This is a minor thing I know but it would be quite easy for Namco to gloss over their arcade division and say that they expect all their profits to come from console gaming but in a report I just found online discussing Namco’s plans to pull in $144 million for the fiscal year ending in March, they mention arcades as playing a role in that profitability. Overall they hope to double their profit margins over the next three years and with part of that plan including arcade machines, we’ll certainly be seeing more games in the future but the question is how many will be comign out of Japan? Unfortunately the article only goes on to talk about their console efforts afterwards but I thought that it was interesting for the point to be made that arcades are playing a role int he profitability of companies like Namco instead of being a drain on them.
They only make driving, gun, and fighting games anymore, but that’s okay with me if 2009 sees a Time Crisis 6, Nirin, and a Tekken 6 expansion in the US.
Don’t forget that Namco Bandai also owns Banpresto which in turn gives them Gundam. Tekken 6 and Gundam has been dominating the Arcadia rankings (#1 and 2) and will probably continue to do so with Bloodline Rebellion already out and Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next in March.
Yes guys, Namco Bandai Games, Banprestor AND Namco Cybertainment (USA). The operation also runs the LEDZONE amusement facility and their own AM facilities, JP, UK, USA. We did a big piece in the Stinger on the operation, and the list of games is very long – sadly we only get to see in the States the tip of that iceberg.