Silicon Studio
Silicon Studio is a Japanese 3DCG middleware and industrial simulation company that develops proprietary rendering middleware (YEBIS, Enlighten, Mizuchi) and applies game engine technology to deliver digital twin solutions and CG-based synthetic training data for automotive, manufacturing, construction, and robotics enterprises in Japan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersShibuya, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Silicon Studio does
Silicon Studio is a Tokyo-headquartered (Shibuya) Japanese technology company that develops proprietary 3DCG middleware and applies game-engine technology to industrial customers. Its core middleware portfolio includes YEBIS 4/3 (optical post-effects), Enlighten (real-time global illumination), and Mizuchi (a next-generation real-time rendering engine), supplemented by Unreal Engine plugins such as YEBIS Biz, Silicon Studio Bone Dynamics, Fish-eye Rendering, and Annotation Output. The company also develops CARLA Customization Solutions for Japanese autonomous driving simulation and the BENZaiTEN and Avatar Generator platforms that produce CG-based synthetic training data for machine-learning image recognition in manufacturing and automotive applications.
The company monetizes through multiple revenue streams: middleware licensing (per-seat or per-project), bespoke digital twin and simulation development, CG-based ML training data services, Unreal Engine enterprise subscription resale (as an authorized Epic Games agent for Japan since April 2026), executive recruitment through Silicon Studio Agent for the game and video industry, and historical revenue from internally developed game titles (now largely discontinued). GTM is predominantly direct enterprise sales supplemented by event-driven lead generation (CEDEC, SIGGRAPH) and content marketing (technical blog, DX columns). Customers span automotive OEMs and Tier 1s (SUBARU, Mitsubishi Electric, Hino Motors, Aisin), construction (Nishimatsu, Takenaka, Muramoto), manufacturing (Kubota), simulation/consulting (Dentsu Soken), and academic research (University of Tsukuba).
Following the 2026 launch of the Physical AI initiative built on NVIDIA Omniverse and the divestiture of the legacy ORochi game engine, Silicon Studio is repositioning as an industrial simulation and AI training data provider. Founded around 1999–2000 and publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO: 3907) with 251–500 employees, the company's strategic focus has shifted from entertainment software to enterprise digital twin, robotics simulation, and synthetic data services for manufacturing, automotive, and robotics customers primarily in Japan.
Silicon Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Silicon Studio
- Legal name
- siliconスタジオ株式会社 (Silicon Studio Corp.)
- Website
- https://siliconstudio.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Silicon Studio is a Japanese 3DCG middleware and industrial simulation company that develops proprietary rendering middleware (YEBIS, Enlighten, Mizuchi) and applies game engine technology to deliver digital twin solutions and CG-based synthetic training data for automotive, manufacturing, construction, and robotics enterprises in Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Silicon Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 3D Graphics Middleware & Real-Time Rendering Software
- NAICS
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (334)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud & Distributed Real-Time Production (Remote ICVFX, Multi-site) (MPAHADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Virtual Production Stages & LED Volume Operators (MPAHADAA), Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM), VR-Based Skills Training Simulations (Soft Skills, Customer Service, Leadership) (EDAFAJAA)
Keywords
Where Silicon Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shibuya
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Silicon Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Middleware Licensing: Licensing of proprietary middleware products including YEBIS 3/4, Enlighten, Mizuchi, and Silicon Studio Bone Dynamics to game developers, visual effects studios, and industrial software companies. Revenue generated through per-seat or per-project licensing fees.
- Custom Development & Solutions: Bespoke software development services including game engine customization, digital twin solutions, simulation environment development, and CG asset production. Services span consulting, development, and ongoing operational support.
- AI/ML Training Data Generation: CG-generated synthetic training data for machine learning image recognition, sold as a service or tool license (BENZaiTEN, Avatar Generator). Addresses automotive, manufacturing, and robotics sectors.
- Talent / Recruitment Services: Silicon Studio Agent provides executive recruitment services specifically for the game and video production industries, placing high-income professionals in creative and technical roles.
- Unreal Engine Resale: As an Epic Games authorized agent, Silicon Studio resells Unreal Engine enterprise subscription licenses to Japanese corporate customers, providing a full service from licensing to implementation support.
