Marvelous (company)
Marvelous Inc. is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, and anime producer. The company was founded in 1997 but formed in its current state in October 2011 after MMV acquired AQ Interactive and Liveware.
History
MMV
Locally, MMV was involved in a number of forms of entertainment, including the production of anime and music by their two subsidiaries Artland and Delfi Sound respectively. Artland is an animation studio that produced a number of popular manga and anime including the award-winning Mushishi and the hit shōnen Katekyō Hitman Reborn!, and Delfi Sound is a recording studio that was involved in the production of a number of albums, radio dramas, and soundtracks since its establishment in 2005. MMV also produced a number of live television series, movies, and musical theatre productions, like the highly popular Prince of Tennis musical, Tenimyu.Merge with AQ Interactive
In 2011, AQ Interactive merged with Marvelous Entertainment. The combined company became Marvelous AQL Inc., and AQ was absorbed into the Marvelous business operations. The merge was effective on May 10, 2011. The plan would make Marvelous Entertainment Inc. the sole surviving entity after the merger, with Marvelous Entertainment Inc. renamed to Marvelous AQL Inc. on merger day.On December 22, 2011, MarvelousAQL Inc. announced the establishment of the overseas business department, with investment from Checkpoint Studios Inc., replacing the global strategy room, which dissolved on January 1, 2012.
On October 25, 2012, MarvelousAQL Inc. announced its stock listing on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, effective on November 1, 2012.
On January 1, 2013, MarvelousAQL Inc. established the amusement business division. The company's digital contents business division and amusement contents development division were moved into amusement business division, and was renamed as amusement development division.
On February 1, 2013, MarvelousAQL Inc. established the digital contents business division.
On July 1, 2014, MarvelousAQL Inc. was renamed as Marvelous Inc.
On March 13, 2015, it was announced that Marvelous would acquire mobile gaming company G-Mode. This includes Data East IPs that G-Mode bought in 2004.
Tencent acquired a 20% stake of Marvelous via new shares, approximately on May 26, 2020.
On May 25, 2023, the company livestreamed its first ever digital showcase which featured the syn Sophia-developed Fashion Dreamer and several newly announced upcoming games including a couple of new IPs tentatively titled PROJECT MAGIA and PROJECT LIFE is RPG, several new entries in the flagship Story of Seasons and Rune Factory series, and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, a sequel to the original Daemon X Machina.
Subsidiaries
Development
Current
Former
Publication and Distribution
Current
Former
Animation Studio Artland is an animation studio established via dividing Artland, Inc. On 15 November 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the separating Artland, Inc.'s animation production into Animation Studio Artland, Inc. as a fully owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on December 1, 2010.Marvelous Online is an online store for Marvelous Entertainment Inc. products. Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of Marvelous Online on May 2, 2009.
Runtime, Inc. was a software development, video game production, CG production company, established on July 18, 2001. On March 17, 2006, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would become a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 3, 2006. On January 28, 2008, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 1, 2008.
Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. was a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., established from its parent's former copyright and publishing businesses. On July 1, 2001, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. On January 23, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 1, 2007.
Marvelous Liveware Inc. was a mobile phone Internet contents development subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc. On April 27, 2004, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Liveware Inc., effective on June 1, 2004. On March 31, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the sales of Marvelous Liveware to Interspire, inc.
Marvelous Interactive Inc. was a developer and publisher of video games, established on August 3, 1970, as Pack-In-Video and later renamed Victor Interactive Software after Victor Entertainment merged with Pack-In-Video on October 1, 1996. On March 24, 2003, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced had acquired 55% stake of Victor Interactive Software, and would rename Victor Interactive Software to Marvelous Interactive Inc., effective on March 31, 2003. In the press release, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. listed the then upcoming Marvelous Interactive Inc. was established on October 1, 1996. On September 10, 2003, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Interactive Inc. would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc. When Marvelous Entertainment Inc. completed its acquisition of Victor Interactive Software on March 31, 2003, it was renamed Marvelous Interactive. With this acquisition MMV obtained all the rights to the popular Story of Seasons series and other Victor Interactive Software series. On March 20, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Interactive Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on June 30, 2007.
