The 12th edition of the Trophèes du Club Eco Monaco of Monaco Economic Board in collaboration with the Nice Matin Group awarded the prestigious Made in Monaco Trophy to Shibuya Productions and its President and CEO Cédric Biscay for his achievements that contribute to the “soft power” of the Principality.
Shibuya Productions, the animation and video games production company, the first and only such company in the Principality, was co-founded by Cédric Biscay and Kostadin Yanev in 2014.
In 2015 the company founded its branch in Japan and at the Los Angeles E3 – Electronic Entertainment Expo, the world’s largest trade show for the video game industry – announced its very first video game release. Not just any game, but the world’s most anticipated following on the Shenmue 1 and 2, an action-adventure game that follows martial artist Ryo Hazuki as he sets out in revenge for the murder of his father in 1980s Japan.
When the crowdfunding campaign was launched on Kickstarter in 2015, after 1 hour and 42 minutes it smashed the Guinness World record for Fastest Video Game Crowdfunding. Another world record broke after the campaign raised the highest amount ever recorded for a video game. The goal was set for $2 million but with the 69.320 contributors it ended with an astonishing $6,333,295.
And this was only the starting point for the Monegasque company that went on to produce several successful video games.
The company released the animated film Lilly and the Magic Pearl and produced its own Manga series Blitz. Shibuya Productions also co-produced the documentary Sad Hill Unearthed featuring Clint Eastwood, Ennio Morricone, James Hetfield and Jo Dante. It is available on Netflix and has been nominated at the prestigious Goya’s in Spain and won various prizes.
What was originally planned as a gala dinner marking the launch of the company became an annual MAGIC event: Monaco Anime Game International Conference. Each year 3,000 of the most eager participants from around the world register online to enter the magic filled with industry stars, competitions, and presentations. The two-day event takes place in the Grimaldi Forum and is completely free to attend.
Cédric Biscay has achieved enormous success in a very short time. “People now tell me: “you are part of the culture in Monaco,’’ said Cédric, originally from Nice, in an interview with NEWS.MC, “and I am very humbled by that”.
PHOTO: Franck Julien, President of the Finance and National Economy Commission of the National Council, Cédric Biscay, and Jean-Louis Pelé, Managing Director of the Nice-Matin Group. MEB / Landry Basile
