505 Games was founded in 2006 in Milan as a subsidiary of Digital Bros.[2] The company found its early success through its video games such as Cooking Mama and Zumba Fitness.[3]
In April 2012, 505 Games took over publishing duties from THQ for the fitness game Adidas MiCoach, following a lawsuit between THQ and Adidas.[4] In April 2013, they acquired the license of Drawn To Life series. The purchase included rights to the franchise as a whole.[5] In November 2013, it canceled Ashes Cricket 2013 and issued refunds.[6] In April 2014, 505 Games announced a publishing agreement with Adam Orth's Three One Zero of the game Adrift. The game is described as a first-person experience, where the player controls an astronaut exploring debris of a wrecked station in outer space.[7] In January 2015, 505 Games confirmed the acquisition of the intellectual property (IP) rights to the multi-award-winning Game of the Year 2013,[8] Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons from Starbreeze Studios.[9] In April 2015, 505 Games announced a publishing agreement with Swedish game developer Starbreeze for the game Overkill's The Walking Dead, which released in late 2018.[10] A month later, 505 Games announced a publishing agreement with game developer Overkill Software for the game Payday 2 Crimewave Edition.[11] In August 2016, 505 Games announced it would be publishing Virginia from Variable State.[12]
In March 2015, 505 Games purchased 2.67% stock of Swedish game developer Starbreeze Studios.[13] In January 2016, 505 Games announced that they will shift their focus from publishing games for other developers to developing their own intellectual properties.[14] In October 2016, 505 Games has announced through Koji Igarashi, their collaboration in publishing Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night from Igarashi's own ArtPlay, DICO and Inti Creates, though Inti's involvement has been reduced.[15] At the Sony E3 press conference on 11 June 2018, 505 Games announced a partnership with Remedy Entertainment to publish Control.[16]
505 Games acquired Australia-based Infinity Plus Two, the developers of the Puzzle Quest games in January 2021.[17]
505 Games is working with Rabbit and Bear Studios to publish Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series; the partnership officially announced February 2021