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Arc System Works

Japanese video game company

Summary

Japanese video game company

Field	Value
name	Arc System Works Co., Ltd.
native_name	アークシステムワークス株式会社
romanized_name	Āku Shisutemu Wākusu kabushiki gaisha
logo	Arc System Works.png
type	Kabushiki gaisha
industry	Video games
foundation	May 12, 1988
founder	Minoru Kidooka
location_city	Yokohama
location_country	Japan
key_people	{{plainlist
* Minoru Kidooka<ref name	"company"
* Daisuke Ishiwatari<ref name	"company"/
* Toshimichi Mori<ref name	"company"/
products
revenue
num_employees	233 (2024)
homepage

Minoru Kidooka
(President and CEO)
Daisuke Ishiwatari
(Chief Creative Officer)
Toshimichi Mori
(Chief Development Officer [2003 - 2022])

Arc System Works Co., Ltd., commonly referred to as ArcSys, is a Japanese video game developer and publisher located in Yokohama. Founded by Minoru Kidooka in 1988, the company is known for arcade 2D fighting game franchises, including Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. They have also developed other fighting games using external licenses, including Dragon Ball FighterZ, Persona 4 Arena and Arena Ultimax, Granblue Fantasy Versus and Versus Rising, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and others.

History

The company was founded in January 1988 and incorporated as Arc Co., Ltd. in May. The company spent early years as a contract developer for Sega, Sammy, and Banpresto. It consisted at the time of around eight developers; most of whom had previously worked at Sega including founder Minoru Kidooka. It was renamed Arc System Works in 1991. In 1992 they developed a game for the Famicom called Pizza Pop!. The company produced a series of Sailor Moon video games for publisher Angel including Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Jōgai Rantō!? Shuyaku Sōdatsusen which was the first fighting game they produced*.*

They published their first title in 1995 which was Exector for the PlayStation.

On June 11, 2015, the company acquired all intellectual properties of Technōs Japan, such as Double Dragon and Kunio-kun, from Million Co., Ltd. Even prior to its acquisition of Million's library, the company had been the publisher of Technōs' video games for Virtual Console in Japan. 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. On November 2, 2017, the company announced the establishment of a North American branch in Torrance, California, known as Arc System Works America, Inc.

In July 2024, Arc System Works opened a European branch at Paris, France.

