The noted anime director and creator Shōji Kawamori is a special adviser at the studio.

The name Satelight consists of S for Sapporo, A for Animate, T for Technology, and E for Entertainment.

The studio was founded in late 1995, in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, their first project being Bit the Cupid, the world's first fully digitally-animated television series.

In August 2006, Satelight was acquired by pachinko maker Sankyo and served as its subsidiary until July 2020, when the capital alliance between Sankyo and the studio ended.

In October that same year, Satelight announced a capital and business alliance with NetEase.