Koei Tecmo recently announced Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, scheduled to launch in Winter 2026 as a Switch 2 exclusive. Incidentally, this will be the first project officially developed by Koei Tecmo’s new “AAA Studio.” As its name implies, the new development label was created with the purpose of developing triple-A titles that can compete in the global game market. But Koei Tecmo is no stranger to AAA games, so why create a new, dedicated studio? In a recent interview with Famitsu, the company shed some light on their intentions behind establishing the new studio.
AAA Studio was officially established in April 2024, joining the ranks of Koei Tecmo’s other game brands like Omega Force, Team Ninja and Gust. Promisingly, the new studio is being led by Yosuke Hayashi, former Team Ninja veteran and director/producer for the DOA, Ninja Gaiden and Nioh series. Joining him as AAA Studio’s producer is Ryota Matsushita, a former Omega Force member who directed Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
As for why the studio was created in the first place, Hayashi tells Famitsu that Koei Tecmo’s existing brands – like Team Ninja and Omega Force – have, over the years, cultivated a following of fans who expect new releases to be true to the brands’ respective identities. “I believe that’s because each team simply kept creating the kind of games they naturally excel at. […] Their consistent output built that brand identity over time.” According to Hayashi, Team Ninja and Omega Force have established a trust-based relationship with fans – which depends on them delivering games in their trademark styles.
As such, Koei Tecmo needed a team that “wouldn’t be tied to the established brand images of these studios.” Another point Hayashi brings up is the growing costs and time involved in large-scale game development. It sounds like the company wanted to venture into new waters with its AAA games, but did not want to risk occupying Team Ninja or Omega Force’s time and resources with projects that could potentially deter long-time fans of their signature styles.
On the other hand, “Since AAA Studio doesn’t yet carry a particular color or brand identity, we can pursue the kind of interesting games we believe in. Then, if the players end up enjoying and embracing those games, the studio may naturally establish its own brand identity. That’s what we’re going for,” Hayashi explains.
At the same time, the studio head also stresses that Koei Tecmo isn’t trying to force any differentiation – AAA Studio will still draw on the know-how and experience of the other development teams, and it won’t try to do things that aren’t true to everything Koei Tecmo has built with its games so far – so, the chances of them suddenly coming out with a Western-fantasy game or turn-based RPG are slim.
On a related note, to accommodate these changes to its structure and development pipeline, Koei Tecmo has been upsizing significantly – they recently acquired new offices and have announced plans to double their workforce over time.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, AAA Studio’s first project, launches Winter 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2.
