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Enhance, Inc.

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Enhance, Inc.
Information
Industry Video games, virtual reality, interactive art
Founded October 2014
Founder Tetsuya Mizuguchi
Headquarters California, United States (Japan branch in Tokyo)
Notable Personnel Tetsuya Mizuguchi (founder and CEO), Takashi Ishihara (art director)
Products Rez Infinite, Tetris Effect, Lumines Remastered, Humanity, Lumines Arise, Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities
Website https://enhance-experience.com


Enhance, Inc. (styled Enhance, and reported as Enhance Games in its early years) is a video game developer and publisher founded by the Japanese game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the creator of Rez and Lumines. The company says it was established in the United States in October 2014, with its headquarters in California and a branch in Tokyo, and that it focuses on "synesthetic experiences" built with VR, AR, MR and other XR technologies.[1][2] Its press releases from 2018 use the name Enhance, Inc., and the copyright notices on its game sites name Enhance Experience Inc.[3][4]

Most of the company's games have VR modes or are VR-only. Rez Infinite was a PlayStation VR launch title in October 2016 and won the first Best VR Game award at The Game Awards that year.[5][6] Later releases include Tetris Effect (2018), Humanity (2023) and Lumines Arise (2025), each with optional VR support, and Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities, a mixed reality game announced at Meta Connect 2026 for Meta VR Glasses and Meta Quest 3.[4][7][8][9]

Reviewed 13 October 2026. Checked every claim against the 28 cited Enhance press posts and About pages, tetriseffect.game history, Engadget, Polygon, UploadVR, Worthplaying and Game Developer articles. About review dates.

History

Founding (2014-2015)

Mizuguchi co-founded Q Entertainment in 2003 after leaving Sega; in January 2015 Engadget reported that he had left Q Entertainment the previous March.[10] In January 2015 the Japanese mobile developer Mobcast announced that it had acquired the Lumines and Meteos properties from Q Entertainment, and Engadget reported that Mizuguchi would work on a new Lumines game at his "new California-based studio, Enhance Games."[10]

In a December 2015 interview with Polygon, Mizuguchi said that early virtual reality demos had led him to form the studio. He described a different structure from Q Entertainment: he was Enhance's only employee and planned to assemble teams of contractors and external studios for each project. He said he had registered the company in California because he saw more opportunity there for investment, particularly in VR, although he was generally based in Tokyo. At that time Enhance had two groups, one for mobile games and one for virtual reality.[11]

Rez Infinite (2015-2017)

Sony and Enhance revealed Rez Infinite, a new version of Sega's 2001 rail shooter Rez, at PlayStation Experience on 5 December 2015, with a live demo by Mizuguchi. The PlayStation 4 version had an optional PlayStation VR mode.[12] Polygon reported that Enhance was working with the independent studio Monstars, founded by a programmer on the original Rez, and with the localization firm 8-4 on business, marketing and public relations.[11]

The game launched on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR on 13 October 2016, as a PlayStation VR launch title.[5][13] It added a new level, Area X, built in Unreal Engine 4, and Enhance stated that the original areas ran at 120 frames per second in PS VR, with Area X at 60 frames per second re-projected to 120.[5] At The Game Awards 2016, Rez Infinite won Best VR Game, a category added that year, ahead of Batman: Arkham VR, EVE: Valkyrie, Job Simulator and Thumper.[6][14]

On 9 August 2017 the game came to PC through Steam and the Oculus store, with VR support for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift; Enhance said it was the first time Rez had been released on PC.[15] A VR-only version for Oculus Quest followed on 13 October 2020 at 19.99 US dollars, published by Enhance and developed by Monstars,[16][17] and a PlayStation 5 version with PlayStation VR2 support came out on 22 February 2023. That version added eye-tracked aiming and haptic feedback in the PS VR2 headset; owners of the PS4 version could upgrade for 9.99 US dollars.[13]

Tetris Effect and Lumines Remastered (2018-2021)

According to the game's official timeline, Mizuguchi and Henk Rogers of The Tetris Company agreed in October 2017 to work together on a new Tetris game.[4] Enhance, Inc. and The Tetris Company announced Tetris Effect on 6 June 2018 for PlayStation 4 with optional PlayStation VR support,[3] and it was released on 9 November 2018.[18] The PC version arrived on the Epic Games Store on 23 July 2019 with optional Oculus Rift and HTC Vive support,[19] and a VR-only Oculus Quest version on 14 May 2020.[20] Tetris Effect: Connected, which added multiplayer modes, launched on Xbox and Windows 10 on 10 November 2020 and later reached Steam, Nintendo Switch and, on 22 February 2023, PS5 with PS VR2 support. The game's site credits Resonair, Monstars Inc. and Stage Games as developers, and Enhance Experience Inc. as producer and publisher.[4][21] In Edge magazine's 2018 awards issue, Enhance was named runner-up for Publisher of the Year.[22]

Enhance announced Lumines Remastered, an HD remake of the 2004 PlayStation Portable game developed by the Japanese studio Resonair, in March 2018.[23] It was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam on 26 June 2018.[24] A mobile version for iOS and Android, made with the publisher Sound Games, followed on 30 July 2026.[25]

