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Creatures Inc.

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Creatures Inc.
Native name
株式会社クリーチャーズ
Kabushiki gaisha Kurīchāzu
Company typePrivate KK
IndustryVideo games
Genre
PredecessorApe Inc.
Founded
  • Ape Inc.
  • March 1989; 35 years ago (1989-03) in Tokyo, Japan
  • Creatures Inc.
  • November 8, 1995; 29 years ago (1995-11-08) in Tokyo, Japan
Founder
Headquarters2-10-2 Fujimi,
Chiyoda, Tokyo
,
Japan
Number of locations
1 studio (2019)
Key people
ProductsGames
Brands
Number of employees
246 (2024)
DivisionsPokémon CG Studio
Websitewww.creatures.co.jp/en
Footnotes / references
[1][2][3]

Creatures Inc.[a] is a Japanese video game company affiliated with Game Freak and Nintendo, and is one of the owners of the Pokémon franchise.[2] It was founded by Tsunekazu Ishihara in November 1995, with the assistance of then-president of HAL Laboratory, Satoru Iwata,[4] as a successor to Shigesato Itoi's company Ape Inc.[5]

Alongside Game Freak and Nintendo, Creatures jointly owns The Pokémon Company. It is best known for developing the Pokémon Trading Card Game and designing Pokémon toys. Creatures operates the Pokémon CG Studio, which focuses on the 3D modelling and animation of Pokémon models in all Pokémon games. Creatures has also developed Pokémon spin-off titles and various non-Pokémon titles.[6] The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, in proximity to Ichigaya Station.[2][7]

History

[edit]

1989–1995: Ape Inc.

[edit]

Ape Inc. was founded in March 1989 with Shigesato Itoi as its chief executive officer (CEO). Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi had wanted to support new talent in game design. Liking Itoi's work, he proposed the idea of the company to Itoi and invested in it. Ape's staff included Tsunekazu Ishihara, who later became The Pokémon Company's president, and Ashura Benimaru Itoh, a renowned illustrator. They began working on Mother, which was released on 27 July 1989. Its music was composed by Hirokazu Tanaka, who later became the second CEO of Creatures.[8] The team went on to develop Mother 2, which would be known in the Western world as EarthBound. When development of this game began to falter, Satoru Iwata of HAL Laboratory was brought in to help the project. The game was released in Japan on 27 August 1994. Ape's game development activities ceased in 1995. Ape also produced a line of official guidebooks for Nintendo, in co-operation with Nintendo and Shogakukan. They began with Encyclopedia Mother in October 1989, and ended with Nintendo Official Guidebook—Pocket Monsters: Red, Green, Blue (Complete Compatibility, Revised Edition) on 10 January 1997. Shogakukan assumed Ape's role and continues to produce Nintendo Official Guidebooks in their stead.

1995–present: Creatures Inc.

[edit]

Creatures Inc. was established on 8 November 1995,[2] with Tsunekazu Ishihara as CEO, and consisting of former staff from Ape.[8] In 2000, Hirokazu Tanaka, a.k.a. Hip Tanaka, a former Nintendo composer and sound designer, who joined Creatures in 1999, became President of the company as Ishihara went to become the President of The Pokémon Company in 2000, while still holding his CEO position in Creatures.

At one point, Creatures had its headquarters on the 7th floor of the Nintendo Kanda Building (任天堂神田ビル, Nintendō Kanda Biru) in Sudachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.[9] They later moved to the fifth floor annex of the Kawasakiteitoku Building (川崎定徳ビル, kawasakiteitoku Biru) in Nihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo.[10]

Creatures has a division called Pokémon CG Studio that is dedicated solely to making Pokémon 3D models and animations. They only make the models and animations for the Pokémon themselves, as human characters are modeled and animated in-house at Game Freak. The studio as of 2017 had 22 full time 3DGC artists, however according to studio director Atsuko Ujiya they wanted to double it in the following years. She states that during its peak workload they have around 100 employees (including temporary contractors) to work on the creation of models and animations.[11][12]

On 16 October 2020, Creatures announced the acquisition of Ambrella, the developer of a number of Pokémon spin-off games. Creatures acquired all property rights of Ambrella, and Ambrella disbanded, with its employees becoming part of Creatures.[13]

In April 2023, Creatures announced that Tsunekazu Ishihara has stepped down at his position as CEO and executive director, and Hirokazu Tanaka has stepped down as president and executive director. Ishihara continues as the President of The Pokémon Company, and will continue to commit to the management of the company as a founder, while Tanaka will remain as Creative fellow. Yuji Kitano assume Creatures as CEO and President; meanwhile, Tomotaka Komura will step into the role of Executive vice president.[14][15]

Games

[edit]

Ape/Creatures has developed or has contributed to the development of the following games.

