Corporate History

Launched We Ski for Nintendo Wii

Banpresto Co., Ltd.’s game business divisions responsible for planning and development of home-use game software and arcade game machines were transferred to BANDAI NAMCO Games

Over 2 million Soul Calibur IV game units sold worldwide in one week

Planning, development and sales base for mobile content moves from Yokohama to the new Park Tower office in Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo

The Technical Center moves from Kohoku Ward, Yokohama to Katsushima, Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, and main business bases are consolidated in Shinagawa Ward

Bandai Networks integrates businesses, strengthening overall power of network business and creating new content business

Start of collaboration with Capcom Co., Ltd. in amusement game machines

Launch of Jewella Eye Lash, a photo sticker print machine

Tekken 6 was released for PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360. Over 2.5 million units had been shipped worldwide.

Start of distribution of ACE COMBAT Xi Skies of Incursion content for iPhone/iPod Touch

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God Eater released for PlayStation Portable. Over 500,000 units shipped within three weeks.

BANDAI NAMCO Group is reorganized. The Game Contents SBU and Visual and Music Content SBU are merged to form a Content SBU centered on BANDAI NAMCO Games Co., Ltd., in charge of content from creation to sales.

Produced 28 textbooks for elementary schools for fiscal year 2011 together with GAKKO TOSHO Co., Ltd.

Pac-Man, a character first appearing in an arcade game of the same name, marked its 30th anniversary.

Began supplying full-scale game contents to Facebook, the social networking service (SNS).

iPhone/iPod Cumulative domestic downloads of Taiko-no-Tatsujin for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad exceeded one million.

Participated as a core company in “Projects to Standardize and Promote Network Integration Control Systems” administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, mainly by starting a demonstration experiment of car sharing.

Launched the arcade game Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.

Cumulative global shipments NARUTO SHIPPUDEN KIZUNA DRIVE for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 exceeded one million.

Gundam Royale was released for the Mobage website, a mobile-only gaming platform, and the number of registered users exceeded one million in 6 days.

Launched If You Love the AKB 1/48 Idol… for PlayStation Portable.

Released Ridge Racer 3D for Nintendo 3DS simultaneously with the game console hardware.

“Taiko no Tatsujin,” Japanese drum rhythm game appearing as an arcade game, marking the 10th anniversary.

TV commercial of “Solatorobo – and Then To CODA” for Nintendo DS was recognized in the Guinness Book of Records for running 100 different commercials in eight hours.

Began showing “Tekken BLOOD VENGEANCE” at cinemas, the first CG animated feature of the “Tekken” series.

Began operation of “Tekken Tag Tournament 2,” 3D fighting arcade game.

Released “TALES OF XILLIA” for PlayStation 3 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the “TALES OF” series. More than 500,000 units shipped on the initial release day.

Established BDNA Inc., a joint venture of BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc. and DeNA Co., Ltd.
*The company name was changed to BNDeNA Inc. in March 2012.

Began “Game Method Consulting,” a consultant service by game creators.

Released “Ridge Racer” and “Katamari Damacy Novita” for PlayStation Vita simultaneously with the game console hardware.

Released “ONE PIECE Kaizoku Musou” for PlayStation 3. More than 650,000 units shipped on the initial release day.

Internal development division spun off into a separate company, BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc.

Started distribution of “MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: BATTLE OPERATION”, the industry’s first on-line exclusive game for PlayStation®3 with no basic charge.

Come into operations of “BIG BANG SMASH”, arcade game of new air hockey experience.

Arcade game “Fishing Spirits”, a realistic fishing action medal game with a rod shaped controller goes live.

Start of “eco amusement”, a measure to display “Eco-labels” on commercial game machines that have cleared certain voluntary standards, the first such measure in the industry promoting the eco-friendly product.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) decided to permanently store “PAC-MAN” and “Katamari Damacy”, the first such designation in the video game industry.

“Tales of” series recorded total shipment of 15 million videos.

Total number of persons registered for social games distributed by BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc. exceeded 30 million.

“THE IDOLM@STER” won the Project Award at the 54th Japan Record Awards’ for its music CD sold by NIPPON COLUMBIA CO., LTD.

“AKB 1/149 Renai Sousenkyo (Love Election)”, for PlayStation® Portable, recorded a Guinness World Record as the most featured pop singer in a video game.

