What Pyramid does

Pyramid, Inc. (株式会社ピラミッド) is a Japanese game development studio founded in September 2001 and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, that operates a dual B2B/B2C model. The company contracts with major Japanese game publishers and IP holders for multi-platform game development, porting, and remastering work — historical engagements include the PATAPON series (Sony Interactive Entertainment), the DARIUSBURST franchise (Taito/Chara-ani), Dragon Ball Z titles (Bandai Namco), the Yusha Shisu title (Nippon Ichi Software), and the Trails Evolution series (Falcom). Pyramid has been a subsidiary of Colopl, Inc. since September 2015, and through that affiliation it also self-develops and operates the live-service mobile game "Alice Gear Aegis" (released January 22, 2018) on iOS and Android via the Colopl platform.

The company's core technology is centered on C++ for game development, with C# (Unity), PHP, Python, JavaScript, and VBA used as supplementary languages, and 3D math (linear algebra) as a foundational skill requirement. Pyramid's technology is differentiated by its "Full Director System" (全員ディレクター制), under which programmers are intentionally trained as generalists rather than specialists, working flexibly across client, server, library, and game code, and across social, console, and mobile projects. The company has demonstrated depth in toon rendering, inverse kinematics animation, and cross-platform porting (e.g., PS2 to GameCube, PS2 to PS Vita) and has shipped across PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PS3, PS4, Steam, GameCube, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, arcade, browser, and VR platforms. The studio has earned multiple Famitsu Platinum, Gold, and Silver Hall of Fame awards between 2007 and 2016, and was selected as one of Japan's Best Venture 100 companies in 2013.

Pyramid earns revenue through two primary streams: (1) contract development fees paid by publishers for game development, porting, and remastering work (professional services), and (2) live-service monetization of the self-operated "Alice Gear Aegis" smartphone game via in-app purchases. All named clients and operations are based in Japan; the company has no disclosed international offices. Pyramid reported 71 employees as of June 2024, with a 1:2 new graduate to mid-career hiring ratio, a 3:1 male-to-female ratio, and an average employee age of 38. President Junichi Kashiwagi (柏木 准一), who co-founded the company in 2001, continues to lead the business.

Name

Pyramid

Legal name

株式会社ピラミッド Pyramid,Inc.

Website

https://pyramid-inc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pyramid, Inc. is a Tokyo-based game development studio founded in 2001 that contracts with major Japanese publishers for multi-platform game development and operates the mobile game Alice Gear Aegis as a subsidiary of Colopl, Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Smartphone & Social Game Operations: Pyramid develops and operates its own smartphone games, most notably 'Alice Gear Aegis', generating revenue through in-app purchases and game monetization.
2. Contract Game Development: Pyramid develops games under contract for publishers, including console games (PlayStation Vita, PSP, PS3, PS4, Steam, GameCube, Xbox 360), arcade games, PC browser games, and VR projects. Revenue is earned as a development contractor.
3. Game Porting &移植開発: Specialized in game porting and remastering across platforms (e.g., PS2 to GameCube, PS2 to PS Vita), including rendering technology changes such as switching from standard to toon rendering.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Pyramid, Inc. is a Japanese game development studio that contracts with major publishers and IP holders (such as Bandai Namco, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Taito, Falcom, Nippon Ichi Software, and Square Enix) to develop console, arcade, mobile, browser, and VR games, including porting and remastering work. The company also self-develops and operates its own smartphone game, Alice Gear Aegis (アリス・ギア・アイギス), under the Colopl Group, generating in-app purchase revenue.

Product overview

Pyramid is a Japanese game development company that creates games across multiple platforms including smartphones, consoles, and arcades. The company operates Alice Gear Aegis as its primary self-published smartphone game under the COLOPL Group, while also developing various titles through client partnerships including the DARIUSBURST series (shooting games), PATAPON series (command action RPGs), the 英雄伝説 (Trails) Evolution series (story RPGs), and numerous other games for publishers such as Bandai Namco, Sony, Konami, Capcom, and Falcom. Their work spans original development, game ports, and custom shader/graphics programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• アリス・ギア・アイギス (Alice Gear Aegis): Mobile game developed and operated by Pyramid, Inc. An action game featuring mecha character designs, operated under the Colopl Group umbrella.