Humanity (2019-2024)

Humanity was first shown on 24 September 2019 as a PlayStation 4 game with optional PlayStation VR support. It began as a concept by Yugo Nakamura at the Tokyo design studio tha ltd.; Enhance joined the project in early 2018 as publisher and also contributed level design and gameplay consulting.[26] The game was released on 16 May 2023 for PS5 (PS VR2 optional), PS4 (PS VR optional) and Steam (PC VR optional),[7] and on Meta Quest on 14 March 2024.[27] It was nominated for Best VR/AR Game at The Game Awards 2023.[28] Edge's 2023 awards named it PlayStation Game of the Year and VR Game of the Year.[29]

Tenth anniversary and later games (2024-present)

On 29 October 2024 Enhance marked its tenth anniversary with two limited boxed sets: an oral history book of the company with art and music, produced with Cook & Becker, and a nine-record vinyl collection of its soundtracks, produced with Lost in Cult Records. The announcement described Hydelic as "the in-house music unit" behind the music of Tetris Effect: Connected and the Area X levels of Rez Infinite.[30]

Lumines Arise, developed by Enhance and Monstars, was released on 11 November 2025 for PlayStation 5 and Steam, with optional VR support on PS VR2 and SteamVR headsets. The standard edition cost 39.99 US dollars.[31][8] Takashi Ishihara, Enhance's art director, directed the game; Game Developer reported that it was made by a team of roughly 20 people.[32] In January 2026 it won Best AR/VR Game at the 15th New York Game Awards.[33]

At the Meta Connect 2026 keynote on 23 September 2026, Enhance announced Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities, developed by Monstars Inc. and Resonair and published by Enhance. It is scheduled for 2027 on Meta Quest 3 and 3S, and as a launch title for Meta VR Glasses.[9] UploadVR reported that the game can be controlled entirely with the hands and uses passthrough cameras and the room's geometry and lighting to shape its visuals.[34]

Products

Title First release VR and XR support Enhance's role
Rez Infinite 13 October 2016 (PS4) PlayStation VR at launch; HTC Vive and Oculus Rift (2017); Oculus Quest (2020); PlayStation VR2 (2023) Publisher; developed with Monstars[5][15][17][13]
Tetris Effect / Tetris Effect: Connected 9 November 2018 (PS4) PlayStation VR; Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (2019); Oculus Quest (2020); PlayStation VR2 (2023) Producer and publisher; developed by Resonair, Monstars and Stage Games[4][19][20]
Lumines Remastered 26 June 2018 None Publisher; developed by Resonair[23][24]
Humanity 16 May 2023 PlayStation VR2, PlayStation VR and PC VR (optional); Meta Quest (2024) Publisher; contributed level design and gameplay consulting (developed by tha ltd.)[26][7][27]
Lumines Arise 11 November 2025 PlayStation VR2 and SteamVR (optional) Developer with Monstars[31][8]
Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities Scheduled for 2027 Meta VR Glasses, Meta Quest 3 and 3S (mixed reality) Publisher; developed by Monstars and Resonair[9]

XR work

Enhance describes its work as the creation of multi-sensory "synesthetic" experiences, and lists entertainment, art, devices and services among its fields.[1][2] For the 2015 announcement of Rez Infinite, Mizuguchi hired the art company Rhizomatiks to design a one-off "Synesthesia Suit" that lit up with the game, which he wore on stage. A second suit with 26 vibrating parts, also meant to help promote the game, was developed by two students from his class at Keio University, another Keio professor, a costume designer and a Rhizomatiks team member.[11] A Synesthesia Suit combining audiovisual and vibrotactile feedback was shown with Rez Infinite and Crystal Vibes as a New Frontier installation at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival (see Sundance New Frontier), credited to Mizuguchi, Ayahiko Sato and Kouta Minamizawa.[35]