“NARUTO Narutimate” series recorded the total shipment of 10 million in the world.

Cumulative shipments of “Run for Money: Flee from the Strongest Hunters in History”, for Nintendo 3DS exceeded half a million.

Established two overseas subsidiaries, BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc. in Singapore and Vancouver, Canada.

Over 1.2 million units of “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 3” had been shipped worldwide.

A new animated TV series of “PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures” started airing in North America, followed by airing in other regions. Initiated worldwide sales of character products.

Orders for “JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle” for PlayStation 3 exceeded half a million units before the start of sales.

“Tsukumo (POSSESSIONS),” directed by Shuhei Morita, a segment of the anthology film titled “SHORT PEACE,” was nominated for the 86th Academy Awards in the category of Animated Short Film.

Decided to standardized label all games as “BANDAI NAMCO Games” for the improvement of the corporate brand. Moreover, changed the words “BANDAI NAMCO” to “BANDAI NAMCO” in order to promote the “BANDAI NAMCO” brand and enhance the appeal and its value overseas, and accordingly, change the corporate name in English to “BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc.”

“Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3” recorded its total shipment of 2 million in the world

Smartphone game “ONE PIECE TREASURE CRUISE” with more than 10 million downloads in Japan

Internal development of BANDAI NAMCO SHANGHAI CO., LTD., to aim expanding and reinforcing of business in China

Change of company name, “BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.”, to expand its business domain

Developed the company philosophy “more fun for everyone”

Start of “BANDAI NAMCO Classic IP Project” for a limited time celebrating 10th anniversary of BANDAI and NAMCO integration, in which 17 titles such as “PAC-MAN” and “Galaxian” are opened for creators in Japan

Celebrating the 35th anniversary of “PAC-MAN” on May 22. PAC-MAN made its appearance in the movie “PIXELS”, and the entertainment complex “LEVEL257” was opened in Chicago, Illinois, USA to widely promote the character by selling its anniversary goods

Started to release arcade game “Star Wars: Battle Pod” for individuals in Japan, Europe and USA. “Star Wars: Battle Pod / Premium Edition” priced 12 million yen also went on sale

Smartphone game “IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS STARLIGHT STAGE” exceeded 4 million downloads in just one week, the fastest record for the company

Smartphone game “DRAGON BALL Z Dokkan Battle” with more than 30 million downloads worldwide

Held the our first official prize money tournament featuring 3D fighting arcade game “TEKKEN 7”

The headquarters office moves to Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo

“DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE” recorded its total shipment of 3 million in the world

VR Entertainment Research Facility “VR ZONE Project i Can” is to be featured at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza until October 10.

“Dark Souls III” hits 3 million units sold worldwide, faster than any previous entry in the series.

“DRAGON BALL Z: DOKKAN BATTLE” hits 100 million downloads worldwide.

Worldwide release of a new PAC-MAN brand aimed at a new target audience, PAC-STORE, is announced.

Masaya Nakamura, the founder of Namco and our honorary advisor (senior advisor at Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.), has passed away on January 22 (Sunday) at age 91.

A spin-off company dedicated to amusement machine after-sales services, BANDAI NAMCO Technica Inc., is established.

Kick-off of the BNJ PROJECT: producing entertainment content in collaboration with various regions in Japan

The popular game for mobile platforms DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE reaches 200 million downloads worldwide, becoming #1 in app stores in 16 regions.

The new company BXD Inc. is founded as a joint venture with Drecom Co.,Ltd.

The TEKKEN series receives two Guinness World Records™ for “Longest-Running 3D Fighting Videogame Franchise” (record: 21 years, 179 days / achieved on June 5th, 2016) and “Longest-Running Videogame Storyline” (record: 20 years, 99 days / achieved on March 18th, 2015).

Our IPs make their way to theaters! The first one to be made into a theater play is Tales of the Stage: Last Score.

DRAGON BALL FighterZ reaches 2 million units shipped worlwide faster than any other game in the Dragon Ball franchise!

TEKKEN 7 receives its first pro-gaming license from JeSU (Japanese eSports Union) at Tokaigi 2018 TEKKEN 7.

In order to strengthen our Real Life Entertainment business and offer the unique BANDAI NAMCO services and game devices at various locations, NAMCO LIMITED is set to inherit BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s Amusement Machine Business Unit on April 1st, at which point NAMCO LIMITED will officially change its business name to BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Co., Ltd.

