- SHIFT UP secures ”Resident Evil” Visionary Shinji Mikami and his newly founded studio

- SHIFT UP to strengthen the company’s global PC and console publishing capabilities with UNBOUND’s upcoming titles.

(April 1, 2026) SHIFT UP (CEO Hyung-Tae Kim) announced that it has completed the acquisition of Japanese game developer UNBOUND Inc. by acquiring all of its shares.

UNBOUND is a PC and console game development studio led by Shinji Mikami, who is known for his work on global hits such as the ＜Resident Evil＞ series, ＜Devil May Cry＞, ＜The Evil Within＞ series, and ＜Okami＞, and a team of veteran developers. The team bring together those with acclaimed experience both in and outside of Japan, attracting significant attention from the global gaming industry. 

Currently, UNBOUND is developing original PC and console-based IPs targeting the global market.

Through this acquisition, SHIFT UP has successfully integrated world-class development talent and expanded its new PC and console-based pipeline. Furthermore, the company plans to directly handle the publishing of UNBOUND’s upcoming titles and gradually build its own global service capabilities.

SHIFT UP CEO Hyung-Tae Kim stated, “I find it deeply meaningful to join forces with UNBOUND, which brings together a world-class development team led by CEO Shinji Mikami,” adding, “This acquisition will serve as an opportunity to deliver the best gaming experience to users worldwide and further solidify SHIFT UP’s global development competitiveness.” 

Shinji Mikami, CEO of UNBOUND, said, “I am very pleased to be partnering with SHIFT UP CEO Hyung-Tae Kim and all the employees.” He continued, “I sense strong synergy with CEO Kim, who is also an active creator, and I believe this is an ideal partnership that allows us to focus on creativity. We will do our best to create fun games so that both companies, working as one, can meet our fans’ expectations.” 

Meanwhile, SHIFT UP has released a branding video detailing this acquisition on its official YouTube channel for a global audience. The video features CEO Shinji Mikami’s philosophy for game development and CEO Hyung-Tae Kim’s vision for collaboration, heightening anticipation among global gaming fans.

＜Links＞ 

Partnership Announcement Video

SHIFT UP Blog

■ 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.

SHIFT UP is a South Korean game developer founded in 2013, with a portfolio of titles that have achieved significant success in the global market, including ＜GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE＞ and ＜Stellar Blade＞. Based on its original IP and high-level development capabilities, the company continues to expand its presence in the global gaming market.