On June 11, gaming company gumi announced that its founder and Chairman of the Board, Hironao Kunimitsu, will step down at the end of his term.
gumi also let go of its blockchain-related subsidiary at the same time as the founder's retirement.
The company also announced that Hiroyuki Kawamoto will become President and Representative Director, and Makoto Motoyoshi will become Director.
Both will be reappointed to their respective posts.
It was also announced that Mr. Hirotaka Kunimitsu will be paid 150 million yen as a Founder's Special Service Award.
Since gumi does not have a retirement benefit system for directors, the payment will be recorded as an extraordinary loss for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2022.
It was also announced that Financier, a subsidiary of gumi that develops and operates blockchain services, will transfer its shares to Kunimitsu at book value.
Gumi has been providing a blockchain-based crowdfunding service called "Financie" through its investment in Financie, and its subsidiary "gumi Cryptos" holds 700,000 shares, or 4.5% of the voting rights in Financie. The gumi Group will continue to provide a sound cash flow in the future.
The gumi Group intends to maximize the profitability of its mobile online game business in order to improve the health of its cash flow.
Kunimitsu continues to focus on blockchain and NFTs.
Kunimitsu is actively involved in activities related to blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs, and his Twitter feed has been notable for its recent NFT-related information.
Gaming and NFT go hand in hand, and recently there have been many partnerships and collaborations between cryptocurrency-related companies and companies involved in entertainment areas such as e-sports and gaming, which has revitalized the entertainment market.
The stock market has been quick to react to gumi's decision to let go of its blockchain business, "Financier".
We have high expectations for Mr. Kunimitsu's activities at "Financier" after his departure from gumi, and we will keep an eye on his activities.