With Atari's license to produce, and distribute Dragon Ball games in North America expiring this upcomming year with FUNimation Entertainment, who's to say they continue to be the license holder? While Dragon Ball consists of nearly half of the company's profits, under leadership from Phill Harrison, and some strong titles Dragon Ball's share of profits will decrease.
If Atari doesn't resign I predict Bandai Namco will pull up the license. They're publishing DragonBall Evolution for PSP. And hold the license in most other parts of the world. Along with holding the toy rights in North America, and other parts of the world. They look like the one to do it.
However, in Europe things may be different. Since Atari and Bandai Namco have made a partnership allowing Atari to publish most of Bandai Namco's games in the EU. Interesting times.
Do you think Atari will continue to hold the license?
I personally don't think so, and it's the same reason I believe that DragonBall Online hasn't been announced for North America, Atari doesn't believe they'll have the license for the series once the game is actually ready to launch.
Does anyone think Atari will publish any more Dragon Ball games before their license expires? Like the Red Ribbon Wii Game, Dragon Ball Kai: Saiyan Invasion, or another title from Dimps?
Atari - Likelyhood that they retain the DB license 2010+
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Super Sayian Prime
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Atari - Likelyhood that they retain the DB license 2010+
"I like the money it brings in, but Dragon Ball Heroes is the worst. That's actually the real reason I decided to start working on new material. I was afraid Bandai would make something irredeemably stupid like Super Saiyan 4 Broly." - Akira Toriyama, made up interview, 2013.
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Innagadadavida
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I've never understood why Namco doesn't publish their own games anyway? What's stopping them from publishing Dragon Ball games in North America?
I don't care either way, as long as we get some great Dragon Ball games in the future. I think all companies involved learned a little something from Sagas.
I don't care either way, as long as we get some great Dragon Ball games in the future. I think all companies involved learned a little something from Sagas.
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Super Sayian Prime
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FUNimation stopped Namco Bandai from directly releasing stuff in North America. FUNimation is the master license holder for DragonBall in North America, and I'd guess Atari paid more then what Nacmo Bandai would to publish games for DragonBall.
But without Atari, we wouldn't have got the Legacy Of Goku series, the splendidly animated intro for Sagas, etc. And Bandai Namco USA is notorious for tampering with game releases (see their various botched Naruto releases, specifically the PSP games, they release the Japanese game first without the storymode in North America, then a year later release the same game, but this time with an updated move list, and the story mode found in the Japanese game).
But without Atari, we wouldn't have got the Legacy Of Goku series, the splendidly animated intro for Sagas, etc. And Bandai Namco USA is notorious for tampering with game releases (see their various botched Naruto releases, specifically the PSP games, they release the Japanese game first without the storymode in North America, then a year later release the same game, but this time with an updated move list, and the story mode found in the Japanese game).
"I like the money it brings in, but Dragon Ball Heroes is the worst. That's actually the real reason I decided to start working on new material. I was afraid Bandai would make something irredeemably stupid like Super Saiyan 4 Broly." - Akira Toriyama, made up interview, 2013.