Dingo Inc., ‘Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA’ Game Developer Files for Bankruptcy

After ceasing its operations on March 21, game developer Dingo officially filed for bankruptcy. The company had a total debt of 340 million yen to around 100 creditors. Founded in 1998 and based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan with 51 employees (as of June 2015), it is known to develop games for the Nintendo DS, arcade, and PlayStation Portable platforms. It recently got into developing smartphone games before it their official close.

Some of Dingo’s known video games are Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA 2, and Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Extend for the Playstation Portable. It is one of the first Vocaloid games officially released under this virtual voicebank software franchise. The Project Diva games are rhythm or music based which features popular Vocaloid songs. As you progress in the game, you will be able to unlock more songs, characters, clothes, and so on.

Aside from Project: DIVA, they also made the PSP dating sim game Photo Kano in 2012 which is considered by fans as the spiritual successor of Amagami and KimiKiss. An enhanced version of the game was then released for the PlayStation Vita in 2013. The game also had a couple of manga adaptations and an anime series which premiered on April 5, 2013 in Japan.

Dingo also developed the Android/iOS game Ragnastrike Angels which was distributed by DMM. It also had an anime adaptation which aired from April 3 to June 19, 2016. The company also developed the PS Vita games Love Live! School Idol Paradise which composes of three volumes: Vol. 1 Printemps, Vol. 2 BiBi, and Vol 3. Lily White. They were released on August 28, 2014 and were immediately sold a total of 88,169 physical copies in just in their first week of release. Aside from games under this popular school idol franchise, Dingo also developed the PS Vita game Persona 4: Dancing All Night.

Among the other games worked on by Dingo were Pokemon Battrio, PokePark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, and several from the Love Live! School Idol Paradise series. They developed games for all sorts of systems, including arcade games, PlayStation Portable games, Android, and even PS Vita games.

All good things must come to an end as they say—while Dingo Inc. may no longer be able to develop video games anymore, the games that they have made over the past years will always remain in the hearts of fans. Let’s all hope that there will be a better beginning soon for this company and if ever they do, let’s hope they bring in more epic video games for fans young and old to enjoy!

More information can be found in Oricon News.