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[StarCreator]

Holy shit this thread.

Companies get bought out all the time. Regardless of any beef you might have with the purchasing company, they're in the business to make money; why in gods name does everyone think they're buying Index to kill them? Obviously, they're doing this to make more money, and they're certainly not going to piss away any goodwill Index still has with consumers if that's their goal. How about waiting and seeing what their strategy is going to be before writing it off?

Hell, look at this the other way: this could mean Atlus's localization team being put to work bringing over all those Sega games no one buys anyway!

 

[Quixzlizx]

This news is fucked.

Atlus USA to be an exclusive mobile game publisher within 24 months.

Come on people, at least it's not Sony who acquired them. Otherwise you could kiss SMTxFire Emblem goodbye.

I'm sure the millions of Wii-U owners in this thread would've been devastated.

 

[MrCunningham]

Persona x Sonic: Waifus just got furrier.

Goodbye Persona, hello Fursona

 

[jj984jj]

A very good chance. People need to look at this process with some logic instead of just flipping out.

Atlus itself -- not Index as a whole, but the consumer games development division that we're talking about here -- is a consistently profitable enterprise. The listed sale price is $141m in US dollars -- a price that would be quite excessive simply to pick up a couple IPs whose value is heavily invested in their current, dedicated-niche-fanbase manifestation. Sammy also bought Atlus over a variety of other bidders, after Index specifically talked about looking for a buyer who would maintain some continuity in the operation.

Paying that kind of money to just loot the corpse and turn currently profitable IPs into mobile waste dumps would be quite pointless when, as it stands, they can buy Atlus, let them remain profitable doing what they already do, and also exploit them via sleazy mobile titles and so on.

Atlus USA is definitely the bigger concern here.

It'll be interesting to hear details, even though I'm sure Persona and probably the MegaTen series will probably be relatively safe I'm curious as to what they'll do about a series like Etrian Odyssey and if they will have Atlus working on any of their Sega IPs. As pointed out, what they'll do about Atlus USA is something they need to address as well.

I have to say some people seem to on both ends of the spectrum of reaction though, some think that they won't change Atlus at all and others think this is the end of Atlus.

 

[honorless]

Also, Tony Taka now the official artist of Atlus. Official hentai pictures of Persona characters all day everyday.

For Devil Survivor, this would actually be an improvement. At least Taka understands some elements of basic figure construction even if everything he draws looks basically the same.

 

[Gamerloid]

STFU, Have hope.... cause I don't have any left. ;________;

I'll have hope for the both of you. I'm pretty optimistic right now.

 

[fvng]

Sega killed Valkyrie Chronicles i will never have faith in them.

More of this still? They didn't kill it, they just didn't release it into a market where the PSP was dead. I'm amazed people still push this "Sega is evil" nonsense

 

[HellsimusPrime]

Come on people, at least it's not Sony who acquired them. Otherwise you could kiss SMTxFire Emblem goodbye.

Didnt plan on buying a WiiU anyway.

 

[Trojita]

Sega Sammy or BandaScamco buying Index was the second worst possible outcome to this whole thing. The worst was Atlus dying.

 

[Shmuely Bully]

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace was GameArts.

Even has Grandia crossover items in it - http://www.siliconera.com/2013/07/3...randia-soul-sacrifice-dead-or-alive-and-more/

Game Arts lost its soul when Takeshi Miyaji left them, anything they have done since just pales in comparison to Grandia and sadly I don't see that changing.

I'm hoping that Sega just leaves Atlus alone, they were profitable all along weren't they? It was the broader Index corporation that was the problem, not them specifically.

 

[Femmeworth]

For Devil Survivor, this would actually be an improvement. At least Taka understands some elements of basic figure construction even if everything he draws looks basically the same.

I reluctantly agree. Taka would be an improvement, if only marginal.

Sega Sammy or BandaScamco buying Index was the second worst possible outcome to this whole thing. The worst was Atlus dying.

Nah, there are fates worse than death.

 

[kayos90]

I can't see that at all, actually. That would be a very poor business decision. They're not going to do something that outright damages the value of the Atlus brands.

I'm not saying it's smart but SEGA might have that idea in mind to slowly phase this subsidiary into that type of development.

 

[Dice]

The dream is over.

 

[sub_o]

Goodbye Persona series, goodbye Megaten series.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Sega got money like that? Oh snap!

Sega has more money than EA.

 

[Codeblue]

Sega-Sammy?

The chances of this not being terrible seem low.

 

[Jamix012]

Does Sega publish anything on consoles anymore that's not under Nintendo? I can't think of any.

Also why would Sammy want another game company? Sega does nothing for them aside from occasionally lose money.

I remember seeing figures that put Sega's earnings close to Sammy's. Not really sure if my memory serves me right but I remember thinking that this line of thinking was just wrong.

 

[RyoonZ]

Dun care was on Nintendo consoels anyway.

But if Sony acquired them it would be canceled.

 

[Silky]

I WANNA FLY~ TO IWATODAI~
LETS GOOOO~~~ TOGETHER~!

 

[KillerTravis]

Now that I've calmed down, we might be okay. SEGA might just let Atlus keep doing what they do. It's not like they're not profitable.

Unfortunately the "restructure" part is what's worrisome about all of this.

