Sega of America finalizes acquisition of Atlus U.S.A

[zenith16]

I'm also putting this inthe gaming lounge but this is for those that have the habit of not bothering with the gaming lounge thread and tend to miss these things.


Industry
Sega of America finalizes acquisition of Atlus U.S.A
Published 2 hours ago. 56 comments.

Sega aims to streamline publishing in the Americas.

Sega of America has finalized its acquisition of Atlus U.S.A., the company announced, making Sega the sole company responsible for publishing duties in North America.


Both Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. will continue to preserve its individual brand identities for upcoming video game and product releases.


The change affects the companies in name only. Both Atlus U.S.A. and Sega of America will still act autonomously, and no games or products will be adversely affected by the publisher unification.


Sega notes that since Atlus U.S.A. integrated with Sega of America, Atlus expertise has allowed it to localize popular Japanese titles in the west, including Yakuza and Hatsune Miku games.


“After nearly a year working under the Sega Games division, both Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. have thrived and released a combined total of 23 game products,” said Naoto Hiraoka, CEO of Atlus U.S.A.



“Between Atlus’ ability to localize and release Japanese video game products efficiently and the strength of Sega of America’s reputation as a leading publisher in the industry, the situation could not be more symbiotic for both companies.”


2016 also serves as the 25th anniversary for Sega’s series. Sega has appointed Ivo Gerscovich the new head of the Sonic business unit as the chief brand officer of Sonic and senior vice president of Sega of America. In his new role, Gersovich will oversee all aspects of the Sonic business for the Americas and EMEA markets, including providing guidance for game development, TV production and distribution, marketing, and licensing.


” I consider it an honor to be part of growing the iconic global brand at such a storied company,” said Gerscovich. “Even after 25 years, Sonic’s speed, attitude, and cool quotient still resonate strongly with fans of all ages. This 25th anniversary celebration year will see the Sonic the Hedgehog brand propelled to maximum velocity while breaking new ground to surprise and delight fans around the world.”




Sega is also shifting towards global engagement by transitioning Takashi Iizukua, vice president of product development, from Sega headquarters in Japan to the Sonic business unit in Los Angeles. In his new role, Iizuka will streamline the production process for all forms of Sonic entertainment and products, and will establish Los Angeles as the centralized hub for the global brand.




“There were challenging times for Sega of America in San Francisco, but now I am confident that the collaboration between Sega and Atlus U.S.A. will make us a uniquely positioned publisher poised to deliver top quality games from Japan,” said Tatsuyuki Miyazaki, CEO of Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. board member. “Plus, the Sonic business team, with Ivo’s strong leadership and the addition of renowned Sonic Team creator Iizuka in the Los Angeles office, SEGA of America is in the best position yet to diversify and grow its business. SEGA of America is entering new age of publishing, and going back to the road to prosperity.”




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Industry, Atlus, Sega​

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Two artiles same place

• 
• Sega Europe Acquire Amplitude Studios
  
  Posted on July 5, 2016 | 4 Comments
  Perpare of PC domination.Continue Reading...

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sega Europe has announced on Tuesday that they have acquired Endless series developer Amplitude Studios.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The acquisition will definitely boost the PC line-up of studios that Sega already has, including Sports Interactive, Creative Assembly and Relic Entertainment. The company is certainly showing their determination to penetrate the PC market with very popular studios and IPs.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sega says this about the acquisition-via email:[/FONT]

Based in Paris, France, Amplitude Studios were formed in 2011 with a single goal: to create the best strategy games with the help of players. Using a unique development method, Amplitude Studios give their community the opportunity to contribute to the development of their games from an early stage. Using an open crowd-sourced development process known as GAMES2GETHER, the studio is able to incorporate and implement player feedback and ideas into an ever evolving design document to ensure the games meet the expectations of players and garner the international acclaim they deserve.
Following the acquisition, SEGA have taken on the publishing responsibilities for the fourth game in the Endless series, the eagerly anticipated, Endless Space 2. The sequel to the award winning Endless Space is a turn-based, 4X space-strategy game that focuses on an age of space colonization and interstellar empire building with a variety of unique civilizations from within the Endless universe. Endless Space 2 is due to go into Steam Early Access later this year, more details on that soon. Additionally, SEGA will assume publishing responsibility for the back catalogue of Endless games and any associated future content.
​

[FONT=&quot]Sega-Europe has produced the following: Total War: Warhammer, Dawn of War III, WARHAMMER 40,000, Company of Heroes, and Motorsport Manager.[/FONT]

Also with

• 
  
• Deep Silver Will Begin Publishing Sega and Atlus Games in Europe
  
  Posted on July 6, 2016 | 4 Comments
  Games incoming.Continue Reading...
  

