Arc System Works, the developer behind the Guilty Gear series, has expressed interest in working on a fighting game based on manga/anime series One Piece.
Speaking during an interview, Arc System Works CEO Minoru Kidooka stated that a fighting game based on One piece isn’t “outside the realm of possibility”. His statement came in response to a question regarding a One Piece fighting game being brought up by fans as something that they want to see Arc System Works work on.
Kidooka discused that he wants to work with new IP holders and use what resources are available at Arc System Works to create a fun game for the fighting game community to really rally behind. He said that the One Piece IP is something the studio will take into consideration. While he refrained from saying whether Arc System Works is specifically thinking about working on a One Piece fighting game, he added that it does not mean things are set-in-stone or that it’s outside the realm of possibility.
He reminded that Arc System Works is a small company, and, therefore, it can’t just take up any project that it comes across without taking its available resources into consideration. It’s not a priority for the studio at this point, but it is taking steps towards its goal of trying to create more fighting games via IP collaboration. Kidooka gave the examples of prior collaborations with Bandai Namco, CyGames, and Nexon, and he mentioned that talks are currently underway with other IP holders regarding similar possibilities.
The latest game based on the One Piece series, One Piece Odyssey, is a turn-based RPG developed by ILCA and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on January 13. Players assume control of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. Each playable character has a special skill related to their power that is used for navigating, gathering items, and resolving puzzles. The game switches to the battle screen after engaging an enemy on the battlefield, where menu commands are used to direct the actions of the characters. The “Scramble Area Battles” system, which divides battles into various areas, is the central focus of the combat system.
