StarCreator
Member
Uhh, no?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Sega Sammy confirms that Sega Dream Corporation has fully acquired Index (Atlus)
- Thread starter duckroll
- Start date
- Status
Uhh, no?
Romars202129
Member
Please, whatever the second place bidder in that auction was, I'm positive they were a better choice than sega.
Snapshot King
Member
Fine, then were I in europe, I'd probably have a North American and PAL 3ds. Language is a much larger barrier than money.
BronsonLee
Member
Importing=/=hacking to get around the region lock and you know it.
Just because you're cool with it doesn't mean everyone else was, otherwise the uproar about Atlus region locking P4 Arena would have never freaking existed.
The rumored candidate for highest bidder at August was a moneylender company, with absolutely NO connection to gaming industry. I don't know if that's better than Sega Sammy.
Think a Goldman Sachs group was in the running, and actually had a higher bid but I guess they lost interest. Yeah, others would've bought Atlus undoubtedly, the question is who'd buy them and treat them well, and it is possible Sega's one of the best choices, especially within the game industry.
It would be nice if Sega and Atlus were to really help each other out with their own weaknesses (and by proxy keep Atlus USA), but I suspect that statement may have more to do with Atlus filling a niche Sega had trouble with and thus creating a more robust portfolio.
Snapshot King
Member
What's the difference? If I'm unable to do one, then I'll do the necessary steps for the rest. If Im able to actually play it, that is.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
I'm not following the comparisons to previous Sega acquisitions. Aren't Sega of Japan and Sega of America doing their own thing?
I fail to see how the odds are that we'll still get the same level of localizations for Atlus games we get right now, since I doubt Sega will keep a US branch solely for a subsidiary.
When Atlus USA is gone, the localization of Atlus games will go through Sega's infrastructure and will probably be subject to their interests. What was a successful US release for Atlus might not be for Sega.
I fail to see how the odds are that we'll still get the same level of localizations for Atlus games we get right now, since I doubt Sega will keep a US branch solely for a subsidiary.
When Atlus USA is gone, the localization of Atlus games will go through Sega's infrastructure and will probably be subject to their interests. What was a successful US release for Atlus might not be for Sega.
Atlus can localize their own games. They've been doing it consistently for 10 years.
Honestly, the hyperbole is getting outrageous. Why would Sega kill off a profitable part of the Atlus business stracture (localization)? Why would Sega gut/absorb a fully-fuctioning company with above-average brand recognition and popluar intellectual properties that they just purchased for a large sum of money? It doesn't make sense.
BronsonLee
Member
Well, let's see...
One involves paying more money for a copy of the game, putting it in your video game machine, then playing it.
One involves potentially large amounts of fucking about with said video game machine.
What do you think people would prefer? And this is coming from someone who -loves- to tinker and mess with stuff for this purpose.
It's nice that you want to devote the time/money/effort to this, but a large amount of people don't want to. So toss that thought out of your head because it's not logical for 95% of the potential audience.
You forgot to say you were an expert in Japanese culture before making this post
Honestly, I really should just avoid this thread by now. We're reaching critical mass of insanity and salt here.
DrROBschiz
Member
I personally would have loved to see Gungho grab em
They have the resources and the global philosophy that falls in line with what we love about Atlus USA
If they're buying Index to fill a niche that they have trouble with, then they ought to have enough foresight to know that so much of the reason why the games are still moderately successful overseas is that Atlus USA is really, really good at localizing for that audience.
I hope.
Snapshot King
Member
Well, let's see...
One involves paying more money for a copy of the game, putting it in your video game machine, then playing it.
One involves potentially large amounts of fucking about with said video game machine.
What do you think people would prefer? And this is coming from someone who -loves- to tinker and mess with stuff for this purpose.
It's nice that you want to devote the time/money/effort to this, but a large amount of people don't want to. So toss that thought out of your head because it's not logical for 95% of the potential audience.
