Yet another Japanese company seems intent on self-destruction by establishing Western studio branches likely to be influenced by anti-Japanese progressives.
Arc System Works has already tarnished its reputation over the years, with Guilty Gear Strive being the worst entry in the franchise. Every reintroduced character in this fighting game is a massive downgrade in terms of their unique design.
Additionally, Arc System Works has pledged to employ inclusivity etiquette in Guilty Gear Strive by controversially retconning the character of Bridget, incorrectly labeling him as transgender.
Arc System Works has made other controversial decisions recently, such as modifying the designs of characters like Elphelt Valentine. Her redesign completely ruined her femininity by dressing her in punk rock attire and reducing her bust size.
Similarly, the reintroduction of A.B.A saw unnecessary changes, with Arc System Works covering her revealing design with more bandages across her chest, longer shorts, and a new top. Additionally, the homunculus’ signature orange hair was changed to a softer teal green.
It’s not only Guilty Gear that Arc System Works has impacted; their recent release of Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising features some of the most bizarre English localization I’ve ever seen. The game includes phrase references to Dora the Explorer and features Western slang such as “simp.”
An entire cutscene’s dialogue was rewritten, changing a scene where dark-skinned characters compliment another character’s fair skin to say, “You ladies could stand to cash in on some Vitamin D too, know what I mean?” a line that can be interpreted as either a sexual innuendo or as being racist against lighter skin tones.
Arc System Works, in collaboration with Cygames, also imposed censorship within Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising by preventing players from looking up the skirts of characters, displaying a black void instead. Additionally, Arc Sys introduced newly designed, less revealing outfits for various characters.
While players could choose whether to equip these downgraded costumes, this option was not available in Granblue Fantasy: Relink, which forced players to adopt the modified outfits for Zeta, Djeeta, Ferry, and Cagliostro, regardless of their preference.
Needless to say, Arc System Works has been swiftly adopting the West’s global agenda of diversity and inclusion, alongside censoring the designs of female characters to be less revealing and less busty. Now, they have announced the opening of a European division based in Paris.
Paris is often considered the European equivalent of America’s California regarding liberalism and social policies. France has faced challenges for years under Macron’s leadership, embracing “multiculturalism” through mass immigration, which has led to increased violence, crime, and sexual assaults perpetrated by migrants.
Left-wing French citizens, assisted by culturally enriching migrants have even rioted following a victory for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party in the first round of snap parliamentary elections.
The establishment of a European division will undoubtedly assist Arc System Works in development, but more importantly, in the publishing and localization of their games in Western regions.
This mirrors how Cygames has an American branch in California and a European division in London. Arc System Works established an American branch back in 2017, which is also based in California. Coincidentally, the games they’ve produced since establishing their American branch have been marked by censorship, poor localization, and even trans revisionism, though I’m sure that’s just a “coincidence.”
This move will likely result in their future releases being more censored and sanitized, despite Arc System Works founder Minoru Kidooka presiding over both the Japanese and European divisions.