Games developed

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Publisher
1988	Final Lap	Family Computer	Namco
Double Dragon	Master System	Sega
1989	Scramble Spirits	Master System	Sega
Rolling Thunder	Family Computer	Namco
Battle Out Run	Master System	Sega
Vigilante	Master System	Sega
1990	Ghouls 'n Ghosts	Master System	Sega
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker	Master System	Sega
Code Name: Viper	Nintendo Entertainment System	Capcom
Chiyonofuji no Ōichō	Family Computer	Face
Operation Wolf	PC Engine	NEC Avenue
Pengo	Game Gear	Sega
Super Monaco GP	Master System	Sega
Hissatsu Shigotonin	Family Computer	Banpresto
SD Sengoku Bushō Retsuden: Rekka no Gotoku Tenka o Nusure!	Family Computer	Banpresto
1991	Battle Commander: Hachibushu Shura no Heihou	Super Famicom	Banpresto
1992	Pizza Pop!	Family Computer	Jaleco
Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger	Family Computer	Angel
Great Battle Cyber	Family Computer	Banpresto
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon	Game Boy	Angel
Cyber Spin	Super NES	Takara
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II	Master System	Sega
1993	Battletoads	Game Gear, Genesis	Sega
Suzuka 8 Hours	Super NES	Namco
1994	Gaia Saver	Super Famicom	Banpresto
Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon	Mega Drive	Ma-Ba
Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Jōgai Rantō!? Shuyaku Sōdatsusen	Super Famicom	Angel
1995	Exector	PlayStation
Wizard's Harmony	PlayStation, Saturn
1997	Wizard's Harmony 2	PlayStation, Saturn
1998	Guilty Gear	PlayStation, PSP, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch	Atlus (US) / Virgin Interactive (UK)
Wizard's Harmony R	PlayStation
1999	Prismaticallization	Dreamcast, PlayStation
Tanaka Torahiko no Uru Toraryuu Shogi	Dreamcast, PlayStation
2000	Guilty Gear X	NAOMI, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Windows	Sammy Studios
Grappler Baki: Baki Saikyo Retsuden	PlayStation 2	Tomy
2001	Guilty Gear X Plus	PlayStation 2	Sammy Studios
Digital Holmes	PlayStation 2
2002	Guilty Gear X2	NAOMI, PlayStation 2	Sammy Studios
2003	Guilty Gear X Ver.1.5	Atomiswave	Sammy Studios
Guilty Gear X2#Reload	NAOMI, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows, PSP	Sammy Studios
2004	Guilty Gear Isuka	Atomiswave, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows	Sammy Studios
Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors	Game Boy Advance	Atari/Banpresto/Bandai
2005	Fist of the North Star	Atomiswave, PlayStation 2	Sega
Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2	Nintendo DS	Atari/Banpresto/Bandai
Guilty Gear XX Slash	NAOMI, PlayStation 2, PSP	Sammy Studios/SEGA
2006	Guilty Gear XX Accent Core	NAOMI, PlayStation 2, Wii	Sammy Studios/Aksys Games (US)
2007	Guilty Gear 2: Overture	Xbox 360, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/505 Games
Battle Fantasia	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/505 Games
Hoshigami Remix	Nintendo DS	ASNetworks/Aksys Games/505 Games
2008	Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus	PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3	Sammy Studios/Arc System Works(Wii)
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, PSP	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/PQube/Zen United
Sengoku Basara X	System 246 / System 256, PlayStation 2	Capcom
Super Dodgeball Brawlers	Nintendo DS	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
Tantei Jinguji Saburo DS	Nintendo DS	Arc System Works/WorkJam
Petit Copter	Wii	Aqua System
Family Table Tennis	Wii	Aksys Games
2009	Diva Girls: Princess on Ice	Wii, DS	505 Games
Family Glide Hockey	Wii	Aksys Games
Family Pirate Party	Wii	Aksys Games
Family Mini Golf	Wii	Aksys Games
Family Slot Car Racing	Wii	Aksys Games
Family Card Games	Wii	Aksys Games
Family Grand Tennis	Wii	Aksys Games
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/Arc System Works UK
Animal Puzzle Adventure	DSiWare
Jazzy Billiards	Nintendo DSi
Othello	Windows, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo Switch, PSP, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Wii U
2010	BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II	Taito Type X2, PSP, Nintendo 3DS	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/Arc System Works UK
BlayzBloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale	DSiWare
2011	Hard Corps: Uprising	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Konami
Nurarihyon no Mago: Hyakki Ryouran Taisen	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Konami
2012	BlazBlue: Chronophantasma	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R	Arcade, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Nintendo Switch	Sammy Studios/Arc System Works (Steam)
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend	PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/Arc System Works UK
Persona 4 Arena	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Atlus
Kyūkōsha no Shōjo	Nintendo 3DS
Phi Brain: Kizuna no Puzzle	PlayStation Portable
2013	Persona 4 Arena Ultimax	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows	Atlus/Sega
Xblaze Code: Embryo	PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/Funbox Media
Magical Beat	PlayStation Vita
Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo	PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch	Arc System Works
2014	Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-	Sega RingEdge 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend	Taito Type X2 (as 2.0), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
Conveni Dream	Nintendo 3DS
Fantasy Hero: Unsigned Legacy	PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch
Slice It!	Nintendo 3DS	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
2015	Downtown Nekketsu Koushinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundoukai All-Star Special	PlayStation 3
Family Tennis SP	Wii U	Aksys Games
BlazBlue: Central Fiction	Taito Type X2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/PQube
XBlaze Lost: Memories	PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden	Nintendo 3DS	Bandai Namco Entertainment
2016	Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-	Sega RingEdge 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows	Arc System Works/Aksys Games/Sony Computer Entertainment
Chase: Cold Case Investigations - Distant Memories	Nintendo 3DS	Arc System Works/Aksys Games
Inferno Climber	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows
One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum	Nintendo 3DS	Bandai Namco Entertainment
River City Melee: Battle Royale SP	PlayStation 4, Windows	Arc System Works, H2 Interactive
2017	Double Dragon IV	PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Simple Mahjong Online	Nintendo Switch
Birthdays the Beginning	PlayStation 4, Windows	NIS America
Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk	Nintendo 3DS	Arc System Works/Orange
Shephy	Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Windows
2018	Dragon Ball FighterZ	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S	Bandai Namco Entertainment
Happy Birthdays	Nintendo Switch	NIS America
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Arcade, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Arc System Works/PQube
2019	Wizard's Symphony	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
River City Melee Mach!!	PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch
Stay Cool, Kobayashi-San!: A River City Ransom Story	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch
2020	Code Shifter	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch
Granblue Fantasy Versus	PlayStation 4, Windows	Cygames/XSEED Games
2021	Guilty Gear Strive	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Arcade, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Arc System Works/Bandai Namco Entertainment
2022	DNF Duel	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Windows	Nexon
2023	Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows	Cygames/XSEED Games
2024	Another Code: Recollection	Nintendo Switch	Nintendo
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby: Party Dash	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows	Cygames
2025	Dear me, I was...	Nintendo Switch 2, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Windows	Arc System Works
2026	Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls	PlayStation 5, Windows	Sony Interactive Entertainment
Damon and Baby	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Windows	Arc System Works

