TOKYO (November 30, 2016) – Starting today, TAITO Corporation (Main office: Shinjuku, Tokyo, President: Koichi Ishii, hereinafter TAITO) will distribute "Space Invaders" and "Arkanoid" for Facebook with “Instant Games” on Messenger and Facebook News Feed.

Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world, with over 1.7 billion users, and the Facebook Messenger app is used by over 1 billion people worldwide.

Now, those billion-plus people will be able to play the classic games “Space Invaders” and “Arkanoid” on “Instant Games” on Messenger and Facebook News Feed anytime, anywhere.

“Space Invaders” is widely considered to be the origin of all Japanese video game culture, and has been enshrined in the World Video Game Hall of Fame in New York’s The Strong National Museum of Play1. Upon its original release, “Arkanoid” was nothing less than a social phenomenon. Both have long been thought of as timeless, beloved classics by people all over the world, from their debuts in the 1970’s and 1980’s to present day.

TAITO has brought its games to numerous platforms over the years. Now, with “Instant Games”, older players can relive the fun of the 70’s and 80’s, while newcomers can experience the charm and challenge of “Space Invaders” and “Arkanoid” for the first time.

TAITO is dedicated to producing innovative, original games across all platforms, tailored to each platform’s inherit strengths. Be it smartphones, tablets, or something completely new, you can count on TAITO to keep evolving, and continue entertaining gamers around the world.

About “Instant Games”

“Instant Games” is a new feature from Facebook that lets people play games within seconds on Messenger and Facebook News Feed. This helps people easily discover, share and play games instantly.

About Space Invaders

“Space Invaders” was first designed, developed, and sold by TAITO in 1978, spurring a worldwide explosion in the popularity of arcade games. The “Space Invaders” character is TAITO’s corporate mascot and the characters that appear in-game continue to be licensed widely in various mediums globally to this day. “Space Invaders” has appeared everywhere from New York’s Museum of Modern Art to high-class fashion brands. It remains a popular, beloved franchise across the globe.

As the sole owner of all intellectual property rights related to the “Space Invaders” brand and characters, including copyrights and trademarks, TAITO continues to proactively develop and market the classic game today.

About Arkanoid

“Arkanoid” was first designed, developed, and sold by TAITO in 1986. It quickly became a breakout hit, ushering in a huge boom of block-breaking arcade games. “Arkanoid” continues to appear on today’s newest gaming platforms, 30 years after its initial release.

As the sole owner of all intellectual property rights related to “Arkanoid”, including copyrights and trademarks, TAITO continues to proactively develop and market the classic game today.

About TAITO Corporation 

TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as PUZZLE BOBBLE® (BUST-A-MOVE®) and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries.

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