Grasshopper Manufacture Leaves NetEase and Becomes Independent Again
Grasshopper Manufacture is officially independent again today after five years under NetEase Games. CEO Goichi 'Suda51' Suda announced that the Tokyo studio's separation takes effect on October 1 following discussions between both companies. NetEase acquired Grasshopper in 2021, but Suda says completing this year's Romeo Is a Dead Man prompted the studio to consider what it wanted its next chapter to look like. The answer, appropriately for the developer of No More Heroes and killer7, was apparently: considerably stranger and with fewer corporate parents. Grasshopper says its improved self-publishing capabilities give it more options for future projects, although independence does not mean burning bridges. Suda says the company remains willing to collaborate with publishers and studios—including NetEase—when appropriate. Grasshopper produced Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered and Romeo Is a Dead Man during the NetEase period, and the approximately 40-person studio is approaching its 30th anniversary. In an industry where independent studios have spent years being absorbed into enormous publishing groups, seeing one emerge from the other end again is unusual. Suda described the next phase rather more colourfully as Grasshopper's 'next fucking adventure.' Frankly, anything more polite would have been suspicious.
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Key Takeaways & Strategic Context
- Date: October 1, 2026. - Category: Industry. - Primary subject: Grasshopper Manufacture Leaves NetEase and Becomes Independent Again. - Ecosystem impact: Highlights notable developments for Asian gaming audiences and international multiplatform ecosystems across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2.
Q: What is the primary takeaway from Grasshopper Manufacture Leaves NetEase and Becomes Independent Again? A: Suda51 announces Grasshopper Manufacture is officially independent again after five years under NetEase Games, opening a new chapter of self-publishing.
Q: Where can readers follow related GameForceAsia coverage? A: Track our continuous news stream at /news, review game evaluations on /reviews, and explore upcoming hardware and title schedules on /release-radar.