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FromSoftware

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FromSoftware, Inc.
Native name
株式会社フロム・ソフトウェア
Kabushiki gaisha furomu sofutowea
Company type
IndustryVideo games
FoundedNovember 1, 1986; 37 years ago (1986-11-01)
FounderNaotoshi Zin[1]
Headquarters
Tokyo
,
Japan
Key people
Products
Number of employees
349[2] (2022)
Parent
Websitewww.fromsoftware.jp/ww/

FromSoftware, Inc. is a Japanese video game development company founded in November 1986. The company is best known for their Armored Core and Dark Souls series, with Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring being closely related to the latter.

History

FromSoftware was founded as a business software developer by Naotoshi Zin in Tokyo, Japan, on November 1, 1986.[1] In 1994, the company released its first game, King's Field. Despite its commercial success in Japan, the game was not released in North America, although King's Field II was released in both regions the following year.[3] After releasing King's Field III, FromSoftware went on to release the horror game Echo Night and the role-playing game Shadow Tower in 1998. In 1997, FromSoftware released Armored Core, the first in a mecha video game series that spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs.[4] The success of Armored Core solidified the company's development, and in July 1999, FromSoftware released the multiplayer action game Frame Gride.[5]

In 2000, with the launch of the PlayStation 2, FromSoftware released the role-playing games Eternal Ring and Evergrace.[4] In 2003, FromSoftware published Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, a stealth game that combines action and adventure elements.[5] The company also released a pair of sequels to their PlayStation 1 offerings with King's Field IV and Shadow Tower Abyss.[4] FromSoftware also released the Lost Kingdoms titles for the GameCube, a competing sixth generation console.[4] IGN would note however that during this generation FromSoftware's focus would shift from RPGs to mech games due in part to the success of the Armored Core series. In 2002, FromSoftware released the mech action game Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit for the Xbox before entering the mobile game market, where FromSoftware released another King's Field title.[5] In 2004, FromSoftware released another Xbox title, Metal Wolf Chaos. In 2005, FromSoftware would start to produce a series of licensed games based on the various anime properties under the banner Another Century's Episode.[4] In the same year, the company hosted the video game industry's first internship that let students experience game development through a game creation kit, Adventure Player, for the PlayStation Portable.[5] In 2008, FromSoftware underwent a stock split before entering the Nintendo Wii market to release Tenchu: Shadow Assassins.[5] Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki became the president of FromSoftware in May 2014 and also serves as its representative director.[6]

In April 2014, Kadokawa Corporation announced its intention to purchase the company from former shareholder Transcosmos. The deal was finalized on May 21, 2014.[7] In December 2015, FromSoftware was nominated for developer of the year at The Game Awards 2015, but lost to CD Projekt Red.[8] In January 2016, FromSoftware established a studio in Fukuoka that focuses on creating computer-generated imagery (CGI) assets for their games.[9][10]

Other games they have developed include the Enchanted Arms, King's Field, Chromehounds, Otogi, and Tenchu series. In 2009, FromSoftware released Demon's Souls for the PlayStation 3, which brought them international exposure. Its spiritual successor, Dark Souls, was released in 2011. In March 2014, Dark Souls II was released, while Dark Souls III was released in 2016.[11] A title inspired by the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, was released in March 2015 to critical acclaim. They have also received a number of awards, primarily those for the role-playing genre, including multiple "RPG of the Year" and Game of the Year awards.[12][13][14][15] Since release, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne have been cited by many publications to be among the greatest games of all time.[16][17][18]

In April 2016, FromSoftware revealed that they were working on a new intellectual property, as well as stating their intent to return to the Armored Core series.[19] Two games, the PlayStation VR exclusive Déraciné and the multiplatform Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, were announced at E3 2018.[20][21] An action role-playing game featuring the collaboration of FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki and A Song of Ice and Fire series author George R. R. Martin, titled Elden Ring, was released in 2022.[22] In August 2022, it was announced that Sixjoy Hong Kong (a subsidiary of Tencent) and Sony Interactive Entertainment would acquire respectively 16.25% and 14.09% of FromSoftware, leaving 69.66% of the company to Kadokawa Corporation.[23]

On November 29, 2022, GamesIndustery.biz published a detailed report delving into working conditions at FromSoftware.[24] Citing multiple anonymous current and former employees, the report paints a conflicted picture of the studio, as some ex-employees reflected positively on their time at the developer, despite sometimes having to work long hours and for relatively sub-standard pay.[25] By comparison, the developer latest game, Elden ring, having sold 17.5 million units as of September 2022, making it the fastest-selling multi platform Japanese game of all time,[26] with the developer having no announced plans to increase it base salaries.[27]

