Acquire (company)

Acquire Corp. (Japanese: 株式会社アクワイア, Hepburn: Kabushikigaisha Akuwaia) is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, mainly known for their Tenchu and Way of the Samurai series.^[1]

Acquire Corp.

Native name	株式会社アクワイア
Romanized name	Kabushikigaisha Akuwaia
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Founded	December 6, 1994; 30 years ago (1994-12-06)[1]
Headquarters	Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan
Number of locations	2
Key people	Takuma Endo (President and CEO)
Products	Tenchu Way of the Samurai Akiba's Trip
Services	Motion capture
Number of employees	148 (2024)[1]
Parent	GungHo Online Entertainment (2011–2024) Kadokawa Corporation (2024-present)
Website	acquire.co.jp

History

Acquire was founded on December 6, 1994, and in 1998 developed Tenchu: Stealth Assassins for the PlayStation, which turned into a franchise. The developer pushed for a more sandbox approach to the level design, which found its way in other Acquire titles like Way of the Samurai and Shinobido: Way of the Ninja.^[2]

In 2011, the company was acquired by GungHo Online Entertainment.^[3] It co-developed Octopath Traveler with Square Enix, releasing in 2018. Acquire was chosen as development partner for the game based on their affinity with pixel-art and prior work on the What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? series.^[4]

It developed Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story, which released in 2020, following the cancellation of a fifth Way of the Samurai entry.^[5]

In 2024, the company was acquired by Kadokawa Corporation.^[6]

Games developed

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Notes
1998	Tenchu: Stealth Assassins	PlayStation
2000	Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins	PlayStation
2002	Way of the Samurai	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
2003	Way of the Samurai 2	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
2005	Samurai Western	PlayStation 2
	Shinobido: Way of the Ninja	PlayStation 2
	Shinobido: Tales of the Ninja	PlayStation Portable
2006	Kamiwaza	PlayStation 2
2007	What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?	PlayStation Portable
2008	Class of Heroes	PlayStation Portable
	What Did I Do To Deserve This, My Lord? 2	PlayStation Portable
	Way of the Samurai 3	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
2009	Tenchu: Shadow Assassins	Wii, PlayStation Portable
2010	Patchwork Heroes	PlayStation Portable
	No Heroes Allowed!	PlayStation Portable
2011	Way of the Samurai 4	PlayStation 3, Windows
	Clan of Champions	Windows, PlayStation 3
	Akiba's Trip	PlayStation Portable
	Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls	PlayStation 3, iOS, PlayStation Vita, Windows
	Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen	PlayStation Vita
2012	Orgarythm	PlayStation Vita, Android	Co-developed with Neilo
	Sumioni: Demon Arts	PlayStation Vita, Android
2013	Mind Zero	PlayStation Vita, Windows	Co-developed by ZeroDiv
	Divine Gate	Android, iOS
	Rain	PlayStation 3	Co-developed with Japan Studio
	Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows
	No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either!	PlayStation Vita	[7]
2014	Fort Raiders SMAAASH!	Android, iOS
2015	Aegis of Earth: Protonovus Assault	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows
2016	Akiba's Trip Festa!	Android	Co-developed with DMM Games
	Akiba's Beat	PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
2017	No Heroes Allowed! VR	PlayStation 4
2018	Octopath Traveler	Nintendo Switch, Windows, Stadia, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5	Co-developed with Square Enix Business Division 11
2020	Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows
	Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent	Android, iOS
2021	Labyrinth of Zangetsu	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows	[8]
2022	Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows
2023	Octopath Traveler II	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Co-developed with Creative Business Unit II[9]
	Xaladia: Rise of the Space Pirates X2	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows	[10]
2024	Ancient Weapon Holly	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows	[11][12]
	C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows	[13]
	Scars of Mars	Nintendo Switch, Windows	[14]
	Amedama	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S	Co-developed with IzanagiGames[15]
	Hookah Haze	Nintendo Switch, Windows	[16]
	Mario & Luigi: Brothership[17]	Nintendo Switch
2025	All in Abyss: Judge the Fake	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows	Co-developed with WSS playground[18]
TBA	Black Finger JET	Windows	Co-developed with Kohachi Studio and Red Dunes Games[19]