Mario & Luigi RPG developer AlphaDream files for bankruptcy

Yahoo Japan reports that AlphaDream, most known as the developer behind the Mario & Luigi RPG series, has filed for bankruptcy. The proceedings began in Tokyo district court on October 1.

AlphaDream was founded as a video game developer in 2000, originally as AlphaStar, whose early games included titles such as Tomato Adventure and Hamtaro series games. The would go on to partner with Nintendo and released the first Mario & Luigi game - SuperStar Saga - in 2003.

The studio's most notable recent title was Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, which released for Nintendo 3DS earlier this year, but the reported sales afterward were especially poor. 

The Yahoo article cites slowing revenues, heightening development costs, and deficit settlements in recent years have placed the studio in a position where it cannot continue its business as-is. As of March 2018, the total debt is reported to be about 465 million yen.

It's unclear what the future of the studio holds, or how the Mario & Luigi RPG series might be handled going forward.