Most video game developers have a specialty that they’re known for. Platinum Games are the masters of fast-paced, combo-heavy action games. Arkane has built a name for itself in stealthy immersive sims. BioWare has established a reputation for sprawling narrative RPGs with romance options. These are only a few examples.
Some developers, however, have managed to branch out of their established genres and not only have succeeded at the challenge but managed to produce work as good as, or even better than, the games they were already known for. These developers made genre-hopping look effortless and established themselves as masterful chameleons.
10 Creative Assembly
Creative Assembly is an interesting case. They’re mostly known for real-time strategy titles, almost exclusively working on the Total War franchise. They haven’t branched out much, but the one time they did, they created a classic game in a genre with absolutely no resemblance to strategy games.
Alien Isolation, released in 2014, came from Creative Assembly despite the studio having no experience with survival horror. Despite this, they managed to nail the Alien aesthetic so effectively and made encounters with the xenomorph so tense and uncomfortable that it instantly won over horror fans everywhere. Sadly, they haven’t repeated this since, but it’s possible that their upcoming FPS Hyenas could see them mastering a third genre if all goes well.
9 Level-5
It’s hard to pin down exactly what Level-5 are best at. They’re arguably best known for the Professor Layton series of casual puzzle games, but they also have a ton of critically acclaimed RPGs under their belt too. Whether it’s their work with Sony on games like Dark Cloud or Rogue Galaxy, the Ni No Kuni franchise, or their work on Dragon Quest, they’ve quietly established a solid reputation in the genre.
That’s not all though, as they’re also responsible for the beloved Inazuma Eleven series of soccer-based RPGs. While the RPG elements certainly fit their other games, half the gameplay of these titles is soccer, much like an anime version of the FIFA series, meaning they’ve also mastered sports games too.
8 Rare
Rare had a reputation back in the 1990s for being an unstoppable developer, responsible for some of the N64’s most beloved and critically acclaimed titles, and even better, they were great in multiple ways. Between Banjo-Kazooie and Goldeneye, they proved their ability to simultaneously produce classic 3D platformers and first-person shooters within the space of only a few years.
While their output following Microsoft’s acquisition was relegated to Kinect-based sports games that weren’t well received, Rare has since managed to claw back their reputation with Sea of Thieves, an online pirate game that’s won over gamers looking to sail the seven seas with their friends, adding yet another genre to their skill set.
7 Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch made a name for themselves on the PS2 with the Sly Cooper series, which already took two genres popular at the time – 3D platformers and stealth games – and combined them to superb effect. Since then, they’ve done a great job reinventing themselves with each generation of PlayStation.
On the PS3, they turned their attention to chaotic superhero open-world action with the Infamous games, and on the PS4 they eventually took the open-world formula and built a samurai game with methodical combat and stealth in Ghost of Tsushima. It’s clear that Sucker Punch is not a company interested in sticking too long in one place.
6 Insomniac
Another Sony studio, Insomniac, proved themselves early on as masters of the 3D platformer genre with the Spyro the Dragon series on PS1. On the PS2, they added third-person shooter elements to the genre and created Ratchet & Clank, a series that persists to this day with the PS5-exclusive Rift Apart.
That’s not all though. During the PS3 era, Insomniac successfully turned their hand to horror-themed first-person shooters with the Resistance series, while more recent years have seen them deeply involved with open-world superhero games thanks to Spider-Man on the PS4. With more Marvel games on the way and a continued interest in Ratchet & Clank, it’s clear they want to stay known as a studio with a diverse catalog of games.
5 Naughty Dog
A third Sony studio, Naughty Dog’s journey is similar to Insomniac’s. They created the iconic Crash Bandicoot games on PS1, which would eventually lead to the creation of the Jak & Daxter series on PS2. That series evolved over time, turning from a simple Mario 64-style 3D platformer into a combination of open-world, driving, and third-person shooter.
Naughty Dog would later expand their horizons even further, with Uncharted being predominately an action-adventure title with third-person shooter elements baked in, while The Last of Us was full survival horror with an emotional narrative. Hopefully, this isn’t the end of Naughty Dog’s surprise shifts in genre, as it’s always exciting to see where they go next.
4 Team Ninja
Team Ninja is the master of meticulously crafted action games in a number of different genres. While the Dead or Alive series isn’t quite as revered as other fighting game franchises, it’s still one of the more consistent ongoing fighting games to this day.
However, they’ve also shown themselves to be masters of brutally hard combo-based action games with the Ninja Gaiden reboot series, and of action RPGs that effectively challenge FromSoftware to their crown with the Nioh titles. They’ve even turned their hands to Metroidvanias and horror by providing assistance on the Metroid and Fatal Frame franchises.
3 Bandai Namco Studios
Bandai Namco’s internal development studio has produced a wide range of games. One of the more famous of these is Tekken, one of the more iconic fighting game franchises out there, but they’re also known for producing the critically acclaimed JRPG franchise Tales, as well as countless well-received licensed anime games.
They’re so good at swapping between genres that they’ve also shown up working for other publishers to produce an even wider range of titles. The fact they developed the photography game New Pokemon Snap for Nintendo is proof of how out there they can get.
2 Nintendo
Nintendo’s internal studios are known for producing a ton of high-quality games and some of the most iconic franchises in gaming. They also produce a wide range of game types, from Mario titles to the Zelda series. Titles like Star Fox and Pikmin have also seen them branch out into rail shooters and real-time strategy too, always with a unique Nintendo twist.
While most of the differing series come from different teams, the super chill Animal Crossing series and the fast-paced shooter Splatoon are developed by the same team, proving that even within the same team, Nintendo is capable of producing a wide range of games.
1 Capcom
Capcom’s internal teams have not only produced games in a vast range of genres, but they’ve also somehow managed to make many of them some of the most iconic franchises ever. Two of these are even genre-defining. Street Fighter has served as the basis for all fighting games that followed it, while Resident Evil defined and even named the entire survival horror genre.
It doesn’t stop there though, as games like Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter, and Mega Man have all come from within Capcom, all of them beloved by many, and each of them in a completely different genre. With fighting games, survival horror, character action, action RPGs, and 2D platformers, it’s clear that Capcom is a master at whatever they turn their attention to.