Key is a Japanese visual novel studio under Visual Arts, founded by Jun Maeda, Shinji Orito, and Itaru Hinoue. They're best known for emotional, story-heavy visual novels that often leave players wrecked. Beyond games, they've established Key Sounds Label to release their soundtracks and run an internet radio show called Key Radio.

Their debut, Kanon, came out in 1999 and basically set the tone for everything that followed. Air and Clannad cemented Key's reputation for dramatic narratives and memorable soundtracks—both became massive hits and later spawned anime adaptations. Planetarian followed in 2004 as something of a quieter, more introspective entry, while Tomoyo After expanded on Clannad's world a year later.

Little Busters! launched in 2007 to huge acclaim, with the enhanced Ecstasy version arriving in 2008. They experimented with anime directly too, adapting Angel Beats! in 2009—a series that became a cultural phenomenon. The same year they'd eventually release a visual novel spin-off, Angel Beats! -1st beat-, though that didn't come out until 2015.

Rewrite in 2011 marked another ambitious project, followed by Rewrite Harvest festa in 2012 as a fandisk continuation. Kud Wafter, released in 2010, served as a side story exploring one of Little Busters!' most beloved characters.