What Dank Hearts does

Dank Hearts Inc. (株式会社ダンクハーツ) is a private Japanese game development studio headquartered in Osaka (Higobashi Center Building 16F), originally established in June 2005 as Try Heart Co., Ltd. and renamed in April 2006 following a merger with homepage production company Dank Networks. The company operates three service divisions: Original Products (planning, developing, and operating games and services from scratch), Collaboration Development & Operations Outsourcing (co-development with publishers/IP rights holders plus full-service takeover and operation of existing game titles), and Creative Production (2D graphics, UI design, pachinko/slot machine effects, motion animation, and in-house sound production). Its primary B2B customers are IP rights holders, content publishers, and platform operators in Japan, while consumer-facing original titles are sold globally via Steam.

The studio builds games using the Unity engine with CGI/audio middleware (CRI ADX/CRIWARE), supplemented by production tools including SpriteStudio, Spine, Live2D, AfterEffects, Photoshop, Cubase, SoundForge, and a proprietary in-house recording studio with dual soundproof booths for voice and music production. Notable original IPs include the desktop horror/mystery games '佐藤さん暇つぶしチャット.exe' and 'デジタルアニマ～電子生命体育成キット～' on Steam, the trauma-adventure title '雑音系少年少女', the original music IP '曼荼羅イブ' (Mandala Eve), and operated mobile title 'すとぷりWith!!' (transferred from the Stupri IP holder in May 2025). In March 2026 the company launched the '双異典' (Souiten) indie game label, which fuses digital gameplay with real web browser exploration as a structural narrative device.

The revenue model combines (1) B2B managed services from social game development and operations outsourcing, (2) B2C one-time license revenue from original IP sales via Steam and smartphone app stores, (3) professional services revenue from commissioned creative production work for IP holders and pachinko manufacturers, and (4) licensing/royalty revenue from IP co-development with major publishers and the DMM platform. Registered capital stands at 10 million yen with no disclosed external venture funding; ownership is concentrated with founder and Representative Director Tadashi Ohara.

Name

Dank Hearts

Legal name

株式会社ダンクハーツ

Website

https://dank-hearts.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dank Hearts is a private Osaka-based game development studio founded in 2005 that provides B2B co-development, game operations outsourcing, and creative production to IP rights holders and publishers, and develops original indie games globally via Steam under the Souiten label.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing) (MPAFABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)

Keywords

• Game development
• Mobile games
• Indie game studio
• Creative production
• IP collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Social Game Development & Operations: Collaborative development and operation of IP-based social games for smartphones and PC browsers with platform operators, IP rights holders, and major publishers. Revenue derived from game operations, events, and content monetization through established gaming platforms.
2. Original IP Game Sales: Development and direct-to-consumer sale of original IP games via Steam (PC digital distribution). Titles include '雑音系少年少女', '佐藤さん暇つぶしチャット.exe', 'デジタルアニマ～電子生命体育成キット～', and '曼荼羅イブ' music content. Revenue from game sales and digital content.
3. Creative Production Services: Commissioned creative production including 2D graphics, UI design, pachinko/slot machine effects, motion animation, and sound design. Services range from single-asset spot work to long-term production contracts.
4. Game Operations Outsourcing: Full-service game operations management where Dank Hearts takes over existing game titles, providing directors, planners, illustrators, UI designers, engineers, and QA staff. Revenue from contracted operations management fees.
5. IP Collaboration Development: Co-development of games with major IP holders, DMM platform, and large publishers, providing development force and operational know-how. Revenue shared or contracted per project.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dank Hearts is a full-service Japanese game development studio operating three divisions: Original Products (planning, developing, and operating its own games and IPs, primarily on Steam and mobile platforms); Collaboration Development & Operations Outsourcing (co-development with IP holders, platform operators, and publishers, plus full-service takeover of game title operations); and Creative Production (commissioned 2D graphics, UI, motion animation, pachinko/slot effects, and sound production using an in-house recording studio). The company serves both B2B partners (IP holders, publishers, platform operators) and B2C consumers through Steam and smartphone stores.

