In a statement, Suda said that February's release of Romeo Is A Dead Man and the studio's 28th anniversary in March prompted reflection on the company's next stage.

'We found a strong desire to deliver titles in an even wider variety of styles to video game lovers everywhere,' Suda wrote, explaining that the studio 'has chosen to move forward as an independent developer once again.'

The surprise is the timing and direction. According to Nintendo Life, NetEase has pulled back from investments, closing studios and withdrawing funding from major projects including Toshihiro Nagoshi's Gang of Dragon.

Against that backdrop, an amicable exit — reached 'after thorough discussions with NetEase Games, and with their generous cooperation,' per Suda's statement — reads as a rare reversal for a beloved auteur-led studio.

Both WN Hub and Nintendo Life carried the announcement, and their accounts align on the core facts: the split, the role of Romeo Is A Dead Man's strong reception, and Suda's pledge to keep delivering the 'NO GAME NO LIFE' experience with the studio's signature flavor and enhanced quality.

Suda also noted the studio has 'improved our own self-publishing know-how,' which Romeo Is A Dead Man was already self-published under, giving Grasshopper 'a broad range of options' for how future titles reach players.

For fans, the stakes are creative: independence frees Suda51's team — the makers of No More Heroes, Killer7, and Shadows of the Damned — to publish in whatever ways suit each project, ahead of the studio's 30th anniversary.

Suda said Grasshopper looks 'forward to further collaboration when the opportunity arises' with NetEase.

One open question, per Nintendo Life, is Romeo Is A Dead Man's reported future Switch 2 release: the outlet notes its current status is unknown, but because Grasshopper self-published the game, hope remains it will reach Nintendo's console.