  = developer
  = co-developer
  = assistant developer

Ape

[edit]
  Year Title Platform Developer Role Notes
  1989 Mother NES Nintendo Tokyo R&D Products Co-developer Initially Japan only. Re-released worldwide in 2015 as EarthBound Beginnings.
1993 Monopoly SNES CreamSoft Japan only.
Sanrio World Smash Ball! Tomcat System
1994 EarthBound HAL Laboratory Released as Mother 2 in Japan.
1995 Mario's Picross Game Boy Jupiter
Tamori's Picross SNES Jupiter[16] Series of small games distributed over the Satellaview network, coinciding with a radio show by Japanese celebrity Tamori. Japan only.[16][17]
The Monopoly Game 2 Tomcat System Japan only.
Mario's Super Picross Jupiter
2003 Mother 1+2 Game Boy Advance Pax Softnica, HAL Laboratory Porting Compilation cartridge of Mother and Mother 2. Japan only.[18]

Creatures

[edit]
  Year Title Platform Developer Role Notes
  1996 Picross 2 Game Boy Jupiter[19][20][21] Co-developer[22] Japan only.[23]
1997 Mini Yonku GB: Let's & Go!! Jupiter[24][25] Co-developer[26] Based on mini yonku racing and a related manga and anime. Published by ASCII Corporation. Japan only.[27]
1998 Game Boy Camera Nintendo R&D1, Game Freak, Jupiter[28][29] Software co-development.
  Pokémon Stadium (Japanese version) Nintendo 64 Nintendo EAD Pokémon modeling.[30] Japan only.
Hey You, Pikachu! Ambrella Pokémon modeling.[30]
  Pokémon Trading Card Game Game Boy Color Hudson Planning, game design, card design.[30]
  1999 Super Smash Bros. Nintendo 64 HAL Laboratory Pokémon modeling, opening design.[31]
Pokémon Snap Part of 2D illustrations, Pokémon modeling.[31]
Pokémon Stadium (international version) Nintendo EAD Part of 2D illustrations, Pokémon modeling.[31] Upgraded version of the original Pokémon Stadium. Released in Japan as Pokémon Stadium 2.
2000 Pokémon Stadium 2 Pokémon modeling.[32] Released in Japan as Pokémon Stadium Gold Silver.
  2001 Chee-Chai Alien Game Boy Color Creatures Developer Japan only.
  Pokémon Card GB2: GR-dan Sanjo! Hudson Planning, game design, card design.[33] Japan only. Subtitle is often translated as Here Comes Team GR!,[34] and sometimes as The Invasion of Team GR![35]
  Super Smash Bros. Melee GameCube HAL Laboratory Character, stage, and figure modeling. Opening movie design.[33]
2003 Pokémon Colosseum Genius Sonority Pokémon modeling.[36]
  2005 Nonono Puzzle Chailien Game Boy Advance Nintendo[37] Co-developer Japan only. Chailien is sometimes spelled Chairian.[38]
  Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness GameCube Genius Sonority Pokémon modeling.[39]
2006 Pokémon Ranger Nintendo DS HAL Laboratory Assistant developer.[40]
Project Hacker: Kakusei Red Entertainment Assistant developer.[40] Japan only.
Pokémon Battle Revolution Wii Genius Sonority Pokémon modeling.[40]
2007 Pokémon Battrio Arcade Tomy, AQ Interactive[41] Pokémon modeling, cabinet design.[42] Arcade cabinet. Japan only.
  2008 Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Nintendo DS Creatures Developer
  Personal Trainer: Walking Nintendo NSD, Engines Software co-development.
  2009 PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure Wii Creatures Developer
2010 Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Nintendo DS
  2011 Pokémon Card Game: How to Play DS Zener Works[43] Co-developer Instructional game on how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, included with a deck kit called the Beginning Set. Japan only.[44]
  Pokédex 3D Nintendo 3DS Creatures[45] Developer Free app.[46] Discontinued after October 1, 2012.[47]
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Wii Creatures
  2012 Pokémon Dream Radar Nintendo 3DS Game Freak[48][49] Co-developer
  Pokédex 3D Pro Creatures[50] Developer Upgraded version of Pokédex 3D. Paid app, unlike its precursor.[50]
Pokédex for iOS iOS Creatures[51] Discontinued on November 30, 2015.[52]
  2013 Pokémon X and Y Nintendo 3DS Game Freak Pokémon modeling.[53]
2014 Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
2015 Pokkén Tournament Arcade, Wii U Bandai Namco Studios
  2016 Great Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo Nintendo 3DS Creatures Developer
  Pokémon Duel iOS, Android Heroz Pokémon modeling.[53] Discontinued on October 31, 2019.
Pokémon Go iOS, iPadOS, Android Niantic
Pokémon Sun and Moon Nintendo 3DS Game Freak
2017 Pokkén Tournament DX Nintendo Switch Bandai Namco Studios
  2018 Detective Pikachu Nintendo 3DS Creatures Developer[53]
  Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! Nintendo Switch Game Freak Pokémon modeling.[53]
2019 Pokémon Sword and Shield
2022 Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
  2023 Detective Pikachu Returns Creatures Developer[53]
  2024 Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket iOS, Android DeNA Co-developer[54]

Canceled

[edit]
  2000 Mother 3: The End of the Pig King Nintendo 64 HAL Laboratory Character modeling.[55] Canceled in 2000.[56] Restarted development without the participation of Creatures as the GBA game Mother 3.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Japanese: 株式会社クリーチャーズ, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Kurīchāzu