Games

List of games developed by FromSoftware[28]
Year Title System
1994 King's Field PlayStation
1995 King's Field II PlayStation
1996 King's Field III PlayStation
1997 Armored Core PlayStation
Armored Core: Project Phantasma PlayStation
1998 Shadow Tower PlayStation
Echo Night PlayStation
1999 Armored Core: Master of Arena PlayStation
Spriggan: Lunar Verse PlayStation
Frame Gride Dreamcast
Echo Night 2: The Lord of Nightmares PlayStation
2000 Eternal Ring PlayStation 2
Evergrace PlayStation 2
Armored Core 2 PlayStation 2
The Adventures of Cookie & Cream PlayStation 2
2001 Armored Core 2: Another Age PlayStation 2
Forever Kingdom PlayStation 2
King's Field IV PlayStation 2
2002 Armored Core 3 PlayStation 2
Lost Kingdoms GameCube
Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit Xbox
Otogi: Myth of Demons Xbox
2003 Silent Line: Armored Core PlayStation 2
Thousand Land Xbox
Lost Kingdoms II GameCube
Shadow Tower Abyss PlayStation 2
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors Xbox
2004 Nebula: Echo Night PlayStation 2
Armored Core: Nexus PlayStation 2
Kuon PlayStation 2
Armored Core: Nine Breaker PlayStation 2
Armored Core: Formula Front PlayStation Portable
Metal Wolf Chaos Xbox
2005 Yoshitsune Eiyūden PlayStation 2
Another Century's Episode PlayStation 2
Armored Core: Last Raven PlayStation 2
2006 Enchanted Arms PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Another Century's Episode 2 PlayStation 2
Chromehounds Xbox 360
King's Field: Additional I PlayStation Portable
King's Field: Additional II PlayStation Portable
Armored Core 4 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2007 Nanpure VOW Nintendo DS
Iraroji VOW Nintendo DS
Another Century's Episode 3: The Final PlayStation 2
2008 Armored Core: For Answer PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Shadow Assault: Tenchu Xbox 360
2009 Inugamike no Ichizoku Nintendo DS
Ninja Blade Xbox 360, Windows
Demon's Souls PlayStation 3
Yatsu Hakamura Nintendo DS
2010 Another Century's Episode: R PlayStation 3
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village PlayStation Portable
2011 Another Century's Episode Portable
Dark Souls PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
2012 Armored Core V PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn PlayStation 3
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor Xbox 360
2013 Armored Core: Verdict Day PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2014 Dark Souls II PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
2015 Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
Bloodborne PlayStation 4
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village DX Nintendo 3DS
2016 Dark Souls III PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows
2018 Dark Souls: Remastered PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Déraciné PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR)
2019 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Stadia
2022 Elden Ring PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

References

  1. ^ a b "角川ゲームスとフロム・ソフトウェア「MEDIA BRIEFING 2014 AUTUMN」を開催". GAME Watch. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "About". Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  3. ^ Ciolek, Todd (March 16, 2015). "The History of From Software". ign.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e Ciolek, Todd (March 16, 2015). "The History of From Software". IGN. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e "History | FromSoftware". www.fromsoftware.jp. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  6. ^ Duwell, Ron (May 23, 2014). "Dark Souls' Hidetaka Miyazaki Promoted to President of From Software". Techno Buffalo. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  7. ^ "From Software acquired by Japanese publisher Kadokawa Corporation". Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  8. ^ "Nominees | The Game Awards 2015". The Game Awards. Ola Balola. November 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  9. ^ "From Software to open new studio in Fukuoka". Gematsu. September 12, 2015. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  10. ^ "FromSoftware to Establish New Studio in Fukuoka in October 2015". FromSoftware. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  11. ^ "Dark Souls 3 confirmed, coming early 2016". Polygon. June 15, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  12. ^ den Ouden, Adriaan. "RPG of the Year". RPGamer. Archived from the original on April 1, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  13. ^ Marchello, Sam. "Best Graphics". RPGamer. Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  14. ^ Staples, Ken. "Best PS3". RPGamer. Archived from the original on April 6, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  15. ^ "Community Choice Game of the Year". Game Revolution. December 23, 2011. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  16. ^ Polygon Staff (November 27, 2017). "The 500 Best Video Games of All Time". Polygon.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  17. ^ "The Top 300 Games of All Time". Game Informer. No. 300. April 2018.
  18. ^ "Edge Presents: The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time". Edge. August 2017.
  19. ^ Hillier, Brenna (April 27, 2016). "Dark Souls 3 director already working on a new IP". VG247. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  20. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 10, 2018). "FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice coming from Activision". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  21. ^ Statt, Nick (June 12, 2018). "Dark Souls creator From Software is making a VR game called Déraciné". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  22. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 9, 2019). "Elden Ring, a game from George R.R. Martin and FromSoftware, has been revealed". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  23. ^ "Tencent and Sony Interactive Entertainment collectively acquire 30.34 percent of FromSoftware". Gematsu. August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  24. ^ "How much does From Software crunch?". GamesIndustry.biz. November 29, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  25. ^ published, Hirun Cryer (November 29, 2022). "Crunch at FromSoftware was like playing Dark Souls, according to one developer". gamesradar. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  26. ^ published, Hope Bellingham (November 15, 2022). "Elden Ring has become the fastest-selling multiplatform Japanese game of all time". gamesradar. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  27. ^ "How much does From Software crunch?". GamesIndustry.biz. November 29, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  28. ^ "Products". fromsoftware.jp. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FromSoftware&oldid=1124941428"