PRO

What PRO does

P.R.O Inc. is a Yokohama-headquartered Japanese software development company founded in 1990 by Representative Director Jin Otaka (大髙 潤), operating across three business segments: SI Services (custom system integration), Solution Services (Cloudinary media optimization and blockchain platforms), and Digital Content Services (consumer mobile apps under the PRO.APP brand). The company's flagship PRO.APP portfolio comprises 80+ smartphone applications across iOS, Android, and LINE Mini Apps, with cumulative downloads exceeding 16 million; core titles include SolitaireV (133+ solitaire variants, 7.5M+ downloads, 14+ year operating history), Trump Collection (Daifugo, Old Maid, Sevens, Poker, Speed), Princess Solitaire, and the Hama-ru (Addictive) series with AI opponents and online multiplayer.

The company employs approximately 100 staff, of which roughly 80% are engineers (PM, SE, programmers, designers), supporting full-scratch native iOS and Android development alongside web and blockchain application work. The technology stack spans native smartphone app development, multi-platform game platform architecture (including the Bushimo platform serving 3 million users), and blockchain/NFT infrastructure (notably the railway industry-first JR Kyushu NFT platform launched in 2023).

Monetization is mixed and predominantly freemium: most PRO.APP titles are free with no in-app purchases or life systems, generating revenue primarily through in-app advertising, supplemented by a small set of one-time paid apps (¥85–¥720), enterprise custom software development projects (e.g., Bushimo, JR Kyushu, TV Tokyo Communications), and Cloudinary solution resale. The company holds JIS Q 15001:2023 and JIPDEC Privacy Mark certifications, operates from Yokohama headquarters and a Yamagata office, and completed a full share transfer into ARI Group on November 15, 2024, ending over three decades of founder-controlled independent operation.

Name

PRO

Legal name

株式会社ピー・アール・オー

Website

https://pro-japan.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

P.R.O Inc. is a Yokohama-based Japanese software developer operating a freemium mobile game portfolio (PRO.APP, 16M+ cumulative downloads) alongside enterprise system integration and blockchain platform services, serving both casual consumers and corporate clients with a ~100-person engineering-led team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Game & Custom Software Development

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop) (BPAEAFAA)

Keywords

• Mobile game development
• Smartphone app publishing
• System integration services
• Custom software development
• Blockchain platform engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freemium Mobile Gaming Apps: PRO.APP brand publishes free-to-play smartphone games (SolitaireV, Princess Solitaire, Trump Collection, Hama-ru series). Revenue is generated through in-app advertising (banner/ interstitial ads) in the free versions, with some apps offering ad-free experiences or premium features.
2. Game App Sales: Select apps offer paid features or premium versions (e.g., Guitar Code Fingering Chart app has ¥600 paid version).
3. Custom Software Development (SI Business): System integration and software development services from planning/proposal through to operation. The company provides end-to-end development including infrastructure setup for client projects (e.g., Bushimow game platform serving 3M users).
4. Cloudinary Solution Resale: As a solution partner for Cloudinary, the company resells/adopts the image and video processing optimization platform for its own products and potentially client projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

P.R.O Inc. develops and publishes free-to-play mobile smartphone games (card games, solitaire, puzzle games) under the PRO.APP brand for iOS, Android, and LINE Mini Apps. The company also provides custom enterprise software development services (SI Business) covering planning, development, and operation of game platforms, web systems, and blockchain/NFT platforms for corporate clients.

