Game Arts Co., Ltd. (株式会社ゲームアーツ, Kabushiki gaisha gēmu ātsu) is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, it expanded into producing for a number of game console and handheld systems.[1] Its President and CEO in 2007 was Yoichi Miyaji at which time it was a member of the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association of Japan (CESA). Its major trading partners then included Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Koei Tecmo, and Gung-Ho Online Entertainment, some of whom co-developed or produced games in cooperation with the company.[2]
 | |
Native name | 株式会社ゲームアーツ |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Kabushiki gaisha gēmu ātsu |
| Company type | Public |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | March 2, 1985 |
| Founder | Takeshi Miyaji Yoichi Miyaji |
| Headquarters | Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan |
Key people | Kazuki Morishita (President & CEO) |
| Products | Thexder series Silpheed series Alisia Dragoon Lunar series Gungriffon series Grandia series Super Smash Bros. Brawl |
| Revenue | ¥4.56 billion (2007) |
Number of employees | 24 |
| Parent | GungHo Online Entertainment |
| Website | www |
The company has produced a number of games for several genres, beginning with the action game Thexder for personal computers in 1985. A number of traditional and Mahjong-related games have also been produced for Japanese audiences. In the Western world, Game Arts is best known as the producers of the Lunar and Grandia series of role-playing video games, as well as the Gungriffon line of vehicle simulation games. Some of its staff has helped in the preliminary development of Nintendo's Wii title Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[3]
On April 22, 2009, Game Arts released the PlayStation port of Grandia in Japan on the PlayStation Network as a downloadable title in the PSone Classics range, to celebrate an upcoming announcement for Grandia Online.[4]
Release history edit
| Title | Platform | Publisher | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thexder | MSX, PC-88 | Game Arts (Japan) Sierra Entertainment (US) |
1985 (Japan) 1987 (US) |
| Cuby Panic | PC-88 | Game Arts | April 1985 (Japan) |
| Thexder | NES | SquareSoft | December 18, 1985 (Japan) |
| Silpheed | PC-88 | Game Arts (Japan) Sierra Entertainment (US) |
1986 (Japan) 1988 (US) |
| Zeliard | 1987 (Japan) 1990 (US) | ||
| Solitaire Royale | MSX2, PC-88 | Game Arts | June 3, 1988 (Japan) |
| Fire Hawk: Thexder – The Second Contact | Game Arts (Japan) Sierra Entertainment (US) |
1989 (Japan) 1990 (US) | |
| Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger | NES | Hi-Score Media Work (Japan) Nexoft (US) |
July 21, 1989 (Japan) 1990 (US) |
| Harakiri | PC-88 | Game Arts | July 20, 1990 (Japan) |
| Gyuwamburaa (Gambler) Jiko Chuushinha | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | December 14, 1990 (Japan) | |
| Tenka Fubu | Sega Mega-CD | December 28, 1991 (Japan) | |
| Alisia Dragoon | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | Game Arts (Japan) Sega (US & Europe) |
April 24, 1992 (Japan) April 23, 1992 (US) 1992 (Europe) |
| Lunar: The Silver Star | Sega Mega-CD | Game Arts (Japan) Working Designs (US) |
June 26, 1992 (Japan) December 1993 (US) |
| Gyuwamburaa (Gambler) Jiko Chuushinha 2 | Game Arts | December 18, 1992 (Japan) | |
| Wonder MIDI | Wondermega | Victor | December 25, 1992 (Japan) |
| Yumimi Mix | Sega Mega-CD | Game Arts | January 29, 1993 (Japan) |
