MAGES, the developer behind the Science Adventure line of visual novels that includes the Steins;Gate series and the upcoming Anonymous;Code, has been acquired by Colopl, the smartphone business-focused company behind White Cat Project. Apart from developing video games, MAGES is also in the anime music publishing, live events, and anime business, all of which was previously conducted under the 5pb. brand.
Back in July 2019, MAGES. went through a management buyout process in order to become independent from the previous parent company Kadokawa Group, although the conglomerate and company remain on good terms. During this process, the company rebranded everything under the 5pb. brand to just MAGES, in order to unify brand strength. Now, the company will live on as a subsidiary of Colopl.
According to MAGES President Chiyomaru Shikura, the reason why he allowed Colopl to purchase the company is because as is, MAGES is missing something important to modern times: mobile business. This is essential nowadays to a company in the mixed-media development business like MAGES, no matter what form the first piece of media in the franchise takes. As a partner of Colopl, who was referred to as “pros among pros” in the business, the company will be able to learn the know-how of the industry and increase the value of the business in a way it wouldn’t be able to achieve alone. He hoped that people will continue to support the company and the company’s works going forward as well.
Currently, MAGES is working on the next game in the Science Adventure series, Anonymous;Code. It will release “next winter.” Additionally, the company is working with Nintendo on the Famicom Tantei Club remakes due to release in 2020.
Nintendo does have a lawsuit going on with Colopl, so it’s uncertain if this will be affected. That said, for Shironeko New Project, Nintendo clarified that the lawsuit is separate from its games business, so it should be fine.
