Why this matters: the studio behind No More Heroes just walked away from one of China's biggest publishers — and it is the rare breakup where the studio, not the publisher, chose the ending.
September 30, 2026 — Grasshopper Manufacture, the Osaka studio behind No More Heroes and Killer7, announced it is separating from NetEase Games and returning to independent status effective October 1, 2026. The split ends a five-year run as a subsidiary of the Chinese publishing giant — a chapter in which the studio shipped just one game.
Image: illustration of a punk-rock indie game studio office glowing with neon at night. Credit: Red Eye Eagle News / original AI illustration.
Editor's Highlight: Grasshopper walks away intact — staff, brand, and name together — which makes this the happiest possible version of a story that has ended badly for nearly every other studio NetEase touched.
Table of Contents
- Key Facts
- What Grasshopper Announced
- Romeo Is A Dead Man: The One Game of the NetEase Era
- NetEase's Wider Retreat From Western Studios
- 28 Years of Grasshopper: A Timeline
- What Independence Means for the Next Game
- Bottom Line
- FAQ
- Sources
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Studio | Grasshopper Manufacture, Osaka; founded 1998 by Goichi Suda ("Suda51") |
| Announcement | September 30, 2026 — separation from NetEase Games, effective October 1, 2026 |
| Ownership history | Independent (1998–2013); GungHo (2013–2021); NetEase (2021–2026); independent again |
| Games shipped under NetEase | One: Romeo Is A Dead Man (February 2026) |
| Stated reason | Desire to make games "in an even wider variety of styles" after completing Romeo Is A Dead Man |
| Terms | Described by both sides as mutual and amicable; no financial terms disclosed |
| Known for | Killer7, the No More Heroes series, Lollipop Chainsaw, Shadows of the Damned, Let It Die |
| Context | NetEase has closed, cut, or defunded multiple overseas studios since 2024 |
What Grasshopper Announced
Founder and CEO Goichi Suda, known to fans as Suda51, published a statement on September 30 announcing the split, saying the decision came after "thorough discussions" with NetEase and with the publisher's "generous cooperation," Game Informer reported.
"Having finally completed this all-hands project [Romeo Is A Dead Man], as we reflected on the next stage of Grasshopper Manufacture's future, we found a strong desire to deliver titles in an even wider variety of styles to video game lovers everywhere," Suda wrote. "As such, Grasshopper Manufacture has chosen to move forward as an independent developer once again." He added that the studio continues to "cherish the amazing relationship" between the two companies.
Romeo Is A Dead Man: The One Game of the NetEase Era
Romeo Is A Dead Man launched on February 11, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, as confirmed by the PlayStation Blog. The sci-fi action title — in which the player hunts wanted criminals across space and time — was the studio's first all-new IP in roughly five years.
Crucially, it was also the first game Grasshopper self-published rather than releasing through an outside publisher. Suda leaned hard on that experience when explaining the independence move: "Having improved our own self-publishing know-how, we now have a broad range of options available to us."
The studio closed its statement with a direct appeal: it remains committed to "unique titles featuring the 'NO GAME NO LIFE' gaming experience expected of Grasshopper Manufacture with our own signature flavor and further enhanced quality."
Tech Analysis: Self-publishing is the detail that makes this split viable: Grasshopper tested the model directly with Romeo Is A Dead Man — and the test apparently gave Suda the confidence to bet the studio's future on it.
NetEase's Wider Retreat From Western Studios
Grasshopper's exit is part of a bigger NetEase pullback from overseas studios acquired during its 2020–2022 expansion push:
| Studio | Location | Reported action |
|---|---|---|
| Worlds Untold | Canada | Closed by NetEase (2024) |
| Jar of Sparks | United States | Project paused (2025) |
| Liquid Swords | Sweden | Layoffs reported (2025) |
| T-Minus Zero / Bad Brain | US / Canada | Shuttered (2026) |
| Fantastic Pixel Castle | United States | Effectively shut down; AAA MMO "Ghost" ended (2026) |
| Nagoshi Studio | Japan | Funding cut by NetEase (May 2026) |
NetEase leadership is reportedly prioritizing "evergreen, mass-market hits" over auteur-driven niche titles — the exact kind Grasshopper makes. This is the only exit both companies describe as negotiated rather than imposed.
