Who makes it · Developer and publisher
DeNA
Based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Founded 1999
DeNA is a Japanese internet company that develops and publishes mobile games, including Pokémon Masters EX and, with Creatures Inc., Pokémon TCG Pocket; it built the Mobage social games platform and has made mobile games with Nintendo. It also runs live-streaming, healthcare and sports businesses, but games are a main source of revenue, mostly from in-app purchases.
Track-record badges
What stands out, worst first
- Competition law
Competition-law action
Japan Fair Trade Commission, 2011: cease-and-desist order for pressuring game makers not to supply rival platform GREE.
Track record
What's on the record, newest first
- Investigation
Inquiry found DeNA's health and lifestyle websites may have breached copyright and medical laws
After criticism of inaccurate medical articles on its WELQ health site, DeNA made all articles on its 'curation' websites private in December 2016 and appointed a third-party committee. The committee reported that up to 747,643 images and an estimated 1.9 to 5.6 per cent of articles on its ten sites may have infringed copyright, and that some WELQ articles may have breached Japan's pharmaceutical and medical laws. DeNA apologised and cut its chief executive's pay by 50 per cent for six months.
DeNA - Regulator action
Japan banned 'complete gacha' paid random-item sets used on DeNA's platform
Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency said that 'complete gacha', in which players had to collect a set of paid random items to unlock a rarer item, was illegal, and formalised the ban from 1 July 2012 after complaints about large charges. DeNA said it would stop offering games that used the mechanic.
GamesIndustry.biz - Good practice
DeNA introduced spending limits for young users
DeNA announced in-game spending caps of ¥5,000 for users aged 15 and under and ¥10,000 for 16 and 17-year-olds, taking effect in June 2012. Rival GREE announced similar limits.
GamesIndustry.biz - Regulator action
Japan's Fair Trade Commission ordered DeNA to stop obstructing a rival platform
Japan's Fair Trade Commission, which began investigating DeNA in December 2010, issued a cease-and-desist order finding unfair business practices: DeNA had pressured social game developers not to supply games to the rival platform GREE. The order became final. GREE and the mobile operator KDDI then sued DeNA, seeking about $13.7 million in damages.
GamesIndustry.biz
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Games in the guide
What DeNA made or published
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Last checked 1 November 2026. Sources: www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, dena.com, www.theverge.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org. Spotted something wrong or missing? Send a correction.