Illusion shuts down - One of the biggest adult gaming studios from Japan

One of the biggest adult gaming studios in Japan, Illusion, is closing its doors in August.

This is sudden and shocking news for the adult gaming community, as Illusion was one of the mammoths in the industry. What contributed to this decision is unclear. This is a significant news though, as it will impact the whole industry. Read more to understand why this can be really devastating news.

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About Illusion

Illusion was a Japanese video game developer and publisher famous for creating and releasing adult-themed games, particularly those in the eroge subgenre (erotic sex games). The business is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and was established on April 25, 1997. Games from Illusion are well-known for their emphasis on character customization and adult content and are primarily marketed to the Japanese market.

As for the company's history, Illusion has remained a relatively private and low-profile company. They primarily cater to the Japanese market and have not gained much international recognition compared to other game developers.  Their focus on adult-oriented content has limited their mainstream visibility. In adult gaming industry though they were very well known across the globe.

Illusion continued to develop and release new games periodically, often incorporating improvements in graphics, customization features, and gameplay mechanics. But the tools to customize the games were the most important aspect as they led to the creation of 100s of other games.

Notable Illusion Games

"Biko" one of Illusion's first notable albums, was released in 1999. The protagonist of the game engages with a variety of female characters in a virtual setting. Since then, Illusion has created and published a large number of games, many of which have gained popularity among adult game enthusiasts in Japan and the West.

Some of Illusion's well-known games include

• Battle Raper (April 19, 2002)
  
• Oppai Slider 2 (2005)
• Sexy Beach 3 (2006)
• RapeLay (April 21, 2006): A Highly Controversial Game
• Artificial Academy (2011)
• Play Club (2015)
• PlayHome (October 13, 2017)
• Koikatu (2018)

And most importantly

Honey Select 2 Libido (May 29, 2020)

Honey Select 2 was initially released in May 2020. It played like most of the Illusions games. A short story that included several girls with a great tool to create an infinite amount of characters, scenarios, locations, animations, and more.

Numerous games were developed using this tool, some of the more well-known ones being the adult games Eternum, Harem Hotel, Endowed, and House in the Rift.

We don't yet know what this will mean for the future production of these games since the tools will no longer be updated. The modding community will probably stay active for at least some time, but developers will undoubtedly have to consider switching to other tools in the future. That much is certain.

What that means for the industry?

To fully understand the impact of Illusion's games, it is crucial to explore both the positive and negative aspects of their history in adult gaming.

First It's important to note that Illusion's games often generated controversy due to their explicit content and sometimes even sexual violence. The company has faced criticism and scrutiny from various groups, and some games have even been banned. Furthermore, some of its games even contributed to laws being passed on games in some western countries.

You can read more about that in my article about the history of adult games

And yet, Illusion's games have also been praised for their innovative gameplay mechanics and immersive storytelling. Despite the controversies surrounding their content, they have garnered a dedicated fanbase that appreciates the unique experiences they offer and most importantly 100s of developers that use their tools to create other games.

The closure of this studio will have an impact on the whole adult gaming Industry that much is certain.

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