In news that has surprised fans of hentai games, the renowned Japanese company Illusion has issued a press release announcing the final closure of its operations . The statement, which has generated a stir in the gaming community, reveals that the company will cease the development and sale of its products as of August 18, 2023.
Illusion's statement reads as follows: “ Thank you for your continued preference for our products. We are sorry to announce that we will stop developing and selling ILLUSION products as of August 18, 2023 10:00 AM (Japan time). We have explored various directions for the continuation of our business, and we regret to inform you that we will not be able to continue. We would like to express our deepest appreciation for your kindness and support over the years, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this announcement may cause. Customers who have already purchased and downloaded the game will be able to continue playing it. Thank you very much for your preference towards ILLUSION products ».
Illusion is a Yokohama-based Japanese video game company that has been noted for developing hentai video games (known as "eroges") with 3D graphics . Initially, their games were not allowed for sale or use outside of Japan, and official support was only provided in Japanese and for use in Japan. However, with the launch of Honey Select Unlimited in collaboration with FAKKU English erotic games online store, Illusion's policy has changed. Prior to this policy change, Illusion games were often translated and released in English and other languages by fans.
Throughout its history, Illusion has created several popular games that have made a mark on the adult gaming industry. Some of its most prominent titles include “ Artificial Academy 2 ,” a virtual high school dating sim; “ Sexy Beach Premium Resort ”, a paradise beach simulation game; and " Koikatsu Party ," which allows players to create and customize virtual characters in interactive environments.
News of Illusion's closure has left many fans with mixed feelings. Although the company has been criticized by some due to the nature of its games, there is no denying its impact on the video game industry and its dedicated fan base. For those who have already purchased and downloaded the Illusion games, they will be able to continue to enjoy them even after the company shuts down.
As Illusion bids farewell to the adult gaming scene, its legacy will live on in the memories of those who have enjoyed its creations over the years. The company has made a mark in the industry by challenging the norm and providing unique experiences to players. Although Illusion says goodbye, its impact on the gaming world will not be easily forgotten, as the following comments demonstrate:
- « Say what you want about their games, their character designer and animation studio are really good, highly moddable and can create some great screenshots. Many people have used them to create beautiful non-erotic 3D anime illustrations made entirely in the game engine ».
- « For someone who was only aware of his importance in the porn market but did not know anything deeper than that; Why do they close if they are so dominant in the market? What has gone wrong? ».
- «I wouldn't say they are dominant nowadays, I'm not an eroge connoisseur but I know they had problems in the west because of the Battle Rapper 2 and Rapelay games. (The latter ended up making its way to the British Parliament despite not being officially sold in the West at the time.) That caused them (and other studios) not to sell their games abroad for a long time (like you need an IP from JP to access their site and bank account to buy anything), which obviously cut off an already source of revenue. that people just said fuck it and hacked. Then the western releases they started making recently lacked scenarios (to meet Steam standards I guess), and apparently the quality of their games got really bad,».
- « Well, this is the end of an era. Illusion's character creator is responsible for the models in many independent porn games, and although they haven't updated their products in a while, they are still widely used. I don't expect this to have much of an impact in the future (not unless another anime-style modeler goes mainstream), but the fact that the company has gone bankrupt is still sad news. "
- « Illusion was one of the giants of the adult game industry. Sad news. They made the best character customization games ».
- « 10 years ago their games were heavily pirated. Their wares now sell for $50-$70 on Steam, but they still look a bit cheesy. I guess I'm surprised they've lasted this long ."
- « As a person who enjoys these types of games I am sad, but totally deserved. 4 failures in a row, that nobody asked for. The only thing they had to do was improve what was already done [ Honey select, Koikatsu, AA2 ] and help people who make mods by not releasing games that break them. Koikatsu sold well on Steam, so you can't blame piracy here, just not offering those games sooner on popular platforms ."
- « It's crazy. They have been around forever and have made some of the most famous and infamous porn games. I still think they would have been more successful if they hadn't charged AAA video game prices for their games. In general, the West is not a market where people are willing to spend $50-$60 for a porn game. The porn games that have come the closest to mainstream cost $30 at the most, and most are around $15 .”
Source: Official Site
