CyberAgent
A Japanese internet and entertainment group active in digital advertising, online media, streaming, gaming, and sports entertainment.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
CyberAgent, Inc. is a Japanese internet and entertainment conglomerate founded in March 1998 by Susumu Fujita. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, the company began by providing internet advertising services and later developed a broad portfolio spanning digital media, advertising technology, online games, live streaming, sports entertainment, and related content businesses. Its early growth was associated with CyberClick, a click-guaranteed banner advertising service launched in 1998 in cooperation with On The Edge. The business subsequently concentrated on internet advertising and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2000; it has been included in the Nikkei 225 since that year. The company expanded beyond advertising through Ameba, a blogging and online community service established in 2004. Ameba benefited from the popularity of celebrity blogs in Japan and became one of CyberAgent's best-known consumer internet properties. The company later built a substantial games business, including the establishment of Cygames in 2011. Cygames developed and published mobile and online games and became an important part of CyberAgent's entertainment portfolio, while related subsidiaries extended into game design, illustration, planning, and development. CyberAgent also pursued real-time and on-demand video. It launched the Fresh Live service in 2016, later integrating elements of that business with other CyberAgent streaming operations before discontinuing Fresh Live in 2020. In the same year, CyberAgent and TV Asahi launched AbemaTV, later branded ABEMA. The service combined scheduled, linear-style internet channels with on-demand viewing and paid subscription features. Its television-like channel model was intended to reduce the burden of choosing individual programs and to distinguish the platform from conventional video-on-demand services. Entertainment expansion has also included sports and professional wrestling. CyberAgent acquired DDT Pro-Wrestling in 2017 and acquired Pro Wrestling NOAH in 2020. These operations were subsequently organized under CyberFight, while DDT, NOAH, Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling, and Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling retained separate identities and programming. The company has also held interests in football-related organizations and has used media, advertising, gaming, and sports properties to create a connected entertainment ecosystem. CyberAgent's business model combines consumer platforms with business-to-business digital advertising and content production. Its major public-facing brands include Ameba, ABEMA, Cygames, and CyberFight, although ownership and operating structures vary among subsidiaries and affiliates. The group is listed in Japan, with Susumu Fujita serving as representative director and holding a substantial ownership interest. CyberAgent remains primarily Japan-focused, while its games and content businesses have international reach.
History
CyberAgent was founded in March 1998 by Susumu Fujita, with support from Yasuhide Uno, founder of the staffing company that became Persol Career. Fujita had previously worked at Intelligence, the same staffing group. CyberAgent's first major business was internet advertising. In July 1998, strong sales of the Value Click service supported the launch of CyberClick, a click-guaranteed banner advertising product developed with On The Edge. This gave the young company an early foothold in Japan's expanding commercial internet market. The company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2000 and established a South Korean subsidiary during the same period. Although CyberAgent later diversified significantly, advertising remained a core business and an important source of relationships with Japanese companies seeking digital customer acquisition. In 2004, CyberAgent established Ameba. The blogging and community platform grew rapidly, helped in part by the presence of high-profile celebrity bloggers. Traffic growth required server upgrades in 2007 and 2008, and the service became a central consumer brand for the group. CyberAgent also experimented with sports ownership and sponsorship. In 2006, it formed a strategic relationship with NTV Football Club, the operator of Tokyo Verdy 1969, and acquired a 48.1 percent interest in the club. CyberAgent was the largest shareholder after Nippon Television until its withdrawal in January 2008. The group strengthened its gaming capabilities by establishing Cygames on May 9, 2011. Cygames became a prominent Japanese game studio and expanded into design and related creative services through CyDesignation in 2012. DeNA acquired a minority interest in Cygames in 2012, and the studio received international industry recognition for its development work. Gaming subsequently became one of CyberAgent's most important entertainment areas. CyberAgent entered live streaming with Fresh Live in 2016. The service was transferred to the AbemaTV subsidiary and went through several naming and operating changes before its closure. Parts of the service were integrated with Openrec.tv, operated by CyberAgent subsidiary CyberZ. The company's more consequential media move came in 2016, when CyberAgent and TV Asahi launched AbemaTV, later known as ABEMA. The platform initially emphasized scheduled internet channels modeled on linear television. An on-demand feature and paid subscription offering followed in 2017, enabling users to watch selected programs after their scheduled broadcasts. CyberAgent continued broadening its entertainment portfolio through professional wrestling. It acquired DDT Pro-Wrestling in 2017 and purchased Pro Wrestling NOAH in 2020. The two promotions were brought together in a new operating company, CyberFight, while DDT and NOAH maintained their individual brands. Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling and Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling were also operated within the resulting structure. The company has faced criticism concerning digital publishing practices. In 2015, a former employee accused CyberAgent of unauthorized content use, improper quotation, and covert marketing; the company denied the claims. In 2016, amid Japanese scrutiny of health and information websites, CyberAgent removed or privately disclosed large volumes of registered-user articles from Spotlight and by.S after stating that it could not fully verify all user-submitted material. These incidents highlighted the editorial and compliance challenges faced by large user-generated-content platforms. Today, CyberAgent is a listed Japanese internet and entertainment group whose principal areas include advertising, Ameba, ABEMA, games, streaming, and sports entertainment. Its operating model links digital marketing and technology with owned or affiliated consumer media and content businesses.
- 2020
CyberFight is formed
[1]CyberAgent organized DDT and NOAH under the CyberFight operating company while preserving their separate brands.
- 2017
DDT acquisition
[1]CyberAgent acquired DDT Pro-Wrestling.
- 2016
ABEMA predecessor launches
[1]CyberAgent and TV Asahi launched AbemaTV, an internet television platform.
- 2011
Cygames is established
[1]CyberAgent created Cygames as a game development company.
- 2004
Ameba is established
[1]CyberAgent launched the Ameba blogging and online community platform.
- 2000
Public listing
[1]CyberAgent listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and expanded its international presence with a South Korean subsidiary.
- 1998
CyberAgent is founded
[1]Susumu Fujita founded CyberAgent in March with support from Yasuhide Uno.
- 1998
CyberClick launches
[1]The company entered internet advertising with its click-guaranteed banner advertising service.
Products and positioning
A Japanese digital entertainment and internet-services group combining advertising infrastructure, consumer media platforms, games, streaming, and sports content.
Blogging and online community platform · 2004
Ameba
Ameba is CyberAgent's blogging and consumer internet platform, established in 2004. It became particularly associated with celebrity blogs and user-generated posts in Japan. Its growth made it one of the group's most recognizable media properties and helped CyberAgent build a direct relationship with a large domestic online audience.
Internet television and streaming · 2016
ABEMA
ABEMA is CyberAgent's internet television and video service, launched with TV Asahi in 2016 under the name AbemaTV. It combines scheduled, linear-style channels with on-demand viewing and subscription features. The service was designed to offer the accessibility and serendipity of traditional television through an internet platform.
Game development and publishing · 2011
Cygames
Cygames is CyberAgent's game subsidiary, established in 2011. It develops and publishes mobile and online games and has expanded into associated creative capabilities. The company is a major pillar of CyberAgent's entertainment strategy and gives the group intellectual property, development, and publishing capabilities beyond advertising and media.
Digital advertising · 1998
CyberClick
CyberClick was a click-guaranteed banner advertising service launched in 1998 in cooperation with On The Edge. It represented CyberAgent's early move into performance-oriented internet advertising and helped establish the advertising business that supported the company's initial expansion.
Professional wrestling entertainment · 2020
CyberFight
CyberFight is the operating structure used for CyberAgent's professional wrestling businesses. It brings together DDT Pro-Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling, and Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling while allowing the individual promotions to retain their own names, logos, and identities.
Controversies
2016
Removal of user-generated articles from Spotlight and by.S
Following scrutiny of Japanese online health and information websites, CyberAgent removed or privately disclosed large quantities of user-submitted material from Spotlight and by.S. The company said the material had been posted by registered users and could not be fully verified.
2015
Allegations concerning online content and covert marketing
A former employee alleged that CyberAgent had used articles and images without authorization, quoted material improperly, and engaged in undercover marketing. The allegations were denied by the company.
Brand decisions
2020
Integration of professional wrestling operationsM&ABackground
After acquiring DDT and Pro Wrestling NOAH, CyberAgent sought a common operating structure for its wrestling portfolio.
Action taken
The company organized the promotions under CyberFight while retaining the separate identities of DDT, NOAH, Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling, and Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling.
Aftermath
The promotions continued to operate as distinct brands within a broader CyberAgent entertainment structure.
2020
Closure of Fresh LiveOtherBackground
CyberAgent had been consolidating its live-streaming activities with other group services.
Action taken
The company restricted new channel creation and announced the complete closure of Fresh Live, with some channels moving to Openrec.tv.
Aftermath
Fresh Live ceased operations in November 2020.
2016
Launch of AbemaTVProduct launchBackground
CyberAgent sought to extend its internet business into mass-market video and differentiate the service from conventional on-demand platforms.
Action taken
CyberAgent and TV Asahi launched AbemaTV with scheduled internet channels modeled partly on linear television.
Aftermath
The service later added on-demand viewing and paid subscription features and became one of CyberAgent's principal consumer media businesses.
Recent events
- 2020
CyberAgent acquires Pro Wrestling NOAH[1]
M&A
The company purchased Pro Wrestling NOAH from Lidet Entertainment and later combined its wrestling operations under CyberFight.
- 2020
Fresh Live service discontinued[1]
Other
CyberAgent announced the closure of Fresh Live after previously restricting new channel creation and integrating parts of the service with Openrec.tv.
- 2017
CyberAgent acquires DDT Pro-Wrestling[1]
M&A
CyberAgent acquired all shares of DDT, while Sanshiro Takagi continued as president of the wrestling promotion.
- 2016
CyberAgent and TV Asahi launch AbemaTV[1]
Product launch
The partners introduced an internet television service using scheduled channels and later added on-demand and subscription features.
- 2011
CyberAgent establishes Cygames[1]
Product launch
CyberAgent founded Cygames as a game development company, expanding the group into mobile and online entertainment.
- 2004
Ameba becomes a major Japanese blogging platform[1]
Product launch
CyberAgent established Ameba, which later attracted substantial traffic through celebrity blogging and other online community features.
- 2000
CyberAgent lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange[1]
Other
The company went public in Japan and continued concentrating on its advertising business.
- 1998
CyberAgent launches CyberClick banner advertising service[1]
Product launch
CyberAgent launched the click-guaranteed CyberClick banner advertising service in cooperation with On The Edge, establishing its early position in internet advertising.
Sources3 sources
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