Games published

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Developers
2006	Castle of Shikigami III	Arcade, Wii, Xbox 360, Windows	Alfa System, Barnhouse Effect
2007	Hooked! Real Motion Fishing	Wii	SIMS
2009	Strikers 1945 Plus Portable	PSP	Psikyo
2011	Arcana Heart 3	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	Examu, Team Arcana
2012	Chaos Code	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows	FK Digital
Go! Go! Kokopolo - Harmonious Forest Revenge	Nintendo DS	Tanukii Studios Limited
2013	Bit.Trip Saga	Nintendo 3DS	Gaijin Games
2014	Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!!	Taito X2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Windows	Examu, Team Arcana
Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters	PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita	Toybox Inc.
Under Night In-Birth: Exe Late	PlayStation 3, Windows	Ecole Software, French Bread
2015	Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (Japan only)	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita	Reverge Labs/Lab Zero
2016	Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs	PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Windows	Toybox Inc.
2017	Arcana Heart 3: Love Max Six Stars!!!!!	Taito Type X2, Windows	Examu, Team Arcana
Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code	Windows	Type-Moon, French-Bread, Ecole Software
Under Night In-Birth: Exe Late[st]	Sega RingEdge 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows	Ecole Software, French Bread
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (Asia only)	PlayStation 4	Lizardcube
DJMax Respect (Japan only)	PlayStation 4	Rocky Studio, Neowiz MUCA
2018	Daedalus: The Awakening of Golden Jazz	PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows	Neilo Inc
Resonance of Fate (Japan only)	PlayStation 4	tri-Ace
World End Syndrome	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4	Toybox Games
The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows	White Owls Inc.
2019	Kill la Kill the Game: IF	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows	A+ Games
River City Girls	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5	WayForward
2020	Under Night In-Birth: Exe Late[cl-r]	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Sega ALLS HX	Ecole Software, French Bread
2021	Kowloon High-School Chronicle	Nintendo Switch	Toybox Inc.
Arcana Heart 3: Love Max Six Stars Xtend!!!!!	Windows, ex-Arcadia	Team Arcana
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows	A+ Games
2022	Ground Divers!	Nintendo Switch	Studio Tsuruhashi
RWBY: Arrowfell	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	WayForward
River City Girls 2	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	WayForward
2023	Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes]	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows	French Bread
2024	Library of Ruina	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4	Project Moon
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows	A+ Games, R-Force Entertainment
2025	Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows	Eighting
Super Technos World: River City & Technos Arcade Classics	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows	Intense
Double Dragon Revive	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows	Yuke's
Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeons	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows	Taito
TBA	Demon’s Night Fever	TBA	Drecom, SuperNiche

