Capcom Co., Ltd.

Moby ID: 3955

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Capcom Co., Ltd. is an Osaka-based Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating popular franchises such as Mega Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and others. Originally established in 1983, it has since become an international enterprise with branches and subsidiaries in North America, Europe, and East Asia.

The original companies that spawned Capcom's Japanese branch were I.R.M Corporation founded on May 30, 1979, as well as its subsidiary Japan Capsule Computer Co., Ltd., both of which were devoted to the manufacturing and distribution of electronic game machines. The two companies underwent a name change to Sambi Co., Ltd. in September 1981, while Capcom Co., Ltd. itself was first established on June 11, 1983, for the purpose of taking over the internal sales department.

In January 1989, the old affiliate company Capcom Co., Ltd. merged with Sambi Co., Ltd., resulting in the current Japanese branch. The name Capcom is an abbreviation of "Capsule Computer", a term coined by the company to describe the arcade machines it solely manufactured in its early years, designed to set themselves apart from personal computers that were becoming widespread at that time. The word capsule alludes to how Capcom likened its game software to "a capsule packed to the brim with gaming fun", as well as to the company's desire to protect its intellectual property with a hard outer shell, preventing illegal copies and inferior imitations.

While Capcom's first product was the coin-operated Little League from July 1983, its first real video game, the arcade title Vulgus, was released in May 1984.

Credited on 855 Games from 1984 to 2024

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Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (2024 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One...)
Exoprimal (2023 on Windows, Windows Apps, PlayStation 4...)
Exoprimal (Deluxe Edition) (2023 on Xbox Series, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Windows Apps...)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (2023 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One...)
Street Fighter 6 (2023 on Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5...)
Street Fighter 6 (Deluxe Edition) (2023 on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, Windows...)
Street Fighter 6 (Ultimate Edition) (2023 on PlayStation 4, Windows, PlayStation 5...)
Pockest (2023 on Browser)
Mega Man Battle Network: Legacy Collection (2023 on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows)
Mega Man Battle Network: Legacy Collection Vol. 1 (2023 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows)
Mega Man Battle Network: Legacy Collection Vol. 2 (2023 on Nintendo Switch, Windows, PlayStation 4)
Resident Evil 4 (2023 on Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5...)
Resident Evil 4 (Deluxe Edition) (2023 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series...)
NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol.2 (2022 on Nintendo Switch, Windows)
Resident Evil Re:Verse (2022 on Windows)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium (2022 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch...)
The Strong Fighter II (2022 on Browser)
Capcom Fighting Collection (2022 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One...)
Capcom Fighting Bundle (2022 on Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4...)
Resident Evil 4 (2021 on Quest)

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History +

September 15, 2010

Company acquires Blue Castle Games.

May 1, 2008

Company acquires K2 LLC

March 30, 2008

The company announces its intention to acquire the Japanese development studio K2 LLC.

June 1, 2007

After an earlier announcement in mid May, Flagship Co., Ltd. is merged into the company and the studio is then dissolved.

March 2007

Capcom Studio 8, Inc. is fully merged into the main company.

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Trivia +

Capcom is short for "Capsule Computers"

Capcom in Japan runs a small record label for their game soundtrack releases: Suleputer. The name comes from Capcom's original name, Capsule Computer, using the parts that were discarded when the name was shortened.

The German online magazine 4Players named Capcom as #3 Best Publisher of 2008 and 2009.

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