| J-League Champion Soccer | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | Shogakukan | February 26, 1993 (Japan) |
| Silpheed | Sega Mega-CD | Game Arts (Japan) Sega (US & Europe) |
July 30, 1993 (Japan) 1993 (US) 1993 (Europe) |
| Jan'ou Touryumon | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | Sega | November 5, 1993 (Japan) |
| Urusei Yatsura: My Dear Friends | Sega Mega-CD | Game Arts | April 15, 1994 (Japan) |
| Lunar: Eternal Blue | Game Arts (Japan) Working Designs (US) |
December 21, 1994 (Japan) September 1995 (US) | |
| Thexder 95 | PC | Game Arts (Japan) Sierra Entertainment (US) |
1995 (Japan) 1995 (US) |
| Yumimi Mix Remix | Sega Saturn | Game Arts | July 28, 1995 (Japan) |
| Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen (co-developed with Ehrgeiz) |
Game Gear | January 12, 1996 (Japan) | |
| Gungriffon: The Eurasian Conflict (Japan) Gungriffon (US & Europe) |
Sega Saturn | Game Arts (Japan) Sega (US & Europe) |
March 15, 1996 (Japan) 1996 (US) 1996 (Europe) March 12, 1998 (Japan) (Saturn Collection) |
| Lunar: Silver Star Story (co-developed with Japan Art Media) |
Kadokawa Games | October 1996 (Japan) | |
| Tokyo Mahjong Land | Game Arts | October 18, 1996 (Japan) | |
| Daina Airan | Game Arts | December 27, 1996 (Japan) (Advanced Release) February 14, 1997 (Japan) | |
| Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (with "MPEG" card) (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Kadokawa Games) |
Entertainment Software Publishing | July 1997 (Japan) | |
| Mahō Gakuen Lunar! (co-developed with Kadokawa Games) |
October 1997 (Japan) | ||
| Grandia | December 18, 1997 (Japan) November 26, 1998 (Japan) (Memorial Package) | ||
| Gungriffon II | April 23, 1998 (Japan) | ||
| Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Kadokawa Games) |
PlayStation | Entertainment Software Publishing (Japan) Working Designs (US) |
May 28, 1998 (Japan) April 28, 1999 (Japan) (PlayStation the Best) April 30, 1999 (US) June 1, 1999 (US) (Fan Art Edition) February 6, 2002 (US) (Limited Re-Release) |
| Grandia: Digital Museum | Sega Saturn | Entertainment Software Publishing | May 28, 1998 (Japan) |
| Lunar 2: Eternal Blue (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Kadokawa Games) |
July 1998 (Japan) | ||
| Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Kadokawa Games) |
PC | 1998 (Japan) 1999 (Korea) | |
| Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Kadokawa Games) |
PlayStation | Entertainment Software Publishing (Japan) Working Designs (US) |
May 27, 1999 (Japan) September 7, 2000 (Japan) (Kakukawa Best) December 15, 2000 (US) |
| Grandia | Entertainment Software Publishing (Japan) Sony Computer Entertainment (US) Ubisoft (Europe) |
June 24, 1999 (Japan) September 30, 1999 (US) March 30, 2000 (Europe) July 27, 2000 (Japan) (PlayStation the Best) | |
| Gyuwamburaa (Gambler) Jiko Chuushinha: Tokyo Mahjong Land | Entertainment Software Publishing | June 22, 2000 (Japan) | |
| Grandia II | Dreamcast | Entertainment Software Publishing (Japan) Ubisoft (US & Europe) |
August 3, 2000 (Japan) December 6, 2000 (US) February 23, 2001 (Europe) May 23, 2002 (Japan) (DriKore) |
| Gungriffon Blaze | PlayStation 2 | Capcom (Japan) Working Designs (US) Swing! Entertainment (Europe) |
August 10, 2000 (Japan) October 24, 2000 (US) July 12, 2002 (Europe) August 1, 2002 (Japan) (PlayStation 2 the Best) |
| Silpheed: The Lost Planet (co-developed with Treasure and Tomy) |
Capcom (Japan) Working Designs (US) Swing! Entertainment (Europe) |
September 21, 2000 (Japan) April 23, 2001 (US) May 11, 2001 (Europe) July 19, 2002 (Europe) (Re-Release) | |