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Iggy (May 17, 2018). "Creatures Inc. Gets A Logo And Website Makeover". NintendoSoup. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Company Outline". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "Company Outline". 株式会社クリーチャーズ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "Iwata Asks: Pokémon HeartGold Version & SoulSilver Version". Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  5. ^ "スペシャル対談／後編1・田尻さんと石原さんの6年". 任天堂マガジン表紙 (No.23). Nintendo. July 2007. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "Creatures - Pokémon - Serebii.net". www.serebii.net. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  7. ^ "Access Map". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2010. (direct link)
  8. ^ a b "Quick History of the MOTHER Series". EarthBound Central. March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  9. ^ "Creatures Welcome Page". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on March 2, 2000. Retrieved October 4, 2010. 千代田区神田須田町1–22任天堂神田ビル7F
  10. ^ "Welcome to Creatures Inc". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on April 1, 2001. Retrieved October 4, 2010. 東京都中央区日本橋3-2-5川崎定徳ビル別館5F.
  11. ^ "ポケモンの設定画に命を吹き込むクリーチャーズアセット制作にとどまらない現状と未来とは". CG・映像の専門情報サイト | CGWORLD.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "『ポケットモンスター サン・ムーン』の3Dアセット制作とそれを可能にする高度な3社協業体制". CG・映像の専門情報サイト | CGWORLD.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  13. ^ "クリーチャーズ、ゲーム開発会社アンブレラを吸収合併].オタク産業通信". オタク産業通信 (in Japanese). October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020.
  14. ^ Writer, Jeffrey Rousseau Staff (April 5, 2023). "Creatures Inc. sees leadership change as CEO and president step down". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  15. ^ "役員人事に関するお知らせ". 株式会社クリーチャーズ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Tamori's Picross". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
  17. ^ "Tamori's Picross". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  18. ^ "Mother 1+2". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018.
  19. ^ "Picross 2". jupiter.co.jp. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008.
  20. ^ "Picross 2 cartridge". MobyGames. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  21. ^ Mario's Picross 2 (Game Boy) (YouTube video). Enrique Garcia / kachorro 2. December 14, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  22. ^ "Company >> History >> 1996". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  23. ^ "Picross 2". MobyGames. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018.
  24. ^ "Mini 4x4 GB Let's & Go!!". jupiter.co.jp. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008.
  25. ^ shisochou. "Mini Yonku 4WD Let's & Go Game Boy GB Japan import cartridge only" (direct link to picture of cartridge), eBay.
  26. ^ "Company >> History >> 1997". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  27. ^ "Mini Yonku GB: Let's & Go!!". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  28. ^ "Pocket Camera". jupiter.co.jp. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008.
  29. ^ Game Boy Camera And Printer Review (YouTube video). Michael's Retro Game Reviews / davidhass3lh0ff. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  30. ^ a b c "Company >> History >> 1998". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  31. ^ a b c "Company >> History >> 1999". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  32. ^ "Company >> History >> 2000". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Company >> History >> 2001". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  34. ^ "Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!". Bulbapedia. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  35. ^ "Pokemon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!". Arty's Generic Site. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017.
  36. ^ "Company >> History >> 2003". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  37. ^ "Nonono Puzzle Chairian cartridge". MobyGames. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  38. ^ "Nonono Puzzle Chairian Releases". MobyGames. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  39. ^ "Company >> History >> 2005". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  40. ^ a b c "Company >> History >> 2006". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  41. ^ "ポケモンバトリオ | ポケモンバトリオとは" [Pokemon Batrio | What is Pokemon Batrio?]. battrio.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  42. ^ "Company >> History >> 2007". creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  43. ^ Pokemon TCG DS 15 Minutes Gameplay (YouTube video). TheLoneSwordsmen. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  44. ^ "Pokémon Card Game: How to Play DS". Bulbapedia. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  45. ^ "Pokédex 3D". nintendo.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  46. ^ Miller, Zachary (June 14, 2011). "Pokédex 3D". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
  47. ^ "Pokédex 3D Pro Coming Nov. 8; Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 Debut New Features" (Press release). Nintendo. January 8, 2012. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
  48. ^ Pokémon Dream Radar title screen (screenshot). Giant Bomb. March 17, 2013. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
  49. ^ "Pokémon Dream Radar". nintendo.co.uk. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018.
  50. ^ a b "Pokédex 3D Pro". nintendo.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017.
  51. ^ "Pokédex for iOS". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013.
  52. ^ "Pokédex for iOS App Goes Out of Service". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017.
  53. ^ a b c d e "Products". www.creatures.co.jp. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  54. ^ "Shares in DeNA soar on announcement of new Pokemon trading card game". japantimes.co.jp. February 28, 2024. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  55. ^ "ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 - ようこそ『Mother3』の世界へ！". 1101.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 10, 2007.
  56. ^ "Official Earthbound 64 Cancellation Interview". Yomuka!. August 18, 2013. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014.
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