Products and services

• Alice Gear Aegis (アリス・ギア・アイギス)
• Contract Game Development Services
• Game Porting and Remastering Services (移植開発)

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced 40+ game titles across 2003–2016, including multiple Platinum, Gold, and Silver Famitsu-rated releases (PATAPON, PATAPON2, PATAPON3, El Shaddai, DARIUSBURST series, Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection, One Piece ROMANCE DAWN, Zero no Kiseki Evolution, Ao no Kiseki Evolution, 勇者死す。)

Named customers9 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Colopl (株式会社コロプラ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 September 2015Pyramid joined the Colopl Group in September 2015, becoming a subsidiary of Colopl. Colopl operates mobile games including the 'Alice Gear Aegis' franchise which Pyramid develops and co-operates. This provides Pyramid with access to the smartphone market and a major distribution platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Inti Creates: A Japanese game developer known for contracted development work on Capcom's Mega Man franchise alongside its own IP. Closely comparable to Pyramid on contract/own-IP hybrid model, mid-sized headcount, and long-tenured Japanese publisher relationships.
• CyberConnect2: A Fukuoka-based Japanese game developer that, like Pyramid, primarily develops games under contract for major Japanese publishers (notably Bandai Namco on Naruto and Dragon Ball Z titles, and Square Enix). Comparable on studio size, contract-driven B2B model, and reliance on a small set of tier-1 publisher clients.
• Mistwalker: A Japanese game studio founded by Hironobu Sakaguchi that develops RPGs under contract and through publishing partnerships with Japanese publishers (e.g., Nintendo, Microsoft). Comparable to Pyramid in size, Japanese-market focus, and reliance on external publisher relationships to commercialize its work.
• tri-Ace: A Japanese game developer specializing in action RPGs with the Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile franchises, working with publishers like Square Enix and Nintendo. Comparable to Pyramid on mid-sized studio profile, Japan-based operations, console-action/RPG expertise, and publisher-driven delivery model.
• LEVEL-5: A Fukuoka-based Japanese game developer behind the Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, and Ni no Kuni series, with extensive work-for-hire and first-party publishing relationships. Compares to Pyramid on size, Japanese market focus, and the contract-plus-original-IP business mix.
• KLab: A Tokyo-headquartered Japanese mobile game developer and operator best known for global operation of titles such as Love Live! School Idol Festival. Directly comparable to Pyramid's Alice Gear Aegis business on mobile game operation, gacha-based monetization, and Japan-developed IP distributed globally.
• PlatinumGames: An Osaka-based Japanese action game developer whose business combines contract development for major publishers (Square Enix, Nintendo) with self-developed IP (Bayonetta, NieR). Compares to Pyramid on technical action-game expertise, multi-platform development, and Japanese publisher client base.

Broad incumbents

• Bandai Namco Entertainment: A major Japanese publisher and integrated developer with massive in-house studios that also outsources projects to mid-sized contract developers including Pyramid. Comparable as the lead source of Pyramid's contract pipeline (multiple Dragon Ball, One Piece, DATACARDDASS titles) but operates at much larger scale on the publisher side.
• Colopl: Pyramid's parent company since September 2015 and a publicly traded Tokyo-listed mobile gaming company (Quiz RPG: The World of Mystic Wiz, Black Cat Galaxy, Alice Gear Aegis distribution). Comparable as both owner and operator of the Alice Gear Aegis franchise and as a Japan-focused mobile gacha operator competing in the same market.

Emerging players

• Grounding Inc. A small Tokyo-based game studio founded by Yoko Taro that develops action RPGs (NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, SINoALICE) primarily through contract relationships with Square Enix. Comparable to Pyramid as a contract-driven Japanese action/RPG developer, though smaller in scale and more creator-dependent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Pyramid_inc_net

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Pyramid