/PRCWT/Guangzhou, May 29, 2023——NetEase Games has announced the establishment of a new game studio named PinCool, Inc. (PinCool) as part of its NetEase Games division. Based in Tokyo, Japan, PinCool is a studio comprised of industry experts with extensive experience in different facets of the interactive entertainment field, including video games, movie creatives, live events and IP licensing.
PinCool is led by Representative Director & President Ryutaro Ichimura, a 20-year veteran of the games industry and longtime producer of the Dragon Quest franchise. Beyond serving as lead producer for games such as "Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King" and "Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies," Ichimura was also involved in production for anime properties such as "Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai." He also led various other areas of the Dragon Quest IP franchise including live events and exhibitions.
In addition, Takashi Ogura will join PinCool as a board member. Previously, Ogura was involved in branding and marketing, business development, and business strategy for a number of online businesses including "Doraemon" at Epoch Co., Ltd., "Duffy" at Oriental Land Co., Ltd., and "Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai" at Square Enix Co., Ltd.
PinCool plans to leverage its diverse knowledge as an entertainment production company to provide high-quality entertainment experiences to users worldwide. While it will mainly focus on developing titles for game consoles, the company will also be involved in planning and producing a range of additional forms of entertainment.
■ Message from Ryutaro Ichimura, Representative Director and President of PinCool
"'Creativity to make life more enjoyable' encapsulates our philosophy. The company name comes from the Japanese phrase 'pin to kuru,' expressing when an idea clicks. The English name 'PinCool' is pronounced similarly and is stylized to include the English word 'cool' as well." said Ryutaro Ichimura, President PinCool. "We offer something you won't find anywhere else. We aim to deliver fun experiences to people across the globe through projects that take advantage of the kind of new ideas that come from untethered creative freedom. We also aim to release smaller titles while we continue our work on large-scale titles. I'm looking forward to what lies in store in the adventure of PinCool!"
■ Message from NetEase Games
"As a company that is passionate about creating immersive gaming experiences, we recognize the significant role that Ichimura-san played in the development of the Dragon Quest series. We believe that his commitment to quality and to building innovative experiences is one of the reasons why the Dragon Quest franchise has endured for so long," said Simon Zhu, global president of investments and partnerships at NetEase Games. "He has shaped the RPG genre and inspired countless game developers around the world so we're very excited to see him join NetEase Games and begin a new journey with PinCool. We are committed to creating an environment at NetEase Games for Ichimura-san to thrive, explore new ideas, and continue creating unforgettable gaming experiences for game lovers."
■ About PinCool, Inc.
PinCool, Inc. is an entertainment production company
established in May 2023 in Tokyo, wholly owned by NetEase Games. Its main focus is
on developing titles for game consoles. The studio will also be expanding in and
consulting on a range of other interactive entertainment businesses.