- Self-Developed Game Titles: Historical revenue from internally developed game titles including Bravely Default series, Gundam Breaker, and social games (now largely ended). Social games operations closed by 2022.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Custom enterprise licensing - pricing based on platform, seat count, and project scope |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Silicon Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Silicon Studio develops and licenses proprietary 3DCG middleware (YEBIS optical post-effects, Enlighten global illumination, Mizuchi rendering engine, Bone Dynamics) and provides game-engine-based solutions that combine CG-generated synthetic ML training data with digital twin and simulation environments for automotive, manufacturing, construction, and robotics clients. The company also resells Unreal Engine enterprise licenses in Japan as an Epic Games authorized agent, and runs Silicon Studio Agent, an executive recruitment service for the game and video production industries.
Product overview
Silicon Studio is a Japanese 3DCG technology provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of proprietary middleware, game engine solutions, AI-powered CG training data generation, and digital twin/metaverse solutions for industry applications. Core middleware includes Enlighten (real-time global illumination), Mizuchi (next-generation real-time rendering engine), and YEBIS 4/3 (optical post-effect middleware), alongside YEBIS Biz UE plugin. Their AI/CG solutions — including Avatar Generator for face/expression recognition training data, BENZaiTEN for defect detection and parts recognition CG generation — are built on Unreal Engine and Unity. They provide game engine solutions for automotive, manufacturing, construction, and robotics industries leveraging Unreal Engine, Unity, and NVIDIA Omniverse, plus staffing services (Silicon Studio Agent) for the game/video industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YEBIS: Optical post-effects middleware for high-quality visual effects in games and CG productions.
- Enlighten
- Mizuchi
- Avatar Generator
- BENZaiTEN
- Silicon Studio Agent
Products and services
- YEBIS 4 Optical post-effect middleware providing high-quality real-time lens effects (bokeh, lens flare, depth of field) for 3D graphics, used by game developers and industrial visual applications.
- YEBIS 3 Real-time lens-effect middleware that adds post-processing visual quality to 3D scenes for games and CG productions.
- Enlighten Real-time global illumination middleware that provides indirect lighting (GI) across multiple platforms for games and real-time 3D applications.
- Mizuchi Rendering Engine Proprietary next-generation real-time rendering engine used to create high visual-quality real-time content.
- YEBIS Biz Unreal Engine plugin that brings YEBIS-quality optical post-effects to UE-based automotive, architectural visualization, and video production pipelines.
- Silicon Studio Bone Dynamics Bone-based physics simulation plugin for Unreal Engine that delivers lightweight, high-precision secondary animation (sway, tumble, deformation) with minimal breakdown.
- Unreal Engine 4 Fish-eye Rendering Unreal Engine 4 plugin that simulates fish-eye and ultra-wide camera optics for robotics, surveillance, and automotive simulation.
- Unreal Engine 4 Annotation Output Unreal Engine plugin that generates 24-bit semantic segmentation annotation images to enable ML training data generation from UE scenes.
- Avatar Generator 3DCG human generation platform producing diverse facial, expression, and posture imagery for face/expression recognition AI and driver monitoring system training data, used by automotive and ADAS developers.
- BENZaiTEN - Defect Detection CG Generation BENZaiTEN module that generates synthetic CG defect images (scratches, dents, cracks) on configurable materials for manufacturing product-inspection AI training data.
- BENZaiTEN - Parts Recognition CG Generation BENZaiTEN module that produces synthetic CG images of assembled parts for robot arm picking and parts recognition AI training data.
- CARLA Customization Solution Customized version of the CARLA autonomous driving simulator adapted for Japanese road environments, including left-hand traffic and Japanese cityscape configurations.
- 3D City/Street Asset Library 3D asset library of Japanese roads, traffic signs, road markings, and lane dividers (with aging variations) for use in driving simulators and game development.
- PopcornFX Real-time 3D VFX middleware for particle-based visual effects, distributed and supported by Silicon Studio.
- Wwise Audio middleware for interactive entertainment and real-time applications, distributed and supported by Silicon Studio.
- Silicon Studio Agent Executive recruitment service dedicated to the Japanese game and video production industries, placing high-income, leadership, and manager-level creative and technical professionals.
- Unreal Engine Enterprise Subscription (as Epic Games authorized agent) Resale of Unreal Engine enterprise subscription licenses to Japanese corporate customers, with accompanying licensing-to-implementation support, delivered through Silicon Studio's role as an Epic Games authorized agent.