[FONT=&quot]
Recently Atlus and NISA’s partnership of European video game publication had come to an end. NISA found it difficult to work with Atlus’s parent company SEGA.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

Now, publisher Deep Silver has announced that they will be partnering up with SEGA to handle all European and PAL territories. This includes physical and digital distribution of Persona 5, 7th Dragon III Code: VFD, and Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CEO of Deep Silver, Dr. Klemens Kundratitz posted-via Press Release:[/FONT]

We are delighted to have signed this publishing partnership and look forward to using all our pan-European publishing network to maximize the potential of the ATLUS and SEGA games.

[FONT=&quot]Additionally, Naoto Hiraoko from Atlus and Sega stated:[/FONT]

In entering this partnership with Deep Silver, I am truly delighted we will be able to release our titles in the European regions. Not only does the deal span multiple titles, but Deep Silver has a strong presence in European and PAL retailers. They have a strong passion for being able to deliver physical games to our fans in those territories, which we hold in high regard.
​

[FONT=&quot]No further release dates have been announced.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Are you excited for this partnership?[/FONT]

source: Operation Rainfall

 

[zenith16]

Sega Explains Their Publishing Situation Of Atlus And Sega Games In Europe. July 11, 2016 . 2:00am

It was announced last week that Deep Silver will begin publishing Sega-brand and Atlus games in Europe,
which will include Persona 5 and more. Sega explained the situation in more detail in a recent blog post.

1 comment Read >

It was announced last week that Deep Silver will begin publishing Sega-brand and Atlus games in Europe, which will include Persona 5 and more. Sega explained the situation in more detail in a recent blog post.

Here’s what Sega had to say in regards to their titles coming to Europe:
​

Stop me if you’ve heard this before:
“We’re working on it.”

It’s an oft-used PR phrase that people have come to see as a general throwaway response. And while I can’t speak for every case, I can at least tell you that when it comes to publishing SEGA Japanese IP games (and ATLUS’!) in Europe, it’s true. We are working on it. Or were, really, since we just inked a deal with Deep Silver to release multiple upcoming titles in Europe. Physical versions.

That means that 7th Dragon III Code: VFD will be coming to European regions as both a physical and digital title, which will be published by Deep Silver for the EU territory.

The next question out of your mouth I’m sure is “but why? You have SEGA Europe, use them!” Yes, we do have a European branch, but they’re very much their own business, and as a business unit, SEGA Europe focuses on our Western IP titles – the titles developed by our Western studios such as Creative Assembly, Relic Entertainment, Sports Interactive and in partnership with studios such as PlaySport Games. With the majority of those titles being released on PC, we’ve seen an evolution of SEGA Europe into a more digitally-centric business over the last few years. For any packaged releases of SEGA Europe Western IPs they already partner with Deep Silver to bring those titles to market in Europe. It made sense to mirror that partnership with the SEGA of America-managed Japanese IP titles which currently have a heavier bias towards physical release. Sega Europe will still be publishing Yakuza 0.
​

Added bonus – this deal also applies to some upcoming ATLUS titles, so if you’ve been hankering for Persona 5 or Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, Deep Silver has the EU covered!

We aren’t ready to share release dates for those just yet, but for all our fans in Europe, we can finally say “we worked on it, and now we’ve got an answer for you.”
​

source: Siliconera

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Atlus New Title Announcement Special Spring 2017 live stream
Published 18 hours ago. 612 comments.

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology and more.

Atlus’ New Title Announcement Special Spring 2017 live stream will begin shortly.