BANDAI NAMCO Research Inc.
established as a research focused company to create new values and innovation.

BANDAI NAMCO Sevens Inc.
established as a company specializing in the field of Japanese slots and pachinko gaming machines.

Acquired management rights to the “B.LEAGUE” professional basketball team,
“Shimane Susanoo Magic”.

“DRAGON BALL Z Dokkan Battle” surpasses 300 million downloads worldwide.

“BANDAI NAMCO Mobile S.L.” established in Barcelona,
Spain to expand and maximize outreach into the EU mobile content market.

First BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Festival takes place in the Tokyo Dome
with an attendance of 100,000 in two days.

25th anniversary of “Tekken”.

40th anniversary of “PAC-MAN”.

15th anniversary of “THE iDOLM@STER”.

Acquisition of Reflector Entertainment (consolidated into a subsidiary company)

20th anniversary of “Taiko No Tatsujin”.

Holding of the worldwide online event, “DRAGON BALL Games Battle Hour”.

Opening of the “MIRAIKEN studio”, an xR base dedicated to the creation and distribution of the next generation in entertainment.

Capital and business alliance established with double jump.tokyo Inc.

Smartphone game app, “DRAGON BALL Z Dokkan Battle” surpasses 350 million downloads worldwide.

Capital and business alliance established with Tapirs.Co.Ltd

The “Tales of” series latest title, ”Tales of Arise” released.
More than 1 million units sold worldwide within the first week of the game's release.

30th anniversary since the birth of the “Super Robot Wars” series.
More than 19 million units sold throughout the series.

Capital and business alliance established with Soft Gear Co., Ltd.

Capital and business alliance established with SHOWROOM Inc.

“ELDEN RING” surpasses 12 million units in sales worldwide (※1, 2), with more than 1 million sold in Japan (※1, 2).
(Japan published under FromSoftware Inc. / all other regions published under Bandai Namco Entertainment.)

※1：Figures as of March 14, 2022.
※2：The total sales figure is derived from distribution figures of the package version and sales figures of the downloadable versions.

Launching of the “Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund,” a new startup investment fund seeking to build an “IP metaverse” and in creating new forms of entertainment

Holding of the “BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 2nd” event

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. and ILCA Inc., specializing in the field of image and art development, join forces to establish Bandai Namco Aces Inc.

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. establishes the new sound label, “Bandai Namco Game Music”

“TEKKEN 7” surpasses 10 million units in sales worldwide

25th anniversary of the “Klonoa” series

Holding of “THE IDOLM@STER” series first conference, “PROJECT IM@S CONFERENCE～Towards THE IDOL 3.0～”

“ELDEN RING” sold more than 20 million units worldwide (※1, 2)
(Japan published under FromSoftware, Inc. / all other regions published under Bandai Namco Entertainment)

※1: Figures as of February 22, 2023.
※2: The total sales figure is derived from distribution figures of the package version and sales figures of the downloadable versions including those for the PC game platform “Steam.”

Sustainable activities with fans using IP
Activities to promote personal water bottles and old clothing collection using the Idolm@ster Series

"DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2""DRAGON BALL FighterZ"
Each shipped over 10 million copies worldwide! (※1, 2)

※1: Figures as of May 10, 2023.
※2: The total sales figure is derived from distribution figures of the package version and sales figures of the downloadable versions including those for the PC game platform “Steam.”

The first "IJIGEN FES," a dream collaboration event series, "IJIGEN FES THE IDOLM@STER★♥LOVELIVE! UTAGASSEN," was held on Dec. 9th and 10th, 2023, at Tokyo Dome, organized by Bandai Namco Music Live, Bandai Namco Filmworks, and Bandai Namco Entertainment
Within the two days, approvimately 90,000people were at the venue, 180,000people on streaming, in total 270,000 people joined with a total of 123people appearing on stage delivering 100 songs

The Newest Installment of the 3D Fighting Game “TEKKEN” Series, “TEKKEN 8” Sells Over 2 Million Copies Worldwide in the First Month After Launch (※1, 2)

※1: Figures as of February 26, 2024.
※2: The total sales figure is derived from distribution figures of the package version and sales figures of the downloadable versions including those for the PC game platform “Steam.”