Keiji Inafune’s comcept Officially Closes After 15 Years

Keiji Inafune’s comcept Officially Closes

For longtime gamers, Keiji Inafune is synonymous with the Mega Man (Rockman) franchise. After leaving CAPCOM, Inafune founded his own studio, comcept, in 2010. The studio primarily served as a co-developer on projects, producing few games under its own name. The most notable was Mighty No. 9, which received a mixed reception upon release.

According to Gematsu, comcept officially closed following a unanimous decision by investors on January 13, 2026. Inafune has not publicly commented on the closure. Previously, the studio had also canceled the portable version of Mighty No. 9, which had been pre-ordered years in advance. While this cancellation may not have directly influenced the closure, it serves as a symbolic marker of the studio’s challenges.

Founded to develop games specifically for fans, comcept collaborated with major companies such as Team Ninja and Sony Computer Entertainment. From 2017 onward, comcept was acquired by Level-5, becoming a subsidiary before ultimately shutting down and merging with the parent company in 2025. Many of the original staff likely continued working under Level-5 or moved to other projects within the company.

Mighty No. 9, comcept’s most high-profile project, launched in 2016 after exceeding its crowdfunding goal by over 400%. Despite high expectations, it received widespread criticism. The game followed the robot protagonist Beck as he battled through stages and faced eight bosses with unique abilities. Mighty No. 9 was closely watched as a spiritual successor to the classic Mega Man series.

Though comcept’s closure marks the end of an era, Keiji Inafune’s influence on the gaming world remains significant, and many of his team members continue contributing to the industry through Level-5 and other projects.

 Origin: Gematsu