PROTOTYPE

Japan Founded 2006 Website

PROTOTYPE is a Japanese software company founded by Toshio Tabeta, a former producer of Interchannel. While still with Interchannel, Tabeta's team was responsible for mainly developing and publishing versions of visual novels originally published by Visual Arts for consumer platforms like the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. After Prototype split off from Interchannel, the company still continued to work with Visual Arts. Prototype is also involved in producing mobile phone ports through VisualArt's Motto which Prototype manages. Prototype has also produced a set of drama CDs based on Key's visual novel Clannad.

PROTOTYPE at a Glance

PROTOTYPE is a Japanese publisher founded in 2006 by Toshio Tabeta, who previously worked at Interchannel. Before starting their own company, Tabeta and his team handled ports for Visual Arts games on consoles like the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. Since splitting off, PROTOTYPE has maintained a close relationship with Visual Arts to produce mobile versions and drama CDs based on titles such as Clannad. The company has been active since 2003 and is projected to remain so until 2026. Their output grew significantly over the years. They released seven games in the 2000s, twenty in the 2010s, and four in the 2020s so far. This shows a peak in activity during the second decade of the new millennium followed by a slower pace recently. PROTOTYPE has published 31 titles on PlayPile but only developed one game themselves. Their catalog is heavily focused on the visual novel genre with 29 entries. They also handle adventure games, simulator titles, and a single role-playing game. The company targets a wide range of platforms. Most of their work appears on PC Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo Switch. They also have a significant presence on older hardware like the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2. Their reach extends to mobile devices with releases on Android and iOS. The quality of their published games is consistently solid but not exceptional. Two rated titles hold an average score of 72.5 out of 100. Both fall into the good range between 60 and 79, with no great or poor ratings. The highest rated game is The Eden of Grisaia from 2013, which holds a 74/100 score. The Labyrinth of Grisaia from 2012 follows closely at 71/100. Recent releases include Air in March 2025 and Cartagra: First Press Limited Edition scheduled for February 2026. Kanon appeared in April 2023, and The Grisaia Trilogy was released in November 2019. While their ratings show reliable performance, the company does not seem to be pushing boundaries with its scores.

Total Games

72.5

Avg Rating

2003

First Release

2026

Latest Release