The broadcast will be an introduction to the new titles coming from Atlus in 2017, starting with the newly announced Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology, including the debut trailer and latest information. Those set to be featured on the program include announcer Chiaki Matsuzawa, voice actors Katsuyuki Konishi, Megumi Han, Tomomi Isomura, Yoshihisa Kawahara, Ayumu Murase, and Tomokazu Sugita, freelance writer Mafia Kajita, and composer Yoko Shimomura.


Watch the live stream below. (Begins at 3:00 a.m. PT / 6:00 a.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. UK / 19:00 JST.)

(Also available at Niconico and Periscope.)






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Industry, Atlus, Live Stream


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source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

http://operationrainfall.com/2017/04/20/atlus-registers-various-persona-domains/
http://operationrainfall.com/2017/04/20/atlus-registers-various-persona-domains/






Atlus Registers Various Persona Domains

Thursday, April 20th, 2017
More Persona goodies!Read more

Thursday, April 20th, 2017

Recently, it’s come to light that Atlus has registered a wide variety of Persona domains. These include P3D, P5AG, P5D, P5R, P5U, Persona Dance, and PQ2. They’ve also registered every Persona name up to 10, so that’s also very promising. This is exciting news to fans of the series, as this means we’re getting a lot more spinoff games to tie us over until we get Persona 6 in about 10 years.
I have some theories as to what these games might be, but we’ll just have to wait for more news to come out. What do you think? Tell us your ideas and theories in the comments down below.

• P3D – Persona 3 Dancing
• P5AG – Like Persona 4 Golden, an enhanced version.
• P5D – Persona 5 Dancing
• P5R – Persona 5 Racing
• P5U – A new arena fighting game.
• Persona Dance – A dancing game based around either the first Persona game, or all of them combined.
• PQ2 – Persona Q 2

View image on Twitter

​

Follow

Mystic @MysticDistance

Here are all the domains Atlus registered under ryusoffice Corp,Inc. (Via @regularpanties)​

6:30 AM - 20 Apr 2017

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• 
  
  
  • 162162 Retweets
  • 117117 likes

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source: Operation Rainfall

 

[zenith16]

just incase there are those that are new to the hype or just plain weirdly don't look at the gaming lounge thread.



Industry
Sega planning “revival of major IPs”
Published 11 hours ago. 448 comments.

What old Sega IPs do you want to see return?

Sega is planning the “revival of major IPs,” according to its “Road to 2020” business presentation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.
Under the “Segment Goal / Business Strategies” section of the presentation, Sega outlined the following major points in the digital games and packaged games fields:​

Packaged Games Field (example titles: Total War: Warhammer, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Football Manager 2017, and Persona 5)

​

• 
  
  
  • Expand existing IPs and obtain new IPs for North American and European PC games
  • Build revenue base by being entrusted with outsourced development
  • Challenge for new IPs
  • Revival of major IPs
  • Effective utilization of development engines

Digital Games Field (example titles: Puyo Puyo!! Quest, Hortensia Saga, Chain Chronicle 3, and Phantasy Star Online 2)

​

• 
  
  
  • Create titles that will become global hits
  • Establish digital marketing business
  • Expand overseas publishing business
  • Maintain profits through long-term operation of existing titles
  • Develop next-generation titles

​

A “major issue” Sega says it will tackle is to “create titles that will become global hits.” To do this, they plan on reviving past IPs and actively utilizing existing IPs, new IPs, and external IPs, and maximizing the value of said IPs by expanding development channels (mobile devices, PC, and game consoles) and regions of the respective IPs’ development for a global simultaneous release.
Elsewhere in the report, Sega said that sales of Persona 5 and Total War: Warhammer performed well in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, and total unit sales were 10.28 million, surpassing the figure in the previous fiscal year. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, Sega plans to further develop sales of Persona 5 overseas, and plans unit sales of 11.6 million with titles like Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, Endless Space 2, and Total War: Warhammer 2 set to release.

Read More

Industry, Sega
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source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Atlus establishes European publishing division[
Published 2 hours ago. 35 comments.

Atlus to handle its titles on its own going forward.

​

Atlus has established a European publishing team in London, and will handle the European publishing of its own titles going forward, the company announced.


