Looking at Mink’s homepage, they seem to be on a hiring binge (web designer, house artist, CG designer, scenarist). Has there been a mass exodus of talent? Ren no Koi and Ren no Koi ~Others~ seems to be a success, but Hell Guide has been delayed for months with no new release date, and their latest game, Saimin Gakkyu, has a more cartoony CG style than they’ve used in the past. BTW, has anyone reviewed this one yet?
(Take this with a large pinch of salt, as I know very little about this company and haven’t played any of their eroges). The artist for Saimin Gakkyu has worked on two previous titles for the same company branch, so it’s probably just a different art style. The other things though, I’m not sure about - the fact that they are urgently looking to recruit a scenario writer, and that Hell Guide doesn’t have one announced suggests that the two might be linked.
Edit: Given that the Hell Guide website hasn’t been updated for well over a year, it’s probably more likely to end up as an unfinished vapourware product.
The things he’s worked on though, have been Fushidara Again and the Yakin Byoutou mah-jong game, both of which used previous CG designs. It might be a case of being moved up from the minor leagues. Hell Guide has a link in the latest banner ad on mink’s page, right after Saimin, so it looks like they aren’t giving up yet.
It looks more like the situation with Black Cyc.
BCyc got a schism, but evidently those people who supposedly left, still work with the company. In fact, it seems like the title that the exodus people were working on, has been delayed to finish the new 2009 BCyc games. I’m beginning to wonder if whatever caused the split, has been resolved and they’re back to normal again… I wouldn’t be surprised if that maid game, suddenly gets published by BCyc instead.
That’s what I was wondering, if a similar schism had occured with Mink. Does Black Cyc have a general game planned for 2009, as opposed to the members only Ageha one?
Yea… Mugen Kairou 2. The company does two titles a year, but they’re probably waiting until after this title is finished before leaking more info on the next release.
looking at Mink’s homepage now, Hell Guide is in the rotation on the banner, along with Saimin Gakkyu and a new game, Sister Scheme 2. The sketches look a little like INO’s work.
Now the Hell Guide page has been updated for the first time in a year and a half (new CG). Sister Scheme 2 has its own page (directionj by La, art by INO). So it looks like my OP came during a lull.
Has that ever happened before with eroge companies?
Haven’t heard of it, but with the recession, a steady contract might look better than independence.
Possible they were under contract before then and didn’t want the penalties for breaking it. It’s also possible it resolved itself as more of an internal split rather than 2 separate companies.
That corpse maid title still hasn’t been updated in a long time… 
You know a thought had passed my mind, that maybe it was an elaborate bluff to get what they wanted: “If you don’t do what we say, we’ll quit and make our own company… and here’s proof we’re serious!”
I guess we’ll know after Mugen 2. Especially if they’re still working on the next BCyc game… which given the sudden “out of print status” for MinDeaD, could be related to all this (as it’s the same individuals involved).
As Hell Guide shows, never give up hope. 
(Is anyone interested in that game, or Mink’s other new offerings?)
It might not have been a conflict. They might have just wanted the greater control and profit share from owning their own company. Then, when the recession, hit, they decided to delay the release until better times, and work on commission. Depending on Japan’s copyright laws, Cyc might not want to distribute Shikabane Maid-chan if the original creators own the rights, instead of it being work for hire.