Grasshopper Manufacture plans NetEase split and return to independence
Goichi Suda says the No More Heroes studio wants to pursue a broader range of game styles as an independent developer.
Grasshopper Manufacture CEO Goichi Suda has announced plans for the studio to separate from NetEase Games and operate independently, according to Game Developer. NetEase acquired the No More Heroes developer in 2021.
Suda said the team considered its future after completing work on Romeo Is A Dead Man and wanted to make games across a wider range of styles. He said the decision to pursue independence followed extensive discussions with NetEase.
For the studio, the planned split pairs a change in ownership structure with a stated ambition to broaden its creative output. That ambition does not yet establish which projects or styles it will pursue.
Suda founded Grasshopper in 1998. The studio was originally independent before joining GungHo Group and later NetEase.
- studio ownership
- independent developers
- business strategy
