| Type | Subsidiary of Index Holdings |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer and video games |
| Founded | 7 April 1986 |
| Headquarters | Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Products | Jack Bros, Megami Tensei Series, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona Series, Trauma Center, Etrian Odyssey Series |
| Revenue | ¥2.732 billion (2010)[1] |
| Net income | ¥437 million (2010)[1] |
| Parent | Index Holdings |
| Website | www.atlus.com |
Atlus (株式会社アトラス Kabushiki-gaisha Atorasu) is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the role-playing video game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of novels, but after the second game, Atlus formed to publish the series. Its corporate mascot is Jack Frost from Shin Megami Tensei. Atlus is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo.[2] In October 2003, Takara acquired them.[3] In November 2006, Index Holdings enterprise acquired Atlus by buying a majority of its stock.[4]
On 30 August 2010, Index Holding announced that Atlus would no longer be an independent company and would be under their direct control.[5] Though this has caused concern among fans about the future of Atlus, the CEO of Atlus, Shinichi Suzuki has officially affirmed that Atlus will continue to provide the "finest quality game experiences possible" and the merger only "further strengthens the foundation of Atlus, both in Japan and here in the United States".[6]
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In March 2009, Atlus and Sting Entertainment announced in Japan a publishing partnership that will see Atlus as the only publisher of Sting-developed games. Prior to this, Atlus had already published Sting games, including Yggdra Union and Dokapon.[7]
Atlus USA, established in 1991, is the American subsidiary of Japanese video game publisher Atlus. Atlus USA publishes games created by Atlus Co., Ltd. as well as by other developers. Atlus USA is strictly a publisher, oftentimes localizing obscure or niche titles from other Japanese developers. Atlus USA operates from Irvine, California.
Many of the Megami Tensei games have not been released in North America. Jack Bros. for the Virtual Boy, Revelations: Persona for the PlayStation, and Revelations: The Demon Slayer for the Game Boy Color were the first three games in the series to have a North American release, both in the 1990s. The American release of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne in 2004 was the first main series video game to have an American release.[8] Since then, every game from the series has had an American release in addition to the Japanese, including Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey.
Atlus USA also has published games under the loose moniker Marl Kingdom, beginning with the relatively unheard of Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, in 2000.[9] One of Atlus USA's most known work in the United States is their localization of the cult classic Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, which was created by Nippon Ichi Software.[9]
Atlus USA has also published the tactical role-playing game Tactics Ogre and Game Boy Advance remakes of the Kunio-kun and Double Dragon games for Million (a company composed of former Technos Japan Corp. employees). Other notable titles include Snowboard Kids and Snowboard Kids 2 for the Nintendo 64 and most recently, Odin Sphere and the Trauma Center series.
Atlus USA published Growlanser, a real time strategy/RPG from the creators of the classic Langrisser series, Career Soft. After the success of the first game, they acquired Career Soft, who developed the second through fifth installments in-house.
In 2004, in collaboration with Sting and Bandai, Atlus U.S.A. released Riviera: The Promised Land, a role-playing video game for the Game Boy Advance, which they had previously released for the Wonderswan Color. In the Fall of 2006, Atlus U.S.A., once again along with Sting, released Yggdra Union, a strategy RPG for the Game Boy Advance.[10]
Atlus USA also recently opened an online division, Atlus Online, who is currently servicing Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent and Pandora Saga.[11]
Jack Frost is the mascot of Atlus.[11] He resembles a snowman, but has teeth, a tail, no nose, and wears a joker hat and shoes. His catchphrase is "Hee-Ho". He has appeared in several Atlus games, including several entries in the Shin Megami Tensei series and Jack Bros. He is a hidden character in both the American and Japanese versions of SBK: Snowboard Kids, but has a larger role in the Japanese version. Jack Frost has derived a family in its universe and more relatives were created since Shin Megami Tensei II. Such as King Frost, Frost 5 Senshi, Ja-aku Frost (Black Frost), etc. Jack Frost also makes a cameo appearance as a button/brooch on the clothing of the gunner class in Etrian Odyssey II, another game by Atlus.
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