[HerbMcM]

I'm not sure why this particular firm was picked as a 'first' for Otome games, when they have been a thing for a very long time. Even from the hardship angle it seems odd, considering there's Idea Factory (or its otome subsidiaries at least) being female led since their earliest days, and they had to do it many years ago when it would arguably be harder to do so.

[square_usual]

I think it's notable for the recency of the event (their IPO). The article doesn't call them a first, though, just mentions this event as notable.

[Blikkentrekker]

Which it is not.

The first otome game is generally considered Angelique, and was released in 1994.

There is a rather big franchise called Ouran High School Host Club, which started in 2002, which is a parody on the otome genre and assumes that the audience be familiar with it, as it mocks it's clichés.

There is absolutely nothing new or newsworthy about the existence of otome games and some of the comments in this thread really make me aware of how every news article appears accurate, safe for the one about the subject one happens to be somewhat knowledgable in oneself.

It makes me realize that most likely I have also been making such comments from other news articles, not realizing how much the article was sensationalized dreck news that attempted to arouse a false impression.

[Blikkentrekker]

Quite. As I said in another comment, this article makes it seem as though it be some kind of hole in the market that they tapped into.

This is really not remarkable; otome games and fiction are common place and a big market indeed.

It's as though it be præsented as news that some firm made a first person shooter.