Product overview

PRO (株式会社ピー・アール・オー) operates as a software development company with three main business segments: SI Services (system integration from planning to maintenance), Solution Services (including Cloudinary implementation and blockchain platforms), and Digital Content Services (smartphone apps under PRO.APP brand). The PRO.APP mobile app portfolio is extensive and diverse, centered around card games and puzzle games. Core products include the long-running ソリティアV (Solitaire V) collection with 133+ solitaire variants, プリンセス＊ソリティア for women with princess-themed customization, トランプコレクション combining multiple card games (Daifugo, Old Maid, Sevens, Poker, Speed), and the ハマる (Addictive) series featuring individual card games (ポーカー, 大富豪, ババ抜き, 七並べ, 花札 こいこい) with ranking systems and multiplayer modes. Licensed character collaborations include くまのがっこう (Bear School), もちもちぱんだ (Mochi Mochi Panda), LINE stamps (めんトリ), and anime series (あらいぐまラスカル). Additional game products include puzzle games (コネクト, ナンプレ1000+, マインスイーパーV, にゃんぷれ), the KING Solitaire series, and Solitaire 1000 series variants. Beyond games, the portfolio includes lifestyle apps (Guitar Chord app, Yokohama guide), entertainment apps, and utility tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PRO.APP: Smartphone application brand operated by P.R.O Inc., specializing in mobile games including SolitaireV, card games, puzzle games, and casual games. Series cumulative downloads exceed 16 million.
• PRO.

Products and services

• Solitaire V (ソリティアV) Flagship free-to-play mobile solitaire collection featuring 133+ solitaire game variants from around the world, with customization options, daily challenges, world rankings, and design themes. Available on iOS and Android for casual gamers.
• Princess Solitaire (プリンセス★ソリティア) Female-oriented solitaire mobile app featuring 30 game variants with customizable princess-themed card designs, backgrounds, and Flying Cats character collaborations. Targets women seeking casual entertainment.
• Trump Collection (トランプコレクション) Multi-card game collection mobile app featuring popular Japanese games (Daifugo, Old Maid, Sevens, Poker, Speed, Memory, Solitaire) with 25 character opponents, AI gameplay, level progression, ranking system, and bonus games.
• Addictive Poker (ハマる ポーカー) Draw poker mobile game supporting single-player and 2-4 player online multiplayer with 20 unique characters, challenge mode, and ranking system.
• Addictive Daifugo (ハマる 大富豪) Enhanced Daifugo (Millionaire) card game mobile app with 40+ local rule variations, rank progression system, and Japan-purchasing reward mechanics. Reached 40万 (400,000) downloads.
• Addictive Old Maid (ハマる ババ抜き) Old Maid card game mobile app with 4 game variants, 15 CPU characters with distinct personalities, and online multiplayer via room codes.
• Addictive Sevens (ハマる 七並べ) Sevens card game mobile app with 20 AI characters, local rules support (Joker, AK Link, Tunnel), and challenge/custom game modes.
• Addictive Hanafuda Koikoi (ハマる 花札 こいこい) Traditional Japanese Hanafuda Koikoi card game mobile app with 30 characters, online multiplayer, and hand highlighting features for beginners. Crossed 10 million downloads.
• Bear School Cute Card Game Collection (くまのがっこう かわいいカードゲーム集) Card game collection mobile app featuring licensed picture book series Kumano Gakkou characters with Old Maid, Sevens, Speed, and Concentration game variants.
• Connect (コネクト) Dot connection puzzle mobile game with over 2000 levels across 12 difficulty levels, featuring 40+ dot types and 20+ background themes.
• Number Place 1000+ (ナンプレ1000+) Sudoku puzzle mobile app with 1600 problems across 3 grid types (9x9, 6x6, 4x4) and 10 difficulty levels.
• Minesweeper V (マインスイーパーV) Classic Minesweeper mobile game with 6 modes (Easy, Normal, Hard, Training, Fit, Custom up to 50x50), flag placement options, and high score tracking.
• Balloon Pop Bubble Shooter (バルーンPOP！バブルシューター) Bubble shooter mobile game featuring balloon-themed gameplay with stage and endless modes, 55 stages, and world ranking system.
• Snoopy Solitaire & Trump Game (スヌーピー ソリティア&トランプゲーム) Snoopy IP-themed solitaire and trump card game mobile app jointly developed with TV Tokyo Communications, combining licensed character IP with PRO's game development capabilities.
• SI Business / System Integration Services (SI事業) Custom enterprise software development and system integration services covering planning, proposal, development, operation, and maintenance. One-stop development services from concept to deployment. Includes full-scratch multi-platform game development for enterprise clients (e.g., Bushimo 3M-user platform).
• Solution Business / Cloudinary & ScoreBase Solutions (ソリューション事業) Solution services including Cloudinary image/video management and optimization (Israeli-developed platform) and ScoreBase blockchain evaluation platform. Includes blockchain/NFT platform development (e.g., JR Kyushu NFT project).