 

[firehawk12]

More of this still? They didn't kill it, they just didn't release it into a market where the PSP was dead. I'm amazed people still push this "Sega is evil" nonsense

Yet somehow Xseed still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

 

[Sylverstone14]

Surprise of the night.

No doubt about it.

 

[Save 'N Quit]

 

[iavi]

Incoming P5 PC Version. Yee

 

[ZenTzen]

Come on people, at least it's not Sony who acquired them. Otherwise you could kiss SMTxFire Emblem goodbye.

it would've been better than sega at this point

 

[fates]

More of this still? They didn't kill it, they just didn't release it into a market where the PSP was dead. I'm amazed people still push this "Sega is evil" nonsense

Turning it into a browser card game isn't exactly helping things.

 

[DeVeAn]

Maybe Atlus can localize yakuza 5???

 

[Valkerionseven]

Unfortunately the "restructure" part is what's worrisome about all of this.

I know...

seriously so worried right now for all my favorite franchises. Please SEGA, don't be SEGA when dealing with their titles.

 

[AmanoBuff]

Please please Sega, be nice to ATLUS-sama...

 

[Megidolaon]

P5 isn't likely to be at TGS. This stuff pushed back the reveal a bit.

;___; I thought this was finally gonna be the year...

Bring on Persona: Sonic edition.

Sonic and Teddie Adventures!

 

[Femmeworth]

Yet somehow Xseed still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

Xseed is just a money laundering scheme for the cartel anyway.

 

[Matt Attack]

Here's hoping Atlus USA gets to keep doing what they're doing. This worries me a little but it's too early to really judge.

 

[BronsonLee]

Unfortunately the "restructure" part is what's worrisome about all of this.

If I just bought a company that was part of a sinking ship, I'd fucking restructure too! I bought it! If I wanted to light the building on fire then pee on it, I would!

...Luckily, I didn't buy Atlus, SEGA-Sammy did

Yet somehow Xseed still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

Edit: Aksys/not XSEED's sales expectations <<<<<<<<< SEGA's

Seriously, this is dumb. All the doom and gloom makes absolutely zero sense. SEGA's history of acquisitions has been sterling.

 

[Pureauthor]

Unfortunately the "restructure" part is what's worrisome about all of this.

Index has to restructure. The reason they're being bought in the first place is that they went baknrupt.

 

[StreetsAhead]

To clarify (finally), Sega Sammy wants to revitalize Index's handheld and home console games division. Sega has been loosing money the last two quarters largely due to a downturn in the Western gaming market [according to the article, dunno if it's true].

Atlus, Index's gaming brand, has quite strong gaming franchises, like Shin Megami Tensei, and has been making a yearly profit recently. Sega Sammy would like to use the assets of Atlus productively, including the idea of them developing games for smartphones.

 

[Square Triangle]

Maybe now Persona games will have gameplay before the 12 hour mark?

 

[icecream]

Paying that kind of money to just loot the corpse and turn currently profitable IPs into mobile waste dumps would be quite pointless when, as it stands, they can buy Atlus, let them remain profitable doing what they already do, and also exploit them via sleazy mobile titles and so on.

The issue is mobile waste dumps aren't not profitable. They probably have one of the largest profit margins this generation. Sega would probably have no problems with dumping Atlus IPs into the mobile/online sector and let the fanbase follow, as long as it makes them money.

The issue is not that Sega will kill the IPs, but they won't utilize it in the way that we as fans of Atlus expect them to (which may not be the most financially viable way).

 

[Sophia]

I'm not saying it's smart but SEGA might have that idea in mind to slowly phase this subsidiary into that type of development.

You have to keep in mind three details tho. One, Index themselves agreed to the terms of the buy. As charlequin noted, this means SEGA Sammy/Index is gonna have some degree of continuation in regards to operations. Two, phasing such a subsidiary into mobile development could backfire and significantly damage the brand. It's something that'll be done if profits and brand integrity can be maintained. Three, Atlus already had quite a few mobile games as is.

 

[Watashiwa]

Yet somehow Xseed still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

Because they have four employees. It's not hard to make money back when your costs are that low.

 

[Gamerloid]

it would've been better than sega at this point

Definitely not. Atlus doesn't need to be tied down to a company.

 

[K' Dash]

Game Over.

Rest in peace Atlus.

 

[Tyrant Rave]

I WANNA FLY~ TO IWATODAI~
LETS GOOOO~~~ TOGETHER~!

this is amazing

 

[TheOGB]

Oh daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn!

...Wait, this probably isn't that great of a thing, is it?

 

[Oyashrio-Sama]

No...No.... Please God No....Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[RyoonZ]

it would've been better than sega at this point

But then SMTxFE would be canceled, are you saying you don't want to play this suppossedly amazing game

 

[Clov]

Yet somehow Aksys still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

Fixed.

I'm still pretty nervous about this. I'm sure Sega will let Atlus keep releasing things in Japan; I'm not at all confident in them allowing localization of these games on the other hand.

 

[fvng]

Lot of knee jerk reactions based on incomplete info or bad translations so far

 

[Takao]

Yet somehow Xseed still makes money releasing a PSP dating sim featuring Inafune's fake niece.

That's Aksys, a company who confuses me. I can't imagine they make money.

 

[EatChildren]

I found a leaked (or should I say leeked) screenshot of Persona 5:

Huh. Funny. Found this alpha shot of Catherine 2.

 

[Antiwhippy]

Time to learn Japanese I guess.