Update: Arcana Heart and Chaos Code developers, Examu and FK Digital, are both ceasing operations, Arcana Heart series still in full production
Arcana Heart series development passed on to Team Arcana
Update 2: Examu and Team Arcana producer Takaya Koucho have clarified that the Arcana Heart series will be unaffected by Examu's suspension of business operations as Team Arcana will be fully handling all development.
Update 1: Following the surprise cancellation of Chaos Code: Next Episode of Xtreme Tempest, yesterday, it appears as though FK Digital isn't completely finished releasing video games. The Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee has now rated Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe for the Nintendo Switch — the previous fighting game expansion the company released in 2017. Original story follows.
We're sad to come forward with unfortunate news about not one, but two fighting game development companies that will be putting an end to operations in the coming weeks.
Examu, the creators behind the Arcana Heart series, and FK Digital, the team responsible for the Chaos Code titles, are suspending development practices in late February and late March, respectively. The latter recently announced a brand new title, Chaos Code: Next Episode of Xtreme Tempest, at EVO Japan 2020, but has stated the project is now canceled.
From a translation provided by Siliconera, FK Digital offered the following statement with regards to their halting development for the time being.
"Dear all partners and players, First of all, thank you everyone for your long-term support and love to us and our games. We hope you enjoy playing the games developed by us, F K Digital. Today we truly regret to announce that for various reasons we made a decision to stop development of any new titles after March 31, 2020 (the existing titles are not affected). And we also regret to add that the development of our new title 'Chaos Code NEXT', which we only announced last month, will also be terminated. Taking a break is for accomplishing a longer journey. Hope we shall meet again sometime."
The Chaos Code series was created by brothers Micky and Michael Lin. Micky released an additional statement further detailing the recent decision. He clarifies that a lack of human resources and budget problems have been hurting the company, but that a decline in his own mental health is the main motivator.
Michael passed away due to illness back on December 25, 2017 at the age of 38, and Micky has been directing the development team on his own since that time. Micky notes further loss of support in recent times has evolved the situation from massively difficult to impossible.
In the case of Examu, they're ceasing operations because of "the gradual diminishing of business in recent years" as well as "a big change in the environment surrounding the company."
The Arcana Heart developers started back in 2005 and produced 11 titles during their active years. Examu further clarified that any in-progress development work will be handed over to Team Arcana, formerly owned by Examu, which appear to be operating of their own accord now.
Thanks to 2ndEntity, Mobile Suit Rocc, crimsonredgod, Blackoshinomi, and AriesWarlock for the submissions.
