Shueisha Games Cancels Release of Indie Title Ukiyo
The publisher change from a major manga publisher's game label to the original design studio signals a shift in Ukiyo's commercial backing but not a cancellation of the project itself.
Key Facts
- Shueisha Games announced on June 30 that it will cancel the release of the PC adventure game Ukiyo.
- The game follows a samurai cat named Kai trapped in a virtual space called UKIYO, set in a cyberspace world with a Japanese-style aesthetic.
- Ukiyo was first shown publicly at BitSummit in 2022 and was described as a fusion of 'Choju-giga' and cyberpunk.
- The Steam store page now lists FREAKY DESIGN as the publisher and developer, replacing Shueisha Games and Seaknot Studios.
- Shueisha Games apologized to those waiting for the release and said future information will come from the developer Free Key Design.
Reporting from 3 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Shueisha Games announced on June 30 that it will cancel the release of the PC adventure game Ukiyo, which was in development by Free Key Design. The game, set in a cyberspace world with a Japanese-style aesthetic, follows a samurai cat named Kai trapped in a virtual space called UKIYO. It had been shown at events like BitSummit and Tokyo Game Show in 2022, but updates on its official X account had stopped. Shueisha Games apologized to those waiting for the release and said future information will come from the developer. According to Game Spark and GameBusiness.jp, the publisher and developer on the Steam store page have been changed to FREAKY DESIGN, which was previously handling the design aspect. The game was originally part of Shueisha's Game Creators CAMP support project. Seaknot Studios, which handled game system production, has not commented on the change.
The game was first shown publicly at BitSummit in 2022, where it was described as a fusion of "Choju-giga" and cyberpunk. A GAME Watch article from that event called it "a super demonic fusion" and recommended it. The official X account had gone silent since then, leaving followers without updates until the June 30 announcement.
On the Steam store page, the publisher and developer fields have been changed from "SHUEISHA GAMES" and "Seaknot Studios" to "FREAKY DESIGN," according to the volunteer-run tracking site SteamDB. Freaky Design was originally responsible only for the game's design, including character and concept art, which are still posted on the official website. Seaknot Studios, which handled game system production, has not issued a statement about the change.
The game was originally part of Shueisha's Game Creators CAMP support project. Shueisha Games apologized "to all those who were waiting for our release" and said future information will come from the developer Freekey Design.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GAME Watch (Impress) インディーゲーム「浮世/Ukiyo」が集英社ゲームズからの発売を中止
- GameBusiness.jp 和風サイバーパンクADV『浮世/Ukiyo』、集英社ゲームズから発売元を変更―開発はフリーキーデザインが継続
- Game Spark 和風サイバーパンクADV『浮世/Ukiyo』、集英社ゲームズから発売元を変更―開発はフリーキーデザインが継続