Shift Up, the Korean developer behind Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory: Nikke, completed the acquisition of UNBOUND Inc., which Mikami founded in November 2022. The deal brings UNBOUND’s team into Shift Up’s pipeline.
Mikami directed or produced some of the most recognized games of the past 30 years: Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Killer7, Okami, Vanquish, The Evil Within, Hi-Fi RUSH, and Ghostwire: Tokyo. He founded UNBOUND to develop original titles and support the next generation of developers.
“I find it deeply meaningful to join forces with UNBOUND, which brings together a world-class development team led by CEO Shinji Mikami,” said Shift Up CEO Hyung-Tae Kim. “This acquisition will serve as an opportunity to deliver the best gaming experience to users worldwide and further solidify Shift Up’s global development competitiveness.”
Mikami sounded pleased. “I sense strong synergy with CEO Kim, who is also an active creator, and I believe this is an ideal partnership that allows us to focus on creativity.”
UNBOUND runs smaller experimental projects alongside a larger flagship. Mikami works at an open desk among staff, not in a private office — which team members have apparently made a point of mentioning.
Kim built Shift Up on character-driven games and is now moving into publishing. His stated philosophy: “If a work is good, people will naturally understand its value without needing excessive praise or forced recommendations.”
UNBOUND’s titles are still in development for console and PC.
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