Mark Smylie of Archaia Studio Press, publisher of Mouse Guard, has announced that ASP is in the process of being acquired by Kunoichi, a Chicago-based creative services company co-founded and co-run by Josh Blaylock, who is also President of Devil’s Due Publishing. So Internet reports of an ASP buyout by DDP are not exactly true, though in a statement intended to clarify the murky situation, ASP’s Smylie did admit that he was "in separate talks with DDP about working together on a few opportunities once the Kunoichi acquisition is complete."

Smylie indicated that he was signing the necessary contracts and taking his title Artesia with him to Kunoichi and would remain "on board as editor" after the acquisition by Kunoichi. Several former ASP creators have posted anonymous complaints on various Websites concerning the new contracts that they must sign if they want Kunoichi/ASP to continue publishing their works, though it should be said that other ASP creators have expressed some satisfaction with the new contracts, which are reportedly more in line with the industry norms than the very generous original ASP deals.

Archaia announced in May that it was restructuring, looking for a new investor (see "ASP Restructuring").