Mobile contents provider Index Holdings has acquired 7.7 million shares, or a 54.93%, stake in Shin Megami Tensei makers Atlus. Thereby Index has become Atlus' new largest shareholder and parent company. Index has acquired the shares from Takara Tomy, which has sold its majority stake in Atlus. Following the transaction, Takara Tomy will only retain a 2.73% stake in Atlus.

Index is no stranger to gaming industry investments. The company had previously acquired love adventure specialists Interchannel (currently Interchannel Halon) from NEC in 2004. Last year, Index acquired Konami's 22% stake in Takara and remains Takara Tomy's largest shareholder.
While Atlus had to face a difficult financial situation over the last couple of years, the company's game division enjoyed a successful first half of the current fiscal year. The company singled out Persona 3's better than expected performance in Japan (more than 200,000 copies shipped) and Trauma Center's popularity in the US and Europe as reason for the positive result.