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2021 · Glitch Pitch · Indie · Rhythm

Idol Manager

Idol Manager is a business sim about conquering the entertainment industry using any means you deem necessary.

Released: 26 July 2021
Platforms: Linux Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Windows macOS
Genres: Indie Rhythm Simulation Strategy Visual novel
Developers: Glitch Pitch
Publishers: Playism
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Side view Text
Themes: Comedy Business
Country: Russia
Age ratings: PEGI 12 ESRB T CERO B
Languages: Chinese (Simplified), English, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian
Time to beat: 23hmain story70hcompletionist

About

Idol Manager is a business simulation game developed by Glitch Pitch and published by Playism. It was initially released on Microsoft Windows on 27 July 2021, with the ported versions of Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 available on 25 August 2022.

A sequel focusing on VTubers, Idol Manager: Virtual Venture, is planned to be released in 2027.

›Story

You take on the role of manager at a small (but growing!) talent agency. As you cultivate and train the newest generation of young pop stars, you'll have to decide who to hire and who to fire, who gets promoted when things go well and who gets reprimanded when things get sour. The personal lives of these young celebrities are a part of your business, and the life of a pop star isn't always a happy one. Their crowning personal achievements can be your greatest commercial successes, but their emotional meltdowns and PR nightmares can spell financial disaster for your company.

It's not just the idols you have to worry about. The world is full of gossip magazines, super fans, and rival groups, all thirsty for a scoop on the latest scandal. There's a lot of people who want to tear you down and are willing to play dirty, but try not to let it get to you. It's not personal, it's business.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Idol Manager provides a free-play mode and a story mode. The story mode features three difficulties and multiple endings. In the video game, players take on the role of a business manager, who is responsible for the daily trainings and commercial activities of Japanese idol groups. The game also features random events, allowing players to navigate through PR disasters and defuse tensions between group members.

Development

Idol Manager was revealed at E3 2020. It was developed by Glitch Pitch, an indie game studio located in Russia, and published by the Japanese independent video game publisher Playism. The in-game images and cover art are created by Pixiv artists. The game was launched on 27 July 2021 for Microsoft Windows via Steam. The Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions were released on 25 August 2022.

Reception

Idol Manager received "mixed or average" reviews for the Microsoft Windows version according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Tilly Lawton of Pocket Tactics rated the game an 8 out of 10, praising the game is fascinating and in good combination with its visual novel aspects, but wrote the game is "not for everyone" and pointed out the UI system of the game is somewhat inconvenient.

Legacy

A sequel focusing on VTubers, Idol Manager: Virtual Venture, was announced on May 10, 2026, and is slated for a 2027 early access release on Steam.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

Platform	Released	Regions
Windows	27 July 2021	Worldwide
macOS	27 July 2021	Worldwide
Linux	27 July 2021	Worldwide
PlayStation 4	25 August 2022	Worldwide
PlayStation 5	25 August 2022	Worldwide
Nintendo Switch	25 August 2022	Worldwide