The company's Synesthesia Lab later built the Synesthesia X1 - 2.44, a device with 44 vibrating actuators made with the sound artist evala, which was first shown at Media Ambition Tokyo in February 2019.[36] Several Enhance releases were tied to new VR hardware: Rez Infinite launched with PlayStation VR, its PS VR2 version uses the headset's eye tracking for aiming and its headset haptics,[13] and Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities is planned as a launch title for Meta VR Glasses.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "About Us". Enhance. https://enhance-experience.com/about/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "About Us (Japanese)". Enhance. https://enhance-experience.com/ja/about-us/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Tetris Effect Coming Fall 2018 to PlayStation 4 With Optional PlayStation VR Support". Enhance. 2018-06-06. https://enhance-experience.com/182. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "History". Tetris Effect: Connected. Enhance Experience Inc.. https://www.tetriseffect.game/history/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Rez Infinite Launches Today on PlayStation 4 and PS VR". Enhance. 2016-10-13. https://enhance-experience.com/1245. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Joe Durbin (2016-12-01). "'Rez Infinite' and 'Pokemon Go' Take Home VR/AR's First Ever Game Awards". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/first-ever-game-awards-rez-pokemon/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "HUMANITY is Now Available on PS5, PS4 and Steam (PS VR2, PS VR and PC VR optional)". Enhance. 2023-05-16. https://enhance-experience.com/13729. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "The Beat Drops Now: Lumines Arise Launches Today on PS5 and Steam". Enhance. 2025-11-11. https://enhance-experience.com/17797. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities coming soon to Meta VR Glasses and Meta Quest 3/S". Enhance. 2026-09-23. https://enhance-experience.com/18242. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Mike Suszek (2015-01-28). "Lumines changes hands, returning on iOS and Android". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2015-01-28-lumines-changes-hands-returning-on-ios-and-android.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Matt Leone (2015-12-07). "Rez producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi on his return to music games". Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2015/12/7/9860396/rez-infinite-tetsuya-mizuguchi. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  12. ↑ "Rez Infinite Announced at PlayStation Experience (PSX) 2015". Enhance. 2015-12-05. https://enhance-experience.com/1309. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "Rez Infinite Comes to PS5 With PS VR2 Compatibility on Feb. 22, 2023". Enhance. 2023-01-19. https://enhance-experience.com/11908. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  14. ↑ "Rez Infinite Wins Best VR Game at The Game Awards 2016". Enhance. 2016-12-02. https://enhance-experience.com/203. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Rez Infinite Launches on Steam (PC, HTC VIVE, Oculus) and Oculus". Enhance. 2017-08-09. https://enhance-experience.com/191. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  16. ↑ "Rez Infinite is Now Available For a New Generation of Hardware and Gamers on Oculus Quest". Enhance. 2020-10-13. https://enhance-experience.com/3052. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "'Rez Infinite' (ALL) Comes To Oculus Quest Next Month - Trailer". Worthplaying. 2020-09-16. https://worthplaying.com/article/2020/9/16/news/121842-rez-infinite-all-comes-to-oculus-quest-next-month-trailer/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  18. ↑ "Tetris Effect Now Available on PlayStation 4 Worldwide". Enhance. 2018-11-09. https://enhance-experience.com/66. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Award-Winning Tetris Effect Now Available on Epic Games Store, With Optional Support for Oculus Rift and HTC VIVE". Enhance. 2019-07-23. https://enhance-experience.com/876. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Tetris Effect is Now Available on Oculus Quest". Enhance. 2020-05-14. https://enhance-experience.com/1751. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  21. ↑ "Tetris Effect: Connected is Out Now on Series X-S, Xbox One, Win10 PC and Game Pass". Enhance. 2020-11-10. https://enhance-experience.com/3061. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  22. ↑ "EDGE Awards (2018 GOTY issue): Tetris Effect (Winner/Runner-Up) and Enhance named Runner-Up for Publisher of the Year". Enhance. 2018-12-29. https://enhance-experience.com/3243. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Lumines Remastered Announced at Nintendo Nindies Event at GDC 2018". Enhance. 2018-03-20. https://enhance-experience.com/1266. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Lumines Remastered is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam (PC)". Enhance. 2018-06-26. https://enhance-experience.com/1283. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  25. ↑ "The groundbreaking action puzzle game LUMINES REMASTERED launches today on iOS and Android". Enhance. 2026-07-30. https://enhance-experience.com/18210. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Visionary HUMANITY Coming 2020 to PlayStation 4 With Optional PlayStation VR Support". Enhance. 2019-09-24. https://enhance-experience.com/1031. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "HUMANITY is Now Available on Meta Quest". Enhance. 2024-03-14. https://enhance-experience.com/16971. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  28. ↑ "HUMANITY Nominated for Best VR/AR Game in The Game Awards". Enhance. 2023-11-13. https://enhance-experience.com/14047. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  29. ↑ "The EDGE Awards: HUMANITY Wins PlayStation Game of the Year, VR Game of the Year and is the #4 Best Games of the Year". Enhance. 2023-12-28. https://enhance-experience.com/14338. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  30. ↑ "Celebrating 10 Years of Enhance with Limited Edition Collection "Sounds and Visions: Enhance at 10"". Enhance. 2024-10-29. https://enhance-experience.com/17472. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 James Tocchio (2025-08-26). "Lumines Arise Reveals November Release Date On PS VR2 & Steam". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/lumines-arise-release-date-demo/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  32. ↑ Chris Kerr (2026-09-29). "Lumines Arise developer Enhance is forever chasing God". Game Developer. https://gamedeveloper.com/production/lumines-arise-developer-enhance-is-forever-chasing-god. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  33. ↑ "Lumines Arise Wins Best AR/VR Game at the 15th Annual New York Game Awards". Enhance. 2026-01-23. https://enhance-experience.com/18034. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  34. ↑ James Tocchio (2026-09-23). "Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities Announced For Meta VR Glasses & Quest 3". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/tetris-effect-mixed-realities-announced-for-meta-vr-glasses/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  35. ↑ "Synesthesia Suit Headed to 2017 Sundance Film Festival". Enhance. 2017-01-14. https://enhance-experience.com/946. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  36. ↑ "Synesthesia X1 - 2.44 unveiled at Media Ambition Tokyo 2019". Enhance. 2019-02-23. https://enhance-experience.com/3172. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
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