Unbound was founded in Tokyo in November 2022 to work on original franchises for the global market. Now, development will continue under the wing of the Korean giant. Thanks to the deal, Shift Up not only absorbed the development team but also expanded its portfolio.
Shift Up CEO Hyung Tae Kim doesn't hide his joy about the deal:
I believe it is extremely significant that we are joining forces with Unbound, which has a world-class development team led by Shinji Mikami. This acquisition will be an opportunity to provide a better experience for players around the world and further strengthen Shift Up's global competitiveness.
Shinji Mikami also positively assessed the partnership:
I am very happy to have the opportunity to collaborate with Shift Up CEO Hyung Tae Kim and all the company's employees. I feel a strong synergy with Mr. Kim, who is also an active creator, and believe that this is the perfect partnership, allowing us to focus on creativity. We will do our best to create great games, thanks to which both companies, acting as one, will meet the expectations of fans.
For Mikami, this is a chance to implement new ideas faster, and for Shift Up, it is an opportunity to acquire an industry legend and a Japanese production base.