Vampire Survivors Developer poncle to Open Japan Studio, El Shaddai Creator as President
The appointment formalizes a relationship that began with a fan-made homage and grew into a business partnership, giving poncle a direct presence in Japan's game development and licensing market.
Reporting from 5 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark, and 1 more.
poncle, the UK-based developer of Vampire Survivors, announced plans to establish a Japan studio by the end of 2026. Sawaki Takeyasu, the creator of El Shaddai and representative director of crim, will serve as the studio's representative director and president. Takeyasu announced the appointment on his X account on June 9, 2026, saying he would support poncle founder Luca Galante and the team while preparing the studio. The Japan studio aims to streamline communication with Japanese partners and create new collaboration opportunities. Takeyasu previously collaborated with poncle on a crossover between his game Mythological Construction Star Note and Vampire Survivors, and also created the package design for the spin-off Vampire Crawlers. Galante has said he grew up experiencing Takeyasu's work and felt honored that Takeyasu enjoyed Vampire Survivors enough to make a homage. The announcement coincides with the reveal of a new brand called SURVIVATON for future poncle survivor-like games, and a new expansion pack Legacy of the Bloodmoon for Vampire Survivors.
Takeyasu announced the appointment on his X account on June 9, 2026. He said he would "support Luca (Vampire Survivors developer) and the poncle team while carefully moving forward with preparations." He called the role "a great joy to be deeply involved with a game I have loved and played for a long time."
Takeyasu previously worked at Capcom on multiple titles before creating El Shaddai. At his own company crim, where he serves as representative director, he developed the 3D roguelike action game Mythological Construction Star Note, which he described as made from "the desire to create a 3D version of Vampire Survivors." That game received two Vampire Survivors collaboration updates, the first in October 2025. Takeyasu also created the main illustration and package design for the spin-off Vampire Crawlers, released in April 2026.
poncle, founded by Luca Galante, established a publishing division in 2024 after the success of Vampire Survivors. That division has released titles including Berserk or Die and Kill the Brickman. The company co-developed Vampire Crawlers with Nosebleed Interactive.
The Japan studio is expected to "make communication with all Japanese partners easier and faster, and to create new collaboration opportunities," according to poncle's announcement. The studio is planned to be operational by the end of 2026.
Galante has said he "grew up experiencing Takeyasu's works and felt honored that Takeyasu enjoyed Vampire Survivors enough to want to create a homage." Galante wrote that he "looks forward to the day I can work with him again."
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 5 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net 「Vampire Survivors」を生み出したponcleによるサバイバー系作品は，新ブランド「SURVIVATON」（サバイバトン）として展開へ
- Denfaminicogamer 『Vampire Survivors』開発元のponcleが今年度中の日本スタジオ設立を準備中。『エルシャダイ』などで知られる竹安佐和記氏が代表取締役社長に就任予定
- Automaton 『Vampire Survivors』のponcleが日本スタジオを設立へ、代表は『エルシャダイ』の竹安佐和記氏に。“相思相愛”の繋がりもあってか
- Game Spark 『ヴァンサバ』開発元、今後作るのは「サバイバー」系ではなく「SURVIVATON（サバイバトン）」―他ジャンル作品との差別化図る
- GameBusiness.jp 『エルシャダイ』竹安佐和記氏が『ヴァンサバ』のponcle日本スタジオ社長に就任予定。過去には『ヴァンクロ』パッケージデザインなども