Previously, the company used third-party publishing partners such as NIS America, and most recently Deep Silver, to bring its titles to European territories.




The new team currently features commercial director Simon Inch, and will add a public relations manager and product marketing manager in due course. The three staffers will operate out of Sega Europe’s offices in London.


According to Atlus, the move will allow them to release the special edition sets and products that they currently offer in North America and other markets.


“It is a strong example of the growth we are experiencing as a company,” said Jacob Nahin, senior PR manager at Atlus U.S.A. “Publishing in Europe is simply the next step for us. What this means initially for fans is a parity for launch and premium editions. From a business perspective, we’ll be better positioned to address the needs of each market in which we release our titles.”




Thanks, GamesIndustry.biz.

source: Gematsu

 

[metaphysician]

Still keeping my fingers crossed that Sega doesn't screw it all up, but so far things have gone well.

 

[Leo Zelinsky]

Bring PSO2 to USA

 

[zenith16]

[​

NEWSAtlus teases a new Catherine game during livestream Yesterday at 8:08 pm

The studio mostly known for the Persona titles released a very unique and haunting game titled Catherine during...Read more






source: Gamezone
​

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Atlus USA to launch Atlus Online Store on October 16
Published 7 hours ago. 61 comments.

North America-only store to be pre-order-only at launch.

​

Atlus USA has announced that it will launch an Atlus Online Store on October 16 at 8:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET.


The online store will sell exclusive items including a Jack Frost Plush, Persona 5-related goods, and a variety of other products, with more items being added to the store on a semi-regular basis.

​

At launch, the product sold will be pre-order-only, with shipments going out in late November and early December. Atlus explains that this is because it is still manufacturing product for its first run in order to get things out by the holiday season.



If an item is marked as “Sold Out” or “No Longer Available,” it will return. Atlus says that its goal is to “make sure everyone can buy the items they want.”




The online store will only be available in North America at launch. Atlus says it is aware it has fans outside of North America that want its product, but they have to “start slow and work our way up” as they “aren’t logistically ready yet for a global launch.”

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Atlus files various corporate trademarks such as Atlus Game Studio and Atlus Software
Published 13 hours ago. 22 comments.

Nine new trademarks filed.

Atlus has filed various corporate-related trademarks, including Atlus Game Studio and Atlus Software.


Here is the full list of trademarks:

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• 
  
  
  • Atlus Development Studio
  • Atlus Entertainment
  • Atlus Entertainment Development
  • Atlus Game Factory
  • Atlus Game Studio
  • Atlus Game Works
  • Atlus Interactive
  • Atlus Software
  • Atlus Softworks

The new trademarks follow a similar set of trademarks in June: Atlus Games, Atlus Studio, and Studio Atlus.
Thanks, Persona Central.

​

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Sega Europe boss leaves the company after just four months

5 days ago​

Comments 1
Videogames make up a constantly-shifting industry, and every day old studios are closing, new studios are opening, and both developers and...Read more

Also with




Industry
Rumor: Atlus working on followup to popular PS3 title
Published 13 hours ago. 54 comments.

Announcement seemingly due by end of 2017.

Ryokutya2089, who is usually the first to leak the contents of new issues of Weekly Famitsu and Dengeki PlayStation, is reporting that he has heard Atlus is working on a followup to a popular title from the PlayStation 3 era.


According to Ryokutya2089, the title he heard does not have a number, which led him to believe it may be a “full” version or “all-included remaster,” but noted that said title does not have downloadable content.


The title was apparently rumored several months ago, and will seemingly be announced by the end of 2017. If it is true, that is.
Earlier this year, Atlus hosted a “Golden Employment Special” for its 2016-established Studio Zero. The end of that broadcast seemingly teased something Catherine-related to come from the studio.



A couple of weeks later, Atlus confirmed that Studio Zero is working on a second project that will be revealed before its main project, the fantasy RPG Project Re Fantasy. That being said, it is very possible the title Ryokutya2089 is talking about is a Catherine remaster or followup.



​

source:PCGN&Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

PlayStation 4
Job listing suggests Atlus developing “PS4 high-end action game” [Update 2]
Published 19 hours ago. 88 comments.

