Cavia Inc. (Japanese: 株式会社キャビア, Hepburn: Kabushiki gaisha Kyabia) was a Japanese video game developer. The company name was apparently an acronym for Computer Amusement Visualizer, although the company's web site also claimed it referred to caviar.

Cavia Inc.
Native name
株式会社キャビア
Kabushiki gaisha Kyabia
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
FoundedMarch 1, 2000; 24 years ago (2000-03-01)
DefunctJuly 12, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-07-12)
FateMerged into AQ Interactive
HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
Key people
Chikara Uchino (President & COO), Yoko Taro
ProductsDrakengard, Nier
ParentAQ Interactive
Websitecavia.com (archived)

The company was founded on March 1, 2000, and headquartered in Tokyo. Its shareholders included Amuse Capital, Tokuma Shoten, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, Nippon Television Network Corporation, Tokyo FM Broadcasting, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Hayao Nakayama.

Cavia was best known for the Drakengard series, the first title in the Nier series (a spin-off of the former) and two Resident Evil rail shooters: The Umbrella Chronicles and The Darkside Chronicles.

In October 2005, the company was sold to AQ Interactive, who became a holding company responsible for the management of subsidiary companies as well as sales and promotion of game software. The old company's game planning & development business was transferred to a newly established Cavia Inc.

In July 2010, the company was officially disbanded and absorbed into AQ Interactive. Nier, released in May 2010, was the studio's last game.[1] Despite the closure, some members of the development staff from Nier, including director Yoko Taro, went on to produce a prequel to the Drakengard series, Drakengard 3, under Access Games and published by Square Enix.

Former members of Cavia have either gone freelance, or joined other development teams within Marvelous AQL (created from the merger of AQ Interactive), Comcept, Tango Gameworks, FromSoftware or rejoined the teams at Namco where members of Cavia were from originally. Former member Yoichi Take (also previously of Namco) left on December 1, 2006 to start his own development studio, Toylogic.

Games

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Year Title Platform
2002 Nihon Daihyo-senshu Ni Naro PlayStation 2
One Piece: Nanatsu Shima no Daihihō Game Boy Advance
2003 Resident Evil: Dead Aim PlayStation 2
Drakengard
Takahashi Naoko no Marathon Shiyouyo!
Kamen Rider Seigi no Keifu
2004 Soccer Life!
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors Game Boy Advance
2005 Steamboy PlayStation 2
Soccer Life 2
Drakengard 2
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles
Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance PlayStation 2, Xbox
Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 Nintendo DS
Tetris: The Grand Master Ace Xbox 360
2006 Tsuushin Taisen Majyan: Toryumon
Zitsuroku Oniyomenikki: Shiuchi Ni Taeru Otto No Rifuzintaiken Adventure PlayStation Portable
Dragon Quest: Shōnen Yangus to Fushigi no Dungeon PlayStation 2
WinBack 2: Project Poseidon PlayStation 2, Xbox
Lovely Complex: Punch de Conte PlayStation 2
Bullet Witch Xbox 360
Zegapain XOR
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 PlayStation 2
Zegapain NOT Xbox 360
Death Note: Kira Game Nintendo DS
2007 Victorious Boxers: Revolution Wii
Fate/Tiger Colosseum PlayStation Portable
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Wii
2008 Fate/unlimited codes Arcade, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
Sega Bass Fishing Wii
KORG DS-10 Nintendo DS
2009 Suzumiya Haruhi no Heiretsu[2] Wii
Suzumiya Haruhi no Chokuretsu[3] Nintendo DS
KORG DS-10 plus Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii
2010 Nier Gestalt PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Nier Replicant PlayStation 3
Cancelled Cry On Xbox 360
Catacombs[4] PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

References

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  1. ^ Darryl (2010-07-12). "NieR To Be Cavia's Last Title, Company Ceases". Gaming Union. Archived from the original on 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
  2. ^ "涼宮ハルヒの並列 - マーベラス". マーベラス公式ウェブサイト - MARVELOUS! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  3. ^ "涼宮ハルヒの直列 - マーベラス". マーベラス公式ウェブサイト - MARVELOUS! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  4. ^ Spencer (April 30, 2012). "Catacombs – The Game Cavia And Square Enix Were Working On After Nier". Siliconera.com. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
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