Shinji Mikami doesn’t need an introduction but here’s one anyway. Resident Evil. Devil May Cry. Killer7. Okami. Vanquish. The Evil Within. Hi-Fi RUSH. Ghostwire: Tokyo. Three decades of work that helped define action games as we know them today. With UNBOUND, he is building a studio focused on original experiences, creative exploration, and supporting the next generation of developers.

The people on the team describe working with him in ways that don’t sound like a typical studio. “He doesn’t have his own office” says one team member. “He sits at a desk with us. You can just talk to him.” The culture that creates is exactly what you’d hope for. “At UNBOUND we are able to talk about ideas freely with everyone,” says another. “If the idea is interesting, we can try to make it.”

 

 

 

Hyung Tae Kim is the other half of this equation. As founder and CEO of SHIFT UP, he built his reputation the same way Mikami did, by making games with a distinct artistic identity and refusing to compromise on either. 

GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE and Stellar Blade proved that, despite being brand-new IPs, they don’t just compete at the highest level — they have established SHIFT UP as a global creator of premium, character-driven experiences. Now Kim is stepping into a new role: publisher. And his philosophy on what that means is refreshingly direct. “I grew up playing games from Shinji Mikami,” he says. “And to be here now working together is incredibly meaningful.” But excitement alone isn’t the point. Kim’s ambition for SHIFT UP as a publisher is built on a simple conviction: “If a work is good, people will naturally understand its value without needing excessive praise or forced recommendations.” Through this partnership, SHIFT UP aims to support UNBOUND in bringing their creative vision to players around the world.

 

 

 

 

What draws these two together isn’t geography or market logic. It’s a shared conviction that strong creative direction and high-quality execution go hand in hand. UNBOUND runs on parallel development: smaller, experimental titles alongside a large-scale flagship, so neither ambition nor risk-taking ever gets sacrificed to the other.

“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.” He goes further: “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.”

To introduce this partnership properly, we sat down inside the UNBOUND studio in Tokyo with Shinji Mikami, his team, and Hyung Tae Kim together on camera for the first time. It’s not a trailer. It’s not a hype reel. It’s a conversation between creators who are serious about what they’re building.

 

 

 

 

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About UNBOUND Inc. 

UNBOUND is an independent game studio based in Tokyo, led by CEO Shinji Mikami. Comprised of veteran developers behind some of the most iconic titles in Japanese gaming history, the studio is dedicated to creating original IPs for global audiences. 

About SHIFT UP Corp.

Founded in 2013, SHIFT UP is a South Korean game developer behind globally successful titles including GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE and Stellar Blade. Driven by distinctive original IP and a high standard of development, the company continues to expand its presence in the global games market.