Kadokawa Accelerates Full-Scale Anime-to-Game Development Push
Media giant aims to become a fully integrated IP creator and game developer
Kadokawa, the Japanese media conglomerate best known for its extensive manga, light novel, and anime portfolio, is signaling a major strategic shift as it moves to significantly expand its presence in the video game industry. Recent developments indicate that games will no longer be treated as a secondary business, with the company now aiming to handle the entire process of adapting its own IPs into games in-house.
This move reflects Kadokawa’s long-term ambition to evolve into a comprehensive IP creator, spanning original creation, game development, and global distribution.
A New Strategic Direction for Kadokawa
According to a report from Denfaminicogamer, Kadokawa has launched a large-scale recruitment drive focused on expanding its internal game development capabilities. The company is actively seeking experienced professionals across multiple roles, including game producers, assistant producers, and game marketing specialists, to support the adaptation of its IPs into video games.
Kadokawa is the parent company of FromSoftware, the studio behind Elden Ring, but the current initiative is centered on strengthening Kadokawa’s own internal development pipeline rather than relying solely on external partners. The recruitment campaign underscores a clear intent to manage game projects directly, rather than licensing IPs out to third-party studios as it has traditionally done.
From IP Holder to Full In-House Developer
Historically, Kadokawa has operated primarily as an IP owner and publisher, overseeing popular properties while outsourcing game development. The company’s new approach marks a significant departure from that model, as it now seeks to control every stage of the process, from IP creation to game development and release.
This strategy allows Kadokawa to maintain tighter creative oversight and potentially deliver more consistent and distinctive adaptations of its anime, manga, and light novel properties. It also positions the company to build long-term value by fully owning the development know-how behind its game projects.
Global Game Projects Already in Motion
Kadokawa is currently preparing to launch its first global-scale game project developed under this expanded framework. The title is a multiplatform game based on the popular anime series The Rising of the Shield Hero. In addition, sources suggest that several unannounced projects are also in development, further explaining the urgency behind the company’s talent acquisition efforts.
Job listings indicate that Kadokawa is working across a wide range of platforms, including mobile and online games, PC, and console titles, highlighting a broad and aggressive push into the gaming market.
A Long-Term Bet on IP Expansion
Taken together, these developments suggest that Kadokawa is laying the groundwork for a fully integrated IP ecosystem, not just as a rights holder, but as an active game developer in its own right. If successful, this approach could lead to higher-quality adaptations and more cohesive creative visions for games based on Japanese anime and manga properties.
The key question moving forward is how effectively Kadokawa can translate its storytelling strengths into compelling game experiences, and whether this shift will help elevate the overall perception of anime-based games on the global stage.
Origin: automaton
