# Hypergryph

Hypergryph is a Video Game Developer based in Shanghai, China.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Video Game Developer
- **Headquarters:** Shanghai, China
- **Region:** Asia
- **Address:** Shanghai, China
- **Founded:** 2017
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** hypergryph.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/hypergryph

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Hypergryph was founded in 2017 by Hai Mao, a game designer who previously worked on Girls' Frontline at MICA Team. The firm's wealth originates from its landmark mobile tower-defense game Arknights, which launched in China in 2019 and globally in 2020. Arknights grossed over $1 billion in lifetime player spending by 2022, transforming Hypergryph from a start-up into a major cultural exporter with a deeply engaged global fanbase. The firm deploys capital primarily through internal game development and publishing, with a focus on mobile strategy titles that emphasize original art, narrative, and music. Beyond its core game operations, Hypergryph has expanded into a multi-vertical enterprise. Confirmed ventures include the music label Monster Siren Records, which produces and distributes Arknights soundtracks, and an animation division that released the Arknights anime series in 2022. The firm also co-founded the AI infrastructure start-up Deep Mirror and partners with external studios through its Hypergryph Global publishing arm. Geographic focus spans China, Japan, and North America. Since 2023, Hypergryph has accelerated its push beyond gaming — in September 2023 it announced Ex Astris, a premium paid mobile RPG, and later revealed Arknights: Endfield, a 3D action-strategy title. The firm also participates in selective community-driven funding through tabletop game and animation merchandise campaigns. Its operations are complemented by the philanthropic Yostar Foundation, supporting education and creative arts. Hypergryph's structural differentiation lies in its vertical integration of game development, music production, and animation under one roof — a rarity in China's mobile-first industry. This self-reinforcing ecosystem allows the firm to control its intellectual property from initial concept art to global transmedia distribution without reliance on third-party licensors.

## Sectors

- Media & Entertainment
- AI/ML

## People

- Hai Mao — Founder & CEO

## Questions

### Is Hypergryph structured as a game studio or a holding company?

Hypergryph operates as a hybrid. Its core is game development and publishing, but it has built distinct divisions for music (Monster Siren Records), animation, and AI infrastructure that function like a holding company's portfolio. This structure allows siloed creative production while centralizing IP ownership.

### Does Hypergryph participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The firm's deployment has been direct — it builds internal studios and co-founds related ventures. There is no public record of Hypergryph acting as an LP in third-party venture funds.

### Which sectors does Hypergryph explicitly avoid?

The firm has shown no interest in physical infrastructure, real estate, or financial services. Its vertical expansion remains tightly bound to digital content creation — games, music, animation, and the AI tools that serve those pipelines.

### How is Hypergryph related to Yostar?

Yostar is a separate Shanghai-based publisher that handled Arknights publishing in Japan and certain global markets. Hypergryph directly handles Chinese operations and has increasingly brought global publishing in-house under the Hypergryph Global label. The two firms share a founding history but are legally distinct.

## Related profiles

- [Tanzola Corp.](https://altss.com/profile/tanzola-corp)
- [Certus Pest](https://altss.com/profile/certus-pest)

---

Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/hypergryph

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology