Atlus

Name

Atlus

Legal name

Atlus Co., Ltd.

Website

https://atlus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Publishing and Development

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Game Distribution Platforms & Storefronts (PC/Mobile/Console) (MPAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

PC & Console Game Distribution Platforms (BPAMAKAA), PC Digital Game Stores & Launchers (MPAFACAA), Subscription, Bundling & Membership Distribution (Game Pass-like, Humble-like) (MPAFABAI), Gaming Collectibles, Merchandise & Toys Retail (CRACAFAI)

Keywords

• Video game publishing
• JRPG development
• Role-playing games
• Interactive entertainment
• Console game development

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Video Game Sales: Primary revenue stream from full-price game sales across multiple platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC/Steam). Games released at standard pricing with downloadable content and expansion passes as add-on revenue.
2. Downloadable Content and Expansion Passes: Additional revenue from DLC including demon subquests, character portrait packs, and expansion passes. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Digital Deluxe Edition includes multiple DLC packs.
3. Merchandise and Licensing: Revenue from branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, collectibles, and collaboration products. Persona 30th anniversary merchandise collection with OMOCAT featuring t-shirts, outerwear, skate decks, and plushies.
4. Game Pass and Subscription Revenue: Persona titles (Persona 3 Reload, Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, Metaphor: ReFantazio) available on Xbox Game Pass generating revenue through licensing agreements with Microsoft.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Atlus develops and publishes premium narrative-driven Japanese role-playing video games across major gaming platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC/Steam). The company's flagship franchises include the Persona series (social simulation JRPGs), Shin Megami Tensei series (mature demon-negotiation RPGs), Etrian Odyssey (first-person dungeon-crawling RPGs), Catherine (puzzle-platformer), Metaphor: ReFantazio (fantasy RPG), Unicorn Overlord (tactical RPG), and Trauma Center (medical simulation). Games are sold as one-time purchases, with supplemental downloadable content, subscription availability via Xbox Game Pass, and branded merchandise collaborations.

Product overview

Atlus is a video game developer and publisher that creates exceptional, critically acclaimed interactive entertainment across a variety of genres including RPGs, tactical games, puzzle games, and action-adventure titles. The company's flagship franchises include the Shin Megami Tensei series (known for challenging gameplay and demon negotiation), the beloved Persona series (social simulation RPGs featuring high school students with supernatural powers), Catherine (puzzle-platformer), Etrian Odyssey (dungeon-crawling RPGs), and Trauma Center (medical simulation games). Atlus products are available across major gaming platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Steam. The company operates as a subsidiary of Sega and has established itself as one of the gaming industry's most consistent and celebrated brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metaphor: ReFantazio A role-playing video game developed by Studio Zero under Atlus, featuring fantasy archetypes and deep narrative systems. Award-winning fantasy RPG released October 11, 2024.
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance The definitive version of the critically acclaimed Shin Megami Tensei V, massively expanded with a brand-new storyline featuring new locations, demons, and choices across two complete story paths. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
• Unicorn Overlord A tactical fantasy RPG developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus, combining overworld exploration with an innovative battle system and distinctive Vanillaware art style.
• Persona 5 Tactica A tactical RPG featuring the Phantom Thieves of Hearts in an all-new story where they lead an emotional revolution against a tyrannical regime, with tactical combat and brand-new allies and foes.
• Persona 3 Reload A captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG Persona 3, reborn for the modern era with updated visuals and gameplay. Players awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour.
• Persona 5 Royal The definitive version of Persona 5, featuring a new story arc, alternate endings, new Personas, customized Thieves Den, and additional content beyond the original release.
• Persona 5 Strikers An action RPG following the Phantom Thieves on a summer road trip across Japan investigating strange cases and discovering a distorted reality, with a hybrid action-combat and strategic pause-and-plan battle system.
• Persona 6 The next mainline entry in the Persona series, featuring dual protagonists with distinct personalities. Announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2026 as a day-one Xbox Game Pass title for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
• Persona 4 Revival A next-gen ground-up remake of the classic 2008 JRPG Persona 4, featuring updated visuals, a new voice cast, and new gameplay mechanics including 'Prime Time' and 'Send Flying' attacks incorporating elements from Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload.
• Persona 4 Golden The enhanced version of Persona 4 with additional content, new social links, new anime cutscenes, and gameplay improvements over the original Persona 4.
• Persona 3 Portable The handheld RPG version of Persona 3 with additional content and gameplay options, designed for portable play.
• Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth A challenging dungeon crawler for Nintendo 3DS featuring the Phantom Thieves trapped within a series of labyrinthine movies, each themed after various movie genres.
• Catherine: Full Body The enhanced version of the award-winning puzzle platformer Catherine, featuring new branching story paths centered around the mysterious amnesiac Rin, with over 500 puzzles and new multiplayer options.
• Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection An all-in-one bundle containing remasters of three Etrian Odyssey adventures (Etrian Odyssey HD, Etrian Odyssey II HD, and Etrian Odyssey III HD), featuring touch screen mapping functionality and remastered graphics for Nintendo Switch.
• Etrian Odyssey Nexus The definitive Etrian Odyssey experience featuring 19 character classes including the new Hero class, with iconic representatives from past Etrian games and over 100 story-rich quests.
• Trauma Team A medical simulation game featuring six disciplines (surgery, emergency medicine, endoscopy, diagnosis, orthopedics, and forensic medicine) playable across multiple character storylines.
• Trauma Center Under The Knife 2 Sequel to the acclaimed medical action game, set in the Republic of Costigar where a legendary doctor finds hope in new allies while facing a deadly disease.
• Trauma Center Under The Knife The original medical action game where Dr. Derek Stiles uses the Healing Touch to save patients and cure the GUILT disease threatening humanity.
• RAIDO Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army A remastered action JRPG set in 1930s Tokyo, featuring revamped visuals, quality-of-life changes, an overhauled battle system, and new gameplay experience.
• 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim A sci-fi action game combining adventure and real-time strategy combat with thirteen interconnected narratives.
• Demon's Souls A critically acclaimed action RPG that revolutionized online multiplayer functionality with passive and active interactivity between players. Original IP developed by Atlus and published by Sony.

