Comcept Studio Closes Its Doors: Creators of Mighty No. 9 and ReCore Shut Down

Comcept, the Japanese Game Developer, Shuts Down

Renowned for crafting titles like Mighty No.9 and ReCore, Japanese gaming studio Comcept has ceased operations. This news comes from a recent report by GameBiz, which identified a Notice of Dissolution published in the Official Gazette.

Founding Vision and Early Works

Founded in 2010 by Keiji Inafune, a notable former producer at CAPCOM, Comcept emerged from Inafune’s vision. He is famously known for co-creating iconic series such as Mega Man, Onimusha, and Dead Rising. The company’s first significant title was Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, released in 2014, an action/adventure spinoff developed in collaboration with Spark Unlimited and Team Ninja. Additionally, Inafune’s team contributed to Soul Sacrifice, a PlayStation Vita exclusive crafted with Sony’s Japan Studio.

The Rise and Fall of Mighty No.9

Comcept’s flagship project, Mighty No.9, was promoted as a spiritual successor to the beloved Mega Man franchise. The action platformer successfully raised $3.8 million through Kickstarter funding. Developed in conjunction with Inti Creates—another studio of former CAPCOM talent—the game was launched in June 2016 under the banner of Deep Silver. Unfortunately, it faced a lukewarm reception, receiving a disappointing score of 4 out of 10 from critic Chris Wray, who noted the game’s numerous design flaws and lackluster gameplay experience.

Mighty No.9 was designed to be a spiritual successor to Mega Man. If any of that spirit was ever here, it’s long since decayed. The game is incredibly frustrating, suffers from bad design choices throughout and offers only middling enjoyment.

Struggles and Transition to Level-5

In the same year as the release of Mighty No.9, Comcept also launched ReCore in collaboration with Armature Studio based in Texas. Although it received better reviews than its predecessor, it still struggled to gain significant traction.

In 2017, Comcept was acquired by Level-5 and became part of the studio, contributing to projects like Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y, Megaton Musashi, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road. With the closure, all of Comcept’s assets are set to be integrated into Level-5’s main operations.

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