Altplus

Altplus Inc. is a publicly traded digital entertainment company specializing in the planning, development, and operation of social games. Founded in May 2010 by Takeshi Ishii, the company originated in Shibuya, Tokyo, with a focus on creating engaging content for mobile platforms. Ishii, the current CEO, brought extensive experience to the venture, having previously worked for nine years at a venture capital firm and held management positions at game companies like Genki Co., Ltd. and AQ Interactive Inc. (now Marvelous Inc.).

The company's core business revolves around its Game Business, which operates on a flexible model encompassing self-publishing, co-development with partners, and contract development for clients. This multi-faceted approach allows Altplus to develop its own original titles, collaborate on games using well-known intellectual properties (IPs), and offer its technical expertise to other companies, thereby diversifying its revenue streams and mitigating development risks. A significant part of its strategy involves leveraging popular anime and manga IPs to create games with a built-in user base. Beyond game creation, the firm has expanded into a Service Development Business and a Technology & Human Resources Support Business. The service development arm applies the company's game development know-how to create non-game web services and applications for corporate clients, while the support division dispatches creative talent to others in the digital entertainment industry.

A key milestone in the company's history was its public listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Mothers market in March 2013, which was followed by a move to the First Section in March 2014 and later to the Standard market in April 2022. This provided the capital for significant expansion, including the establishment of subsidiaries in Vietnam and Korea, although the Vietnamese branch was later sold. The company has also pursued domestic growth, setting up a development base in Kochi Prefecture to act as a nearshore development hub. Altplus has engaged in various partnerships and joint ventures, such as a collaboration with DMM.com to enter the online crane game market and a business tie-up with GREE, Inc.

Keywords: social game development, mobile gaming, intellectual property games, game publishing, game co-development, contract game development, IT services, web service development, creator dispatch, talent matching, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Takeshi Ishii, digital entertainment, online crane games, app development, entertainment software, game operation, virtual goods, free-to-play, in-app purchases