- Game Engine Customization & Development Support Customization and feature extension services for game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity), including latest hardware support, optimization, and joint development of proprietary tools for game and industrial clients.
- Industrial Game Engine Solutions One-stop consulting, planning, development, and operations support for industrial clients adopting Unreal Engine or Unity for non-entertainment applications.
- Digital Twin / Industrial Metaverse Solutions Game-engine-based simulation, review, and visualization environments for industrial digital twins and metaverse use cases.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced product inspection ML data collection costs through CG-generated synthetic defect images (Kubota case)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Silicon Studio
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Silicon Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability6 records
Feature11 records
Silicon Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.
- Epic GamescoreSilicon Studio is an authorized Epic Games agent for Japan, reselling Unreal Engine enterprise subscriptions to Japanese corporate customers. Provides full service from license sales to implementation support for the Japanese market.
- 西松建設株式会社 (Nishimatsu Construction)keySilicon Studio supports Nishimatsu Construction's tunnel 3D digital twin development using game engine technology. Real-time visualization of tunnel environment and construction equipment state using Unity and ROS integration.
- アイシン精機/株式会社アイシン (Aisin)keyJoint presentation at CEDEC 2020 on Unreal Engine-based parking space detection training data generation for next-generation automatic parking systems. Collaborative development of real-time 3DCG simulator.
- 株式会社SUBARU (SUBARU)keyMultiple collaborations: (1) Driving design review system converting vehicle model data to real-time 3DCG scenes; (2) Press line interference verification digital twin using Unity; (3) Unreal Engine driving simulator development. Also presented together at UNREAL FEST 2023.
- 三菱電機株式会社 (Mitsubishi Electric)keyProvided Avatar Generator-based 3DCG person generation for Mitsubishi Electric's next-generation driver monitoring system (DMS). Customized camera positions, wide-angle lens FOV, and diverse conditions (sunlight, facial hair, ethnicity, weather) for DMS recognition accuracy improvement.
- 株式会社クボタ (Kubota)keyFollowing PoC confirming quality of Silicon Studio's defect CG images, Kubota commissioned development of software that synthesizes defect CG images (3D) with background images (2D) for product inspection ML training data.
- 村本建設株式会社 (Muramoto Construction)keySilicon Studio developed BIM-point cloud data superposition display and multi-person/multi-site design review environment using Unity Reflect for Muramoto Construction's progress management workflow and remote construction review.
- 株式会社竹中，工務店 (Takenaka)keySilicon Studio built lunar small robot group simulation environment using Unity for Takenaka's Moon base construction research. Unity-based simulation environment for autonomous robot group activities.
- 国立大学法人 筑波大学 (University of Tsukuba)keySilicon Studio developed NVIDIA Omniverse-based ROS-integrated simulation environment for University of Tsukuba's human-collaborative robot research. Custom Omniverse Extensions were developed in Python for cloud data access. ROS integration notifies collision results to external systems.
- 株式会社電通総研 (Dentsu Soken)keySilicon Studio developed large multi-display driving simulator environment for Dentsu Soken using Unreal Engine-based 3D content and technical consulting. Reproduces realistic driving sensation through high-quality visualization.
- 日野自動車株式会社 (Hino Motors)keySilicon Studio developed driving simulator environment for Hino Motors' commercial vehicle design and engineering verification. Implemented autonomous driving route paths and behavior models for surrounding vehicles.
- NVIDIA (Omniverse)coreSilicon Studio leverages NVIDIA Omniverse platform as the foundation for its Physical AI initiative, robotics simulation environments, and ROS-integrated digital twin solutions. Active contributor to Omniverse ecosystem with custom Extensions development.
- Epic Games (Unreal Engine)coreSilicon Studio is an authorized Epic Games agent and a key Unreal Engine adopter in Japan's industrial market. Uses Unreal Engine as a core platform for digital twins, simulation, driving simulators, and CG training data generation.
- Unity TechnologiescoreSilicon Studio uses Unity as a core platform alongside Unreal Engine for digital twins, BIM visualization, construction solutions (Unity Reflect), and robotics simulation.
