In a nutshell

• Shift Up has acquired Tokyo studio Unbound, founded by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami.
• Shift Up will publish and support Unbound’s games, combining Unbound’s creative team with Shift Up’s global publishing resources.
• The partnership aims to balance experimental projects and a flagship AAA title, with both studios citing shared creative vision.

South Korean developer Shift Up, best known for Stellar Blade and GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, has announced their purchase of Tokyo-based studio Unbound, the new company led by legendary game creator Shinji Mikami.

The deal gives Shift Up full ownership of Unbound’s shares and establishes them as the publisher and development partner for Unbound’s future projects.

What the Acquisition Means

Shift Up says the move is driven by a shared creative philosophy rather than market logic. Under the agreement, they will provide publishing support and development resources while Unbound continues to operate its Tokyo studio, which reportedly has around 50 employees working on original IP for consoles and PC.

Creative leaders unite

Shinji Mikami, whose credits include Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry, Okami, and Vanquish, founded Unbound in 2023 to pursue original experiences and mentor the next generation of developers. Mikami said the partnership with Shift Up’s CEO Hyung-Tae Kim felt natural, noting strong synergy and a shared focus on creativity.

Hyung-Tae Kim framed Shift Up’s new role as publisher around a simple conviction: great work will find its audience without excessive hype. Kim described the acquisition as an opportunity to combine their global publishing expertise with Unbound’s world-class development talent.

“We believe we can respect each other as creators and make games together,” Mikami says. “And I think with Hyung Tae, we can even enjoy the hard parts.”

“Seeing my own vision and ideals come into focus like this, and finding someone whose direction aligns so closely is something I’ve rarely experienced before in my career. I hope we keep building together for a long time.”