Bandai bought Namco...

[ogami]

Bandai, Namco to form Japan's second-largest toy-game group in fall - report

05.01.2005, 07:48 PM

TOKYO (AFX) - Bandai Co and Namco Ltd plan to integrate their operations as early as autumn to create the second-largest toy-game business group in Japan, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported without citing sources.

Their combined annual sales total 458 bln yen, trailing only those of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc, the business daily said.

The integration plan is expected to be announced today after extraordinary board meetings this morning, it said, adding that both companies had been contemplating tie-ups with other companies to ensure their survival amid intensifying competition stemming from Japan's rapidly falling birthrate.

Bandai is Japan's leading toymaker, and has product development rights to a range of popular animated characters. It has been using those rights not only in its toy business, but also in video and video game operations.

Namco is a major developer of home video games and arcade game equipment, as well as a leading operator of amusement facilities.

tokyo.bureau@xfn.com

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OMG... Bandai is huge now, instead of large.

But this mean more better quality Gundam games...

(Are we going to see Saint Seiya in future Tekken? )

[Effect]

I've heard Bandai refered to as the Microsoft of Japan in how they buy up other companies. How true is that or is that not true at all?

[lord_breetai]

Namco X Capcom II....

Char Aznable vs Megaman

[UN Spacy]

Would't it be great if Namco helped SEGA-AM2 work on the next Macross PS2 game.

[yellowlightman]

Hopefully this will impoved Bandai's video games, and not dilute Namco's properties.

[Max Jenius]

Hopefully this will impoved Bandai's video games, and not dilute Namco's properties.

yes....

[Ido]

Hope to see some bandai Xenosaga kits then and maybe a new namco made macross game. (acecombat with valks )

Edited May 2, 2005 by Ido

[Black Valkyrie]

Good move, I hope Namco makes more better quality Gundam games un like Banpresto games. Plus Bandai makes Namco characters figures.

[zeo-mare]

i also hope that Namco gets a oppertunity to make some good games based on many of Bandai's franchises, i would love a really good gundam or saint seiya game.

chris

[Black Valkyrie]

Zeta Gundam vs Marusame by Namco

[Abombz!!]

Considering Bandai can smell money quite well, I doubt they would even touch Namcos properties. Hopefully.... Bandai will do something about Namco in the US, because seriously, its time someone started smacking those guys around

[Druna Skass]

Hope to see some bandai Xenosaga kits then and maybe a new namco made macross game. (acecombat with valks )

Or Ace Combat with a Mobius Zero or Exass. Knowing the AC's team's hobby of putting in easter eggs it'll be kind of neat if they snuck in a Zaku II or Ground Gundam somewhere.

[lord_breetai]

Good move, I hope Namco makes more better quality Gundam games un like Banpresto games. Plus Bandai makes Namco characters figures.

What's wrong with Banpresto... they've made so many fun games. Like G-Generation, Super Robot Wars and Battle Soccer (true only the first game is a "gundam game" but they all have gundams in them).

[USCOLMRNE]

Ahh I hope this doesnt mess up future Ace Combat games

[Black Valkyrie]

Good move, I hope Namco makes more better quality Gundam games un like Banpresto games.  Plus Bandai makes Namco characters figures.

What's wrong with Banpresto... they've made so many fun games. Like G-Generation, Super Robot Wars and Battle Soccer (true only the first game is a "gundam game" but they all have gundams in them).

I ment their 3D games like CCA and Getter Robo for the PSOne.

[yellowlightman]

Good move, I hope Namco makes more better quality Gundam games un like Banpresto games.  Plus Bandai makes Namco characters figures.

What's wrong with Banpresto... they've made so many fun games. Like G-Generation, Super Robot Wars and Battle Soccer (true only the first game is a "gundam game" but they all have gundams in them).

I ment their 3D games like CCA and Getter Robo for the PSOne.

I thought CCA was rather enjoyable for the time period it was released, I had a bit of fun playing through it.

Ultimately, Banpresto/Bandai suffers from the inevitable licensed game problem, where you make a game to cash in on a name rather than the reasons of actually wanting to create a good game. Not to mention, more emphasis is placed on the name of the license selling the game, so the game quality is allowed to be sub-par.

Consider the Gundam Vs. series and the recent Macross PS2, both Bandai titles but development was handled by "real" companies (Capcom and Sega, repsectivelt) and both turned out to be the best games for those licenses in years. Hopefully Bandai realizes this, and uses the Namco aquisition as a way to beef up it's video game department and start turn out some genuinely good titles.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

I too hope that they maximze the potential here. That Ace Combat Macross edition sounds like it would be cool. I do wonder how it will affect things.