SQOOL
SQOOL is a Japanese gaming company offering cross-border marketing support, game media operations through SQOOL.NET, Unity-based mobile game development, and self-published Steam titles. It serves overseas publishers entering Japan, Japanese developers expanding globally, and indie creators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersShiba, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SQOOL does
SQOOL Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese gaming company founded in January 2013 by Kato Kenji and headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo (relocated from Chiba City in July 2019). The company operates a diversified cross-border gaming services and publishing business built around four pillars: (1) game media through SQOOL.NET Game Research Lab, publishing tens of thousands of articles since 2013; (2) game development using the Unity engine for mobile, casual, and social games (starting at 300,000 JPY for hyper-casual and 3,000,000 JPY for social titles); (3) self-publishing on Steam, including the roguelike Virus Hunter (300 yen, released February 2026) and the desktop pet app Sill Cats (freemium with 265 yen DLC breed packs, May 2026); and (4) cross-border marketing support via the X Account Management Service (5,000-15,000 CNY/month subscription tiers launched May 2026) and a global expansion consulting service that matches Japanese developers with overseas publishers.
The business model blends professional services, subscription retainers, and freemium publishing, with primary customer segments being overseas (predominantly Chinese) publishers seeking Japan market entry and Japanese developers seeking overseas expansion, alongside indie developers and mobile game publishers. SQOOL monetizes a 12-year media and community moat, including a 4,000+ member industry community, the SHIBA GAME AWARD (10+ editions since 2019), and recurring official media partnerships at Taipei Game Show (since 2016), ChinaJoy (since 2016), WePlay, GAME AICON Seoul, OPEN GAME FEST, and TOKYO INDIE GAMES SUMMIT. Notable named advisory relationships span JoyPac Beijing (2019-2022), Kodansha Game Creators Lab (2022-2023), DigiCube (2024), and Toei Co., Ltd. (2025-present).
The company maintains related entities WingWinkWorks Godo Kaisha (China market) and Watermelon Co., Ltd. (talent and content), while its offshore development subsidiary Kiverse Game Studio in Hanoi, Vietnam (established January 2023) was terminated effective December 26, 2025. SQOOL is founder-led with no disclosed institutional funding rounds, operates without public listing, and reports no revenue in available materials.
SQOOL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SQOOL
- Legal name
- 株式会社SQOOL (SQOOL Co., Ltd.)
- Website
- https://sqool.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- SQOOL is a Japanese gaming company offering cross-border marketing support, game media operations through SQOOL.NET, Unity-based mobile game development, and self-published Steam titles. It serves overseas publishers entering Japan, Japanese developers expanding globally, and indie creators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SQOOL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Game Development and Publishing Services
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casual/Hypercasual Game Studios (MPAFAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB), Player Acquisition & Growth Operations (UA Ops, ASO, Creative Ops) (MPAFAKAK)
Keywords
Where SQOOL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shiba
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
SQOOL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Game Development Services: Mobile and casual game development using Unity engine, including hyper-casual games from 30万円 and social games from 300万円, with post-release operational and monetization support
- Game Publishing & Sales: Self-developed games published on Steam with freemium model (base free, paid DLC); Virus Hunter sold at 300 yen, Sill Cats DLC priced at 265 yen per breed pack
- Media & Event Services: PR article placement, strategy corner setup, advertising banners, and media coverage through SQOOL.NET game research lab
- X Account Management Service: Monthly retainer service for Chinese publishers to manage Japanese X (Twitter) accounts, with content creation, posting, trend analysis, and monthly reports in three pricing tiers
- Global Expansion Consulting: Free support for Japanese mobile games to expand overseas through partnered overseas publishers; paid agency services also available for full overseas publishing management
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Light plan for indie publishers - 2 posts per week |
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard plan for active Japan market expansion - 4 posts per week |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium plan for full-scale Japan market entry - comprehensive support |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hyper-casual mobile game development |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Social game development |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Sill Cats base game (free) with paid DLC for additional cat breeds |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Virus Hunter full release on Steam |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
SQOOL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SQOOL is a Japan-based gaming company that provides a portfolio of services across the game industry value chain, including Unity-based game development (mobile, casual, and social games), game publishing on Steam, game media operations (SQOOL.NET), marketing and PR support for cross-border game market expansion (Japan ↔ Asia), and an X (Twitter) account management service for overseas publishers entering the Japanese market. It also operates the SHIBA GAME AWARD indie game award and runs educational initiatives around serious games.
