At the end of November 2025, Monotype – the new US-based parent company of major Japanese font provider Fontworks – discontinued an affordable and widely-used plan that allowed domestic developers to integrate Japanese typefaces into their games. Given that the only alternative Monotype provided was priced at an annual $20,.500 USD (compared to the original $380), the issue was met with widespread criticism and concerns from the community. Now, the company has responded to the uproar by temporarily restoring the original plan.
On December 9, Monotype announced that it will once again allow developers to renew their Fontworks LETS and Monotype LETS plans, with the application deadline being extended until March 31 next year. These options had previously been slated to end, with renewal applications being cut off.
The LETS font license has been used for in-game text across numerous Japanese games throughout the years, with prominent examples including Fate/Grand Order, Persona 5, NieR: Automata and several entries across the Mario, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises. Its discontinuation implied not only a massive price hike, but also inconvenient conditions such as user count limitations for applications using the provided fonts.
Monotype says that the move had been part of an effort to align older programs with current global standards. However, the company acknowledged that it had not provided sufficient clarity or explanation regarding the transition for existing users, leading to a number of inquiries about the impact of the changes. As a result, Monotype decided on this temporary reinstatement while it revisits the issue and examines possible improvements.
Long-term, Monotype plans to bring LETS in line with its global-standard products, services, and support. This suggests that options such as the game typeface integration plans will ultimately be phased out. Still, the company says it’s preparing new service plans specifically for the Japanese market, which sounds like good news for domestic developers. Further details are to be announced sometime in early 2026.
