Arc System Works Expands, Opening US Headquarters

Do you folks know who Arc System Works is?

That's a solid maybe, but there's a better-than-good chance you know the games they're responsible for. They cut their teeth on Double Dragon, but have since gone ahead to release Guilty Gear, BlazBlue, and dozens upon dozens of licensed anime fighting games, from Persona 4 Arena to One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum and the highly anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Recently, we've been hearing a lot of news of game studios closing or shutting down, so you should be happy to hear that sometimes, the reverse is true: specifically, that Arc System Works will finally be opening a headquarters in North America. Specifically, in Torrance, California, making it about the billionth company to open a branch in the American West Coast.

Here's what company CEO Minoru Kidooka has to say:

"Since its inception almost 30 years ago, Arc System Works has been at the pinnacle of 2D Fighting game developmentmerging traditional Japanimation-like expression and technology to bring fans around the world entertainment the likes of which they have never seen. While we have been able to bring our games to North America with help from local business partners in the past, with our new branch Arc System Works America, Inc. we will better be able to open the channels of communication between fan and developer, ensuring your voices are heard and most importantly applied."

There's no exact word on how many jobs this will produce, but it's safe to assume that most of them will be involved with localization and market research: I'd wager the majority of development will still happen in Japan. Still, it's encouraging to see the company grow, because however you feel about the anime-inspired games they produce, you can't deny they are damn good at what they do.

Here's hoping this leads to more great things from them!