Wizardry developer receives 500-million-yen investment from the Japanese government 

Wizardry series developer Drecom announced on August 30 that it has received a 500-million-yen (over $3.4 million) investment from the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) for the upcoming RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne. The DBJ is owned solely by the Government of Japan through the Ministry of Finance.  

Originating in the US in 1981, the Wizardry series played an important role in establishing the foundations of role-playing video games. The series built up a strong following in Japan from the mid-80s onwards. The Wizardry IP has been owned by Japanese developer Drecom since 2020, and their latest title, Wizardry Variants Daphne, was recently announced for an October 2024 launch. The DBJ, on the other hand, is a financial institution that actively supports various Japanese companies in their efforts to compete in the international market by investing in intangible assets such as patents and brands.  

According to Drecom’s statement, the DBJ’s investment in Wizardry Variants Daphne was positioned as a part of its efforts to promote the domestic content industry. With both sides on the same page, Drecom decided to accept the offer, and the final amount raised was 500 million yen. 

Recognizing how intangible assets can play an important role in raising Japan’s international presence, the DBJ intends to support the growth of the content industry through “aggressive” investment in the acquisition and utilization of IPs. They consider the decision to invest in Wizardry a precedent and intend to continue supporting the industry by providing risk money. 

Wizardry Variants Daphne is scheduled for release in October 2024 and is currently accepting pre-registrations for iOS and Android. The release date for Steam will be announced later.