# Nicalis

> American video game development and publishing company

**Wikidata**: [Q7024361](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7024361)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicalis)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/nicalis

## Summary
Nicalis is an American video game development and publishing company founded in 2007, headquartered in Santa Ana. It specializes in indie game development and localization, known for titles like Cave Story and its remastered versions.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 2007 in Santa Ana, United States.
- Functions as both a video game developer and publisher.
- Headquartered in Santa Ana, with location of formation also listed as Santa Ana.
- Operates as a privately held company.
- Maintained Twitter account since 2009-08-11 (verified profile, handle @nicalis).
- Primary website: http://www.nicalis.com/ (English language).
- Published Cave Story (2004), Cave Story+ (2011), and NecroLand: Undead Corps (2021).
- Achieved 117,512 Twitter followers by 2023-02-04 (preferred data point).
- Identified as a video game developer (instance_of) in the video game industry.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Nicalis founded?
A: Nicalis was founded in 2007, as confirmed by the company's inception date.

### Q: What is Nicalis best known for?
A: Nicalis is best known for publishing Cave Story (2004) and its remastered version Cave Story+ (2011), along with developing games like NecroLand: Undead Corps (2021).

### Q: Where is Nicalis headquartered?
A: Nicalis is headquartered in Santa Ana, United States, which is also its location of formation.

### Q: Is Nicalis publicly traded?
A: No, Nicalis is structured as a privately held company, not publicly traded.

### Q: What social media platforms does Nicalis use?
A: Nicalis maintains active Twitter (@nicalis), Facebook (NicalisInc), and Instagram (nicalisinc) accounts.

## Why It Matters
Nicalis plays a significant role in the indie gaming landscape by bridging original Japanese titles (like Cave Story) with Western markets through localization and publishing. Its support for niche genres and remastering classic games helps preserve and revitalize older titles for modern audiences. By maintaining operations in the United States while working with international developers, Nicalis facilitates cross-cultural game development and distribution, contributing to the accessibility of indie gaming globally. Its focus on privately held operations allows flexibility in experimental projects, fostering innovation outside traditional AAA gaming constraints.

## Notable For
- Pioneering localization of niche Japanese titles (e.g., Cave Story) for Western markets.
- Developing and publishing remastered versions of classic indie games (Cave Story+).
- Maintaining consistent social media presence since 2009 with verified profiles.
- Operating as a privately held entity in a predominantly publicly traded industry segment.
- Developing original titles like NecroLand: Undead Corps (2021) alongside licensed work.

## Body
### Overview
Nicalis is an American entity operating in the video game industry, functioning simultaneously as a developer and publisher. It was established in 2007 and maintains its headquarters and formation location in Santa Ana, United States. The company operates under a privately held legal structure, distinguishing it from publicly traded gaming corporations.

### Operations and Identity
- Primary industry: video game industry
- Classification: video game developer (confirmed via Wikidata instance_of property)
- Legal form: privately held company
- Common aliases: Nicalis, Inc.; Nicalis Inc

### Digital Presence
- Official website: http://www.nicalis.com/ (English language)
- Twitter: Verified account @nicalis, active since 2009-08-11, with 117,512 followers as of 2023-02-04 (preferred metric)
- Facebook: Page handle NicalisInc
- Instagram: Handle nicalisinc

### Portfolio Highlights
- Cave Story (2004): Original title published by Nicalis
- Cave Story+ (2011): Remastered version of Cave Story
- NecroLand: Undead Corps (2021): Original title developed and published
- Catalog spans multiple platforms (indicated by varied publisher/developer IDs across databases)

### External Identifiers
- Wikidata: Q110606300
- Freebase ID: /m/0jt3c5q
- Listed on 13 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages (azb, de, en, es, fa, fr, hu, it, nl, no)
- Maintains IDs across 50+ specialized gaming databases (e.g., RAWG, Steam Curator, MobyGames)

### Social Metrics
- Twitter follower history: 
  - 104,661 (2018-05-10)
  - 117,512 (2023-02-04; preferred)
  - 120,301 (2021-01-06)
  - 121,007 (2022-03-01)

## References

1. LastDodo
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. Google Knowledge Graph
4. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
5. VideoGameGeek
6. [Best Nicalis Posts - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/t/nicalis/)