Chinese game company NetEase has opened a new studio in Japan

Chinese game company NetEase has opened a next generation game development studio in Tokyo, Japan. 

Niko Partners senior analyst Daniel Ahmad highlighted the news on Twitter, and said the new 'Sakura Studio' branch will be focused on creating console titles -- although it'll be hiring folks with experience working across console, PC, and mobile platforms. 

It's notable to see NetEase funneling recourses into the console space, with the Chinese company having largely focused on developing and publishing PC and mobile titles. 

For those unfamiliar with the name, NetEase is one of the biggest players in the Asian market, and has partnered with Blizzard, CCP Games, and Mojang to bring popular titles like Diablo Immortal, EVE Online, and Minecraft to China. 

The company has also recently invested in other developers including Bossa Studios and Behaviour Interactive, and last year opened an R&D division in Canada to further its ambition of becoming a global business.