Bandai Namco Studios

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Lore & Background

Bandai Namco Studios identifies itself as the successor to Namco, focusing on its predecessor's design philosophies and corporate environment. The company emphasizes creating unique and immersive experiences in games, and is against copying ideas from other developers. Many of its employees were originally employed at Namco. The company has amassed a collection of over 400 master arts, including those from Xevious (1983), Ridge Racer (1993), and J-League Soccer Prime Goal (1993), which it stores in an internal department named the 'Banarchive'. The loss of archival materials during its move to Kōtō in 2015 prompted the establishment of the Banarchive, though the lost items were not exclusively these master arts. Bandai Namco Studios shares its master arts through YouTube retrospective videos as part of its preservation efforts. In addition to master arts, the studio has preserved promotional pamphlets, source code, master models for characters, design documentation, and release dates for all video games by Namco, Bandai, and Banpresto.

In Their Own Story

On November 14, 2023, Bandai Namco Studios revealed for the first time that they now have two dedicated teams called Studio 2 and Studio S for commissioned projects for other publishers, with Nintendo being the main contributor for the past works and likely for future works. Studio S has focused on supporting the Mario Kart series since 2014 as well as Arms, while Studio 2 has been mainly involved in the Super Smash Bros. series since the 4th installment as the lead development studio. The Japanese division established a working relationship with Nintendo with Wii Sports Club, a high-definition remaster of the original Wii Sports (2006) for the Wii U. Several Nintendo games followed developed by Bandai Namco Studios, including Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014), Pokkén Tournament (2015), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) and New Pokémon Snap (2021). Bandai Namco Studios won the 'Grand Prize' award at the Japan Game Awards for its work on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as the 'Japan Game Awards 2019 Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award'.

Reader's Guide

Bandai Namco Studios currently have six internal divisions in Japan dedicated to development. As of 2023, the organization includes: Studio 1, with 257 employees, mainly works on the Tekken, Soulcalibur, and Ace Combat series, with the most recent titles worked being Tekken 8 and Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, and have also worked on God Eater 3, Pokkén Tournament and the new IP Code Vein. Studio 2 and Studio S, with 152 employees, have mainly worked on Nintendo published games, be it in small/medium contract work or large contract work. Studio 2 mainly works on large contract work. Studio S has focused on supporting the Mario Kart series since 2014 as well as Arms, while Studio 2 has been mainly involved in the Super Smash Bros. series since the 4th installment as the lead development studio. In October 2021, Bandai Namco Studios announced the establishment of the indie label GYAAR Studio within the studio, planning to release at least one independent game title per year developed by a team of creators from among the studio's young staff.

Did You Know?

• Bandai Namco Studios was established on April 2, 2012, as a spin-off of Namco Bandai Games's development divisions, absorbing over 1,000 staff from the parent company and all 80 staff from Namco Tales Studio, which was m
• The company has preserved over 400 master arts in an internal department called the 'Banarchive', including pieces from Xevious (1983), Ridge Racer (1993), and J-League Soccer Prime Goal (1993).
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate won the 'Grand Award' at the Japan Game Awards 2019; the game's success, not the studio itself, earned this honor.
• On November 14, 2023, Bandai Namco Studios revealed it has two dedicated teams—Studio 2 and Studio S—for commissioned projects, with Studio 2 leading development on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Strategic Origins and Corporate Restructuring

Bandai Namco Studios Inc. emerged from a strategic corporate reorganization designed to streamline operations and boost productivity within the wider Bandai Namco Holdings group. Originally formed as Namco Bandai Games in 2006 through the merger of two giants, the entity later determined that spinning off its development divisions was essential for recovery and growth. Established on April 2, 2012, the new subsidiary absorbed over a thousand employees from the parent company, including all staff from the defunct Namco Tales Studio. Led by veteran Hajime Nakatani, this restructuring aimed to shorten development cycles and foster better alignment between production teams while granting creators more artistic freedom. The separation created a distinct keiretsu relationship where the new studio focused exclusively on game creation for home, arcade, and mobile platforms, leaving distribution, marketing, and publishing duties to Bandai Namco Entertainment. This structural shift was driven by financial necessities and a desire to unify brand identity, eventually leading to the official renaming of the entity to Bandai Namco Studios Inc. in 2014 to match international branding standards.

Global Expansion and International Operations

To support its growing portfolio, the studio aggressively expanded beyond Japan, establishing international divisions to tap into regional talent and markets. In March 2013, studios opened in Singapore and Vancouver, Canada, with specific mandates for each location. The Singapore branch was designated as the primary Asian development hub, tasked with building local industry relationships and notably hiring former LucasArts staff who had worked on the cancelled Star Wars 1313 project. Meanwhile, the Vancouver division focused on designing online network games and tailoring content for North American and European audiences while contributing to Canada's gaming ecosystem. Although the Canadian office closed in late 2018, a small team remained to support mobile titles like Tekken Mobile. Concurrently, the company opened a new facility in Selangor, Malaysia, in 2016. This global footprint allowed the studio to manage diverse projects efficiently, though it also required adapting to local industry conditions and occasionally restructuring international assets to maintain operational efficiency.

Franchise Stewardship and Third-Party Collaborations

The studio serves as the primary guardian for some of the gaming industry's most iconic franchises while simultaneously acting as a key development partner for other major publishers. Internally, Bandai Namco Studios manages legendary series such as Tekken, Pac-Man, Soulcalibur, Ace Combat, The Idolmaster, and Tales, alongside original properties like Code Vein and Scarlet Nexus. Externally, the company has cultivated a profound partnership with Nintendo, developing significant titles including multiple entries in the Super Smash Bros. series starting from the fourth installment, Wii Sports Club, Kirby Air Riders, and Pokémon spin-offs like Pokkén Tournament and New Pokémon Snap. In 2023, the studio revealed two dedicated internal teams, Studio S and Studio 2, specifically for these commissioned projects; Studio S has supported Mario Kart since 2014, while Studio 2 leads Super Smash Bros. development. This dual focus on maintaining their own legacy IPs and delivering high-quality third-party titles underscores their versatility and technical prowess across the industry.

Innovation, Preservation, and Future Initiatives

Beyond traditional game development, Bandai Namco Studios has positioned itself as a forward-thinking entity committed to technological innovation and historical preservation. The studio actively preserves key art, design documents, and resources from its vast catalog, ensuring that the history of their games remains accessible for future generations. Embracing new frontiers, they began developing virtual reality arcade experiences in 2014 for their VR Zone chain and released Summer Lesson for PlayStation VR in 2016. To foster creativity among younger talent, the studio launched the GYAAR Studio indie label in October 2021, aiming to release at least one independent title annually developed by internal young teams, with Survival Quiz City as its debut. Additionally, the establishment of Bandai Namco Research Inc. in 2019 allowed for a dedicated focus on R&D by transferring specific departments from the main studio. These initiatives highlight a commitment to evolving their development methodologies and nurturing the next generation of game creators.

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