References

"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".
. (3 February 2018). ["Company"](https://arcsystemworks.com/company/). *Arc System Works*.
(25 September 2022). "BlazBlue series creator Toshimichi Mori leaves Arc System Works".
"企業データ {{!}} ARC SYSTEM WORKS OFFICIAL WEB SITE".
"Forums de discussion jeux vidéo Gamekult - Gamekult".
Wong, Alistair. (2019-06-23). "Jaleco Famicom Game Pizza Pop! Has Been Fan Translated".
Quesada, Daniel. (2020-07-04). "Así era Sailor Moon S, el primer juego de lucha de Arc System Works".
(10 May 2012). "ARC SYSTEM WORKS OFFICIAL WEBSITE".
Sarkar, Samit. (12 June 2015). "Double Dragon and Other Technos Brands Acquired by Arc System Works (update)". [[Vox Media]].
(28 September 2007). "「ファミコン探偵倶楽部」、「半熟英雄」から「超兄貴」までそしてNEOGEOも――10月の「バーチャルコンソール」ラインアップ". ITmedia.
"あの『くにおくん』がニンテンドーDSで復活！『超熱血高校くにおくんドッジボール部』 - ファミ通.com".
(23 January 2013). "『ぶれいぶるーくろーんふぁんたずま』体験版と『びっくり熱血新記録！はるかなる金メダル』がニンテンドーeショップで配信".
"Wiiウェア『おきらくスゴロクWii』追加コンテンツ＆VC『ダブルドラゴン』2009年2月24日より配信開始".
(14 November 2013). "Nintendo.com – River City Ransom – Game Info".
"River City Ransom".
(22 December 2013). "Nintendo.com – Crash 'n the Boys Street Challenge – Game Info".
Jenni. (6 February 2017). "Arc System Works Picks Up the Jake Hunter and Theresia Series". [[Curse, Inc.]].
. (3 November 2017). ["Arc System Works Establishes North American Branch"](http://arcsystemworks.com/arc-system-works-establishes-north-american-branch/). *Arc System Works*.
. (1 July 2024). ["Arc System Works Establishes European Branch"](https://www.arcsystemworks.fr/en/news/). *Arc System Works*.
"Petit missions in Petit Copter".
"ARC SYSTEM WORKS Othello シリーズサイト".
(11 March 2016). "3DS adventure game Chase: Unsolved Cases Investigation Division by Another Code staff announced".
(December 26, 2020). "Arc System Works-developed Dungeon Fighter fighting game DNF Duel announced [Update]".
"Bass Fishing Wii～ロクマル伝説～".
"Arc System Works - Kokopolo".
"BIT.TRIP SAGA".
Romano, Sal. (September 20, 2018). "Daedalus: The Awakening of Golden Jazz launches December 13 in Japan". Gematsu.
Romano, Sal. (March 20, 2019). "Alternate Jake Hunter: Daedalus The Awakening of Golden Jazz coming west on May 16". Gematsu.
(2022-06-10). "Arc System Works announces mining action game Ground Divers! for Switch".
(16 September 2020). "WayForward, Arc System Works, and Rooster Teeth announce RWBY video game, coming 2021".
Romano, Sal. (July 18, 2024). "River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next announced for PS4, Switch, and PC".
Arc System Works America. (September 30, 2024). "The release timing for HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT will be changed from the previously announced 2024 timing to now release within 2025. [...]".
Romano, Sal. (July 11, 2024). "Double Dragon Revive teaser trailer, first details and screenshots".

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