You forgot to say you were an expert in Japanese culture before making this post
You're absolutely right. The region lock is complete garbage and I understand the frustration. But region locked, region specific games in languages you can SPEAK are still 100x better than ones never localized, as you can eventually grab the system and game for cheap (along with all other examples.)
Azure Phoenix
Member
Breaking the region lock on a Wii takes less than 5 mins from start to finish. 3DS region lock solution is to spend £200 importing another handheld. They are not even remotely comparable.
startyourengine
Member
if this is the first step of Sega returning to console making and former glories, just imagine Persona exlusive to Sega console aw yis, then i'm ok with that, but sammy only cares about pachinkos, so its not going to happen.
Again, this is just Japan.
I honestly doubt that Japanese side of Atlus will change very much, if at all.
They have nothing but good prospects in the future.
Atlus USA is very much counter to what Sega outside of Japan has been doing the past few years, however.
As I mentioned to charlequin in the last topic, I personally dunno about Namco. Either all of Atlus's stuff would be F2P tests, they would feel that most of Atlus's RPG franchises would crowd their Tales fanbase, or maybe they would just let them do whatever.
I would like to hear your reasoning on Capcom (this is especially after how their only major JRPG in awhile is Breath of Fire 6, and... we know how that ended up) and especially the same Square-Enix that has yet to pull its head out of its ass in almost every facet of video game development and franchise management.
Yeah Gung-Ho would have been the best outcome.
Romars202129
Member
Dude, you may be the only person alive who thinks the idea that Square and Capcom are less worthless than Sega is laughable, lol.
Jesus christ, the reason we're mad at those companies is they keep messing up games we care about.
Sega finished messing up their franchises ten years ago, we've stopped complaining because terrible has come to be what is expected from them.
Pureauthor
Member
No, I'm pretty sure a lot of people here agree that Capcom and SE would be far worse choices to buy Atlus than Sega. Have you even been paying attention to what those companies have been doing lately?
Square Enix ALSO has a spotty localization history as of late and is probably more poised to see Atlus USA as useless and to be scrapped. Not sure what to say on Capcom, similar would probably happen there though. In the end it IS possible that SE and Capcom are better companies, yet WAY worse choices for an acquisition.
best case is if Atlus does its own thing without too much Sega Sammy involvement, from what i understant Sega themselves are doing its own thing as well, even though some decisions they made baffle me, and if Atlus can take advantage of a similar position then this wouldnt be such a big deal, if so, even Atlus USA would be a major bonus for Sega and gamers in general, it would only improve the chances of seeing other Sega IPs that dont have Sonic in the title, and by proxy it would only improve the chances of also seeing these franchises from both Sega and Atlus in other territories besides America on speedier timeframes
I just hope its something like this that happens, otherwise it'll be a serious disappointment
I just hope its something like this that happens, otherwise it'll be a serious disappointment
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
I think Sega was the best case scenario. Stable company with a massive bankroll who has good working relationships with Nintendo, Sony, MS, and Valve. People overreacting because of PSO2 is dumb. It's a text heavy F2P game, and they probably figured it wouldn't make any money. At the end of the day it's a business and Atlus is operating in the black, I doubt much will change except they now have a parent company with better distribution and more money for promo.
BronsonLee
Member
Honestly, at this rate I just want Sega to announce Persona 5: The Sonic Conundrum (Starring Shadow the Hedgehog)
Sega has made a nice little come back in it's own way, never thought it would happen.
If lucky they won't interfere too much with what works and let the studios do their own things while giving them any chance to do other things the opportunity to do so if they feel inclined to tackle certain franchises or characters.
If lucky they won't interfere too much with what works and let the studios do their own things while giving them any chance to do other things the opportunity to do so if they feel inclined to tackle certain franchises or characters.
Sega of America was such a hot mess that they spent 2009-2012 under Sega Europe's leadership. I'd put better odds on Atlus USA taking over their publishing duties and SoA being downsized to brand management than I would on Atlus USA being shuttered.
