Soul Edge (ソウルエッジ, Sōru Ejji) is a fighting game developed by the team Project Soul and published by Namco. Originally released as an arcade game in December 1995, an upgraded and expanded version of the game was ported to the PlayStation in December 1996. The PlayStation version was renamed Soul Blade in North America, Europe, and Australia. The game was a commercial and critical success and was followed up with Soulcalibur in July 1998. Soul Edge is the first installment in the Soul series and centers upon the eponymous sword, shrouded in mystery and rumored to offer unlimited power to anyone who can find and wield it. Nine warriors embark on a journey to pursue a tenth who is rumored to have the sword, some to claim it and others to destroy it, but what many do not know is that the sword's power is evil, feeding upon the souls of not only its victims but its wielder as well.