Product overview
SQOOL is a game media and development company offering a comprehensive portfolio of services across the game industry value chain. The core offerings include: (1) Game media through SQOOL.NETゲーム研究室 for PR and coverage services; (2) Game publishing including self-developed Steam titles like Sill Cats (desktop pet app) and ウイルスハンター (Virus Hunter roguelike action game), plus mobile games via Unity; (3) The SHIBA GAME AWARD indie game award program; (4) Marketing support services for both Japanese games going global and overseas games entering Japan, including the X運用代行サービス for overseas publishers managing Japanese X accounts; (5) Event services including overseas game show briefings and indie developer study sessions; (6) Education initiatives through serious games and gamification. The company operates primarily in the Japan market while connecting with partners across Asia including Taiwan, China, Korea, and Vietnam.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sill Cats (シルキャッツ) Desktop-resident pet application featuring animated cats that walk on windows, jump between windows, sleep in corners, and respond to mouse cursor movements; includes click reactions and occasional 'zoomy dashes' between 1-4 AM; supports multi-monitor environments; available in English, Japanese, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, and Korean.
- Virus Hunter (ウイルスハンター) Roguelike action game where players control a unit inside a space modeled after the human body to eliminate viruses and enemies; features simple controls, flashy effects, and strategic weapon combinations.
- 2048 Shot Ball
- Slow Master
- SQOOL.NET Game Research Lab (SQOOL.NETゲーム研究室) Game information media site offering PR article publishing, strategy guides, advertising banner placement, and interview coverage services for game titles and related services.
- SHIBA GAME AWARD (SGA) Online indie game award operated by SQOOL.NET Game Lab editorial department to support game creators; runs twice yearly with judging periods covering games released in the preceding year.
- X Account Management Service (X運用代行サービス) Monthly retainer service for overseas publishers to manage Japanese X (Twitter) accounts, including content planning, native Japanese copywriting, posting, trend analysis, and monthly reports. Three subscription tiers: Light (5,000 CNY/month, 2 posts/week), Standard (10,000 CNY/month, 4 posts/week), and Premium (15,000 CNY/month, comprehensive support). Minimum 3-month contract term.
- Mobile Game Development (モバイルゲーム開発) Mobile game development service using Unity across genres including action, puzzle, run, defense, shooting, RPG, breeding, rhythm, and social games. Hyper-casual games from 300,000 JPY; social games from 3,000,000 JPY. Includes operational support, revenue optimization, and user acquisition services.
- Japan Market Entry (日本市場展開) Marketing support service for overseas games entering the Japanese market, including PR, game operations, SNS management, media expansion, localization, and user support.
- Global Expansion Service (グローバル展開サービス) Service for Japanese mobile games expanding overseas; SQOOL proposes titles to partnered overseas publishers (free introduction service) and offers paid agency services for full overseas publishing management, including interpreter services, contract negotiation support, and communication assistance.
- Education Business (教育事業) Education-related activities leveraging games, including serious games (gamification) awareness expansion through university partnerships, industry study groups, and events for game industry professionals and aspiring individuals.
