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Sekai Project

Not to be confused with Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku, a mobile rhythm game.

Sekai Project
IndustryComputer games
GenreVisual novels
FounderRaymond Qian
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Websitesekaiproject.com

Sekai Project is an American video game publisher. They are best known for licensing and translating Japanese visual novels into English, but they have also published manga and other non-visual novel video games.

History

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Sekai Project originated in 2007 as a fan translation group translating the visual novel School Days.[1] They later partnered with publisher JAST USA, turning their fan translation into the official English version of the game.[2] Sekai Project began publishing games on Steam in 2014; their first title was World End Economica episode.01, released in June. Sekai Project has used the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to fund many of their projects. In November 2014, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund an English release of the visual novel Clannad. The campaign exceeded its goal of US$140,000 and ended up raising over US$500,000.[3] In July 2015, Sekai Project announced that they would be localizing manga in addition to video games, starting with Gate.[4]

Since Steam does not typically allow adult games to be sold on their platform,[5] Sekai Project releases their adult titles through their partner company Denpasoft. For titles like The Fruit of Grisaia, an all ages version is available on Steam, while the adult version is sold directly through the Denpasoft website.[6]

In 2017, the company partnered with Humble Bundle, an online marketplace where games are sold based on what other users paid for them. As is usual for the Humble Bundle site, users were also able to donate a portion of their payment to the charity of their choice.[7]

In June 2018, Sekai Project provided a censored version of the adult game Maitetsu to Fakku to distribute, contrary to what Sekai Project had promised them and their customers.[8]

In August 2018, Sekai Project laid off some or all of their permanent staff in their Los Angeles office.[9] In a statement to the press, they said most of the staff let go were marketing, but one of their employees posted to Twitter claiming that every employee in the LA office was laid off.[10] Most of the translation and programming work for the company is freelance work that is done remotely. This has continued since the layoffs.

Sekai Games

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In 2018, Sekai Project opened Sekai Games, a console focused division within the company structure.[11] Since then, Sekai Games has handled all publishing and marketing for their console releases. On April 14, 2020, Sekai Games and Limited Run Games released a physical edition of Clannad for Nintendo Switch.[12]

