Nippon Ichi Software

What Nippon Ichi Software does

Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. (株式会社日本一ソフトウェア) is a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded in 1993 and headquartered in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture. The company is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange JASDAQ Standard under securities code 3851 since June 2007, with 193 consolidated employees as of March 31, 2025 and registered capital of ¥557.4 million. Its product portfolio centers on console tactical RPGs, horror adventure games, and original IPs — most notably the Disgaea series (cumulative sales above 5 million units) and the Yomawari horror series — developed largely through an internal annual "Planning Festival" in which all employees may submit game concepts.

The company monetizes through one-time game-software sales across PlayStation, Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, PC (Steam), and mobile platforms, plus localization/commissioned development services, character and IP licensing, and direct e-commerce. Distribution is handled through platform-holder relationships with Sony Interactive Entertainment, Nintendo, and Sega Games, supplemented by NIS America, Inc. (Santa Ana, USA) for North American and European publishing and Nippon Ichi Software Vietnam Co., Ltd. for localization and development support. A group of additional wholly-owned subsidiaries (Studio ToOeuf, Tanoshimi Team, System Soft Beta, Nagoya Graphics Studio, NIS Asia) handles domestic and regional development, graphics, and support functions.

Strategically, the company is positioned as a mid-cap Japanese creator of niche but durable IPs targeting domestic and Western console gamers, with diversification efforts into indie publishing (Nippon Ichi Indie Spirits, 2016), merchandise (Buroppon, 2017), and Japanese-goods e-commerce (Kokoro Sui, 2022). Following a January 2025 presidential transition to Saruhashi Kenzo, leadership has publicly committed to brand strategy and IP creation independent of franchise numbering; a multi-platform rural-life simulation title (Honogurashi no Niwa) is scheduled for July 2026, signaling a deliberate genre expansion from traditional tactical-RPG/horror output.

Name

Nippon Ichi Software

Legal name

株式会社日本一ソフトウェア

Website

https://nippon1.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Nippon Ichi Software is a publicly listed Japanese video game developer and publisher (TSE JASDAQ: 3851) that creates and self-publishes console tactical RPGs, horror adventures, and original IPs — most notably Disgaea and Yomawari — for PlayStation, Nintendo, PC, and mobile, distributing globally via its NIS America subsidiary and platform partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Console Video Game Development and Publishing

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Video game development
• Console game publishing
• Tactical RPG games
• Horror adventure games
• Game localization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gifu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Game Software Sales: Development, manufacturing, and sales of computer software games for consumer game consoles, handheld devices, mobile smartphones, and arcade systems. Revenue from both first-party published titles and commissioned development work for other publishers.
2. Localization Services: Localization and adaptation services for North American and European markets, as well as commissioned development work for other publishers' titles.
3. License Out: Licensing of game characters and intellectual properties for merchandise, promotional products, and other commercial uses outside of games.
4. Direct Commerce: Company's own e-commerce operations for selling directly to consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Nippon Ichi Software develops, manufactures, and publishes video games for consumer consoles (PlayStation, Nintendo Switch/Switch 2), PC (Steam), smartphones, and arcade systems. Its catalog spans flagship tactical RPG franchises such as Disgaea and Phantom Brave, horror adventure series including Yomawari, mobile titles (Disgaea RPG, Makai Wars), the Z/X collectible card game, and original IPs generated through an internal employee Planning Festival. Beyond first-party publishing, the company provides localization, porting, and commissioned development services to other publishers, and operates an indie game publishing label, a character-merchandise brand, and an e-commerce site for Japanese products.

Product overview

Nippon Ichi Software is a video game developer and publisher with a portfolio of tactical RPGs, horror games, and adventure games primarily for console platforms. The company operates through three divisions: Development Division (game development across multiple platforms), Sales Division (marketing, events, licensing), and Management Division (administrative functions). Their flagship Disgaea series is their best-known IP, while the Yomawari horror series represents another major pillar. The company has an internal "Planning Festival" system where all employees can submit game ideas, with successful concepts developed and released as commercial products. Nippon Ichi Software has expanded into indie publishing (Japanese Indie Spirits), merchandise (ぶろっぽん brand), e-commerce (こころ粋), and mobile gaming (魔界戦記ディスガイアRPG, 魔界ウォーズ). The company also publishes card games (Zillions of Enemy X/Z/X) and is diversifying into new genres with upcoming titles like Honogurashi no Niwa, a rural life simulation game marking a genre shift from their traditional horror and RPG titles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 日本一GAMES (Nippon Ichi GAMES): Mobile gaming brand formerly known as Rose Queen Land, delivering mobile games and e-books since April 2001.
• 日本一Indie Spirits
• ぶろっぽん (Buroppon)
• こころ粹 (Kokoro Sui)
• Prinnie (プリニー)

