Capcom has been one of gaming's great hit factories for four decades. Out of the Osaka arcade scene it built Street Fighter II, the game that invented the modern fighting genre and started a global craze. It made Mega Man, one of the most beloved platform heroes ever. It created Resident Evil, which gave survival horror its name and its rules. And it kept inventing: Devil May Cry defined the stylish character-action game, Monster Hunter became a co-op phenomenon, and a dozen other series filled in the gaps.
This is the studio's run: the fighting games, the survival horror, the Mega Man platformers, the character-action classics, and the sheer diversity in between. Here is the map.
The essential Capcom
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From the arcade to survival horror
Capcom's genius was range. It came up through the arcade, mastering the tight, punishing craft of Ghosts 'n Goblins, Mega Man and Street Fighter, games built to be learned inch by inch. Then it turned that discipline loose on the home console and reinvented itself again and again: survival horror with Resident Evil, stylish action with Devil May Cry, cooperative hunting with Monster Hunter. Few studios have created this many distinct, genre-defining series across so many different kinds of game.
The Street Fighter saga
The fighting game, from the arcade to the world stage
The Resident Evil nightmares
Survival horror, from the mansion to the village
The Mega Man and action classics
Platforming, swordplay and stylish combat
Beyond the icons
The range that made Capcom Capcom
A short history of Capcom
- 1983Capcom is founded in Osaka, Japan, and rises through the arcade with games like 1942.
- 1985Ghosts 'n Goblins becomes a punishing arcade landmark.
- 1987Mega Man launches one of gaming's most beloved platform series.
- 1991Street Fighter II invents the modern fighting game and conquers the arcades.
- 1996Resident Evil names and defines the survival horror genre.
- 2001Devil May Cry creates the stylish character-action game.
- 2005Resident Evil 4 reinvents action-horror and reshapes the third-person shooter.
The people who built Capcom
The creators behind Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Mega Man and Street Fighter. Follow any of them to their full catalogue.
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It invented the fighting game, defined survival horror, and turned the arcade into an empire. That is Capcom.
Frequently asked
What is Capcom best known for?
The Street Fighter fighting games, the Resident Evil survival horror series, Mega Man, Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter. Capcom is one of Japan's most prolific and influential game companies, with roots in the arcade era.
Did Street Fighter II invent the fighting game?
Street Fighter II (1991) defined and popularised the modern one-on-one fighting game, with its distinct characters, special moves and competitive head-to-head play. It launched a global arcade craze and the fighting-game community that still thrives today.
Did Resident Evil create survival horror?
Resident Evil (1996) named and codified the survival horror genre, with its scarce resources, tense atmosphere and dread. Resident Evil 4 (2005) later reinvented the series as action-horror and reshaped the third-person shooter.
Who are the key creators at Capcom?
Key figures include Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil), Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry, Okami), Keiji Inafune (Mega Man) and Yoshiki Okamoto (Street Fighter II, Final Fight).