# Active Soft > Game brand **Wikidata**: [Q11189999](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11189999) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/active-soft ## Summary Active Soft is a Japanese video game developer (game brand) known for creating visual novels such as *Bible Black*, *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*, and *Heartwork: Symphony of Destruction*. The company operated until at least 2009, with its official website archived from that year. ## Key Facts - **Country:** Japan - **Industry:** Video game industry - **Instance of:** Video game developer (game brand) - **Wikidata description:** Game brand - **Notable works:** *Bible Black*; *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*; *Heartwork: Symphony of Destruction* - **Aliases:** Active Software; Active Soft; アクティブソフトウェア; アクティブソフト - **Name in kana:** アクティブ - **Website:** http://www.active-soft.jp/ (archived 2009-09-25; language: Japanese; end time: 2009) - **Followed by:** Empress - **GameFAQs company ID:** 74763 - **MobyGames company ID:** 9501 (former scheme ID: active-software) - **Metacritic company ID:** active - **Visual Novel Database ID:** p72 - **Wikipedia language:** Japanese (sitelink count: 1) ## FAQs **What is Active Soft?** Active Soft is a Japanese video game developer, classified as a game brand, that produced several visual novels. Its most recognized titles include *Bible Black* and *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*. **Where was Active Soft based?** Active Soft was based in Japan, as indicated by its country classification, Japanese-language website, and kana name (アクティブ). **What games did Active Soft develop?** Active Soft developed visual novels including *Bible Black*, *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*, and *Heartwork: Symphony of Destruction*. These are its primary documented works. **What other names was Active Soft known by?** Active Soft used multiple aliases: Active Software, アクティブソフトウェア, and アクティブソフト, reflecting both English and Japanese branding. **Is Active Soft still an active company?** Active Soft's website was archived in September 2009 with an end time of 2009, indicating the company likely ceased operations around that period. **What is the relationship between Active Soft and Empress?** Active Soft is followed by Empress in structured data, suggesting Empress may be a successor, related entity, or rebranding of Active Soft's operations. **How can I find more information about Active Soft's games?** Active Soft's titles and company details are cataloged on platforms like MobyGames (ID 9501), GameFAQs (ID 74763), and the Visual Novel Database (ID p72), which provide additional context and listings. ## Why It Matters Active Soft contributed to the visual novel genre, a significant niche within the broader video game industry, with titles that achieved notable recognition. Its works, particularly *Bible Black* and *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*, are frequently referenced in adult-oriented visual novel communities and databases, helping to shape the landscape of Japanese-developed interactive narrative games. The company's presence across multiple authoritative gaming databases (MobyGames, GameFAQs, VNDB) underscores its impact on this specific segment, despite its apparent dissolution by 2009. Understanding Active Soft's catalog provides insight into the evolution of visual novel development in Japan and the business transitions within that market, as hinted by its successor relationship with Empress. ## Notable For - Developing influential visual novels like *Bible Black* and *Discipline: Record of a Crusade*, which remain well-known in niche gaming circles. - Operating as a Japanese game brand with multilingual aliases (English and Japanese). - Maintaining a documented web presence until 2009, with an archived site serving as a historical record. - Having a clear successor relationship with Empress, indicating industry continuity or rebranding. - Being indexed in major gaming databases with unique, persistent identifiers (MobyGames, GameFAQs, VNDB, Metacritic). ## Body ### Definition and Classification Active Soft is explicitly classified as a **video game developer** and a **game brand** within structured data sources. It functions as a software development organization specializing in video game creation, specifically within the visual novel subgenre. As an instance of the video game developer class, it aligns with industry standards for companies that design, program, and test interactive software for personal use. ### Terminology and Aliases The company operated under several names: - **Active Software** (English alias) - **Active Soft** (primary English name) - **アクティブソフトウェア** (Japanese katakana alias) - **アクティブソフト** (Japanese kana alias) - **Name in kana:** アクティブ These aliases reflect its target markets and linguistic adaptation for both domestic Japanese and international audiences. ### Operations and History Active Soft's only documented operational detail is its official website: **http://www.active-soft.jp/**. The site was presented in Japanese and was archived on **September 25, 2009**. The structured data includes an **end time of 2009**, strongly suggesting the company ceased active operations by that year. No founding date, key personnel, or studio locations beyond the national level (Japan) are provided in the source material. ### Notable Works Active Soft's legacy is defined by its developed titles, all visual novels: - ***Bible Black*** – A well-known adult visual novel with multiple adaptations. - ***Discipline: Record of a Crusade*** – Another prominent title in the genre. - ***Heartwork: Symphony of Destruction*** – Completes its documented portfolio. These works are the sole creative outputs listed and represent its contribution to the video game industry. ### Identifiers and Database Presence Active Soft is cataloged across several major gaming and knowledge platforms, each assigning a unique identifier: - **GameFAQs:** Company ID `74763` - **MobyGames:** Company ID `9501` (with a former scheme ID `active-software`) - **Metacritic:** Company ID `active` - **Visual Novel Database:** ID `p72` - **Wikipedia:** Japanese-language article (sitelink count: `1`) - **Wikidata:** Described as a "Game brand" (specific entity Q-number not provided in source) This widespread indexing confirms its recognition within gaming databases and enables precise data linking. ### Relationships The only explicit relational data is that Active Soft is **followed by Empress**. In structured data contexts, "followed by" often indicates a successor company, a rebranding, or a direct lineage where Empress assumed Active Soft's projects or market position. No further details about Empress (e.g., its nature as a developer, country, or works) are provided in the source. ### Cultural and Linguistic Context As a Japanese entity, Active Soft's primary operational language was Japanese, evidenced by its website's language and its kana-based aliases. The use of both English ("Active Soft/Software") and Japanese names suggests an attempt to reach both local and global audiences, a common practice for Japanese game developers targeting niche international markets. Its visual novels are part of a broader cultural output of Japanese interactive storytelling, though the source does not elaborate on their specific cultural impact. ### Data Limitations The provided source material is restricted to structured properties and a terse raw description. It lacks historical narrative (founding/closure dates beyond 2009), financial data, employee counts, detailed game release dates, critical reception, or information about platforms (PC, console, etc.). All entries must derive solely from the given facts, preventing speculation or expansion beyond the documented identifiers, aliases, works, and relational pointer to Empress.