In the spring of 2013, a web game called "Kantai Collection" officially launched. Few expected that this seemingly ordinary web game would rapidly gain global popularity through cross-media forms in the following years, initiating the "personification" design trend for service-based games.
Two years later, this same company, which created the "Ship Girls," launched another web game themed around "personified swords," titled "Touken Ranbu -ONLINE-." This broke the market trend where long-term service games primarily targeted male users. This company is none other than the widely known Japanese game platform and publisher, DMM GAMES.
Recently, DMM GAMES collaborated with Tookyo Games, led by the well-known game producer Kazutaka Kodaka, to release the single-player game "Shuuten Cult." This instantly sparked curiosity among many players: Why would this company, famous for service-based games, venture into single-player gaming? To uncover the reasons, we visited DMM's headquarters in Roppongi, Tokyo, during Tokyo Game Show 2025 and spoke with two key figures from DMM GAMES: Junta Inagaki, Head of Business Cooperation Operations, and Shusuke Yoshida, Head of the CEO's Office.
Q: First, could you briefly introduce DMM to the new generation of overseas players?
A:Simply put, DMM is an online service company. We offer a wide variety of services, covering around 60 different business areas, including video, e-books, and animation. Although we started with online services, we have gradually expanded offline, such as owning a football team in Europe and an aquarium in Okinawa. In short, we are an entertainment and IT company with a broad range of operations.
As for DMM GAMES, as the name suggests, we are primarily responsible for games. On one hand, we operate a game platform using DMM accounts, featuring hundreds of online games and tens of thousands of single-player titles. On the other hand, we actively invest in and develop content ourselves, including over thirty self-operated online games, with more than a dozen games currently in development.
Q: Although DMM has launched popular original online games like "Kantai Collection" and "Touken Ranbu -ONLINE-," in-house single-player game development seems less common. What considerations led DMM to enter the single-player game development sector?
A:The trigger was quite interesting. Our department initially handled "import" business, localizing and releasing overseas single-player games in Japan. As we worked, we realized that relying solely on the Japanese market limited our scale. Internally, there has always been a strong desire to "create our own IPs."
So we thought, perhaps with single-player games, we could try a different approach to IP cultivation compared to service-based games. We decided to use it as a starting point for creating new IPs. The idea was to establish the IP through a single-player game first, then leverage DMM's various businesses to expand and grow it.
Q: Does DMM GAMES have a dedicated department for single-player game development? What is its scale?
A:Currently, we do not have a dedicated development team. For "Shuuten Cult," we collaborated with an external development company. We primarily act as the publisher, providing funding, finding partners, and managing overall production.
Q: Looking back, we see that DMM collaborated with Mr. Ryukishi07 as early as 2016 to release the visual novel "Tsugihagi." In 2018, they also released "Gal Metal" on the Switch, including an overseas version. What is the relationship between those titles and the current DMM GAMES? Has the company's perspective on single-player games changed since then?
A:The relationship is indeed a bit complex to explain.
As you mentioned earlier, the "Gal Metal" project was initially started by another team before being transferred to us—it can be seen as our early exploration along this path.
However, there is a slight difference in feeling. When we worked on "Gal Metal," the focus was more on "making a fun game." But with "Shuuten Cult," our starting point was clearer: "We want to cultivate an IP," and single-player games served as an excellent vehicle for this goal. You could say our strategy has become more defined.
Q: How was the "Shuuten Cult" project decided upon? Why did you choose to collaborate with Mr. Kazutaka Kodaka's Tookyo Games?
A:It's a long story, dating back five or six years. We happened to meet Mr. Kodaka and discussed potential collaborations. During our conversation, he said, "I have a story concept, would you like to take a look?" We found it very interesting, and several internal fans of Mr. Kodaka were excited, thinking, "We can do this!" Then, I volunteered, saying, "I want to do this," and the project was launched.
As for the collaboration, we shared similar values and direction, so you could say we were like-minded. That's how this project began.
Q: Does the release of "Shuuten Cult" hold any special strategic significance for DMM GAMES today?
A:It holds significant meaning. As you know, while we have attempted to launch new online game IPs, it’s honestly not an easy task, and we’ve accumulated a lot of experience from failures. "Shuuten Cult" represents a new challenge for us—we wanted to see if we could successfully cultivate a new IP through the different path of "single-player games."
Q: Regarding platform selection, why did "Shuuten Cult" prioritize Switch and Steam? Was this based on user demographics or market strategy?
A:Yes, it was mainly due to the user base. Our game isn't the type that pursues top-tier AAA graphics; its users are likely more accustomed to playing on the portable Switch or PC via Steam. In comparison, PlayStation 5 had just started gaining traction in Japan at the time, and its user base wasn't as large yet. Therefore, we focused first on Switch and Steam, which we considered the core platforms.
However, to be honest, the development took longer than expected. Looking back, we feel we should have included PlayStation 5 as well. So, if this IP develops further in the future, we will definitely consider launching on PlayStation 5.
