Like all forms of art the development of gaming from simple electronic games into the leading entertainment industry of today has been a cross-cultural and global effort.
From the golden age of the arcade to the birth of home consoles, games have been distributed worldwide and many western players have fallen in love with the countless vital contributions of Japan’s development scene where fresh takes and new ideas are abundant.
That’s why today us at Gamers Decide are ranking the finest studios Japan has to offer from the chart-stomping titans to the loveable underdogs, perfect to help you get started on your gaming journey through the east.
15. Arc System Works - Established 1988
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Lovingly referred to as ArcSys, this studio was established in 1988 and found work providing vital public services such as porting classics such as Battletoads for Sega.
After years of impressive licensing work even handling Sailor Moon, today they are famed for their distinctive and highly respected fighting games. With a catalog showing both extreme style and depth, over the years they have grown their original properties into competitive mainstays.
Fighting fans love their games for their unique and eye-catching anime aesthetic, with a forward thinking approach to onboarding casual players.Impressively they are one of the only studios to have multiple games at once premiering at the popular esports event, Evo.
Most Famous Games:
Dragon Ball Fighter Z
Guilty Gear: Strive
BlazBlue: CrossTag Battle
Granblue Fantasy Versus
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
14. Grasshopper Manufacture - Established 1998
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Founded back in the nineties by the enigmatic Goichi Suda, this group of zany wildcards is known for their outlandish and eccentric original series such as No More Heroes and the PlayStation 2 classic Killer7.
Grasshopper has a colorful catalog of games ranging from character action to mystical thriller, always leaving a lasting impression with their self aware humor and highly stylised stories sporting a flavorful tone that falls somewhere between Tarantino and Kafka. Always kickass, often bewildering, players looking for eccentricity will love Grasshopper's major oddball vibes.
Most Famous Games:
No More Heroes
Let it Die
Killer7
Killer is Dead
Lollipop Chainsaw
13. MonolithSoft - Established 1999
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While in their infancy Monolith focused on narrative heavy games and outsourcing, today the team is known for the ambitious and mystifying Xenoblade RPG titles commonly found on Nintendo systems.
Monolith have been steadily growing a sterling reputation as open world pioneers, able to craft expansive and stunning worlds players can explore with a cast of loveable characters (featuring only the best hyper-british voice acting) and a story ripe with high-stakes ancient demigod drama.
From cult classic underdog to top tier craftsmen, they are a go-to if you're looking for an epic journey through an imaginative world.
Most Famous Games:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Project X Zone
Xenosaga I & II
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
12. GameFreak - Established 1989
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GameFreak is a company requiring no introduction for their omnipresent Pokémon franchise (That happens to be the biggest selling media property of all time!) easily a feat alone worthy of placing them on this list.
Established in the early days of the console boom, they exploded into popularity when Pokémon became a worldwide sensation and helped Nintendo launch portable gaming into the mainstream.
The Pokémon games are beoved for their adorable charm, irresistible tunes and the most addictive “morally speaking this might all be a gray area, actually” monster capturing system in gaming.
Still, it’s impossible to deny just how appealing a mascot Pikachu is.
Most Famous Games:
Pokémon Red & Blue
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Sword & Shield
Pokémon X & Y
Little Town Hero
11. Koei Tecmo - Established 2009
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Sporting a complicated d lineage with the now defunct company Tecmo, Koei have been providing quality Japanese titles across an impressive span of styles and genres since its inception.
From the brutal limb-lopping action of Ninja Gaiden to the sprawling "It's Lu Bu!!" battlefields of Dynasty Warriors, they specialize in high quality action and power fantasy delivered with quintessential Japanese flair.
Lately they've been working with major licenses such as Zelda, Persona, and even Final Fantasy, meaning there's something for nearly every gaming fan from Koei Tecmo.
Most Famous Games:
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Nioh 2
Dead or Alive
Dynasty Warriors 8
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
10. Platinum Games Inc - Established 2007
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Reborn from the ashes of the much esteemed Clover Studios, Platinum opened their doors in 2007 and quickly hit the scene with the landmark action series Bayonetta, where players can take on God himself while wearing gun-addled high heels.
Spearheaded by the official king of badass and bonafide eccentric Hideki Kamiya, the studio has since made it their mission to push spectacle and style to new levels through both original works and their partnerships with major companies like Nintendo and SEGA.
Gamers looking for cosmos-splitting action, variety, and that "you seriously gotta see it to believe it" brand of fun should always look out for their name.
Most Famous Games:
Nier Automata
Bayonetta
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Astral Chain
The Wonderful 101
9. Bandai Namco - Established 2006
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Responsible for one of the most instantly recognisable sounds in the history video games, and directly inspiring the 1982 hit song and seminal anthem Pac-Man Fever, Bandai once ruled the arcades with their iconoclastic output and have since gone on to cultivate a diverse yet always appealing catalog of games ranging from fantasy to fighting games.
The key to Bandais success seems to be diversity: From the dangerously high power levels of DragonBall to the absurdly political sky thriller Ace Combat they have maintained a history of high quality long running series and an impressive licensed catalog, joyous news for many anime fans.