| Grandia: Parallel Trippers (co-developed with Hudson Soft) |
Game Boy Color | Entertainment Software Publishing | December 22, 2000 (Japan) |
| Lunar Legend (co-developed with Japan Art Media) |
Game Boy Advance | Media Rings (Japan) Ubisoft (US) |
April 12, 2001 (Japan) December 10, 2001 (US) |
| Chenwen no Sangokushi | PlayStation 2 | Entertainment Software Publishing | November 1, 2001 (Japan) |
| Grandia II (port by Rocket Studio) |
Enix Corporation (Japan) Ubisoft (US & Europe) |
February 21, 2002 (Japan) January 28, 2002 (US) March 28, 2002 (Europe) | |
| Grandia Xtreme | Enix Corporation | January 31, 2002 (Japan) September 30, 2002 (US) | |
| Grandia II (port by Rocket Studio) |
PC | Ubisoft | March 10, 2002 (US) April 12, 2002 (Europe) |
| Bomberman Generation | GameCube | Majesco Entertainment (US) Hudson Soft (Japan) Vivendi Universal Games (Europe) |
June 3, 2002 (North America) June 27, 2002 (Japan) December 6, 2002 (Europe) |
| Gungriffon: Allied Strike (co-developed with Kama Digital) |
Xbox | Tecmo | December 16, 2004 (Japan) December 14, 2004 (US) April 8, 2005 (Europe) |
| Lunar Genesis (Japan & Europe) Lunar: Dragon Song (US) (co-developed with Japan Art Media and Rising Star Games) |
Nintendo DS | Marvelous Entertainment (Japan) Ubisoft (US) Atari (Europe) |
August 25, 2005 (Japan) September 27, 2005 (US) February 17, 2006 (Europe) |
| Grandia III | PlayStation 2 | Square Enix | August 4, 2005 (Japan) February 14, 2006 (US) |
| Project Sylpheed (Japan) (co-developed with Square Enix and Seta Corporation) |
Xbox 360 | Microsoft Corporation | September 28, 2006 (Japan) June 29, 2007 (Europe) July 10, 2007 (US) |
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl (co-developed with Sora Ltd. and Nintendo, among others)[1] |
Wii | Nintendo | January 31, 2008 (Japan) March 9, 2008 (US) June 27, 2008 (Europe) |
| Grandia (co-developed with Entertainment Software Publishing) |
PlayStation 3 | D3Publisher (Japan) Sony Computer Entertainment (US) |
April 22, 2009 (Japan) February 25, 2010 (US) |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up [2] | Wii, PlayStation 2 | Ubisoft | September 22, 2009 (US) September 25, 2009 (Europe) |
| The Magic Obelisk[5] | Wii | GungHo Online Entertainment | October 27, 2009 (Japan) December 28, 2009 (US) |
| Lunar: Silver Star Harmony | PSP, PlayStation Network | GungHo Online Entertainment (Japan) XSEED Games (US) |
November 12, 2009 (Japan) March 2, 2010 (US) |
| Ragnarok Odyssey | PS Vita, PlayStation Network | February 2, 2012 (Japan) September 11, 2012 (US) February 20, 2013 (Europe) | |
| Dokuro | PS Vita, PlayStation Network | GungHo Online Entertainment | July 5, 2012 (Japan) October 15, 2012 (US) January 30, 2013 (Europe) |
| Grandia II HD Remaster | PC | August 24, 2015 | |
| Grandia HD Collection | Switch | GungHo Online Entertainment (US) Square Enix |
August 16, 2019 |
| Grandia HD Remaster | PC | GungHo Online Entertainment | October 15, 2019 |
References edit
- ^ "Game Arts Product Information" (in Japanese). Game Arts. Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- ^ "Game Arts Corporate Profile" (in Japanese). Game Arts. Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- ^ "Iwata Asks: Super Smash Bros. Brawl". Nintendo. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
- ^ グランディア (ゲームアーカイブス版) ゲームアーツ (in Japanese). Game Arts. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- ^ Ishaan (September 7, 2009). "Game Arts Casts Its Shadow on WiiWare". Siliconera.com. Retrieved September 8, 2009.