Monolith Software Inc.,[b] trading as Monolith Soft, is a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. It is best known for creating the Xeno series. Originally founded in 1999 by Square alumnus Tetsuya Takahashi as a studio under Namco (later Namco Bandai Games), it was bought out by Nintendo in 2007. Their first project was the Xenosaga series, a spiritual successor to the Square-developed Xenogears. With Nintendo, they developed the Xenoblade series in addition to developmental assistance on Nintendo-developed games. Multiple Square alumni would join Takahashi at Monolith Soft, including Hirohide Sugiura and Yasuyuki Honne.