Some video game developers like Nintendo and Capcom have tried their hands at many different genres over the years. Others prefer to specialize, however, which can often result in some of the best and most well-polished video games that a genre has to offer.
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If practice really does make perfect then these developers can’t be too far off, as each has spent decades working on one particular genre of games. Ranging from FPS phenoms to RPG royalty, the industry owes an awful lot to these genre-defining studios.
For a developer to be considered, it needs to have worked on more than one series in a particular genre. Conversely, a developer may still be included on this list even if it has worked on games in other genres providing that the bulk of its work has been in one particular area.
Arc System Works (Fighting Games)
There are plenty of video game studios that specialize in fighting games, with NetherRealm and SNK being two of the more notable examples. However, there aren’t many who are able to go toe-to-toe with developer and publisherArc System Workswhen it comes to making fighting games, both in terms of quality and sheer quantity.
Though best known for itsGuilty GearandBlazBluefranchises, Arc also develops licensed titles for some of the biggest IPs around, includingDragon BallandPersona. The Japanese company now owns the rights to the classic beat ‘em up seriesDouble Dragontoo, having ported the original to the Master System way back in 1986.
Square Enix (Role-Playing Games)
Few video game developers are as synonymous with one particular genre asSquare Enixis with RPGs. Even before the two companies merged way back in 2003, Square and Enix were bonafide role-playing game royalty, and not much has changed in the two decades or so since.
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InFinal FantasyandDragon Quest, Square Enix holds the rights to two of the biggest and most influential JRPG franchises of all time. Its RPG portfolio is actually an incredibly diverse one though, with the likes ofChrono Trigger,Live a Live, andOctopath Travellerall having come courtesy of the Japanese giant.
Rockstar Games (Open-World Sandbox Games)
Yu Suzuki’sShenmuemay have been the first big-budget open-world game to hit home consoles, butGrand Theft Auto 3wasn’t too far behind. Since its release, the game’s developerRockstarhas become the undisputed king of open-world gaming, having helped to both popularize and define the genre with a steady stream of groundbreaking titles.
TheGTAseries is undoubtedly the studio’s golden goose having generated billions of dollars in revenue and inspired its own sub-genre of video games, but it’s far from Rockstar’s only excursion into the open-world genre. TheRed Deadgames, and, to a lesser extentBullyandL.A. Noire, have all pushed boundaries, while also proving that Rockstar is more than just a one-trick pony.
id Software (First-Person Shooters)
When it comes to developers who specialize in a single type of video game,id Softwareis one of the more noteworthy examples. Since its foundation back in the early nineties, the developer has worked almost exclusively on creating high-quality FPS games, with many considering the studio’s debut titleWolfensteinto be the very first game to ever grace the genre.
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Despite id no longer working directly on theWolfensteinseries, it’s still arguably the biggest name in FPS gaming thanks to a few of the studio’s other big IPs. The team over at id continues to pump outDoomandQuakegames on a fairly regular basis, with the former being some of the most popular first-person shooters in the modern age.
FromSoftware (Soulslike Games)
FromSoftwarehas been around since the late eighties, but although itsArmored Coreseries was far from a failure, it wasn’t until 2011 and the release ofDark Soulsthat the studio really became a household name. Since then, theDark Soulsseries has inspired countless other titles, not to mention an entirely new genre of video games.
As one might expect, nobody makes soulslikes quite like the developers ofDark Souls, as evidenced by the immense success ofBloodborneandElden Ring. The latter, in particular, has proven to be incredibly popular with both players and critics, with the game coming out on top in four cattegories at The Game Awards 2022, including the coveted Game of the Year award.
Codemasters (Racing Games)
There have been a lot of great racing game franchises over the years, fromGran TurismotoNeed For Speed. However, not many developers can claim to have had a hand in quite as many successful racing game series as Codemasters, with the British developer having worked on theF1,Grid, andDirtIPs to name just a few.
It’s worth noting thatCodemastershas developed games in a wide variety of genres, including platformers, action-adventure games, and even an MMORPG. As time has passed though, it’s become clear that racing games are the studio’s biggest strength, which is perhaps why EA acquired the developer and its Cheshire subsidiary to work onNeed For Speedgames in early 2021.
