsuki Yamashita, the editor of Broccoli Books, explained that the company derived its president's desire to create a memorable name similar to that of Apple Inc. While trying to imagine of another fruit or vegetable, he arrived at broccoli. This coincidentally has the same name in nearly every language. On January 23, 2008, Broccoli announced it would be collaborating with leading industry retailer Animate to form a new company called "AniBro". Broccoli holds a minority 30% ownership of the company, which is managed by the CEO of Animate. Subsidiaries Gamers Broccoli owns a chain of retail stores, ''Gamers'', which distributes anime, manga, audio dramas, anime music CDs, figurines, sna ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ragnarok Online
''Ragnarok Online'' ( ko, 라그나로크 온라인, marketed as ''Ragnarök'', and alternatively subtitled ''The Final Destiny of the Gods'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) created by Gravity based on the manhwa '' Ragnarok'' by Lee Myung-jin. It was released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows. The game has spawned an animated series, ''Ragnarok the Animation'', and a sequel game, '' Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of the Second''. Player characters exist in a world with a player environment that gradually changes with the passage of time. Major changes in the features and history of the world take place as episodes in the RO timeline. Gameplay The gameplay is heavily based around Norse mythology, wherein the characters are taken from the stories around Ragnarök. Player characters interact in a 3D environment but are represented by 2D character sprites for front, back, side and diagonal facings. The major types of server-supported ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |