Grasshopper Manufacture is independent from NetEase Games as of October 1, 2026, and continues to plan and develop titles in its own style while keeping a cooperative relationship with NetEase. Its latest title, ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN, received its first major update on Steam in June 2026.
Grasshopper Manufacture's two most recent stories are an ownership change and a content update, in that order of consequence. The Tokyo studio announced it became independent from NetEase Games as of October 1, 2026. It had been a subsidiary of GungHo Online Entertainment since 2013 and came under NetEase through a share transfer agreement in 2021. The studio said the decision followed sufficient discussion with NetEase Games and its cooperation, and that it will keep a good relationship and cooperate mutually if opportunities arise. Procedures such as changes among officers are underway. The studio, founded in 1998 and led by representative director Goichi Suda, says it has built up self-publishing know-how and will keep planning and developing titles with its own style.
The update story is narrower. Grasshopper released the first major update for ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN on Steam on June 26, named ROMEO'S UPDATED, MAN. It adds a costume change function, a photo mode, and collaboration outfits from Hotline Miami, including outfits based on Jacket and Biker. Players who have cleared the game can change Romeo's appearance in his room on the time ship, choosing from three masks and eight jacket types. Other costumes reference past Grasshopper titles, including a Tiger Jacket series tied to a hitman character and a Demon Jacket linked to a legendary demon hunter. A similar update is planned for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the PC version is on sale.
What is settled is the split and the update itself. What the stories leave open is timing for the console versions of the update.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Oct 3
Grasshopper Manufacture announced that it became independent from NetEase Games as of October 1, 2026. The Tokyo studio, founded in 1998 and led by representative director Goichi Suda, has more than 25 years of development experience and more than 25 titles, including killer7, The Silver Case, and the No More Heroes series. It became a subsidiary of GungHo Online Entertainment in 2013 and came under NetEase through a share transfer agreement in 2021. Grasshopper Manufacture released its latest title, ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN, in February 2026 and marked its 28th anniversary in March. The studio said the decision followed sufficient discussion with NetEase Games and its cooperation, and that it will keep a good relationship and cooperate mutually if opportunities arise. It said it has built up self-publishing know-how and will keep planning and developing titles with its own style. Procedures such as changes among officers are underway.
Jun 26
Grasshopper Manufacture released the first major update for its action-adventure game ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN on Steam on June 26, adding a costume change function, a photo mode, and collaboration outfits from the indie game Hotline Miami. The update, named "ROMEO'S UPDATED, MAN," is available for the PC version, with a similar update planned for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Players who have cleared the game can change Romeo's appearance in his room on the time ship, choosing from three masks and eight jacket types. The Hotline Miami collaboration includes outfits based on the characters Jacket and Biker. Other costumes reference past Grasshopper Manufacture titles, including a Tiger Jacket series tied to a hitman character and a Demon Jacket linked to a legendary demon hunter. The photo mode allows camera adjustment, color correction, depth of field control, and frame art. A 20% off sale on Steam and a 10% off bundle with Hotline Miami are also live. ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN launched in February 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and currently holds an 88% positive rating on Steam from approximately 1,900 reviews.