Grounding Inc.

Grounding Inc. (グランディング株式会社) is a Japanese video game and board game developer headquartered in Fukuoka, with additional studios in Tokyo and Kyoto. Founded on September 7, 2007, by Yukio Futatsugi and other former staff from Sega and Microsoft, the company has built a diverse portfolio spanning console games, mobile titles, board games, and VR experiences. Its early years focused on downloadable console titles for Nintendo and Microsoft platforms, including the Xbox One launch title Crimson Dragon. In 2012, Grounding entered the board game market with Machi Koro, which became an international success and was nominated for the 2015 German and French board game awards. The company has also developed or co-developed numerous mobile games, such as Alchemist Code and Little Noah, and has recently expanded into VR with titles like Onimusha VR: Shadow Team and Death Note: Killer Within. With around 120 employees as of July 2024, Grounding continues to operate as a private company led by CEO Yukio Futatsugi.

Grounding Inc. was established on September 7, 2007, by Yukio Futatsugi and other former staff from Sega and Microsoft. The company was founded after Futatsugi, then a manager at Microsoft's Japan studio, created a game mock-up with colleagues and successfully pitched it to Nintendo, which required dealing with a company rather than individuals. Initially, Grounding developed downloadable content for WiiWare and DSiWare, such as Asoberu Ehon: Tobidasu Sugoroku! and Hirari Sakura Samurai. Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, the company began creating analog games, leading to the release of the Machi Koro series in 2012. Machi Koro gained international recognition and was nominated for the 2015 German and French board game awards, a first for a Japanese board game. In 2012, Grounding also started developing smartphone games, and its co-developed title The Alchemist Code reached top 10 rankings. The company has since expanded into VR, establishing a dedicated VR studio in 2022, and continues to develop titles for various platforms including consoles, mobile, and VR. Notable titles include Crimson Dragon (2013), Little Noah (2022), and Onimusha VR: Shadow Team (2025).

• Grounding Inc. founded

• Release of Asoberu Ehon: Tobidasu Sugoroku! for WiiWare

• Release of Hirari Sakura Samurai for Nintendo 3DS

• Release of Machi Koro board game

• Release of Crimson Dragon for Xbox One

• Machi Koro nominated for German and French board game awards

• Release of The Alchemist Code (development cooperation)

• Establishment of VR studio

• Release of Little Noah: Paradise Lost

• Release of Mario & Luigi: Brothership (development cooperation)

• Release of Onimusha VR: Shadow Team for arcades

• Release of Death Note: Killer Within

A creative game developer that values fun and new experiences, with a focus on technical and planning capabilities.

• Crimson Dragon

• Machi Koro

• Little Noah: Paradise Lost

• Onimusha VR: Shadow Team

• Death Note: Killer Within

• The Alchemist Code

• Mario & Luigi: Brothership

1. 1グランディング株式会社-ゲーム開発~街コロなど人気作多数g-rounding.com
2. 2グランディング株式会社-会社概要g-rounding.com
3. 3Grounding - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4グランディング - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org