Works

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Published games

[edit]
Title Developer Publication date Ref
World End Economica episode.01 Spicy Tails June 17, 2014 [13]
Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius Love in Space July 9, 2014 [14]
Sakura Spirit Winged Cloud July 9, 2014 [15]
Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet Key September 12, 2014 [16]
Rising Angels: Reborn IDHAS Studios September 12, 2014 [17]
Pyrite Heart Winged Cloud September 25, 2014 [18]
Fault Milestone One Alice in Dissonance December 15, 2014 [19]
Nekopara Vol. 1 Neko Works December 29, 2014 [20]
Sakura Angels Winged Cloud January 16, 2015 [21]
The Way We All Go ebi-hime March 24, 2015 [22]
Sunrider Academy Love in Space April 15, 2015 [23]
Narcissu 1st & 2nd stage-nana April 24, 2015 [24]
The Reject Demon: Toko Chapter 0 — Prelude Lupiesoft May 8, 2015 [25]
Love at First Sight Creepy Cute May 18, 2015 [26]
Tobari and the Night of the Curious Moon Desunoya May 26, 2015 [27]
Sakura Fantasy Chapter 1 Winged Cloud May 29, 2015 [28]
The Fruit of Grisaia Front Wing May 29, 2015 [29]
Raiders Sphere 4th Rectangle June 1, 2015 [30]
Ame no Marginal stage-nana July 7, 2015 [31]
World End Economica episode.02 Spicy Tails July 21, 2015 [32]
Machina of the Planet Tree -Planet Ruler- Denneko Yuugi July 28, 2015 [33]
Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 1 Front Wing July 29, 2015 [34]
Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 2 Front Wing July 29, 2015 [35]
Sakura Clicker Winged Cloud July 29, 2015 [36]
Asphyxia ebi-hime August 4, 2015 [37]
Sakura Beach Winged Cloud August 14, 2015 [38]
Nekopara Vol. 0 Neko Works August 17, 2015 [39]
Fault Milestone Two Side: Above Alice in Dissonance September 7, 2015 [40]
Sakura Swim Club Winged Cloud September 11, 2015 [41]
Sound of Drop: Fall Into Poison aiueoKompany October 30, 2015 [42]
G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String Akabeisoft2 November 5, 2015 [43]
Sakura Beach 2 Winged Cloud November 6, 2015 [44]
Written in the Sky Unwonted Studios November 9, 2015 [45]
Yohjo Simulator Deadfactory November 17, 2015 [46]
Clannad Key November 23, 2015 [47]
Reverse x Reverse Desunoya December 10, 2015 [48]
Was: The Hourglass of Lepidoptera[Note 1] SRL December 15, 2015 [49]
Sakura Santa Winged Cloud December 21, 2015 [50]
Strawberry Vinegar ebi-hime January 5, 2016 [51]
The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns ebi-hime January 5, 2016 [52]
No One But You Unwonted Studios January 19, 2016 [53]
Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project stage-nana January 27, 2016 [54]
Rabi-Ribi CreSpirit January 28, 2016 [55]
Nekopara Vol. 2 Neko Works February 19, 2016 [56]
Atom Grrrl!! Cosmillica March 1, 2016 [57]
Sunrider: Liberation Day Love in Space March 4, 2016 [58]
Rising Angels: Hope IDHAS Studios March 18, 2016 [59]
Starlight Vega Razzart Visual April 14, 2016 [60]
Lucid9: Inciting Incident Fallen Snow Studios April 14, 2016 [61]
Root Double: Before Crime * After Days Regista, Yeti April 27, 2016 [62]
Selenon Rising Fastermind Games April 29, 2016 [63]
Resette's Prescription: Book of memory, Swaying scale Liz-Arts May 30, 2016 [64]
Nekopalive Neko Works May 31, 2016 [65]
Clannad Side Stories Key June 2, 2016 [66]
Sakura Dungeon Winged Cloud June 3, 2016 [67]
Cherry Tree High Girls' Fight 773 June 13, 2016 [68]
Highway Blossoms Studio Élan, Studio Coattails June 17, 2016 [69]
The Orchard of Stray Sheep Namaage June 20, 2016 [70]
My Little Kitties Cosen June 21, 2016 [71]
The Labyrinth of Grisaia Front Wing June 22, 2016 [72]
Karakara calme June 27, 2016 [73]
Empty Horizons ebi-hime July 19, 2016 [74]
Just Deserts Vifth Floor July 25, 2016 [75]
Sakura Shrine Girls Winged Cloud August 26, 2016 [76]
This World Unknown ebi-hime September 2, 2016 [77]
Sakura Space Winged Cloud October 10, 2016 [78]
Catch Canvas Unwonted Studios, Razzart Visual October 14, 2016 [79]
Sakura Nova Winged Cloud October 20, 2016 [80]
Ne No Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto Kuro Irodoru Yomiji October 26, 2016 [81]
Memory's Dogma CODE:01 Liz-Arts November 4, 2016 [82]
AL･FINE CrimsonRabbit November 11, 2016 [83]
A Magical High School Girl illuCollab November 22, 2016 [84]
Love, Guitars, and the Nashville Skyline Cosmillica November 22, 2016 [85]
Magical x Spiral Broken Desk December 20, 2016 [86]
World End Economica episode.03 Spicy Tails December 21, 2016 [87]
Chrono Clock Purple software February 28, 2017 [88]
PacaPlus PacoProject March 30, 2017 [89]
The Eden of Grisaia Front Wing April 28, 2017 [90]
Hoshizora no Memoria Favorite December 18, 2017 [91]
Nekopara Vol. 3 Neko Works May 26, 2017 [92]
Project LUX Spicy Tails February 2, 2018 [93]
Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell Alice in Dissonance February 19, 2018 [94]
Kokonoe Kokoro Nostalgia March 2, 2018 [95]
Tropical Liquor Tentacle Games March 9, 2018 [96]
Re;Lord 1: The witch of Herfort and stuffed animals Escu:de, Element March 9, 2018 [97]
Fatal Twelve aiueokompany March 30, 2018 [98]
9-nine Palette January 31, 2019—March 19, 2021 [99]
Heart of the Woods Studio Élan February 15, 2019 [100]
M.A.S.S. Builder Vermillion Digital September 13, 2019 [101]

Upcoming games

[edit]
Title Developer Status Ref
Eternal Mawari Works TBA [102]
Fault Milestone Two Side: Below Alice in Dissonance 2019 [103]
Fault - Silence the Pedant Alice in Dissonance TBA [103]
Moonshot Fastermind Games TBA [104]
NarKarma EngineA Novectacle TBA [102]
November Boy Team ANAGO TBA [105]
The Human Reignition Project Alienworks TBA [106]
Hoshizora no Memoria -Eternal Heart- (fandisk) Favorite TBA [107]

