Shift Up, the South Korean studio behind Stellar Blade, has fully acquired Kamuy, the new AAA game studio founded by Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami, as part of a new global publishing deal.

The acquisition gives Shift Up complete ownership of Mikami's studio and, with it, a direct line to one of Japan's most recognized creative names in survival horror. For Shift Up, the move marks a step beyond its own development slate into broader global publishing operations.

What changes for the studios involved?

For Kamuy, the deal secures backing and a publishing route for its AAA project through an owner with a proven commercial hit. Stellar Blade, released as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, established Shift Up's console credentials and gave the company financial headroom to expand beyond its mobile roots, which include the long-running title Destiny Child.

For Shift Up, full ownership means it now controls the IP and output of a studio led by a director whose credits include the original Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4 and The Evil Within. The structure of the deal — a full acquisition tied to a global publishing agreement — signals that Shift Up intends to publish Kamuy's output worldwide rather than license it out regionally.

Mikami founded his new studio after leaving Tango Gameworks, the Bethesda-owned developer he established in 2010 and where he served as executive producer on Ghostwire: Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush. His new outfit was reported to be working on a new AAA IP with a smaller core team than his previous leadership roles.

Why does the deal matter for the market?

The transaction continues a broader pattern of Korean publishers buying Japanese development talent to secure premium console content. Korean companies have spent recent years converting mobile and live-service revenue into acquisitions and publishing deals aimed at global console and PC markets, and Shift Up's purchase of a studio headed by Mikami fits that strategy directly.

It also reflects consolidation pressure on mid-sized Japanese studios. Independent AAA development in Japan increasingly requires either outside publishing capital or outright acquisition, and a director-led studio with Mikami's profile represents exactly the kind of asset larger publishers want to lock down before a first title ships.

What happens next?

No financial terms, headcount figures or project timelines were disclosed in the announcement. The open questions are the size of the deal, how much creative autonomy Mikami retains under full Shift Up ownership, and when the studio's first AAA title — now set to be published globally by Shift Up — will be revealed. Watch for Shift Up's next earnings briefing for possible deal valuation and pipeline details.

Note: This report is based on the announcement headline; AUTOMATON's full coverage contains additional details.