is a Japanese video game developer formed on June 25, 2010, by Naoto Ohshima (a former character designer for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise), Yoji Ishii, and key members of their previous studio, Artoon, and based in Yokohama. Its name is a portmanteau of the words "art" and "zest".
History
Arzest was founded on June 25, 2010, after Yoji Ishii left AQ Interactive, where he served as president and CEO upon the company's acquisition of Artoon in May 2004. Around the same time, Artoon was absorbed into AQ Interactive. Arzest is based in the former Artoon offices in Yokohama. The studio employs approximately 80 people, a dozen of them former Sega and Artoon staff.
Arzest started off working on select mini-games in Wii Play: Motion for Nintendo, with whom the studio would work with on numerous occasions, developing such titles as Yoshi's New Island, as well as content updates to the Nintendo 3DS application StreetPass Mii Plaza (namely the addition of SpotPass features to the mini-game Puzzle Swap, among others).
Arzest collaborated with Sonic Team to develop its latest title, Sonic Superstars (2023). Beginning work in early 2021, it marked Naoto Ohshima's first involvement with the Sonic series since Sonic Adventure (1998)
Balan Wonderworld controversy
In January 2018, Ohshima's Sega colleague Yuji Naka joined Square Enix. After that, Arzest collaborated with Square Enix to begin development of what would become Balan Wonderworld, reuniting Ohshima and Naka in their first collaboration since Sonic Adventure.
However, the pair's partnership soured as tensions arose during development. In April 2022, a year after leaving Square Enix the previous April, Naka said that he had been removed from the development team six months before release after he complained of Balan's state and accused Arzest of not addressing the bugs at the time of its submission.
Balan Wonderworld was released in March 2021 to critical and commercial failure. Naka believed that it had been released unfinished, and accused both Arzest and Square Enix of "not caring for their customers".
Games Game Year Platform(s) Notes Wii Play: Motion 2011 Wii Developed games: Spooky Search, Jump Park, and Cone Zone StreetPass Mii Plaza 2011 Nintendo 3DS Built-in app for console; also developed StreetPass Explorers / Mii Trek Time Travelers 2012 3DS, PSP, PS Vita Character modeling Slot Monsters 2013 Android, iOS Yoshi's New Island 2014 3DS Published by Nintendo Terra Battle 2015 Android, iOS Co-developed with Mistwalker Boost Beast Android, iOS, Browser, Kindle, Nintendo Switch Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games 2016 3DS Not involved in the Wii U version Hey! Pikmin2017 Published by Nintendo Terra Wars 2018 Android, iOS Co-developed with Mistwalker Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey 2019 3DS Developed Giant Battles section, Published by Nintendo Hypnosis Mic: Alternative Rap Battle 2020 Android, iOS Programmed rhythm game, Published by Idea Factory Balan Wonderworld 2021 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch Co-developed with Square Enix (under the Balan Company brand) and published by Square Enix Fantasian iOS Co-developed with Mistwalker Sonic Superstars 2023 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch Co-developed with Sonic Team
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