Arc System Works

Arc System Works is a developer and publisher.

Arc System Works Webpage

A Japanese video game development studio and publisher headquartered in Yokohama. Arc System Works creates and publishes games for consoles and PC. The Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series gave the company worldwide recognition.

Arc System Works as a developer

Since its inception, Arc System Works has been involved in video game development. Although the studio's portfolio primarily consists of console productions, many of its projects have also been released on PC. Over the years, the studio has specialized in the fighting game genre, with the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series being among its most prominent.

Arc System Works as a publisher

Seven years after its launch as a game developer, Arc System Works also debuted as a publisher, releasing its own game, Exector. Since then, the company has regularly released both its own games and projects from other developers.

History

The company's history begins in 1988, when it was founded under the name Arc Co., Ltd. In its early years, the team, led by Minoru Kidooka, worked on commissions for companies such as Sega, Banpresto, and Sammy, among others. Less than three years after its inception, the decision was made to change the company's name to Arc System Works.

In 1994, the team created its first fighting game, based on the Sailor Moon license and released exclusively in Japan. In 1995, it debuted as a publisher, releasing Exector, a game it developed for the first PlayStation. Soon, the studio released other games, starting with Wizard's Harmony.

A turning point in Arc System Works' history came in 1998 with the release of a fighting game called Guilty Gear. The game was such a resounding artistic and commercial success that it spawned a completely new series, which from then on would become the studio's flagship series. In 2008, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger was released, launching the second flagship series in Arc System Works' portfolio.

In 2015, Arc System Works acquired all intellectual property rights to Technos Japan, including the Double Dragon and Kunio-Kun (River City) series. In 2017, the company established its North American branch, Arc System Works America, based in Torrance, California.

In addition to subsequent installments in the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series, Arc System Works has produced a wide range of other projects over the years, some of which are based on high-profile licenses. These include Persona 4 Arena (2012), Dragon Ball FighterZ (2018), and Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (2023). Furthermore, the studio has made good use of its acquisition of Technos Japan's IP rights, reminding players of both the Double Dragon and River City series.