Unnamed company seeking 2D concept art production.

A job listing at Japanese careers site Creator’s Partner Fellows seems to suggest that Atlus is working on a “high-end action game” for PlayStation 4.


The job listing, titled “Seeking 2D Concept Design / Key Animation Talents! PS4 High-End Action Game,” says that it is “a job for the in-house team of a long-standing consumer game maker famous for its unique goddess (megami) and demon RPGs.” Its job contents are listed as the following:​

• 
  
  
  • A newly under-development PlayStation 4 project. We will tell you of the game’s style when you are interviewed.
  • As for the genre, it is a game that includes action-based battle elements.
  • “2D concept art production” is the main duty [for this job].

While the company that posted the job listing is not named, its location is listed as Setagaya, which is where Atlus’ office is located.



The “consumer game maker famous for its unique goddess (megami) and demon RPGs” line also applies to Atlus.


Thanks, Hachima Kikou.


Update 5:28 a.m.: The job listing seems to have been removed.
Update 9:10 p.m.: We did not notice it earlier, but there is also a job listing for a UI designer that is still posted. Thanks, Persona Central.
​

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega Fes 2018 set for April 14 to 15
Published 20 hours ago. 16 comments.

Free entry at Bellesalle Akihabara in Tokyo.

Sega will host Sega Fes 2018 from April 14 to 15 at Bellesalle Akihabara in Tokyo, the company announced. Entry will be free, and run from 11:00 to 19:00 JST on the first day, and 11:00 to 18:00 JST on the second day.

The event will span three floors of Bellesalle:

​

• 
  
  
  • 2nd Floor: Museum Zone – The floor themed after Sega’s “Present, Past, and Future.” There will be corners that visualize the “Amazing Experience” concepts of Sega Group’s various companies, as well as a museum corner that celebrates Sega Saturn’s 30th anniversary, Dreamcast’s 20th anniversary, and enables visitors to experience the history of Sega.
  • 1st Floor: Huge Attraction Experience Zone – On this floor are “huge attractions” that make up the centerpieces of this event, where surprising experiences full of fun content unique to Sega will be offered. There will also be a game experience corner and Sega Group companies original goods sales corner. Both Sega Fes goods and new items will appear in great numbers.
  • Basement 1st Floor: Stage Zone – The floor where events intended for fans of the game titles made by Sega Group’s various companies will be held. There will be stage events featuring special guests while delivering the latest news, surprise announcements unique to Sega Fes, and game tournaments. Stage events will also be live streamed.

Visit the Sega Fes 2018 official website here.


​

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Atlus And Sega’s E3 2018 Lineup Includes Yakuza Kiwami 2, Valkyria Chronicles 4 And Team Sonic Racing. June 6, 2018 . 8:56am

The Atlus and Sega E3 2018 lineup has been announced. Demos for Valkyria Chronicles 4, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Shining Resonance Refrain and Team Sonic Racing will be available.

26 comments Read >






source:Siliconera

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega of America appoints Ian Curran as COO and President
Published 15 hours ago. 43 comments.

Curran will also serve on the Atlus U.S.A. board.

​

Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. have announced the appointment of Ian Curran as Sega of America’s new Chief Operating Officer and President, effective August 1.


Curran will be responsible for utilizing all resources available to maximize the profitability of teh publishing and Sonic the Hedgehog business units with the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as serve on the board of Atlus U.S.A. He will report directly to Tatsuyuki Miyazaki, the CEO of Sega West, and work with employees in Sega’s officies in Irivine, Burbank, and London.




With decades of experience in vieo game publishing, and surpassing revenue expectations and reducing cost overhead, Curran’s previous companies include THQ, Acclaim Entertainment, and Gioteck.


Find a set of comments below.

Ian Curran, COO and President of Sega of America
“My thanks and gratitude to Mr. Miyazaki and the entire company leadership for this opportunity to lead our operations and executions in the Americas and EMEA. I appreciate all of the incredible efforts Mr. Hiraoka has made to lay the groundwork for our operations in the Americas. Coming off the success of Persona 5, Sonic Forces, Sonic Mania Plus, and the Yakuza series, and with so much more on the horizon, including Valkyria Chronicles 4, it is an incredible time to join the team. As part of the Sega family, we are inheritors of an expansive body of work and opportunity which I plan to help reach its full potential.”
Tatsuyuki Miyazaki, CEO of Sega West
“To those who work in our offices, it is no secret that we have seen a surge of new staff as we explore new opportunities and titles for our audiences. Since relocating our offices from San Francisco to Irvine and Burbank, we have established an even stronger business with still more ample room for growth. As we grow, it becomes necessary for our business to expand its own leadership, incorporating new skills and ideas. It is with great excitement we welcome Ian to the Sega family in this new COO role and as President of Sega of America, roles necessary for our burgeoning success in the Americas. In support of Ian’s vision, senior management and I will work with him to ensure he has the support he needs to continue growing our business.”
Naoto Hiraoka, CEO and President of Atlus U.S.A. / Senior Vice President of Segea of America
“We’ve been looking for someone to fill this role for some time, so we couldn’t be more pleased to have Ian join our operations as COO and President of Sega of America. His many years of experience in video game publishing, leading, developing and transforming organizations, is a perfect fit for our long-term aspirations and will be invaluable as we look to expand our business. I look forward to working alongside Ian in our common goal to take our work in the Americas and EMEA to new heights as I prepare to focus on my new role.”​

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega announces Gamescom 2018 lineup
Published 2 days ago. 34 comments.

Persona Dancing, Fist of the North Star, Valkyria Chronicles 4, and more.

​

Sega has announced the lineup of titles it is bringing to Gamescom 2018, which runs from August 21 to 25 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.


The following titles will be playable at the Deep Silver booth:

• 
  
  
  • Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (PS4)
  • Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (PS4, PS Vita)
  • Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (PS4, PS Vita)
  • Team Sonic Racing (PS4, XBO, Switch, PC)
  • Total War: Three Kingdoms (PC)
  • Valkyria Chronicles 4 (PS4, XBO, Switch, PC)

Sega will also have a Football Manager 2019 activation that puts fans in the firing line for questioning from ESPN’s Raphael Honigstein. After that, fans can line up in front of a Football Manager-themed press wall for a photo and leave with a Football Manager notebook.

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega of America president and COO Ian Curran appointed Atlus U.S.A. president and COO, Sega West CEO Tatsuyuki Miyazaki becomes Atlus U.S.A. CEO
Published 18 hours ago. 114 comments.

Naoto Hiraoka to focus on role as Atlus brand owner.

Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. today announced that Sega of America president and COO Ian Curran will assume a dual role as president and COO of Atlus U.S.A., and Sega West CEO Tatsuyuki Miyazaki will assume the role of Atlus U.S.A. CEO as current Atlus U.S.A. CEO Naoto Hiraoka focuses on his role as Atlus brand owner.

Find more information and comments below.

Naoto Hiraoka, Atlus Brand Owner

Recognized for his contribution to and leadership of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and the resulting success of titles like Persona 5, Catherine and the Shin Megami Tensei series, Mr. Hiraoka will now move forward leading many of the company’s important creative projects.

“I’m so proud of the work we’ve done at Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and Mr. Miyazaki and Mr. Curran will continue to guide the company to even greater success,” said Hiraoka. “I look forward to creating more exciting projects with the creative team at Atlus in Japan, and wish my colleagues the best of luck growing the business in the Americas and EMEA.”

Mr. Hiraoka will remain on the board of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and Sega of America, Inc.

Ian Curran, Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. President and COO

“I’m eager to grow my role as the new President and COO of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and greatly appreciate the support that Mr. Hiraoka has given me up to this point,” said Curran. “Across the Sega and Atlusfamilies, we’ve had an incredibly successful year, and there is still so much to look forward to.

Tatsuyuki Miyazaki, Sega West and Atlus U.S.A. CEO

“We wish Mr. Hiraoka the very best of luck in his role and are thankful that he’ll still be a valuable asset to the Atlus team,” said Miyazaki. “I’m thrilled to play a greater role in the continued success of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and work alongside Ian, who has done an incredible job in just a couple of short months in his role as President and COO of Sega of America.”

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega shares updated sales numbers for Persona, Megami Tensei, Yakuza, and more; aiming for simultaneous worldwide releases
Published 9 hours ago. 115 comments.

Persona at 9.3 million, Yakuza at 12 million, and more.

Sega provided updated sales numbers for its major properties in it latest integrated report.

Here is the full list of sales numbers provided:

Acquired Intellectual Properties

• Megami Tensei series (since 1987) – Approx. 12.4 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total) across 30 total editions
• Persona series (since 1996) – Approx. 9.3 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total) across 15 total editions
• Etrian Odyssey series (since 2007) Approx. 1.9 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total) across 10 total editions
• Total War series (since 2000) – Approx. 22 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total)
• Football Manager series (since 2005) – Approx. 18.1 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total)

In-House Intellectual Properties

• Sonic the Hedgehog series (since 1991) – Approx. 800 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total)
• Puyo Puyo series (since 1991) – Approx. 27 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total, AM-registered ID total (total for registrations after IP acquisition))
• Yakuza series (since 2005) – Approx. 11 million (units / downloads) (packaged and digital total) across 92 total editions
• Aladdin series (since 1989) – Approx. 570,000 (pachislot and pachinko machines and amusement machine total) across 14 total editions
• Beast King series (since 2001) – Approx. 490,000 (pachislot and pachinko machines and amusement machine total) across 15 total editions
• Phantasy Star series (since 1987) – Approx. five million ID (cumulative total for registered IDs)
• Chain Chronicle series (since 2013) – Approx. 15 million (downloads) (packaged and digital total) across three total editions

Licensed from Third-Parties

• Sega feat. Hatsune Miku Project series (since 2009) – Approx. six million units (packaged and digital total) across 61 total editions
• Hokuto no Ken series (since 2002) – Approx. 2.74 million units (pachislot and pachinko machines and amusement machine total) across 33 total editions
• Souten no Ken series (since 2009) – Approx. 440,000 units (pachislot and pachinko machines total) across nine total editions

Elsewhere in the report, Sega discusses strengthening the collaboration between its Japanese development teams with its overseas localization teams with the goal of simultaneously releasing its games worldwide as part of its “Road to 2020” initiative. Here is the blurb:

There is one more key factor that explains the brisk sales overseas. Before a Japanese game is released overseas, it is localized into the language of each country and region. For example, Persona 5 has been translated into three languages (English, traditional Chinese, and Hangul). No matter if a game is popular in Japan, it is unlikely to win over fans around the world if the localization is insufficient. The Sega Group has localization studios that make a huge difference when games are sold overseas. Atlus became a member of Sega Group due to the transfer of business in 2013, which has a studio located in California, U.S.A. The studio understands both Japanese and American games very well, and is able to localize Japanese games in a way that accurately conveys the unique world views of Japanese titles to local gamers. The studio is able to maximize the entertainment value of localized games that reflect these unique world views, and this has led to very positive reviews from local gamers. During the product development stage, game content is shared with the localization team for translation before the development is finished, facilitating the rapid release of foreign language versions of the game. We will strengthen such collaboration further with the aim of simultaneously releasing games around the world, which is an objective of Road to 2020.

Also, while not much, the plural use of “games” in the following blurb suggests that New Sakura Wars may not be the only “idle IP” that Sega is bringing back:

Regarding idle IP, in 2018 we re-released Shenmue I & II, a revival of Shenmue, which debuted in 1999, and Shenmue II. This title was the culmination of cooperation across studios with Sega Europe Ltd., our development studio based in the U.K., directly involved in its publishing. In addition to re-releases, we are also working on completely new games using idle IP like New Sakura Wars (working title), which was announced in April 2018.

source: Gematsu

 

[zenith16]

Industry
Sega hosting Player Survey to determine the next steps for Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles, Phantasy Star, and more
Published 16 hours ago. 152 comments.

Sega wants your feedback.

Sega is hosting a Player Survey to gather feedback “to help us determine the next steps for some of our most popular series, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles, Phantasy Star, and more.”