Mad was an amusement facility operator. On March 20, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced a restructuring plan that would transfer amusement business to Atlus, by moving it to Mad as a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., which would be established on June 1, 2007; the remaining businesses would be operated under Marvelous Entertainment Inc. The transfer also included sale of The Third Planet amusement operations, effective on July 1, 2007. At Atlus, the company announced merging Mad into Atlus effective on September 1, 2007, with merger registered on September 3, 2007.
Delfi Sound Inc. It is a recording studio, album production, and music label company. The company was established on April 1, 2005, as Marvelous Studio Inc.. On March 22, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Studio Inc., effective on April 1, 2005. On January 22, 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring 100% of its Delfi Sound Inc. shares to Amuse Capital Inc., effective on January 29, 2010.
Rising Star Games was a video game publisher and distributor within Europe and all other PAL territories. On December 24, 2004, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of a London-based joint venture company called Rising Star Games Limited with Bergsala AB. Marvelous Entertainment Inc. would own 51% shares of the company, while Bergsala AB own the remaining 49%. The company would begin operation in 2004–12. MMV decided to gain a foothold on the European market first because most Japanese publishers have not really focused on it. About a year later, Rising Star Games and Atari teamed up to start releasing games for the Nintendo DS and PSP and has since experienced great success in Europe. As of March 31, 2008, Harvest Moon DS managed to sell over 300,000 copies and ship over 500,000 copies across the continent. Rising Star Games has also released over 30 games in Europe, including No More Heroes and a ported version of Harvest Moon: Magical Melody for the Wii. On January 22, 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring all of its remaining 51% of Rising Star Games Limited stakes to Intergrow Inc., effective on January 29, 2010.
Marvelous Entertainment USA, Inc. : on May 9, 2008, MMV announced that it would be partnering up with Xseed Games to co-publish games in North America. On May 16, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced it had acquired the shares of an American company AQ Interactive and it would be renamed as Marvelous Entertainment USA as 100% subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment effective in May 2005. On May 9, 2008, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. and Xseed Games announced they had entered a co-publishing partnership. The North American video game sales would begin in November 2008. On May 31, 2011, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring 100% of its Marvelous Entertainment USA, Inc. shares to Rising Star Games Limited, effective on June 30, 2011.
Video games
Developed
Note: The below tables are limited to games developed or published by Marvelous in Japan after the merger with AQ Interactive to form Marvelous ; May 2011; see here for games released prior to this date.| Name | Platform | Release date | Other information |
| Harvest Moon: A New Beginning | Nintendo 3DS |
| Published by Natsume Inc. in North America; final Story of Seasons game to be localized and published in North America by Natsume. |
| Story of Seasons | Nintendo 3DS | Published by Nintendo in Europe. | |
| Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns | Nintendo 3DS | Published by Nintendo in Europe. | |
| Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town | Nintendo Switch | Remake of Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town and Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town; first game in the main series playable on PC. | |
| Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town | Microsoft Windows | WW: July 10, 2020 | Remake of Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town and Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town; first game in the main series playable on PC. |
| Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town | Xbox One & PlayStation 4 | Remake of Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town and Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town; first game in the main series playable on PC. | |
| Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town | Nintendo Switch | ||
| Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town | Microsoft Windows | WW: September 15, 2021 | |
| Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town | PlayStation 4 | ||
| Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life | WW: June 27, 2023 | Remake of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life and Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life. | |
| Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar | WW: August 27, 2025 | Remake of Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar. | |
| Doraemon Story of Seasons | Co-developed by Brownies and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. | ||
| Doraemon Story of Seasons | PlayStation 4 | Co-developed by Brownies and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. | |
| Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom | WW: November 2, 2022 | Co-developed by Brownies and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. |
| Name | Platform | Release date | Other information |
| Monster Hunter Stories | Nintendo 3DS |
| |
| Monster Hunter Stories | |||
| Monster Hunter Stories | WW: June 14, 2024 | Remastered version. | |
| Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin | WW: July 9, 2021 | ||
| Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin | PlayStation 4 | WW: June 14, 2024 | |
| Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection | WW: 2026 | First game in the Stories spin-off series playable on Xbox Series X/S and first game in the spin-off series not playable on the originalNintendo Switch. |