In 1996 Namco released a game called Soul Blaade in North America (known as Soul Edge in Japan) and it was a game that focused on weapons based combat and centered on several characters going after a sword called Soul Edge.  Either to destroy it or attain it for their own means.  When Namco began talking about a sequel one of the first things they knew they wanted to incorporate was the use of the entire arena instead of just characters moving on one line.  This eventually lead the creation of 8 way run.  Where one could--literally--walk circles around their opponent.  But was it right to simply call it Soul Blade 2?  Project Soul thought not.  Instead they called their new creative and innovative fighter: Soul Calibur.