FromSoftware
 | |
Native name | 株式会社フロム・ソフトウェア |
|---|---|
|
Kabushiki gaisha Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Video game industry |
| Founded | November 1, 1986 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
Key people |
Yoshimi Yasuda[1] (Chairman & CEO) Hidetaka Miyazaki (President) Naotoshi Zin (Advisor) |
| Products |
Tenchu series Armored Core series Souls series Bloodborne |
Number of employees | 227 (March 2014)[1] |
| Parent | Kadokawa Corporation |
| Website | fromsoftware.jp |
FromSoftware, Inc. (株式会社フロム・ソフトウェア Kabushikigaisha Furomu Sofutowea) is a Japanese video game company founded in November 1986, who are known primarily for being the developers of the Armored Core and Souls series, along with the Souls spin-off game Bloodborne.
History
FromSoftware was founded in 1986, and developed office software for the first several years of their existence. They released their first video game, titled King's Field, as a launch title for the PlayStation in 1994.[2]
In April 2014, Kadokawa Corporation announced the intention to purchase the company from former shareholder Transcosmos. The deal was finalized on May 21, 2014.[3]
FromSoftware expanded into a new office in Fukuoka in October 2015, which began operations in January 2016.[4]
In December 2015, FromSoftware was nominated for developer of the year at The Game Awards 2015, but lost to CD Projekt RED.[5]
Games
FromSoftware have developed for a wide range of platforms, including the Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Microsoft Windows and various mobile phones. With fifteen titles developed, the Armored Core series is the studio's longest running franchise. The most recent title, Armored Core: Verdict Day was released worldwide in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Earlier, less notable outside Japan, titles include Enchanted Arms, King's Field, Chromehounds, Otogi and Tenchu series, all of which have been met with mostly favorable reviews. The studio also has strong ties to Sega, which distributes most of these titles overseas.
In 2009, they released Demon's Souls, which brought them international exposure. Its spiritual successor, Dark Souls, was released in 2011. In March 2014, Dark Souls II, was released, and they plan on releasing Dark Souls III in 2016.[6] The studio's latest title, Bloodborne, was released worldwide in March 2015.
These four aforementioned titles have all received widespread critical acclaim from both critics and general audience alike as well as strong sales,[7][8][9] both domestically and internationally. They have also received a number of awards, primarily those for the role-playing game genre, from both professional critics and general audience, including multiple "RPG of the Year" and Game of the Year awards.[10][11][12][13]
References
- 1 2 "FromSoftware Official Site, Company information". Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ↑ http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/16/the-history-of-from-software
- ↑ "From Software acquired by Japanese publisher Kadokawa Corporation". Retrieved 28 April 2014.
- ↑ "From Software to open new studio in Fukuoka". Gematsu. September 12, 2015.
- ↑ "Nominees | The Game Awards 2015". The Game Awards. Ola Balola. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ↑ "Dark Souls 3 confirmed, coming early 2016". Polygon. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ↑ Ben Dutka (2009-02-12). "Demon's Souls Caps Impressive First Week Of Sales In Japan". PSX Extreme. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ↑ May 8, 2014, Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2014, NAMCO BANDAI Holdings Inc.
- ↑ May 7, 2014, Dark Souls II Ships 1.2 Million In U.S. And Europe, Siliconera
- ↑ den Ouden, Adriaan. "RPG of the Year". RPGamer. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
- ↑ Marchello, Sam. "Best Graphics". RPGamer. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
- ↑ Staples, Ken. "Best PS3". RPGamer. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
- ↑ "Community Choice Game of the Year". Game Revolution. December 23, 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
External links
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