- CARLA (Autonomous Driving Simulator)keySilicon Studio provides customized CARLA simulation platforms adapted for Japanese road environments including left-hand traffic and Japanese cityscape configurations, providing ready-to-use simulator environments for autonomous driving R&D in Japan.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Silicon Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ANSYS: Engineering simulation software provider serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial customers. Competes with Silicon Studio in industrial simulation and digital twin markets with broader multiphysics simulation capabilities and established automotive OEM relationships.
- Dassault Systèmes: 3DEXPERIENCE platform providing 3D design, simulation, and digital twin solutions for manufacturing, automotive, and infrastructure. Competes with Silicon Studio's industrial digital twin offerings with deeper integration into CAD/CAM/PLM workflows.
- NVIDIA: Owns Omniverse platform that Silicon Studio builds upon for Physical AI and digital twin solutions. As both partner and potential competitor, NVIDIA's strategic direction significantly impacts Silicon Studio's positioning in industrial simulation markets.
- Hexagon AB: Global leader in industrial measurement, simulation, and digital twin solutions for manufacturing, automotive, and construction. Competes with Silicon Studio in industrial digital twin and simulation markets, particularly through its Manufacturing Intelligence and Geosystems divisions.
- Siemens Digital Industries Software: Provides Xcelerator portfolio including Teamcenter, NX, and digital twin solutions for industrial customers. Represents a major incumbent in industrial digital twin markets where Silicon Studio is positioning, with significantly larger scale and enterprise footprint.
Direct peers
- Chaos (V-Ray): Rendering middleware provider (V-Ray) serving visualization, architecture, and VFX markets. Directly comparable to Silicon Studio's YEBIS and Enlighten middleware as a specialized rendering technology provider with overlapping customer base.
- Unity Technologies: Core platform provider that Silicon Studio uses for digital twin solutions. Also increasingly competing in industrial digital twin markets through Unity Industry products, creating a partner/competitor dynamic similar to the Epic Games relationship.
- IPG Automotive: Specialized driving simulation software provider serving automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Directly comparable to Silicon Studio's automotive simulator offerings for SUBARU, Hino Motors, and Dentsu Soken with deeper driving simulation domain expertise.
- Epic Games: Unreal Engine owner and Silicon Studio's authorized reseller partner in Japan. As Unreal Engine enterprise adoption grows, Epic Games is both a channel partner and potential direct competitor for industrial digital twin customers.
Emerging players
- Cognata: Autonomous driving simulation platform using AI and synthetic data. Comparable to Silicon Studio's CARLA customization and CG training data solutions for ADAS/autonomous driving R&D with stronger focus on ML-based simulation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Silicon Studio social profiles
Digital presenceSilicon Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Silicon Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Silicon Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Silicon Studio 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 Silicon Studio
What does Silicon Studio do?
Silicon Studio develops and licenses proprietary 3DCG middleware (YEBIS optical post-effects, Enlighten global illumination, Mizuchi rendering engine, Bone Dynamics) and provides game-engine-based solutions that combine CG-generated synthetic ML training data with digital twin and simulation environments for automotive, manufacturing, construction, and robotics clients. The company also resells Unreal Engine enterprise licenses in Japan as an Epic Games authorized agent, and runs Silicon Studio Agent, an executive recruitment service for the game and video production industries.
Is Silicon Studio a public or private company?
Silicon Studio is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Silicon Studio founded?
Silicon Studio was founded in 1999. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Silicon Studio based?
Silicon Studio is headquartered in Shibuya, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Silicon Studio make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Middleware Licensing is the primary driver. The others are custom Development & Solutions, AI/ML Training Data Generation, talent / Recruitment Services, unreal Engine Resale and self-Developed Game Titles.
Who are Silicon Studio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ANSYS, Dassault Systèmes, NVIDIA, Hexagon AB and Siemens Digital Industries Software. Direct peers are Chaos (V-Ray), Unity Technologies, IPG Automotive and Epic Games. Cognata is listed as an emerging player.
Does Silicon Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Silicon Studio.
What industry is Silicon Studio in?
Silicon Studio's product category is 3D Graphics Middleware & Real-Time Rendering Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHADAJ, Cloud & Distributed Real-Time Production (Remote ICVFX, Multi-site), with a secondary code of MPAHADAA, Virtual Production Stages & LED Volume Operators. Its NAICS code is 334 and its SIC code is 7812.