Other releases

[edit]
Title Media format Developer Publication date Ref
2013 Moe Headphones Design Book Lunatic Joker 2014
Gate: Where The JSDF Fought Manga AlphaPolis December 2016 [108]
Clannad Anthology Manga TBA
MikuMikuDance Freeware Yu Higuchi TBA [109]
Ne no Kami Manga Fenrir Vier TBA [110]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This title has been discontinued, and is no longer available for purchase on Steam.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sekai Project Steam Group". Valve. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  2. ^ "School Days is coming in English!". JAST USA. March 1, 2011. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  3. ^ "CLANNAD Official English Release". Sekai Project. Kickstarter. January 9, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  4. ^ Spencer (July 26, 2015). "Sekai Project Announces Tenshin Ranman And Four More Visual Novel Localizations". Siliconera. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  5. ^ "The Sex Games That Steam Censors". Kotaku. January 21, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Denpasoft tweet". Twitter. August 28, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Pet anime catgirls with the Sekai Project Humble Bundle". Destructoid. June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  8. ^ "Raymond Qian". Twitter. June 30, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  9. ^ Handrahan (August 14, 2018). "Sekai Project hit by significant layoffs". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  10. ^ Frances Locke [@DancingQueen_DQ] (August 13, 2018). "Soooooooo the entire office got laid off today..." (Tweet). Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Sal Romano (June 7, 2018). "Sekai Project announces console-focused initiative Sekai Games". Gematsu.
  12. ^ Jenni Lada (April 8, 2020). "Clannad Switch Limited Run Games Preorders Open April 14, 2020". Siliconera.
  13. ^ "World End Economica episode.01 on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  14. ^ "Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  15. ^ "Sakura Spirit on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  16. ^ "planetarian ~the reverie of a little planet~ on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  17. ^ "Rising Angels: Reborn on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  18. ^ "Pyrite Heart on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  19. ^ "Fault Milestone One on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  20. ^ "NEKOPARA Vol. 1 on Steam". Valve. December 5, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  21. ^ "Sakura Angels on Steam". Valve. January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  22. ^ "The Way We ALL GO on Steam". Valve. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  23. ^ "Sunrider Academy on Steam". Valve. January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  24. ^ "Narcissu 1st & 2nd on Steam". Valve. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  25. ^ "The Reject Demon: Toko Chapter 0 — Prelude on Steam". Valve. April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  26. ^ "Love at First Sight on Steam". Valve. May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  27. ^ "Tobari and the Night of the Curious Moon on Steam". Valve. May 25, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  28. ^ "Sakura Fantasy Chapter 1 on Steam". Valve. May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  29. ^ "The Fruit of Grisaia on Steam". Valve. May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  30. ^ "RaidersSphere4th on Steam". Valve. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  31. ^ "Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal- on Steam". Valve. July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  32. ^ "WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.02 on Steam". Valve. July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  33. ^ "Machina of the Planet Tree -Planet Ruler- on Steam". Valve. July 28, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  34. ^ "Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 1 on Steam". Valve. July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  35. ^ "Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 2 on Steam". Valve. July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  36. ^ "Sakura Clicker on Steam". Valve. July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  37. ^ "Asphyxia on Steam". Valve. August 4, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  38. ^ "Sakura Beach on Steam". Valve. August 14, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  39. ^ "NEKOPARA Vol. 0 on Steam". Valve. August 17, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  40. ^ "Fault Milestone Two Side:Above on Steam". Valve. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  41. ^ "Sakura Swim Club on Steam". Valve. September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  42. ^ "Sound of Drop - fall into poison - on Steam". Valve. October 30, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  43. ^ "G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String on Steam". Valve. October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  44. ^ "Sakura Beach 2 on Steam". Valve. November 6, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  45. ^ "Written in the Sky on Steam". Valve. November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  46. ^ "Yohjo Simulator on Steam". Valve. November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  47. ^ Hannley, Steve (November 13, 2015). "Romantic Visual Novel 'Clannad' Release Date Revealed". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  48. ^ "Reverse x Reverse on Steam". Valve. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  49. ^ "Was: The Hourglass of Lepidoptera on Steam". Valve. May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  50. ^ "Sakura Santa on Steam". Valve. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  51. ^ "Strawberry Vinegar on Steam". Valve. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  52. ^ "The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns on Steam". Valve. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  53. ^ "No One But You on Steam". Valve. July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  54. ^ "Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project on Steam". Valve. January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  55. ^ "Rabi-Ribi on Steam". Valve. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  56. ^ "NEKOPARA Vol. 2 on Steam". Valve. February 12, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  57. ^ "ATOM GRRRL!! on Steam". Valve. March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  58. ^ "Sunrider: Liberation Day on Steam". Valve. March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  59. ^ "Rising Angels: Hope on Steam". Valve. March 18, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  60. ^ "Starlight Vega on Steam". Valve. April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  61. ^ "Lucid9: Inciting Incident on Steam". Valve. April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  62. ^ "Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition on Steam". Valve. April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  63. ^ "Selenon Rising on Steam". Valve. April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  64. ^ "Resette's Prescription ~Book of memory, Swaying scale~ on Steam". Valve. May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  65. ^ "NEKOPALIVE on Steam". Valve. May 31, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  66. ^ "CLANNAD Side Stories on Steam". Valve. June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  67. ^ "Sakura Dungeon on Steam". Valve. June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  68. ^ "Cherry Tree High Girls' Fight on Steam". Valve. June 13, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  69. ^ "Highway Blossoms on Steam". Valve. June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  70. ^ "The Orchard of Stray Sheep on Steam". Valve. June 20, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  71. ^ "My Little Kitties on Steam". Valve. June 21, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  72. ^ "The Labyrinth of Grisaia on Steam". Valve. June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  73. ^ "KARAKARA on Steam". Valve. June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  74. ^ "Empty Horizons on Steam". Valve. July 19, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  75. ^ "Just Deserts on Steam". Valve. July 25, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  76. ^ "Sakura Shrine Girls on Steam". Valve. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  77. ^ "This World Unknown on Steam". Valve. September 2, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  78. ^ "Sakura Space on Steam". Valve. October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  79. ^ "Catch Canvas on Steam". Valve. October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  80. ^ "Sakura Nova on Steam". Valve. October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  81. ^ "Ne No Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto on Steam". Valve. October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  82. ^ "Memory's Dogma CODE:01 on Steam". Valve. November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  83. ^ "AL･FINE on Steam". Valve. November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  84. ^ "A Magical High School Girl on Steam". Valve. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  85. ^ "Love, Guitars, and the Nashville Skyline on Steam". Valve. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  86. ^ "Magical x Spiral on Steam". Valve. December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  87. ^ "World End Economica episode.03 on Steam". Valve. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  88. ^ "Sekai Project to Release G-senjou no Maou, Chrono Clock, Root Double PC Games". Anime News Network. July 4, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  89. ^ "PacaPlus: Sekai Project". Sekai Project. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  90. ^ "Steam Greenlight :: The Eden of Grisaia - Grisaia no Rakuen". Valve. January 17, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  91. ^ "Hoshizora no Memoria -Wish upon a Shooting Star- on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  92. ^ "NEKOPARA Vol. 3 on Steam". Valve. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  93. ^ "Project LUX on Steam". Valve. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  94. ^ "Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell on Steam". Valve. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  95. ^ "Sekai Project Licenses Hitomebore, Kokonoe Kokoro Visual Novels". Anime News Network. January 31, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  96. ^ "Tropical Liquor on Steam". Valve. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  97. ^ "Re;Lord 1 ~The witch of Herfort and stuffed animals~ on Steam". Valve. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  98. ^ "Fatal Twelve on Steam". Valve. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  99. ^ "9-nine- Series". Valve. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  100. ^ "Heart of the Woods". Valve. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  101. ^ Kelly, Andy (July 21, 2020). "This game lets you build, paint, and customise your own anime mech". PC Gamer.
  102. ^ a b "Sekai Project Adds Rewrite+, 7 Other Games". Anime News Network. July 2, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  103. ^ a b "Current State of the Fault Series". Patreon. July 26, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  104. ^ "Moonshot: Sekai Project". Sekai Project. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  105. ^ "Sekai Project Adds Machina of the Planet Tree RPG, Shizuku no Oto Horror Game". Anime News Network. April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  106. ^ "Sekai Project tweet". Twitter. April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  107. ^ "Project Updates for Let's bring Visual Novel Hoshizora No Memoria to the West! On BackerKit Page 1".
  108. ^ "GATE: Where The JSDF Fought now available for Pre-Order". Sekai Project. November 16, 2016. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  109. ^ "Steam Greenlight :: MikuMikuDance-". Valve. December 25, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  110. ^ "IndieGoGo :: Ne no Kami-". Sekai Project. June 6, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
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