The survey, which uses the same template as the Atlus survey from February, asks questions like:

• Which games do you want to see more new content for? (Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakuza, Super Monkey Ball, Bayonetta, Gunstar Heroes, Shinobi, Jet Set Radio, Phantasy Star, Phantasy Star Online, Sakura Wars, Shining, Altered Beast, Virtua Fighter, Streets of Rage, Valkyria Chronicles, Puyo Puyo, Project Diva, Shenmue, Football Manager, Total War, Golden Axe, House of the Dead, Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi, Other)
• What do you want to see from [chosen titles] in the future? (Downloadable Content, Merchandise, Remake / Remaster, Sequel / Next Installment, PlayStation 4 Port / Xbox One Port / Switch Port / PC Port)
• What format (digital or physical) do you typically buy your games in?
• How often do you purchase collector’s editions?
• Which of the following sites do you rely on for gaming news? (like the Atlus survey, Gematsu is listed)

Take the survey here.

source: Gematsu - Japanese Video Game News

 

[zenith16]

PlayStation 4, Smartphone, Arcade, Switch
Sega announces four Tokyo 2020 Olympics games
Published 4 hours ago. 24 comments.

For PlayStation 4, Switch, arcades, and smartphones.

Sega has announced four new games based on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Get a look at each title below.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: The Official Video Game (PS4, Switch) – Summer 2019

Create your own avatar and compete against the people of the world in Olympic events in this full-blown sports action game.







Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Switch) – Winter 2019

The popular Mario and Sonic collaboration series returns. Enjoy the Olympic games with enhanced controls using the Joy-Con controllers.







Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Arcade Game(Arcades) – 2020

Hit, run, jump, and more! Enjoy the Olympic games in an arcade cabinet.



Tokyo 2020 Sonic at the Olympic Games (iOS, Android) – 2020

Enjoy tons of Olympic games with simple controls.



Watch a trailer below.

source: Gematsu - Japanese Video Game News

 

[zenith16]

Industry, PlayStation 4, Switch
Atlus brand manager discusses Joker in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, potential of Persona 3 and 4 remasters, more
Published 11 hours ago. 110 comments.

"Our biggest challenge now is to release a game which goes beyond the height of Persona 5."

At Taipei Game Show 2019 in January, Atlus brand owner Naoto Hiraoka spoke to Taiwanese website GNN Gamer regarding the company’s current and future games lineup. The interview was published today.

Here are a few key tidbits, translated by Persona Central:

• There are currently no plans for Atlus to work more closely with Sega’s properties in the future, but the groups are in close communication with each other which has allowed for things like Yakuza and Sonic costumes in Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight and such.

• Persona 5 sales have topped 2.4 million copies worldwide.

• In the future, Atlus is targeting simultaneous releases for Japan and the Asian market.

• Regarding Joker in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: “Joker will participate in Super Smash Bros. mainly because of the invitation from Sora Ltd.’s Masahiro Sakurai. That is what led to this collaboration. Because Mr. Sakurai likes Persona 5 very much, and I personally like Super Smash Bros. a lot, my first thought when I received the invitation was ‘Great!’ I was very happy to establish a relationship for this collaboration.”

• Regarding if Joker in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate means Persona 5 will be released for Switch: “We don’t have a specific answer to give for that question, but I personally think that the Nintendo Switch is a very attractive platform.”

• Regarding the potential of Catherine becoming a series: “We need to observe players’ reactions before thinking about the next step.”

• “Shin Megami Tensei V is still under development. However, because this is Atlus’ first time tackling Nintendo Switch game development, there are many things to consider. How to present the game is our future challenge, so please wait patiently for follow-up news.”

• Studio Zero’s Project Re Fantasy is “going smoothly.”

• Regarding Atlus’ future challenges: “Because Persona 5 is a game which has achieved greatly, our biggest challenge now is to release a game which goes beyond the height of Persona 5, including the just mentioned Project Re Fantasy, as well as some new projects which have not yet been announced. I hope that we can strive for excellence and to achieve results beyond Persona 5.”

• Regarding the potential of remastering Persona 3 and Persona 4: “Although we can’t specifically tell you anything at the moment, we have always received a lot of suggestions from the players. We have received and understood the voices of the players, and if there is an opportunity, we will actively discuss it.”

source: Gematsu - Japanese Video Game News