LEVEL-5
LEVEL-5 is a privately held Japanese multimedia entertainment company founded in 1998 in Fukuoka that develops and publishes video games across multiformat platforms, serving global consumer audiences through original IP franchises such as Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, and Fantasy Life.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersFukuoka, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What LEVEL-5 does
LEVEL-5 (株式会社レベルファイブ) is a Japanese privately held multimedia entertainment company founded in April 1998 by President and CEO Akihiro Hino (日野 晃博), headquartered in Fukuoka City with a secondary office in Tokyo. The company develops and publishes video games and related cross-media content across approximately 10+ active franchises including Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, Fantasy Life, Megaton Musashi, Snack World, and Decapolice. It employs 101–250 staff and distributes products across all major platforms — Nintendo Switch 2/Switch, PlayStation 5/4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, iOS, and Android — using a multiformat simultaneous-release strategy.
The company's product technology centers on a proprietary game development engine paired with AI/deep learning pipelines that regenerate polygon character models from legacy titles, enabling the recreation of over 4,500 playable characters in Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road. AI-assisted development is publicly cited by the CEO as compressing production timelines from 5–10 years to approximately two years. LEVEL-5 monetizes through multiple revenue streams: one-time licensed console game sales at retail, free-to-play mobile titles with gacha monetization (Yo-kai Watch Punipuni, Inazuma Eleven: Cross), direct-to-consumer merchandise through its LEVEL5 STORE, cross-media IP licensing into anime/manga, and collaborative development with partners such as Aiming, NHN PlayArt, and Netmarble.
The business serves broad consumer gaming audiences — children, teens, young adults, and casual mobile players — across Japan, North America, Europe, China, and Taiwan. Engagement is extended through a Creative Community Club (CCC) ambassador program, the LEVEL5 ID account system, multilingual online events (LEVEL5 VISION), and cross-media synchronization with anime broadcasts (e.g., Inazuma Eleven on TOKYO MX) and manga releases via its Manga5 platform. The company has no disclosed institutional investors or parent and is founder-controlled.
LEVEL-5 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LEVEL-5
- Legal name
- 株式会社レベルファイブ
- Website
- https://level5.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- LEVEL-5 is a privately held Japanese multimedia entertainment company founded in 1998 in Fukuoka that develops and publishes video games across multiformat platforms, serving global consumer audiences through original IP franchises such as Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, and Fantasy Life.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LEVEL-5 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Game Distribution Platforms & Storefronts (PC/Mobile/Console) (MPAFABAB)
Keywords
Where LEVEL-5 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fukuoka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
LEVEL-5 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Physical Game Sales: Sale of console game software through retail channels across Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam platforms. Games are sold as one-time purchases at full retail price with DLC expansions.
- Mobile Free-to-Play Games: Free-to-play mobile titles including Inazuma Eleven: Cross and Yo-kai Watch Punipuni, generating revenue through in-app purchases (gacha/loot boxes) for characters, items, and currency. Item purchases are facilitated through both in-game stores and a dedicated web store.
- Merchandise and Online Store: LEVEL-5 operates its own online store (LEVEL5 STORE) selling merchandise, apparel, and collectibles tied to its game franchises.
- Cross-Media IP Licensing: LEVEL-5 develops and licenses its IP across multiple media formats including TV anime, movies, manga, and web services, expanding revenue streams beyond core game sales.
- Collaborative Development Revenue: Revenue generated through co-development arrangements with partners such as Aiming (Inazuma Eleven: Cross), NHN PlayArt (Yo-kai Watch Punipuni, Puchipoyon), and Netmarble (Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds), with LEVEL-5 serving as original IP holder and co-developer/publisher.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play base with in-app purchases for premium currency and character gacha |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Console retail games sold as one-time purchases with optional DLC expansions |
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
LEVEL-5 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LEVEL-5 is a Japanese video game developer and publisher that creates original IP franchises spanning RPGs, puzzle adventures, soccer RPGs, and slow-life simulation games. The company develops and publishes titles such as the Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, and Fantasy Life series, releasing them across Nintendo Switch (including Switch 2), PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, iOS, and Android. The company also licenses its IP for anime, manga, and merchandise extensions, and operates a direct-to-consumer online store.
Product overview
Level-5 is a multi-franchise video game developer and publisher with flagship intellectual properties spanning RPGs, puzzle adventures, simulation games, and sports titles. The company's core portfolio includes the Professor Layton mystery puzzle series, the Inazuma Eleven collectible soccer RPG franchise, the Yo-kai Watch monster-collecting RPG series, the Ni no Kuni fantasy RPG series, the Fantasy Life slow-life RPG series, and the Megaton级ムサシ mecha RPG series. Products are developed for and released across multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch (including Switch 2), PlayStation 4/5, Xbox, Steam, iOS, and Android, with some titles receiving remastered or expanded editions years after initial release. Level-5 operates cross-media projects that extend beyond games into anime, movies, and manga adaptations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CCC (レベルファイブ クリエイティブ・コミュニティ・クラブ): A community club program where core fans assist with product feedback and word-of-mouth promotion for LEVEL-5 titles, formerly known as the LEVEL-5 Ambassador Program.
Products and services
- Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Collectible training soccer RPG featuring a cross-media project with online multiplayer, tournaments, and Chronicle Mode allowing players to collect over 4,500 characters from the series history. Available on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.
- Inazuma Eleven: Cross Mobile training simulation game with original story and command-based soccer battles, co-developed with Aiming Inc. Free-to-play with in-app gacha purchases. Reached 1 million downloads within one week of launch.
- Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Everyone's slow-life RPG available on multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, iOS, and Android. Sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
- Yo-kai Watch Punipuni
Quantifiable outcome
- AI-assisted development can reduce AAA game development timelines from 5-10 years to approximately 2 years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use LEVEL-5
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LEVEL-5 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
LEVEL-5 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Aiming Inc.coreAiming Inc. (headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo; President: Shiiba Tadashi) serves as co-developer and operator for Inazuma Eleven: Cross, the mobile entry in the Inazuma Eleven franchise. The partnership enables LEVEL-5 to leverage Aiming's mobile game operational expertise while maintaining creative control over the IP. Inazuma Eleven: Cross reached 1 million downloads within one week of its June 2026 launch.
- NHN PlayArt CorporationcoreNHN PlayArt Corporation (headquartered in Minato, Tokyo) develops and operates Yo-kai Watch Punipuni (which has reached 35 million downloads) and Pufflings: Journey Through a Fantasy World on iOS/Android. LEVEL-5 provides IP and creative direction while NHN PlayArt handles full development and live operations including collaboration events such as the Re:Zero and Hololive crossovers.
- Netmarble CorporationminorNetmarble (netmarble.com) develops and operates Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, a mobile fantasy RPG. LEVEL-5 serves as original IP creator and creative supervisor, while Netmarble handles full development and global publishing for the mobile title.
- Freestyle WorkminorFreestyle Work is a group company of LEVEL-5 that operates its own independent recruitment page. It appears to be a subsidiary or affiliated studio handling specific game development or creative work, with its own separate hiring operations.
- MAPPA Co., Ltd.coreMAPPA, a renowned animation studio known for high-quality anime productions, is partnered with LEVEL-5 to produce animation sequences for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road. The partnership aims to deliver animation quality above previous Inazuma Eleven entries.
Scale indicators8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LEVEL-5 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Square Enix: Japanese mid-to-large publisher and developer of multi-franchise RPGs (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts) across console and mobile. Directly comparable to LEVEL-5 in original-IP-driven console RPG publishing with cross-media exposure.
- Bandai Namco Entertainment: Major Japanese game publisher with multi-platform, multi-franchise strategy spanning console, mobile, and cross-media (anime/game integration). Comparable to LEVEL-5 in operating multiple flagship IP across diverse genres.
- Capcom: Japanese developer/publisher of major console franchises (Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, Street Fighter) with a strong original-IP model. Comparable to LEVEL-5's approach of building durable proprietary IP across decades.
- Game Freak: Mid-sized Japanese studio behind the Pokémon franchise, with long development cycles and Nintendo platform dependence. Comparable to LEVEL-5 in founder-driven creative direction and franchise longevity on Nintendo hardware.
- Koei Tecmo: Japanese game publisher with multi-franchise portfolio (Dynasty Warriors, Atelier, Nioh) across console and mobile. Comparable to LEVEL-5 in operating multiple mid-to-major original IP franchises in parallel.
- Atlus (Sega): Subsidiary studio behind Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Metaphor series — multi-platform RPG publisher with strong original IP and anime-style cross-media positioning. Comparable to LEVEL-5's RPG-centric, narrative-driven console strategy.
Emerging players
- Marvelous Inc. Mid-sized Japanese publisher/developer of Story of Seasons, Rune Factory, and Daemon X Machina. Comparable to LEVEL-5 in operating multiple mid-tier original IP franchises across console and mobile with cross-media ambitions.
- Spike Chunsoft: Mid-sized Japanese developer/publisher of Danganronpa, AI: The Somnium Files, and Shiren the Wanderer across console and PC. Comparable to LEVEL-5 in mid-tier, multi-platform original-IP portfolio with a creative/narrative focus.
Others
- Netmarble: Korean mobile game publisher and LEVEL-5's partner for Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds. Comparable as a strategic mobile publishing counterpart in cross-licensed Japanese IP mobile games, but operating at a significantly larger scale.
Broad incumbents
- Cygames: Japan's leading mobile-first F2P game developer (Granblue Fantasy, Uma Musume, Princess Connect) with console crossover titles. Comparable to LEVEL-5's mobile F2P/gacha strategy for Inazuma Eleven and Yo-kai Watch, but at much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LEVEL-5 social profiles
Digital presenceLEVEL-5 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LEVEL-5 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
LEVEL-5 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
LEVEL-5 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LEVEL-5 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LEVEL-5
What does LEVEL-5 do?
LEVEL-5 is a Japanese video game developer and publisher that creates original IP franchises spanning RPGs, puzzle adventures, soccer RPGs, and slow-life simulation games. The company develops and publishes titles such as the Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, and Fantasy Life series, releasing them across Nintendo Switch (including Switch 2), PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, iOS, and Android. The company also licenses its IP for anime, manga, and merchandise extensions, and operates a direct-to-consumer online store.
Is LEVEL-5 a public or private company?
LEVEL-5 is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LEVEL-5 founded?
LEVEL-5 was founded in 1998. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is LEVEL-5 based?
LEVEL-5 is headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does LEVEL-5 make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Physical Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are mobile Free-to-Play Games, merchandise and Online Store, cross-Media IP Licensing and collaborative Development Revenue.
Who are LEVEL-5's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Square Enix, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Game Freak, Koei Tecmo and Atlus (Sega). Emerging players are Marvelous Inc. and Spike Chunsoft. Netmarble is listed as an others. Cygames is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does LEVEL-5 have an API?
No public API is recorded for LEVEL-5.
What industry is LEVEL-5 in?
LEVEL-5's product category is Video Game Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAK, Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFABAB, Digital Game Distribution Platforms & Storefronts (PC/Mobile/Console). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 5045.