Product overview

Dank Hearts operates three core service divisions: Original Products (steam-based indie games and smartphone apps), Collaboration Development & Management Outsourcing (IP co-development and game operations), and Creative Production (2D graphics, UI, motion, sound). Their recent original products include horror/mystery games like 佐藤さん暇つぶしチャット.exe and デジタルアニマ released on Steam, the operated title すとぷりWith!! on mobile, and the music IP 曼荼羅イブ. The company also established the indie game label 双異典 which combines digital games with real web browser exploration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 双異典 (Souiten): Indie game label combining digital games and browser exploration. Label name means 'dual ritual code'. Works include 'Sato-san Hitomi Tsubushi Chat.exe'.

Products and services

• Sato-san Himatsubushi Chat.exe (佐藤さん暇つぶしチャット.exe) Desktop invasion chat horror game for PC (Steam) where players chat with a girl named Mina while the line between reality and the internet gradually erodes; combines in-game screens with real web browser exploration under the Souiten indie label.
• Digital Anima ~Electronic Life Nurturing Kit~ (デジタルアニマ) Desktop invasion pet simulation/horror game for PC (Steam) where players raise a digital pet called Digima on their PC and investigate hidden secrets involving a missing developer and conspiracy.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ミクソロジーバー Akashic RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Business partnership (業務連携) established in June 2022 with Mixology Bar's Akashic Records, a music/audio IP partner. The company also provides a 5,000 yen per person dining subsidy at Mixology Bar for staff social activities.
• 株式会社オルトプラス (Orto Plus Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2017Business partnership (業務提携) established in December 2017 for game development and operations collaboration between Dank Hearts and Orto Plus.
• DMM PlatformcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2017Partnership established June 2017 for PC and smartphone game co-development and publishing on DMM platform with IP rights holders. Dank Hearts develops games that are published on the DMM platform.
• Major Game Publishers (unspecified)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partnerships with major game publishers for IP-based game development. Since January 2017, Dank Hearts began large publisher co-development. Works include popular comic-to-game adaptations, monthly sales exceeding 100 million yen titles, and various IP collaborations.
• すとぷり (Stupri) IP HoldercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDank Hearts assumed operation of the smartphone game 'すとぷりWith!!' from May 1, 2025. This represents a title transfer/operations partnership with the Stupri IP holder, where Dank Hearts provides full-service operations including planning, KPI analysis, events, design, programming, effects, UI, and customer support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• CyberAgent (Cygames parent):

Broad incumbents

• DeNA: Major Japanese mobile/online game developer and operator (Pokémon Masters, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, Super Mario Run co-development). Comparable to Dank Hearts' operations outsourcing and co-development service line, though at materially larger scale.
• Cygames: Large Japanese game developer/publisher (Granblue Fantasy, Uma Musume, Shadowverse) and a major source of IP collaboration opportunities. Comparable to Dank Hearts as a Japanese game publisher that commissions external co-development from smaller studios, though operating at vastly greater scale.
• KLab: Japanese mobile game developer/publisher (Bleach: Brave Souls, Love Live! School Idol Festival, Uta no Prince-sama). Comparable to Dank Hearts as a Japanese mobile/IP-game studio that develops and operates licensed-IP mobile titles — a direct adjacency to Dank Hearts' social-game and IP-licensed co-development work.

Direct peers

• PLAYISM: Japanese indie game publishing label operated by Active Gaming Media that distributes original Japanese indie titles to global Steam and console audiences. Comparable as a Japanese indie distribution and publishing counterpart focused on original IPs.
• Onion Games: Small Japanese indie game studio led by Yoshiro Kimura (formerly of Love-de-Lic, Level-5, Marvelous). Directly comparable as a small Japan-based team focused on original IP game development with limited headcount, similar to Dank Hearts' original IP strategy.
• Experience Inc. Japanese indie game developer/publisher known for dungeon-crawlers and horror titles on Steam and consoles. Comparable as a small-to-mid Japanese game studio that develops and self-publishes niche original IPs, including horror and mystery genres overlapping with Dank Hearts' Steam catalog.
• Too Kyo Games: Japanese indie game studio assembled by Kazutaka Kodaka (Danganronpa creator) and other notable Japanese creators. Directly comparable as a small Japan-based team that develops and self-publishes original narrative games, with similar team-size constraints to Dank Hearts.
• Phoenixx: Japanese indie game publisher that signs and distributes original Japanese titles globally, often on Steam and consoles. Comparable to Dank Hearts as a Japanese indie ecosystem participant publishing original games to global audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dankhearts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSbODn7GkxxFSlkNg1LZumQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/dankhearts

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 Dank Hearts