What Grasshopper Manufacture announced

Grasshopper Manufacture has ended its ownership relationship with NetEase Games and returned to independent status. Studio founder and chief executive Goichi Suda shared the announcement on September 30, following the February release of Romeo Is a Dead Man and the studio’s 28th anniversary in March.

The statement says the decision was reached after discussions with NetEase and with the publisher’s cooperation. Grasshopper thanked NetEase for the relationship and left open the possibility of future collaboration, making this a separation rather than a public dispute.

What independence changes for the studio

Grasshopper says it improved its self-publishing knowledge while operating under NetEase and now has a broader set of options for bringing future games to market. Romeo Is a Dead Man was published by Grasshopper Manufacture, a practical example of the capability the studio is emphasizing.

Independence can give a developer more control over partners, release strategy and the types of projects it pursues. It also shifts more responsibility for financing, staffing, marketing and distribution onto the studio unless new publishing or investment agreements are secured.

What the announcement does not say

  • The financial terms of the separation or whether Grasshopper bought back NetEase’s stake.
  • Whether an outside investor, lender or publishing partner supported the transition.
  • The size of the studio after the ownership change or whether any roles are affected.
  • Which intellectual-property rights moved with the company under the agreement.
  • The studio’s next game, release plan or publishing partner.

Those omissions are important. The announcement confirms the ownership change and the studio’s intent, but it does not justify claims about a new No More Heroes game, a specific sequel, a release calendar or the financial health of the independent company.

Why the NetEase split matters

Grasshopper is a long-running Japanese developer associated with No More Heroes, killer7 and The Silver Case. Its return to independence is notable because it reverses a 2021 acquisition and restores a distinctive studio’s ability to choose among self-publishing, conventional publishing and project-by-project partnerships.

It also arrives during a period in which NetEase has reduced support for several overseas development investments. Grasshopper’s confirmed outcome should not be automatically applied to other NetEase-linked teams: each studio’s funding, ownership and project status needs separate sourcing.