Most Famous Games:
Tekken 7
Soul Calibur V
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Klonoa
Pac-Man
8. Sony Japan Studios - Established 1993
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A high grade name since Sony itself entered videogames back in the nineties, Sony Japan Studios have been able to contribute to the diversification of games as an art-form and helped develop many mainline blockbusters for the PlayStation home consoles.
Though sadly they closed their doors in 2021, with thought provoking achievements such as Shadow of The Colossus and the teeming-with-cameos love letter to videogames that is Astros Playroom their legacy lives on for bringing emotional and visually stunning games to the mainstream market.
Most Famous Games:
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
Ape Escape 3
Bloodborne
Astro’s Playroom
7. ATLUS - Established 1986
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Originally providing outsource work for other companies, ATLUS has transformed itself over the years as a singular voice when it comes to providing a unique spin on JRPGs: the surreal, darkness, and brutal difficulty.
Their loveable "hee-ho!" spouting mascot Jack Frost has helped expose the world to more philosophical and sophisticated games, replete with charm and memorable characters. The Persona series has recently been a breakthrough success for its addictive life-sim systems and outlandish style.
If you're looking to ponder a godless apocalypse or save a small Japanese town with your outcast friends, ATLUS games shouldn’t be missed if you’re looking for something hardcore.
Most Famous Games:
Persona 4
Persona 5
Shin Megami Tensei V
Catherine
Etrian Odyssey IV
6. Konami - Established 1969
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Before solidifying their existence in the collective gaming consciousness due to the infamous Konami Code, Konami originally formed as a jukebox rental business.
A far cry from the hilarious yet sharply philosophical Metal Gear(Which was the early genesis of the stealth genre, as well as shattering the fourth wall so hard it could never be fixed) and Silent Hill, proving that games too can tackle mature themes and psychological horror.
Their impressive output goes back to the early console days with Castlevania, a series which would later help originate the metroidvania genre. The Konami rabbit hole is an excellent one for any gamer to go down.
Most Famous Games:
Metal Gear Solid
Castlevania: Symphony of The Night
Silent Hill 2
Bomberman
Contra III
5. SEGA - Established 1960
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The home of our favorite blue blur, SEGA used to be a major player in the console market managing to eke out a name with unforgettable classics such as Sonic The Hedgehog who is one of the most instantly recognisable video game characters.
Since exiting the console development game, they now boast an impressive selection of titles, either paying homage to videogames as a medium with the "tough guys can be nice people too" Yakuza series or with real time strategy titles like Total War. Personally, we’re still thinking about that groovin' Jet Set Radio soundtrack.
Most Famous Games:
Sonic The Hedgehog
Virtua Fighter
Total War: Warhammer
Jet Set Radio
Yakuza 0
4. FromSoftware - Established 1986
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From found an early audience in the Playstation era with their Armored Core and King's Field series, but it wasn’t until they released the cult classic Demon Souls in 2009 that their name would expand. The feverish audience it attracted later spawned industry changing spiritual successor Dark Souls.
Now a household name, their one of a kind style and design philosophy are celebrated worldwide for their difficulty and craftsmanship. Known for their brutal yet mysterious worlds and artful approach to storytelling, if you're looking for a challenge you can do no wrong with FromSoft games.
Most famous games:
Elden Ring
Dark Souls
Bloodborne
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Metal Wolf Chaos
3. CAPCOM - Established 1983
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Like other companies we've exolored, what began as a titan of the arcade market, CAPCOM verged into the console scene by partnering with Nintendo and have since been responsible for creating both the horror and fighting game genres, their impact and reputation has been unanimous throughout gaming history.
Perhaps what stands out most is their incredible character designs and advanced gameplay, but you just have to love their tendency to spawn infinitely quotable lines such as "Jill sandwich".
Most Famous Games:
Resident Evil 2
Street Fighter 2
Monster Hunter: Worlds
MegaMan X
Devil May Cry
2. SquareEnix - Established 1975
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Born after the merger between both Square and Enix in 2003, SquareEnix’s legacy in games is well established in the minds of many an RPG fan. From the companies early days, they trail-blazed the RPG formula with Final Fantasy (which has since spread into every genre of game you can find).
Featuring some truly imaginative settings, unmistakable production values and revered characters across their catalog, they are the go to studio for many when it comes to japanese role playing games (and always with a fantastic soundtrack, kupo!).
Most Famous Games:
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Quest XI
Kingdom Hearts III
Nier Automata
1. Nintendo - Established 1889
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Nintendo is responsible for the most iconic and loveable characters in gaming known the world over, yet interestingly they existed long before they made their mark in video games.
Originally established all the way back in 1889 as a crafts & cards company, since entering the early video game scene they have since gone on to produce a seemingly endless list of classic titles, known for their family friendly approach (just don't ask questions about the abstract nature of human growth mushrooms and pipe plunging!) and focus on fun and quality.
Nintendo has an undeniable universal appeal and have been instrumental in growing the home video game market into what it is today.
Writing about games is really fun! But more importantly it allows me to avoid the inclement weather of the British isles, and provides a nice distraction from obsessing about Twin Peaks.
Gamer Since:
1997
Favorite Genre:
RPG
Currently Playing:
Fortnite
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Dead Space