28 Years of Grasshopper: A Timeline
| Period | Owner | Key releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–2013 | Independent | Founded March 30, 1998; Killer7 (2005), No More Heroes series, Lollipop Chainsaw |
| 2013–2021 | GungHo Online Entertainment | Acquired January 2013; Let It Die, Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes |
| 2021–2026 | NetEase Games | Equity deal signed May 2021, announced October 2021; one release: Romeo Is A Dead Man |
| Oct 2026– | Independent | Split announced September 30, 2026, effective October 1 |
The studio celebrated its 28th anniversary in March 2026, and its statement looks ahead to its 30th anniversary and beyond.
What Independence Means for the Next Game
Grasshopper has not announced its next project, but the statement drops strong hints:
- Self-publishing is on the table. Suda credited the Romeo Is A Dead Man experience with giving the studio "a broad range of options" — suggesting the next announcement could arrive with no publisher attached.
- Publishers are not ruled out. The studio explicitly left the door open to future partnerships, including further collaboration with NetEase "when the opportunity arises."
- Expect the Grasshopper flavor. The "NO GAME NO LIFE" pledge and the "wider variety of styles" line point to the studio's signature genre-bending approach, not a pivot to mass-market formulas.
Practical Takeaway: For players, the practical effect is creative freedom — the next Grasshopper game will be whatever Suda51 wants to make, funded however he can fund it. For the industry, it is a visible counter-example: a studio that left a major publisher's orbit intact, with its name, staff, and creative direction together.
Bottom Line
Five years, one game, one amicable handshake. Grasshopper bet that self-publishing know-how is worth more than a publisher's balance sheet. Watch what Suda51 announces next — it will show whether independence was the right call.
FAQ
Why did Grasshopper leave NetEase?
According to Suda51's statement, the studio wanted to make games "in an even wider variety of styles" after completing Romeo Is A Dead Man, and its improved self-publishing know-how gave it "a broad range of options." Both companies describe the split as mutual and amicable.
When does the split take effect?
October 1, 2026. The announcement came September 30, 2026, ending a five-year ownership run that began with an equity deal in 2021.
What games did Grasshopper release under NetEase?
Just one: Romeo Is A Dead Man, which launched February 11, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam — and which Grasshopper self-published.
Is this part of a bigger NetEase pullback?
Yes — Worlds Untold, T-Minus Zero, Bad Brain, Fantastic Pixel Castle, and Nagoshi Studio have all been closed, paused, or defunded since 2024.
What is Grasshopper known for?
The Osaka studio, founded in 1998 by Goichi "Suda51" Suda, is known for cult, auteur-driven titles: Killer7, the No More Heroes series, Lollipop Chainsaw, Shadows of the Damned, and Let It Die.
Sources
- https://tech-insider.org/grasshopper-manufacture-netease-split-2026/ — Tech Insider, Sept 30, 2026: full account of the split, ownership timeline, and NetEase's wider studio retreats
- https://gameinformer.com/2026/09/30/suda51s-grasshopper-manufacture-leaves-netease-is-independent-studio-again-months-after — Game Informer, Sept 30, 2026: Suda51's press-release statement in full
- https://insider-gaming.com/grasshopper-manufacture-parts-from-netease-and-becomes-independent/ — Insider Gaming, Sept 30, 2026: confirmation of the October 1 effective date and NetEase's 2021 acquisition terms
- https://fullcleared.com/news/suda51s-grasshopper-manufacture-is-independent-again/ — FullCleared, Sept 30, 2026: self-publishing details, May 31, 2021 agreement terms, and the "NO GAME NO LIFE" pledge
- https://gamedev.net/news/6099-grasshopper-manufacture-becomes-independent-as-it-splits-from-netease-games/ — GameDev.net, Sept 30, 2026: GamesIndustry.biz-sourced confirmation and self-publishing context
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