Company History
From jukebox importer (1953) to Space Invaders (1978) through the arcade golden age, home computer era, and Square Enix acquisition (2005). The full story of one of gaming's most important companies.
1953 - Tokyo, Japan - Still Making Games
TAITO CORPORATION
The Arcade Giants Who Started Everything
In 1978, a small Japanese company called Taito released Space Invaders and changed the world. The game became a cultural phenomenon, caused a temporary coin shortage across Japan, and single-handedly established the global video game industry. Over the following decades, Taito went on to create Bubble Bobble, Arkanoid, Operation Wolf, Darius, and dozens more classics - each one a landmark of arcade design that still resonates today.
1953
Founded in Tokyo
1978
Space Invaders
1986
Bubble Bobble
$13B+
Space Invaders Revenue (est.)
Landmark Titles
The Games That Defined an Era
From alien invasion in 1978 to candy-coloured worlds in 1986 and beyond - Taito's catalogue reads like a history of arcade game design itself.
Space Invaders established the shoot 'em up and built the global arcade industry. Arkanoid reinvented block-breaking with power-ups and boss encounters that no predecessor had imagined. Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands - both from the hand of Fukio "MTJ" Mitsuji - proved that single-screen platformers could carry genuine emotional warmth alongside genuine mechanical depth. Operation Wolf's mounted Uzi cabinet made players feel the weight of a real weapon in a way joysticks never could. Darius spread its side-scrolling shooter across three linked monitors in a configuration no other manufacturer would attempt. Puzzle Bobble distilled the bubble mechanic to its purest form and launched a franchise still releasing new entries in 2023.
Each title arrived with something new - a control innovation, a structural idea, a visual approach that competitors immediately studied and attempted to replicate. Browse the complete catalogue, with box art, platform data, and year-by-year release history.
The Moment Everything Changed
Space Invaders and the Birth of a Cultural Phenomenon
When Tomohiro Nishikado released Space Invaders in July 1978, he didn't just create a game - he triggered a global cultural transformation that reshaped entertainment, technology, and commerce.
The game earned Taito approximately $500 million in its first year in Japan alone. Arcades struggled to keep enough 100-yen coins in stock. The Japanese government temporarily minted additional coins to meet demand. When Atari licensed Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 in 1980, it became the platform's first killer app - quadrupling console sales and establishing the home video game market.
By 2007, Space Invaders had generated an estimated $13 billion in revenue across all formats - making it one of the highest-grossing entertainment properties in history. Not bad for a game designed by one engineer, building custom hardware in his spare time, inspired by H.G. Wells and the limitations of 1970s silicon.
Explore This Site
Discover Taito's Legacy
Key People
Tomohiro Nishikado built the hardware and wrote the code for Space Invaders almost single-handedly. Fukio Mitsuji ("MTJ") gave the world Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands. Meet the designers who made Taito great.
Bubble Bobble Deep Dive
MTJ's design philosophy, the mechanical elegance of the 100-level progression, the co-operative design that rewards communication, and a cultural legacy that extends from NES to Nintendo Switch.
Video Selection
Documentaries, longplays, and retrospective coverage - including the Gaming Historian, World of Longplays, and developer interview material covering Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, Darius, and more.