Atlus

Atlus is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, best known for the Megami Tensei franchise and its Persona spin-off series.

Atlus is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, best known for the Megami Tensei franchise and its Persona spin-off series. Founded in 1986, it became part of Sega’s corporate group after a series of ownership changes and now operates as a Sega subsidiary. The company's games, particularly the Persona series, have been widely distributed and discussed in Canada.

History

Atlus was founded on April 7, 1986, and initially developed games for other publishers. It released its first game under its own name, Puzzle Boy, in 1989. The company later began publishing its own titles and went through several ownership changes, including mergers and acquisitions, before becoming part of Sega’s corporate structure.

Major franchises

Atlus is best known for the Megami Tensei franchise and its Persona spin-off series. The company also developed other series such as Etrian Odyssey and Trauma Center. These role-playing game franchises have contributed to Atlus's reputation.

Corporate ownership

The original Atlus corporate entity was merged into Index Corporation in 2010, and the brand name continued under later corporate arrangements. After a series of ownership changes, Atlus re-emerged as a Sega-owned game company when Sega acquired Index's game business in 2013. Atlus now operates as a Sega subsidiary.

International presence

Atlus has operated beyond Japan through regional publishing and brand use, including Atlus-branded operations in North America. Its games have been widely distributed in international markets, particularly through the Persona series, which has been sold and discussed widely in Canada.