Namco Bandai Games
Encyclopedia
is an arcade
, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai
and Namco
. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (NBHD) and specializes in production and sales of home video games. It is the head company of Bandai Namco Group's Game Contents Strategic Business Unit
(SBU). In North America, the U.S.-based Namco Bandai Games America represents the company as a regional publisher, while in PAL territories, publishing is handled by Namco Bandai Games Europe with distribution through Namco Bandai Partners. The company has its headquarters in Shinagawa, Tokyo
.
In early 2005, Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co. Ltd. announced plans to combine their operations. The merger took effect in September of that same year and both companies came under the umbrella of the newly created Namco Bandai Holdings. On March 31, 2006, the game division of Bandai was merged to Namco and renamed Namco Bandai Games. In the United States
, the Namco Hometek subsidiary was renamed to Namco Bandai Games America.
On April 1, 2008, Banpresto's
video game operations were absorbed by Namco Bandai Games as well. On August 6, 2008, it was announced that Bandai Networks Co. Ltd, Namco Bandai's mobile phone business, would be dissolved and absorbed into Namco Bandai Games on April 1, 2009.
, Namco Bandai Games announced the Surge publishing label. The new label was an attempt at creating a separate identity for the company, aimed at a Western audience desiring more mature themes in game content. Following Afro, early press materials indicated that Dead to Rights: Retribution
and Splatterhouse would also be released under the Surge label, but neither game ultimately did; both were released with a retro Namco label instead to reflect the series' legacy. As of 2010, Afro is still the only game to have been released as a Surge title. However, more games will be on the way when Surge announced that they will publish 2 Days to Vegas
by Steel Monkeys.
. There are two rooms. The first room, the "Game Arena" (Asia & Japan), or "Namco Arcade Center" (North America), has all the Namco Museum.comm/Essentials arcade machines, a "Vending Machine" that gives users a Namco Museum Soda Can for their personal space, a "Money Exchange Machine" that give users a Namco Museum Coin for their personal space, "The Idolmaster SP Wandering Star, Perfect Sun, & Missing Moon Vending Machines" (lets users play roulette to get cans that features the various idols and a Haruka costume), two video screens, a "Love Seat" and seating for the avatars. The second room, the "Community Arena" (Asia & Japan), or the "Namco Theatre" (North America), is a mini-museum featuring displays for Soul Calibur IV, Ridge Racer 7
, and Tekken 6
, as well as video screens behind each display, "The Idolmaster SP 961 Production Vending Machine", and seats for the avatars. This space was released in Japans version of Home on December 11, 2008, in the Asian version on March 26, 2009, and in the North American version on July 16, 2009.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
and Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (NBHD) and specializes in production and sales of home video games. It is the head company of Bandai Namco Group's Game Contents Strategic Business Unit
Strategic business unit
In essence, the SBU is a profit making area that focuses on a combination of product offer and market segment, requiring its own marketing plan, competitor analysis, and marketing campaign.A Strategic Business Unit emerges at the cross-over between:...
(SBU). In North America, the U.S.-based Namco Bandai Games America represents the company as a regional publisher, while in PAL territories, publishing is handled by Namco Bandai Games Europe with distribution through Namco Bandai Partners. The company has its headquarters in Shinagawa, Tokyo
Shinagawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
.
History
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Namco Hometek subsidiary was renamed to Namco Bandai Games America.
On April 1, 2008, Banpresto's
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
video game operations were absorbed by Namco Bandai Games as well. On August 6, 2008, it was announced that Bandai Networks Co. Ltd, Namco Bandai's mobile phone business, would be dissolved and absorbed into Namco Bandai Games on April 1, 2009.
Surge label
At the end of 2008, just prior to the release of Afro SamuraiAfro Samurai (video game)
Currently the Metacritic score is 65. GameSpot gave it a 7.0 and IGN gave it a 6.6. Namco Bandai posted on its fiscal year report that the game sold 420,000 copies across all platforms in the US and Europe.-External links:* * at The Internet Movie Database...
, Namco Bandai Games announced the Surge publishing label. The new label was an attempt at creating a separate identity for the company, aimed at a Western audience desiring more mature themes in game content. Following Afro, early press materials indicated that Dead to Rights: Retribution
Dead to Rights: Retribution
Dead to Rights: Retribution is a 2010 third-person action game. It is the reboot of the Dead to Rights franchise. Featuring, Grant City police officer Jack Slate and his canine companion Shadow. Developed by Volatile Games and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,...
and Splatterhouse would also be released under the Surge label, but neither game ultimately did; both were released with a retro Namco label instead to reflect the series' legacy. As of 2010, Afro is still the only game to have been released as a Surge title. However, more games will be on the way when Surge announced that they will publish 2 Days to Vegas
2 Days to Vegas
2 Days to Vegas is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game developed by Steel Monkeys. The game is set in several major cities across the United States and takes place during a 48 hour period. 2 Days to Vegas is set to release for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 platforms...
by Steel Monkeys.
PlayStation Home
Namco Bandai Games has released a Home Space for the Asian, Japanese, and North American versions of PlayStation HomePlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
. There are two rooms. The first room, the "Game Arena" (Asia & Japan), or "Namco Arcade Center" (North America), has all the Namco Museum.comm/Essentials arcade machines, a "Vending Machine" that gives users a Namco Museum Soda Can for their personal space, a "Money Exchange Machine" that give users a Namco Museum Coin for their personal space, "The Idolmaster SP Wandering Star, Perfect Sun, & Missing Moon Vending Machines" (lets users play roulette to get cans that features the various idols and a Haruka costume), two video screens, a "Love Seat" and seating for the avatars. The second room, the "Community Arena" (Asia & Japan), or the "Namco Theatre" (North America), is a mini-museum featuring displays for Soul Calibur IV, Ridge Racer 7
Ridge Racer 7
Ridge Racer 7 is the seventh console installment in the Ridge Racer series of racing games, released on PlayStation 3. The game has around 40 cars, many of which return from Ridge Racer 6 and the PSP incarnations of the game. There are also 22 courses, available in forward, reverse and mirror mode....
, and Tekken 6
Tekken 6
is a fighting game developed and published by Namco Bandai. It is the eighth game in the Tekken franchise. It was released in Japanese arcades on November 26, 2007 as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based System 357 arcade board. The game received an update, subtitled Bloodline...
, as well as video screens behind each display, "The Idolmaster SP 961 Production Vending Machine", and seats for the avatars. This space was released in Japans version of Home on December 11, 2008, in the Asian version on March 26, 2009, and in the North American version on July 16, 2009.
External links
- Namco Bandai Games, Inc.
- Namco Bandai Games America, Inc.
- Namco Bandai Games Europe
- Namco Bandai Games, Inc. profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...