Bandai Namco Entertainment is the gaming division of Bandai Namco Holdings, formed in 2006 from the merger of toy giant Bandai and arcade pioneer Namco. The company sits at a unique intersection of gaming, anime, and toys, giving it access to some of the most popular entertainment properties in the world.
Nameco’s legacy includes some of arcade gaming’s most iconic titles. Pac-Man (1980) is one of the most recognizable characters in entertainment history. Tekken has been a fighting game staple since 1994, and Tekken 8 (2024) continued the series’ strong critical and commercial performance. The Tales of series and Ace Combat franchise also have dedicated fanbases.
Bandai Namco is the publisher of FromSoftware’s Souls games, including Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, Dark Souls III, and Elden Ring. The publishing partnership with FromSoftware has been enormously profitable, with Elden Ring alone selling over 25 million copies.
The anime game portfolio is where Bandai Namco stands apart from other publishers. The company holds licenses for Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, Gundam, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and many other major anime/manga properties. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and the Naruto Storm series have been consistent sellers globally.
Bandai Namco has invested in its own game engine and development infrastructure, with studios in Japan, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. The company has also expanded into theme parks and location-based entertainment, including VR Zone facilities and collaborations with Universal Studios parks.
The parent company, Bandai Namco Holdings, is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and reported over $7 billion in annual revenue across all divisions.