Products and services

• Disgaea Series (魔界戦記ディスガイア) Flagship tactical RPG series featuring turn-based combat, character customization, and Item World mechanics; the franchise has surpassed 5 million cumulative units sold across multiple installments and is published on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms.
• Yomawari Series (夜廻) Horror adventure game series featuring atmospheric survival horror gameplay set in nostalgic rural Japanese settings; created from the company's internal Planning Festival and represents a major pillar of NIS's portfolio.
• Phantom Brave (ファントム・ブレイブ) Tactical RPG series featuring unique gridless battlefield mechanics and character development systems.
• htoL#NiQ - Hotaru no Nikki (htoL#NiQ －ホタルノニッキ－) Nostalgic adventure game created through the company's internal Planning Festival system; originally released June 2014.
• Makai Wars (魔界ウォーズ) Strategy RPG released for iOS and Android with cross-platform availability.
• Disgaea RPG (魔界戦記ディスガイアRPG) Mobile RPG based on the Disgaea IP featuring characters from the series for smartphones.
• Zillions of Enemy X (Z/X) －ゾillons オブ エネミー エックス－ Collectible card game franchise created by Nippon Ichi Software including physical and digital versions.
• Lapis Re:Abyss (ラピス・リ・アビス) RPG series developed through the internal Planning Festival initiative.
• Usotsuki Hime to Moumoku Ouji (嘘つき姫と盲目王子) Fantasy adventure game developed through the company's internal Planning Festival.
• Tantei Bokumetsu (探偵撲滅) Detective-themed game created through the company's internal Planning Festival system.
• Boku Hime Project (ボク姫PROJECT) Original IP developed through the company's internal Planning Festival system.
• Asatsugutori (アサツグトリ) Original game IP created through the internal Planning Festival.
• Murder Detective Jack the Ripper (殺人探偵ジャック・ザ・リッパー) Detective mystery game developed through the company's Planning Festival.
• Princess wa Kin no Bouja (プリンセスは金の亡者) Original IP developed through the internal Planning Festival initiative.
• Oedo BlackSmith (大江戸BlackSmith) Original game IP created through the internal Planning Festival.
• Mamekue (マメクエ) Original mobile game IP developed through the internal Planning Festival.
• Yakuzukuri Puzzle Yumeiro Yuramu (役づくりパズル ゆめいろユラム) Puzzle game developed through the internal Planning Festival.
• Nippon Ichi Indie Spirits (日本一Indie Spirits) Indie game publishing label launched in December 2016 to support and publish indie game titles, leveraging NIS's localization and platform-holder distribution reach.
• Buroppon (ぶろっぽん) Original character goods brand launched in February 2017 for character merchandise and fan products.
• Kokoro Sui (こころ粋) E-commerce site launched in March 2022 selling Japanese products directly to consumers.
• Localization and Commissioned Development Services Localization, porting, debugging, and commissioned game development services provided for other publishers through NIS America, Inc. and Nippon Ichi Software Vietnam Co., Ltd.
• IP Licensing (License Out) Licensing of game characters and intellectual properties for merchandise, promotional products, and other commercial uses outside of games.

Quantifiable outcome

• 魔界戦記ディスガイア series surpassed 5 million cumulative sales
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sony Interactive EntertainmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Japanese platform holder and publisher. Listed as a primary transaction counterpart for game publishing and distribution activities.
• NintendocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform holder for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Key partner for publishing titles on Nintendo platforms.
• Sega GamesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a transaction counterparty in major business counterparties.
• Chubu Ikegami TsushominorOthersBusiness partner listed on the company links page.
• Juroku BankminorOthersPrimary banking partner with branch in Kakamigahara.
• Tonoh Shinyo Kinko (Tono Credit Union)minorOthersCredit union with branch in Soehara.
• Gifu Shinkin BankminorOthersCredit union with branch in Kakamigahara.
• Mitsui Sumitomo BankminorOthersBanking partner with Gifu branch.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Koei Tecmo: Larger Japanese publisher spanning Warriors, Atelier, and JRPG franchises. Overlaps with NIS on multi-platform console publishing and niche Japanese development, but at materially larger scale.
• Square Enix: Largest Japanese JRPG publisher (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest). Shares console-platform publishing relationships and Western subsidiary model but operates at vastly larger scale with AAA ambitions.
• Bandai Namco Entertainment: Major Japanese publisher across Dark Souls, Tekken, and Tales franchise JRPGs. Direct overlap on Tales-style tactical JRPGs and the same Sony/Nintendo platform publishing dependencies.

Direct peers

• Compile Heart: Japanese developer specializing in tactical RPGs and JRPGs for PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. Closely comparable niche focus on strategy RPGs targeting similar Japanese and Western console audiences as Nippon Ichi Software.
• Spike Chunsoft: Japanese developer/publisher of Danganronpa, AI: The Somnium Files, and mystery/horror adventure games. Overlaps with NIS on horror-adventure IPs and Nintendo/PlayStation publishing model.
• Idea Factory: Japanese niche JRPG publisher (Neptunia series, Compile Heart parent). Comparable size, similar small-cap Tokyo-listed profile, and shared focus on stylized JRPGs for Asian and Western niche markets.
• Marvelous Inc. Mid-cap Japanese developer/publisher with Story of Seasons, Rune Factory, and Daemon X Machina. Comparable small-cap JASDAQ/TSE profile and multi-platform console plus mobile publishing footprint.
• Nihon Falcom: Long-running Japanese developer of Trails/Kiseki tactical RPGs. Similar 30+ year heritage, similar franchise-driven strategy, and similar pattern of building loyal niche Western fanbases via PC ports.
• Atlus: Developer of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei tactical/JRPGs, wholly owned by Sega (one of NIS's transaction counterparties). Overlapping JRPG genre, multi-platform release strategy, and Japanese publishing roots make it a direct strategic peer.

Regional players

• Aksys Games: US-based Japanese-style niche publisher specializing in localized otome and JRPG titles for Western markets. Functions as a Western counterpart to NIS America in bringing Japanese console games to North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nippon-ichi-software

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nippon Ichi Software