Arc System Works Co., Ltd. (株式会社アークシステムワークス, Kabushikigaisha Āku Shisutemu Wākusu?) is a video game developer and publisher based in Yokohama, Japan. The company is best known for its fighting game franchises, including Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, and licensed-based properties that have garnered international critical acclaim for their innovative fighting systems and spectacular 2D and 3D artwork.
History[]
The company was founded as Arc Co., Ltd (which stood for "Action, Revolution, and Challenge"[1]) in January 1988, founded by Minoru Kidooka, and was later established in May 12, 1988.[2] It consisted at the time of around eight developers; most of whom had previously worked at Sega including Kidooka. The company spent early years as a contract developer for Sega, Sammy and Banpresto. It was renamed Arc System Works in 1991 and published its first title, Exector, in 1995.[3]
Due to Sega merging with Sammy Studios and owning the rights to the Sammy-produced Guilty Gear X and Guilty Gear XX characters, Arc System Works obtained the full rights to Guilty Gear sometime in 2011.[4] On June 11, 2015, the company acquired all intellectual properties of Technōs Japan, such as Double Dragon and Kunio-kun, from Million Co., Ltd.[5] Following the transaction, the company took the publishing duties from Aksys Games for Virtual Console releases in North America, though some Technōs games were already published by Arc System Works.
On February 6, 2017, the company acquired the rights to the Jake Hunter, Theresia, Nazo no Jikenbo, and Koneko no Ie series from publisher WorkJam which had passed to Expris.[6] On November 2, 2017, the company announced the establishment of a North American branch in Torrance, California, known as Arc System Works America, Inc.[7]
Currently its company officers are Minoru Kidooka, President and CEO; Daisuke Ishiwatari, Chief Creative Officer, and Toshimichi Mori, Chief Development Officer.[1]
Major properties[]
- Battle Fantasia
- Birthdays the Beginning
- BlazBlue series
- Damascus Gear
- Dave the Diver
- Double Dragon series
- Ground Divers!
- Guilty Gear series
- Inferno Climber
- Jake Hunter series
- Kowloon High-School Chronicle
- Kunio-kun series
- Of Mice and Sand
- Wizard's Symphony
[]
- Arcana Heart series
- Chaos Code
- River City Girls series
- Under Night In-Birth series
Licensed[]
- Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Jōgai Rantō!? Shuyaku Sōdatsusen
- Dragon Ball series
- DNF Duel
- Granblue Fantasy Versus series
- Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact
- Kill La Kill The Game IF
- Library of Ruina
- Persona 4 Arena series
- RWBY: Arrowfell
External links[]
- Arc System Works at Wikipedia
- Arc System Works Official Web Site
- ARC SYSTEM WORKS OFFICIAL WEB SITE | アークシステムワークス公式ホームページ
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Company | Arc System Works
- ↑ 社長所感～アークシステムワークス創業30周年を迎えて～ | ARC SYSTEM WORKS OFFICIAL WEB SITE
- ↑ ARC SYSTEM WORKS OFFICIAL WEBSITE profile
- ↑ Arc System Works Now Owns The Rights To Guilty Gear
- ↑ Double Dragon and other Technos brands acquired by Arc System Works (update)
- ↑ Arc System Works Picks Up The Jake Hunter And Theresia Series
- ↑ ARC SYSTEM WORKS Establishes North American Branch | Arc System Works Universe