Namco and Sega merging?

This looks like an awesome potential for better fighting games, I say. I don't think they'll necessarily do a crossover though... I'd rather VF and Tekken were dropped entirely for a truly great fighter (with a colossal cast and great online capabilities). Even if this doesn't happen, I know T5 is in the works, so the two series could go on benifiting from a greater pool of design knowledge.

 

In a merger quest that probably rivaled most Japanese dating sims (or at least ABC's the Bachelor), Sega has decided to reject Namco's proposal and stay the course with the initially announced Sammy deal. Originally reported by Kyodo news, Sega has decided that Sammy's offer is their preferred choice over the recent merger proposal sent out by Namco. Late last week, Namco had encouraged Sega to speed up its selection process, as the pending offer (and the marketplace rumor mill churning) were giving both company's investors a wild ride in the values of their respective stocks.

Sega's decision is one that many gamers will probably regret for years to come, as cross-licensing between Namco and Sega franchises would have been extremely interesting. Sammy, having a much smaller game division, and whose majority of income is from shady pachinko machines, is a bit of a dark horse to Sega's US fanbase. Hopefully the merger helps to pull Sega out of its debt and back into the black, preferrably with more money to invest in game development as well.

 

Urm right, must be why they officialy anounced that the merger isnt going ahead.

 

Apparently, neither is the one with Sammy.

 

Just like I said Sega was a ho and now they aren't getting anything. Watch the Namco deal go sour too and this time next year, we'll be having the same discussion about Sega and _______?

Sega should keep the name and jettison the development houses to whomever is interested. Then sell the name to Infogrames or EA and it can be a branding thing like Atari. After that close its doors and swear to stay out of the videogame business for at least 10 years, or at least until it learns how to run itself.

 

If that would happen, all the talent at Sega - the people who MAKE Sega - would leave to start their own companies. Which means the teams would them become essentially worthless. What is Sonic Team without Yuji Naka? AM2 without Kataoka and Katagiri? Amusement Vision without Nagoshi? There has been negotiations with EA, and that is PRECISELY the reason why they are not going through with it - nobody worthwhile at Sega wants to work with the egotistical, brainless assholes at EA.

 

The alleged refusals of the Sammy merger or NAMCO merger are not official yet. Quit acting like old women gossiping in a park and wait for SEGA to actually say something publically. Namco said they gave Sega until tomorrow (5/9/03) to decide on their offer and the Sammy/Sega merger is being still considered in board meetings this week and official statements on whether it will happen or not isn't until a later date. Any time a well known business in the world speaks of merger or bankruptcy every news agency starts dealing in idle speculation. Just give it time.

 

Well, from what I am hearing, the sammy merger is dead....if they do have to merge, pray microsoft.

 

This is something that I've wondered about for a while, and maybe someone more knowledgeable in the Japanese development scene (Zero, Fishie?) can help me out on this: are the dev houses like AM2, Overworks, Smilebit, Hitmaker, and Team Sonic actually a part of Sega, i.e. owned by them, of just affiliated? I had heard at one point that all of these companies used to be AM divisions, but Sega was forced to let them go or something along those lines. Any help on this? And if they're not owned by Sega, what do they really have to hold on to other than their old properties (Sonic, VF, Phantasy Star, Panzer, Shinobi, etc.)? What's to stop all these houses from jumping ship before Sega proper bites the big one?

 

They are all owned wholly by Sega, but are given (mostly) free reign to produce and do as they wish.

 

Back to square one...

Well maybe someday they'll get their heads out of their asses. But as it is now Sega's just another broke poorly run company. Its official, the Namco deal is off too.

 

http://www.gamerfeed.com/index.php?story=3010

 

Thats interesting Nintendo has two new games in the works...one is being worked by ex rare employees. Thanks for the link.

 

I would like to see Sega under new management very seriously. They have always had the talent at the heads of their respective branches. It's just that they have never had the market savieness that is required to keep such a money intensive operation in movement. It's starting to seem like every time I find something out new about Sega, it's something I almost wished I didn't know.

 

Such truer words have never been spoken. Its like your peeling away an onion and inside is a skunk. /versus/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

Looks like EA sports is the latest candidate for the Sega "alliance" lottery.

http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6028991.html

 

Lets see how long Sega dances with them. I'd give them about a month. Maybe Sega is a merger talk junkie, they sure have been in enough of them they could probably host seminars.

 

Let's face it SEGA is slut looking for a PimpDaddy to manage their Ass in terms of exposure/image and long term growth. Shit even I can do that for them, hey SEGA have your people call me and let's do this. /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'll make you guys so big even Microsoft would be envy of you on the Software side of your game making abilities. North America market here we come, VF Otakus look out your wet dream is about to come true. And Namco, Capcom and EA will be shitting in their pants before we even get started, huhuhu. /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif