Namco and Bandai Merger.

[oponok]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05/02 ... 23385.html

Will we be seeing Goku and company in a future Soul Calibur or Tekken...?

I thought this might be of interest due to Bandai's rights over Dragonball toys and games in Japan.

[sangofe]

Wow, this is great news, but a bit late.
I don't think we're gonna see THAT many new dbz games...
Unfortunately, we have to fase it, it's probably at the end now.
Unless they make a new series, i don't think it will be possible to keep up the popularity for many more years...

[LaRésistance]

You never really know when it's the end. French fans such as myself thought it was the end when Final Bout came out in 1997.

[Gouki]

And Australian fans, like myself, haven't had the chance to think it's the end yet.

But. I think that with Sparking's release, if they see the potential for more sales, and then with the release of the GT Box (assuming it's succesful), I don't see why more products wouldn'tbe viable. 25th anniversary in a few years. Thats traditionally 'THE BIG ONE' in comics and the like, so maybe the will transfer over with Dragonball. Although, all that seemed to happen in the last year or so.

I'm conflicted.

[Leotaku]

Whether DBZ is near an end or not, they could always hop onto DragonBall or GT. Something which they apparently never considered for console systems.

[oponok]

Well, they know that Dragonball Z products will be the biggest sellers out of the three series, worldwide. Even if the games are bad, people will eat it up.

I think they'll continue to make Dragonball games as long as they continue to sell. Hell, some company has continued making "Dukes of Hazard" games for some time, now. I think it would be silly for Namco to pass this chance up, if the company honestly enjoys creating interesting products. If I were a game designer, it would be one of MY dream projects...

[The S]

(Namco and Bandai's presidents stand side-by-side)
FUUUU-SION! HA!

Introducing Namdai!

(crickets chirp)

Banco?

(someone coughs lightly)

Aw, screw you guys.

[ngnikolaos]

To be frank, I was really sad when I heard the news.

In my opinion, Namco sucks as a company, mostly because all they do is making pin-up girl characters for hormone-hungry teenagers, while screwing the game's true purpose and theme.

Take Xenosaga for instance. There is absolutely no comparison to the pretty damn good storyline of Xenogears. Now we have lesbian-like relationships between Kos-mos and Uzuki, lolita complexes with Momo and Junior, as well as ludicrous amounts of panty-showing, just so that the 15 year old who has never seen one goes haywire.
Of course, it IS just a game, but I couldn't help that I was watching a twisted fantasy of a pervert while I was playing Xenogears.

As for Soul Calibur, many female outfits are flat-out ludicrous, like Ivy's. I can't imagine ANY woman fighting with such an outfit in the 17th century of Spain (although she DOES have a more serious one as an alternate costume). And many other characters (mostly the female) have designs that do not correspond with realism, but rather with sexism and erotic fantasy. Now, I am no choir boy or something (I've bought my share of Hentai), but I think that each thing has its proper time. And when I play a fighting game, I want to feel excited, not h***y. If you play as Taki for a few minutes, you're bound to get a hard-on, sooner or later.

Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but you got my point. So anyways, the last thing I want right now, is to see a DBZ fighting game where #18's nipples stand out as a Red-ribbon soldier's bullers, or seeing Bulma fighting in a tiny skirt, and with every kick she makes, you get to see her panties.

In short, I hate company merging (still trying to recover from Square-Enix).

[Xyex]

To be frank, I was really sad when I heard the news.

In my opinion, Namco sucks as a company, mostly because all they do is making pin-up girl characters for hormone-hungry teenagers, while screwing the game's true purpose and theme.

Take Xenosaga for instance. There is absolutely no comparison to the pretty damn good storyline of Xenogears. Now we have lesbian-like relationships between Kos-mos and Uzuki, lolita complexes with Momo and Junior, as well as ludicrous amounts of panty-showing, just so that the 15 year old who has never seen one goes haywire.
Of course, it IS just a game, but I couldn't help that I was watching a twisted fantasy of a pervert while I was playing Xenogears.

Never played Xenogears, but I love Xenosaga (still need to beat episode 1 and get 2, even if I don't like 2's look). And I have to say you have to be LOOKING for these things to see it like you did. I never noticed any of the 'panty shots' until I was told they were there.

As for Soul Calibur, many female outfits are flat-out ludicrous, like Ivy's. I can't imagine ANY woman fighting with such an outfit in the 17th century of Spain (although she DOES have a more serious one as an alternate costume). And many other characters (mostly the female) have designs that do not correspond with realism, but rather with sexism and erotic fantasy. Now, I am no choir boy or something (I've bought my share of Hentai), but I think that each thing has its proper time. And when I play a fighting game, I want to feel excited, not h***y. If you play as Taki for a few minutes, you're bound to get a hard-on, sooner or later.

Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but you got my point. So anyways, the last thing I want right now, is to see a DBZ fighting game where #18's nipples stand out as a Red-ribbon soldier's bullers, or seeing Bulma fighting in a tiny skirt, and with every kick she makes, you get to see her panties.

And what, the male characters are all butt-ugly, flabby, and disgusting looking? Nope, guess what, they're designed to appeal to the female players. I've always hated people complaining about the design of female characters in games while not even commenting that the SAME THING happens with the male characters. If you don't want that then go play Primal Rage.

In short, I hate company merging (still trying to recover from Square-Enix).

Square-Enix = GOD. Seriously. It's one of the best things, IMO, to happen to gaming in a looooooooooong time. This merger easily ties with it.

[Pedro The Hutt]

Well, I do agree that the Soul series is turning down the DoA route further and further with each new installment into the series. As a joke my sis & I never use Taki's 1p "Boobage" outfit when doing random character team battle. But yeah.. I've seen cases where female characters can be appealing without showing any flesh at all. Namco & Tecmo, take note. XD


But back on topic.

I reckon that as long as Dragonball (Z) games sell well that we'll be seeing more of them. It's a bit like Star Wars really, even though the series was quite dead during the early and mid 90s, they did keep making games simply because they sold well.

So we will be seeing Son-kun and company until well, we gamers are sick & tired of them. >.>;;

[LaRésistance]

We have to thank the American fans for the new games. Without them, we wouldn't have had them. When Japan and France "stopped caring" about Dragon Ball Z, they stopped making games (I believe Final Bout didn't sell very well in 1997). Once the anime became popular in the States, they had to sell merchandise and make games for the new systems (the prices some people paid for the old games on e-bay showed that new games would sell very well).

Too bad DBZ wasn't popular in the States in 1997, if it had been, I think GT would have lasted longer (the people in charge of the Kinnikuman Nisei anime made a season exclusively for the American fans because it was more popular in the States than in Japan).

[lost in thought]

In my opinion, Namco sucks as a company, mostly because all they do is making pin-up girl characters for hormone-hungry teenagers, while screwing the game's true purpose and theme.

You can thank the skewed sensibilities of the Japanese for that one. Japanese companies make games for themselves, not for Americans; if it just so happens a property is popular, then the game is translated for other audiences, but we have to put up with whatever they wanted in it.

Take Xenosaga for instance. There is absolutely no comparison to the pretty damn good storyline of Xenogears. Now we have lesbian-like relationships between Kos-mos and Uzuki, lolita complexes with Momo and Junior, as well as ludicrous amounts of panty-showing, just so that the 15 year old who has never seen one goes haywire.
Of course, it IS just a game, but I couldn't help that I was watching a twisted fantasy of a pervert while I was playing Xenogears.

Xenosaga is an excellent game, and you're just being pedantic. You are reading far too much into a game that doesn't need to be; on top of that, it's the Japanese... there has to be a few panty showings.

As for Soul Calibur, many female outfits are flat-out ludicrous, like Ivy's. I can't imagine ANY woman fighting with such an outfit in the 17th century of Spain (although she DOES have a more serious one as an alternate costume). And many other characters (mostly the female) have designs that do not correspond with realism, but rather with sexism and erotic fantasy. Now, I am no choir boy or something (I've bought my share of Hentai), but I think that each thing has its proper time. And when I play a fighting game, I want to feel excited, not h***y. If you play as Taki for a few minutes, you're bound to get a hard-on, sooner or later.

For one, Soul Caliber 2 isn't a very good game, and again it's a Japanese game; deal with it.

Square-Enix = GOD. Seriously. It's one of the best things, IMO, to happen to gaming in a looooooooooong time. This merger easily ties with it.

I am going to agree with Ngnikolaos here, because if they hadn't merged, maybe we would be getting good games like StarOcean 2, still. Seriously, Square-Enix has a no-1D/2D policy on their third party developer contracts... it's depressing.

[Xyex]

Maybe I'm the only one but, I dont't think 2D has place these days outside of handhelds and special devices to catch players. Like Viewtiful Joe's quasi-2D design to make it look 'old school' and all. 2D was fun when I was growing up and that's all there was, it's still fun in the old games, but no more. It's had it's time and now it's gone.

Er, ya... anyway, um.... on topic now.

We'll probably keep getting new DB related games as long as the other merchindise sells enough to show there's still the fan base for them. Personally I think a new DB game should be made to test the limits of each generation of new consoles. Seriously, it's one of the few franchises that could easily push at those limits with very little trouble.

[Aurek]

As for Soul Calibur, many female outfits are flat-out ludicrous, like Ivy's. I can't imagine ANY woman fighting with such an outfit in the 17th century of Spain (although she DOES have a more serious one as an alternate costume). And many other characters (mostly the female) have designs that do not correspond with realism, but rather with sexism and erotic fantasy. Now, I am no choir boy or something (I've bought my share of Hentai), but I think that each thing has its proper time. And when I play a fighting game, I want to feel excited, not h***y. If you play as Taki for a few minutes, you're bound to get a hard-on, sooner or later.

Its a standard for games as it is a standard for TV and Film and comics. Nothing really to do with Bandai/Namco or any one specific company.

And for the record, Soul Calibur 2 is an excellent game

[Caracal]

In all honesty sex sells. That's why games designers put in busty women in skimpy clothing.

Anyway as far as the Bandai/Namco merger goes, I think good things can come from this. Namco makes good fighting games (I to enjoy Soul Calibur 2) and should they decide to work with the DBZ licence I'm sure they'd make a good game.

[lost in thought]

Maybe I'm the only one but, I dont't think 2D has place these days outside of handhelds and special devices to catch players. Like Viewtiful Joe's quasi-2D design to make it look 'old school' and all. 2D was fun when I was growing up and that's all there was, it's still fun in the old games, but no more. It's had it's time and now it's gone.

That is as blasphemus a statement as you could have ever made, Xyex.

I was going to leave this long, but I decided not too. I'll sum it up, it's people like you, who say 2D is dead, and should stay that way, which is making companies try to pander to players, so they will buy their shit. The extensive energy put into graphics, forces integral pieces like story fall to the wayside.
On top of this, it's causing console prices to skyrocket. NextGen will run about $400.00 at launch; I don't know about you, but I can't afford that.

Because of said atrocities, classics like Enix' "Star Ocean 2", and the knowledge of what a good game it was, is lost to the annals of time.

[Kodoshin]

I agree Lost In Thought, I think a much more skill based gameplay experience is usually available in 2D games (such as Metal Slug 3). I've found since 3D games have taken over the market challenge has taken a nose dive, that saddens me.

Ceasing to make 2D games simply because you can make games in 3D now is an incredibly silly idea, I could only compare it to intending to stop the production of Vanilla ice cream because obviously everyone must like Chocolate better

Gameplay variety is one of the things that keeps the industry alive, the last thing it needs is more sameness, that was one of the factors that led to the original system crash. Cookie cutter rehash games.

[lost in thought]

Thank you Kodoshin, it's not often that my opinions are met with such answeres. It's also my opinion that the only reason the industry has fallen into this nose dive is because of the 'mainstream' popularity, before gaming went entirely mainstream we were getting long, complicated, and excellent games.

Remember Square-Soft's "Final Fantasy", and when it came out for the NES? That game was heralded as the companies last chance to make or break, and recieved accolades for the quality of it. It was good because of the story, the gameplay, and the music [Nobuo Uematsu actively redefining the way we hear music in games to this day, even if the game itself isn't very good], graphics were average even for the Nes, but the game was a marvel, and the sequels that came out after it, were recieved well for just how good they were, not how they looked.
When the Playstation came along, and Square moved the series to it, things started to change- as gaming moved more into the mainstream from the dark dank basements from whence they came.

Gameplay variety is one of the things that keeps the industry alive, the last thing it needs is more sameness, that was one of the factors that led to the original system crash. Cookie cutter rehash games.

Definitely, and also because of the escalating prices, caused by escalating 'wants' out of these newer systems, I don't see the industry lasting very much longer...
If a second crash is around the corner [so to speak] lets hope Nintendo [the only company who hasn't forgotten their 2D heritage] can save us like last time.

[SpaceKappa]

Lost, as much as I love these discussions and agree with every point you're making (trust me, Nintendo WILL dominate again), I think we should get back on topic before Mike goes all Palpatine up in this piece.

(Shoot me a PM, though, I love video game debates.)

[Aurek]

What does Bandai actually hold, is it a lisence for DB merchandise including games? Does that mean Namco now have access to DB intellectual property etc?