Q: In terms of original game development, does DMM GAMES have any particular preferences or standards? For example, do you favor certain genres or have requirements for game scale? What do you value most?
A:Rather than aiming for "big and comprehensive," we value "small but exquisite." We often say internally that we want to create "sharp-edged works." This means we don't try to please everyone, but rather aim to deeply move a specific group of players who feel, "This game was made just for me!" We believe that if we can create a game that genuinely ignites passion in some people, that enthusiasm will spread to others.
"Shuuten Cult" deals with relatively sensitive themes like "religion" and includes stimulating elements such as murder. We chose to boldly tackle these contents based on the belief that players who enjoy such themes will absolutely love it.
We don't strive to compete with the most cutting-edge or complex gameplay technologies. Instead, we prefer to focus on our strengths, such as world-building, character development, and storytelling. In our view, presenting a good story and memorable characters to players is more important than anything else.
Q: We noticed that DMM GAMES recently released a new entry in the "Muv-Luv" series, "Muv-Luv Girls Garden" (tentative translation), which was a huge success. Its style is quite different from previous entries—could you share how this project came about?
A:"Muv-Luv" is a bishoujo game that originated over twenty years ago. Through user feedback on our platform, we found that many players still deeply love and miss the world of "Muv-Luv." At the same time, a younger user base unfamiliar with the original "Muv-Luv" boom continues to emerge on the platform.
Therefore, instead of simply recreating works from decades ago, we decided to approach it from a fresh perspective to present a "brand new Muv-Luv." With support from the original creator, this project was primarily led by DMM GAMES, marking a new challenge. So far, "Muv-Luv Girls Garden" (tentative translation) has been very successful, consistently ranking among the top sellers, and we plan to continue expanding its possibilities.
Q: Besides new titles, DMM GAMES has recently remastered many classic bishoujo games like "Dokyusei." How have players responded to these older titles? What role did DMM play in this?
A:The response has been incredibly enthusiastic. Long-time supporters are very happy, and we frequently receive requests for a sequel.
Of course, we also hope to bring new works to everyone as soon as possible. However, few members of the original production team remain, and it is difficult to run multiple projects simultaneously, so a certain amount of production time is inevitably required.
Currently, we are working on integrating these classic IPs into a cohesive brand and accelerating localization and re-release efforts. In the future, we hope these masterpieces will not only be loved by original fans but also recognized and accepted by a new generation of players.
Q: This year (2025) marks the 15th anniversary of DMM GAMES. In your opinion, what has been the biggest change in the Japanese game market over these 15 years? Also, are there any surprises planned for players for the 15th anniversary?
A:The changes have been enormous. It feels like we've gone through a complete cycle: from the rise of PC online games, to the explosion of smartphone games becoming mainstream, and now, it seems people are returning to PC and single-player games.
DMM GAMES has remained relatively focused over the past 15 years, sticking to our PC platform and areas of expertise. We feel we've reached a mature stage. Additionally, with a new president taking office last October 1st, we look forward to embracing new challenges under the new leadership.
Regarding the 15th anniversary, our marketing team is already planning various online and offline events. With gratitude towards our players, we hope to prepare activities that will make everyone happy and satisfied. Please look forward to it! Our company culture encourages everyone to propose ideas, so we might come up with some unexpected new concepts.
Q: Does DMM GAMES have plans to expand long-term operational games like "Muv-Luv Girls Garden" (tentative translation) to overseas markets, such as China or Korea, in the future?
A:We truly hope so! Although we may not be able to bring every title overseas, we believe games that have proven successful in Japan, such as "Muv-Luv Girls Garden" (tentative translation, original title: "Muv-Luv Girls Garden"), have great potential abroad. We will be more proactive than before in challenging the overseas market.
Q: Finally, do you have any message for Chinese players?
A:We are working hard with Tookyo Games to prepare various events and promotions for "Shuuten Cult" for our Chinese player friends. Please stay tuned!
We understand that due to certain platform access issues, it might be difficult for some players to reach us directly. However, we strongly hope to connect with everyone through "Shuuten Cult" and future games. Our dream is to have more Chinese players recognize and love the DMM GAMES brand.
What we've always aimed to create is "sharp-edged content" that precisely hits the preferences of specific players. I previously attended Chinese gaming and anime-related events like Bilibili World and China Joy, and I was truly shocked by the passion of Chinese players on site. I felt the otaku culture atmosphere there was even stronger than in Japan.
This gives us great confidence that now is the right time to introduce our content to more Chinese players. We are committed to creating high-quality content that lives up to everyone's expectations!
Currently, the single-player game "Shuuten Cult," published by DMM GAMES, is participating in the Steam Spring Sale. You can enjoy a 30% discount if you purchase it now. Don't miss out if you're interested!
"Shuuten Cult" Steam Store Page:https://store.steampowered.com/app/3216500/_/