Quantifiable outcome
- SHIBA GAME AWARD has selected 10+ editions since 2019, supporting indie game creators
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SQOOL
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SQOOL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SQOOL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OPEN GAME FESTminorKyoto gaming event where SQOOL serves as media partner; OPEN GAME FEST reciprocates as cooperating event partner for SHIBA GAME AWARD 2026 SUMMER
- Toei Co., Ltd.coreOngoing game advisory partnership with Toei Entertainment since 2025
- DigiCube Co., Ltd.coreSQOOL provided senior marketing manager advisory services to DigiCube in 2024
- Kodansha Game Creators LabcoreAdvisory partnership with Kodansha's game creator education initiative from 2022 to 2023
- JoyPac (Beijing)coreChinese game publisher for whom SQOOL served as Japan market marketing advisor from 2019 to 2022, providing market entry strategy and localization guidance
- ChinaJoycoreOfficial media partner since August 2016 for China's largest gaming event in Shanghai; enables Chinese market intelligence and publisher connections
- Taipei Game Show (TGS)coreOfficial media partner since 2016; provides event coverage and promotional support for Asia's major gaming exhibition held annually in January/February
- WePlaycoreOfficial media partner providing coverage and promotional support for this international gaming event
- WingWinkWorks合同会社minorRelated company handling game development, Chinese game market marketing, and localization services
- 株式会社ウォーターメロン (Watermelon Inc.)minorRelated company based in Matsudo specializing in talent development, dispatch, and content production
- IGDA Japan (International Game Developers Association Japan)minorCo-sponsor of Tokyo Serious Games Summit 2026; SQOOL CEO Kato scheduled to speak at April 17 session
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SQOOL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- mixi: Japanese mobile and social game developer behind Monster Strike and family-friendly titles; similar to SQOOL in social/mobile game development with a Japanese audience orientation.
- GameWith: Leading Japanese game information media platform providing game guides, news, and reviews; directly comparable to SQOOL.NET as a Japanese game media operation targeting the same gaming audience.
- GameLook: Chinese game industry media platform delivering news, analysis, and market intelligence; the most direct peer to SQOOL.NET in cross-border Asian game media and publisher communications.
- Akatsuki: Japanese mobile game developer specializing in casual and social games; comparable to SQOOL's mobile casual/social game development services targeting Japanese publishers.
- gumi: Japanese mobile game developer with significant overseas expansion via global IP partnerships; comparable to SQOOL in combining Japanese mobile development with cross-border publishing ambitions.
- KLab: Japanese mobile game developer with global publishing ambitions and cross-border focus; mirrors SQOOL's mobile game development plus overseas expansion services strategy.
- GREE: Japanese mobile game developer and internet company with a heritage in social/casual games; comparable to SQOOL in mobile game development with a Japanese market focus.
Broad incumbents
- Famitsu (KADOKAWA): Largest Japanese video game media brand under KADOKAWA Corporation; comparable to SQOOL.NET as a Japanese game media operation but operates at significantly larger scale and scope.
- DeNA: Major Japanese mobile game developer and operator with a portfolio including Final Fantasy and Mario Kart mobile titles; overlaps SQOOL's mobile casual/social development at substantially larger scale.
Others
- Unity Technologies: Game engine provider whose Unity platform is the core technology stack SQOOL uses for its game development services and self-published titles; relevant as the underlying technology enabler for SQOOL's development offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SQOOL social profiles
Digital presenceSQOOL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SQOOL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SQOOL subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
SQOOL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SQOOL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SQOOL
What does SQOOL do?
SQOOL is a Japan-based gaming company that provides a portfolio of services across the game industry value chain, including Unity-based game development (mobile, casual, and social games), game publishing on Steam, game media operations (SQOOL.NET), marketing and PR support for cross-border game market expansion (Japan ↔ Asia), and an X (Twitter) account management service for overseas publishers entering the Japanese market. It also operates the SHIBA GAME AWARD indie game award and runs educational initiatives around serious games.
Is SQOOL a public or private company?
SQOOL is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SQOOL founded?
SQOOL was founded in 2013.
Where is SQOOL based?
SQOOL is headquartered in Shiba, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does SQOOL make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Game Development Services are the primary driver. The others are game Publishing & Sales, media & Event Services, X Account Management Service and global Expansion Consulting.
Who are SQOOL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are mixi, GameWith, GameLook, Akatsuki, gumi, KLab and GREE. Broad incumbents are Famitsu (KADOKAWA) and DeNA. Unity Technologies is listed as an others.
Does SQOOL have an API?
No public API is recorded for SQOOL.
What industry is SQOOL in?
SQOOL's product category is Game Development and Publishing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAG, Casual/Hypercasual Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 51321.