Quantifiable outcome

• Persona 5 series sold over 13 million units globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Activision / Call of Duty: MobileminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2026Persona 5 collaborated with Call of Duty: Mobile for Season 6, marking the first time the JRPG teamed up with the Call of Duty franchise. The crossover introduced four Phantom Thieves-inspired Operator skins (Joker, Ann, Makoto, Sumire), Persona-themed weapon cosmetics, and a limited-time Plunder Treasure Hunt mode with P5R visual elements. The themed season launched July 1, 2026 as part of Persona 5's 30th anniversary celebrations.
• OMOCATcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026OMOCAT, an indie art studio known for the video game OMORI and pop culture merchandise, collaborated with SEGA and ATLUS to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Persona franchise. The limited-edition merchandise collection includes t-shirts, outerwear, accessories, skate decks, and plushies featuring Persona characters rendered in OMOCAT's signature style. Products launched July 1, 2026 at 5PM PT on omocat-shop.com with limited items at Anime Expo.
• Microsoft / XboxflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2026Microsoft and Atlus have a multi-year partnership where major Persona titles release day-one on Xbox Game Pass. The 2026 Xbox Games Showcase featured Atlus announcements including Persona 6 and Persona 4 Revival release dates. This marks Asha Sharma's first major event as new Xbox gaming CEO. Persona 6 was confirmed for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
• Fitness BoxingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026SEGA and Atlus teased that the Persona franchise would be involved with the Fitness Boxing series. The collaboration was announced as the next major Persona-related news. The Fitness Boxing series has previously featured collaborations with Fist of the North Star and Hatsune Miku.
• VanillawarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlus partnered with Vanillaware (known for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Odin Sphere) to create Unicorn Overlord, a tactical fantasy RPG combining overworld exploration with innovative battle systems. The collaboration brought together Atlus publishing with Vanillaware's distinctive art style and game design.
• Studio ZerocoreTechnology or IntegrationStudio Zero is Atlus's internal development studio that created Metaphor: ReFantazio. The studio operates independently under the Atlus umbrella and developed the award-winning RPG that won Grand Prize at Japan Game Awards and Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2024.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Square Enix: Square Enix is the most direct peer to Atlus: a Japanese RPG publisher-developer with flagship JRPG franchises (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Nier) competing in the same premium JRPG category, using the same PlayStation/Xbox/Nintendo/Steam distribution channels, and serving the same core JRPG enthusiast segment.
• Bandai Namco Entertainment: Bandai Namco is a direct peer publishing major Japanese RPGs (Tales series, Dark Souls/Elden Ring co-publishing) and other narrative games on the same multi-platform storefronts, with comparable global franchise scale and similar publisher-developer business model.
• Capcom: Capcom is a major Japanese game developer-publisher (Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Dragon's Dogma, Street Fighter) competing for the same console/PC gaming audience and distribution channels, with similar revenue mix of premium single-purchase titles and DLC.
• Koei Tecmo: Koei Tecmo publishes Japanese RPGs (Atelier series, Nioh, Dynasty Warriors) and shares Atlus's model of multi-platform premium releases with recurring franchise entries. Both are mid-cap Japanese publishers with comparable employee scale and global distribution.
• Spike Chunsoft: Spike Chunsoft publishes narrative JRPGs and dungeon crawlers (Danganronpa, Shiren the Wanderer, Mystery Dungeon series) targeting the same JRPG enthusiast segment, with comparable cross-platform releases on PlayStation, Nintendo, and PC.
• NIS America: NIS America localizes and publishes niche Japanese RPGs (Disgaea, Ys, Trails series) in Western markets, sharing Atlus's role as a JRPG publisher-distributor with strong focus on physical and digital editions on PlayStation, Nintendo, and PC.
• Falcom: Falcom is the developer behind the Trails/Kiseki JRPG series, a peer in the turn-based JRPG category with a strong narrative focus and multi-platform releases. Comparable as a Japanese developer-publisher of premium turn-based RPGs.
• Level-5: Level-5 is a Japanese developer-publisher of RPGs (Ni no Kuni, Yo-kai Watch, Professor Layton) with comparable cross-platform distribution and a focus on narrative-driven JRPGs. Similar employee scale and franchise-driven revenue model.
• Marvelous (XSEED Games): Marvelous/XSEED publishes Japanese games including the Story of Seasons/Harvest Moon series, Rune Factory, and Trails localizations, sharing Atlus's positioning as a publisher of Japanese games to Western markets via PlayStation, Nintendo, and Steam.

Broad incumbents

• Sega Sammy Holdings (parent): Sega Sammy Holdings is Atlus's parent company and a broad incumbent in Japanese gaming (Sonic, Yakuza/Like a Dragon, Total War, Persona Football Manager). Provides a useful comparison for the parent-subsidiary economics, though at a much larger and more diversified scale than Atlus alone.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AtlusUSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/atlus
• Facebookfacebook.com/AtlusUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/atlus_west

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atlus