What Camelot Software Planning does

Camelot Software Planning (株式会社キャメロット) is a Tokyo-based, privately held Japanese video game development studio founded on April 4, 1994. With approximately 40 employees as of April 2025, the company operates as a B2B contract developer rather than a publisher, functioning as the principal development partner for Nintendo's Mario sports franchises (Mario Tennis, Mario Golf) and the Golden Sun RPG series. Its founding leadership — President Hiroyuki Takahashi and Vice President Shugo Takahashi — has remained in place since inception, providing unusual creative continuity for a studio of this size.

Camelot's core products are console sports and role-playing games, including Mario Tennis Fever (Nintendo Switch 2, February 2026), Mario Golf Super Rush (Switch, 2021), Mario Tennis Aces (Switch, 2018), and the Golden Sun and Shining RPG series. Technical differentiation centers on intuitive user-interface design and arcade-style sports simulation mechanics; the Mario Tennis Fever release introduced a new 'Fever Rackets' mechanic and supports 38 playable characters. Games are distributed exclusively through Nintendo's platforms (Switch, Switch 2, and historically 3DS, Wii U, Game Boy Advance, and Sega/Sony platforms in earlier years), meaning Camelot does not own end-customer distribution or pricing.

A secondary business line applies the studio's UI expertise to smart device applications developed on behalf of media and IP holders, including official manga apps for Shueisha (ONE PIECE, NARUTO), local information apps for KADOKAWA (WalkerTouch), and portal applications such as the Crayon Shin-chan official app and ZEEKWAT (a Myanmar-focused portal). Revenue is generated through development contracts and royalty participation on game sales under a licensing model, with the smart device work structured as professional services. The company is founder-controlled, discloses no outside investment, and operates from a single headquarters in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Name

Camelot Software Planning

Legal name

株式会社キャメロット (Camelot Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://camelot.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camelot Software Planning is a privately held Tokyo-based video game developer (founded 1994, ~40 employees) that creates Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, and Golden Sun titles as Nintendo's primary development partner, and also builds smart device apps for media clients such as Shueisha and KADOKAWA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Game Software Development: Camelot develops video games as a licensed developer for major IP holders. Revenue is generated through development contracts and royalties from successful game sales including Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, and Golden Sun series.
2. Smart Device Application Development: Development and operation of smartphone applications including manga apps, portal apps, and utility apps in partnership with publishers and media companies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Camelot Software Planning is a Japanese video game development studio that develops console games (primarily Mario sports titles and Golden Sun RPGs for Nintendo platforms) and smart device applications (manga readers, portal and utility apps) as a partner developer for major publishers and IP holders. The company operates as a licensed/contract developer, generating revenue through development contracts and royalties rather than direct consumer publishing.

Product overview

Camelot Software Planning is a video game development company with two main product categories: console video games and smartphone applications. For console games, the company develops the Mario sports series (Mario Tennis and Mario Golf) for Nintendo platforms, along with RPG titles like the Golden Sun series and the Shining Force series. The Mario sports titles include Mario Tennis Fever (Switch 2, 2026), Mario Golf Super Rush (Switch, 2021), Mario Tennis Aces (2018), Mario Sports Superstars (2017), and earlier entries dating back to 1999. For smartphone applications, the company leverages its user interface expertise to develop entertainment and utility apps including manga reader apps (ONE PIECE, NARUTO), portal apps (Shin-chan, ZEEKWAT), local event guide apps (WalkerTouch), and mobile services (Round Home, 3D Recommendation Menu, Spinuru Menu).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mario Tennis Fever (マリオテニス フィーバー) Arcade-style tennis game for Nintendo Switch 2 featuring new Fever Rackets mechanics, 38 playable characters, an Adventure mode story, and robust multiplayer options. Developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Golf Super Rush (マリオゴルフ スーパーラッシュ) Golf sports game for Nintendo Switch featuring speed-based golf gameplay mechanics, developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Tennis Aces (マリオテニス エース) Arcade tennis game for Nintendo Switch with fighting game-style complexity, competitive gameplay, and an Adventure mode. Developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Sports Superstars (マリオスポーツ スーパースターズ) Sports compilation game featuring multiple sports (including tennis and golf) on a single title for Nintendo 3DS. Developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Tennis Ultra Smash (マリオテニス ウルトラスマッシュ) Tennis game for Nintendo Wii U featuring enhanced Smash shots, developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Golf World Tour (マリオゴルフ ワールドツアー) Golf game for Nintendo 3DS, developed for Nintendo.
• Mario Tennis Open (マリオテニス オープン) Tennis game for Nintendo 3DS, developed for Nintendo.
• Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (黄金の太陽 ～漆黒なる夜明け～) Fantasy role-playing game for Nintendo DS, part of the Golden Sun series developed for Nintendo.
• ONE PIECE Official Manga App (ワンピース) Official ONE PIECE manga app for smartphones offering daily free chapters, co-developed with Shueisha.
• NARUTO Official Manga App (ナルト) Official NARUTO manga app for smartphones offering daily free chapters, co-developed with Shueisha.
• WalkerTouch (ウォーカータッチ) Smartphone application providing local event information, outing guides, and schedule management for users, co-developed with KADOKAWA.
• Crayon Shin-chan Official Portal App (クレヨンしんちゃん 公式ポータルアプリ) Official portal smartphone entertainment application for the Crayon Shin-chan franchise.
• ZEEKWAT Portal smartphone application designed for the Myanmar market.
• Weekly GEORGIA (週刊GEORGIA) Daily delivery magazine smartphone application providing entertainment content targeted at working men.
• Monster Hunter 4G Camera (モンハン4Gカメラ) Smartphone camera application targeted at Monster Hunter 4G fans, co-developed with Famitsu.

