GREE, Inc.

GREE, Inc., also known as GREE Holdings, Inc., is a prominent Japanese social media and video game company headquartered in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in December 2004, the company is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker symbol TYO: 3632. As of March 31, 2023, GREE Holdings, Inc. had 1,593 employees.

GREE's operations span mobile gaming, metaverse development, and digital content. The company develops and operates various smartphone games through its subsidiaries like WFS, Pokelabo, and GREE Entertainment, and also manages the REALITY smartphone metaverse and a VTuber office. GREE is recognized as a pioneer in mobile social gaming and the "freemium" game model. Additionally, its diverse portfolio includes a DX (Digital Transformation) business, a Commerce Business segment (focusing on media and digital gifts), and an Investment business.

In terms of patent litigation, GREE, Inc. maintains an assertive posture, actively enforcing its intellectual property. The company's sole tracked case, GREE, Inc. v. Supercell Oy, highlights its role as a patent plaintiff. This litigation has taken place in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a venue known for its patentee-friendly environment.

The case against Supercell Oy involved allegations that Supercell's popular mobile games, including "Clash of Clans," "Clash Royale," and "Hay Day," infringed upon GREE's patents related to core "freemium" game features, such as virtual battles, in-game item acquisition, and social gameplay. This dispute has resulted in significant jury verdicts in GREE's favor, including an $8.5 million award in September 2020 and a $92.2 million award in May 2021, bringing total damages awarded to over $100 million. The asserted patent, U.S. Patent No. 9,597,594, is titled "Computer Control Method, Control Program and Computer" and describes inventions applicable to city-building games.