The Blackrose
Member
It will be a cold day in hell before Shining's SRPG roots are acknowledged again.
I am perfectly willing to eat these words. Make me, Sega.
Oh god, please tell me you are kidding.
Sega hasn't been localizing Yakuza 5 because the other Yakuza games bombed. You cannot say the same for Atlus games since they tend to be profitable (helps that they aren't high budgeted games). Atlus will be fine, they sell well enough for more localizations. They have enough support from the west to keep the franchises going.
Capcom would not be a better choice, don't kid yourself. Enjoy your butchered franchises if that's what you really want.
I'd love to know how Square Enix is a "better" choice than Sega. And as for Namco? F2P tests. As far as I'm concerned, out of the majority of big Japanese game developers, Sega is one of the few who's actually improving lately.
At least you didn't name Konami, because good lord... The results would be completely disastrous.
I think it's less they're conciously avoiding PSO2 and more trying to get it localized and figure out just HOW to sell it here. FFXIV SE was on all cylinders (well, comparatively) because FF is a big deal, FFXI is their most profitable FF, they're a bigger company, and they have experience running this stuff. Sega has some NA/EU F2P games, but PSO2 may draw a larger crowd albeit not a FFXIV size crowd, and as noted there's probably quite a bit of text to localize. ANd they may even want to actually modify some aspects to better suit non-Japanese like the damn chat system.
zero shift
Banned
I am a PC/Nintendo guy too. The problem is that there console branch that focuses on the PS3/360 has a horrible habit of not localizing games. Atlus is a developer of niche games and publisher that publishes any quality product they can get their hands on no matter how unmarketable it may seem.
See the problem?
But really what alternative do we have? Namco? Square-Enix? Nintendo?
I would love that decision. That would be the best possible outcome for the north american branch of both companies.
That actually makes sense. Granted, I'm not sure the western game choices are much better, but they're always lower profile and some really ARE good games or at least ones with merit such as Divinity II, ACE Team games, Sherlock Holmes, and likely Tex Murphy. It'll still suck for what's there for SoA if it just ended up an inversion of our fears (SoA dies, Atlus USA becomes new SoA) but I guess that's just a minor case of "be careful what you wish for."
Pureauthor
Member
The problem with that is that I'm not sure Atlus USA actually has real experience with working on bigger-budget localization projects like the next AAA Sonic game or whatever
True, just downsizing SoA would make more sense, focus them on what they KNOW what to do, have everything smaller go through Atlus instead. Which would probably mean something like Hatsune Miku they'd have to deal with, though that's small enough that they'd probably handle it in Japan alone if need be.
Yakuza bombed relative to Sega.
Atlus games have been profitable relative to Atlus.
I don't know how much the Yakuza games sold, but Atlus USA was profitable when most of their catalog sold under 50k.
A game selling less than 50k for Sega is a massive bomb.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
Squeenix and Capcom don't have nearly as much money as Sega/Sammy. Sega didn't buy them so Sonic Team could make P5. Squeenix is hemorrhaging money and Capcom is living off MH and running old IPs into the ground. PSO2 hasn't been localized but Megaman Legends 3 hasn't materialized. What world are you living in?
Pureauthor
Member
No, the Yakuza games flat out bombed.
In the US, Persona 4 Golden sold more than the last three Yakuza games combined.
Romars202129
Member
Have you been paying attention to what Sega has been doing for the last twenty years?
I mean, do you at least have a more specific point about Sega doing better localization in the last few years? Or, that Capcom and Square are harsher with smaller studios?
AcademicSaucer
Member
just walk away man, just walk away and dont look back
Wait what? you serious?
So the Yakuza games averaged about 30k to 40k?
That's how much the average Atlus games do, and they get full VA, and all sorts of extras.
Which is exactly what I was trying to say.
Persona is ok worldwide, but everything else is in trouble.
- Status