Quantifiable outcome

• First 'Minna no GOLF' (Everybody's Golf) exceeded double million sales - a major commercial success that established the company's sports game credentials

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• KADOKAWAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for WalkerTouch mobile application, a local entertainment and event information app. Also collaborated on various stamp rally mobile services.
• ShueishamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership for official manga apps including ONE PIECE and NARUTO, applying Camelot's user interface expertise from gaming to mobile manga reading applications.
• Sony Computer EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Partnership for 'Minna no GOLF' (Everybody's Golf) which became a double million seller, proving the company's sports game capabilities beyond RPGs. Later PlayStation titles included 'Beyond the Beyond' RPG.
• NintendocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Camelot has maintained a long-standing strategic partnership with Nintendo since 1994, serving as the primary development partner for the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis series, as well as the Golden Sun RPG series. This is the company's flagship partnership, with most of their major titles being Nintendo-licensed properties.
• SegacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Original partner for Shining series including Shining Force, Shining Wisdom, and Shining the Holy Ark. Historical partnership that established Camelot's reputation in RPG development before shifting focus to Nintendo platforms.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Nd Cube Co., Ltd. Long-time Nintendo second-party studio developing the Mario Party series. Operates under a similar work-for-hire/licensing model with Nintendo as anchor customer, producing party and casual games for Nintendo platforms.
• HAL Laboratory: Nintendo-affiliated developer of the Kirby series and Smash Bros co-developer. Similar relationship structure to Camelot: decades-long partnership with Nintendo as anchor, small specialist team, work-for-hire model.
• Intelligent Systems: Nintendo second-party developer of Fire Emblem, Paper Mario, and WarioWare. Closely comparable to Camelot in size, model, and exclusive Nintendo relationship for flagship franchise work.
• Good-Feel: Nintendo-affiliated Japanese studio known for Yoshi's Woolly World and Kirby's Epic Yarn. Comparable in size and operating model as a work-for-hire developer for Nintendo IP.
• Creatures Inc. Co-developer of the Pokémon franchise and a Nintendo-affiliated studio. Operates as a Nintendo partner for flagship IP work, comparable in scale and licensing-driven model to Camelot.
• Vanpool Co., Ltd. Developer of Mario Strikers and other Nintendo sports/party titles. Directly comparable to Camelot in both genre focus (Mario sports) and Nintendo work-for-hire model.
• Grezzo Co., Ltd. Nintendo-affiliated developer known for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora's Mask 3D remakes. Comparable small specialist studio with exclusive Nintendo relationship.
• Retro Studios: Nintendo-owned second-party studio developing Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Similar anchor-customer concentration on Nintendo, with comparable work-for-hire/licensing dynamics.
• Monolith Soft: Nintendo subsidiary developing Xenoblade Chronicles series. Comparable as a Nintendo-affiliated studio with deep franchise partnership, though somewhat larger than Camelot.
• 1-UP Studio: Formerly Brownie Brown, a Nintendo partner studio known for Mother 3 and Crystal Chronicles. Comparable small specialist studio with Nintendo anchor relationship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camelot-software-planning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Camelot Software Planning