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 million+ cumulative app downloads across PRO.APP titles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• TV Tokyo Communications (テレビ東京コミュニケーションズ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2025Jointly developed 'Snoopy Solitaire & Trump Game' LINE/Smartphone app released January 2025, combining TV Tokyo's IP with PRO's game development capabilities.
• ARI GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2024Full stock transfer (全株式譲渡) completed on November 15, 2024 — PRO became a subsidiary of ARI Group, marking a significant ownership change for the company.
• JR Kyushu (九州旅客鉄道)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2023Railway industry-first NFT platform project 'JR九州NFT' — PRO developed an NFT platform equipped with NFT functionality for JR Kyushu, announced May 2023.
• Appx (コラープラvox)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2021Business partnership (業務提携) established October 2021 with Appx (code solution provider).
• unlockminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2021Business partnership (業務提携) established October 2021 with unlock (token liquidity solution).
• Bandai (ばん bio)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPRO develops licensed games featuring Bandai IP including 'Kuma no Gakkou' (Bear School) themed solitaire, speed, sevens, and old maid games.
• KAMIO JAPANminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPRO develops licensed games featuring KAMIO JAPAN's 'Mochimochi Panda' character for speed, solitaire, and babanuki games.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• mixi: Japanese mobile social-game publisher (Monster Strike) and broader internet services operator. Broad incumbent offering mobile games plus social networking and sports media; comparable only at the mobile-game portfolio level, with substantially larger scale.
• CyberAgent: Japanese digital advertising conglomerate and parent of Cygames (Uma Musume, Granblue Fantasy). Broad incumbent that overlaps with PRO.APP in mobile game publishing but operates alongside AbemaTV and internet advertising at a much larger scale.
• DeNA: Large Japanese mobile game and web platform operator (e.g., Mobage). Broad incumbent — operates mobile games, sports tech, and automotive services — and overlaps with PRO only in mobile game publishing, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• MOBIRIX: Korean casual mobile game publisher with a broad portfolio of single-game apps distributed globally via App Store and Google Play. Direct peer because of the high-volume casual mobile game catalog model and reliance on evergreen single-title app stores rather than single mega-hits.
• COLOPL: Japanese mobile game developer/publisher (e.g., White Cat Project, Dragon Quest Walk). Direct peer because of comparable native mobile-game development capabilities, Japanese-market focus, and mixed proprietary-IP and licensed-IP portfolio strategy.
• GungHo Online Entertainment: Major Japanese mobile game publisher (Puzzle & Dragons) and part of the GungHo group. Direct peer in mobile F2P game publishing with a catalog that has sustained multi-year revenue, distributed via the same Apple/Google app store channels as PRO.APP.
• KEMCO: Japanese mobile game publisher known for casual/RPG titles distributed primarily through App Store and Google Play. Direct peer because of similar Japanese-rooted mobile-portfolio model, long-running evergreen catalog, and casual-game positioning targeting broad consumer audiences.
• MobilityWare: U.S.-based mobile game publisher specializing in solitaire, card, and board games (e.g., Solitaire, FreeCell, Blackjack). Direct peer because of overlapping product niche — premium solitaire/card apps — and similar distribution through iOS App Store and Google Play with long-lived evergreen titles.

Emerging players

• Asobism: Japanese mobile game developer focused on location-based and casual games (e.g., Dragon Poker). Emerging player with partial overlap in Japanese mobile casual-game publishing; smaller scale than the broad incumbents but more directly comparable in game-development culture.

Others

• LY Corporation (LINE): Operator of Japan's LINE messaging platform and the LINE Mini Apps distribution channel that PRO's Trump Collection titles now publish into. Adjacent ecosystem participant — not a direct competitor but a key infrastructure and distribution counterpart whose policies directly affect PRO's monetization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pro_dot_app
• Facebookfacebook.com/pro.app.jp

Compliance2 records

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 PRO