DBZ on the PS3.... good mixed with the bad?

[ngnikolaos]

Some GameDaily folks asked the people of Namco / Bandai if a DBZ game is in the works for the next gen systems. The company said that while a DBZ next-gen game is the ideal thing these days, it is not CURRENTLY in the works. (but it probably WILL BE in the future).

Good news: A DBZ game from the makers of Tekken, Soul Calibur and the old DBZ games? Freakin' nice. Namco was already making awesome games in terms of graphics and gameplay, and DBZ will no doubt rock as flark. Every DBZ fan can look forward to simply the best DBZ FIGHTING game ever (Tenkaichi does not count as a 100% fighter).

Bad news: In case you haven't heard, Atari is slowly but surely going straight to hell. Sales go down, the company lays off staff, and cuts down on basically everything. Despite their promises on continuing to invest on the DBZ franchise, there won't be an investment if the company bankrupts.
Which brings us to the biggest problem. Atari has bought exclusive rights for the DBZ games here in the US, and while I have no real knowledge for the laws with these things, it is unlikely that the US DBZ rights will be available for purchase one day after Atari's downfall. So while it may take 14-18 months from now for Namco / Bandai to make a DBZ game, we may not see it in the States and Europe for a much longer period of time. Many people may just scream for imports, but other people (like me) have no interest at all in the Japanese versions.

Let's just cross our fingers and hope that Atari will still be standing for the next three - four years.

[Sebastian (SB)]

Actually, Bandai/Namco has a subsidiary here in the states to my knowledge (which is why we've been getting games like One Piece:Grand Battle & soon, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja). Even if Atari goes bankrupt, I highly doubt DBZ games will not be distributed.

[Son Goku]

Bad news: In case you haven't heard, Atari is slowly but surely going straight to hell.

Filler Hell or GT Hell?

Anyways, this is bad news (except for people like VegettoEX who import the games anyways).

[ngnikolaos]

Actually, Bandai/Namco has a subsidiary here in the states to my knowledge (which is why we've been getting games like One Piece:Grand Battle & soon, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja). Even if Atari goes bankrupt, I highly doubt DBZ games will not be distributed.

But they probably don't have the rights to release DBZ titles in the US and Europe; and once Atari falls, it may take a great deal of time to reclaim them (the rights).

I, for one, hope you're right, but ... when you see Marvel screwing Stan Lee in the rights issue, perhaps Atari will screw Bandai as well... for a couple of years at least.

[DB_Fan]

Bad news: In case you haven't heard, Atari is slowly but surely going straight to hell.

Filler Hell or GT Hell?

Anyways, this is bad news (except for people like VegettoEX who import the games anyways).

Movie 12 Hell.

[Son Goku]

Bad news: In case you haven't heard, Atari is slowly but surely going straight to hell.

Filler Hell or GT Hell?

Anyways, this is bad news (except for people like VegettoEX who import the games anyways).

Movie 12 Hell.

[kindertuin]

Actually, Bandai/Namco has a subsidiary here in the states to my knowledge (which is why we've been getting games like One Piece:Grand Battle & soon, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja). Even if Atari goes bankrupt, I highly doubt DBZ games will not be distributed.

But they probably don't have the rights to release DBZ titles in the US and Europe; and once Atari falls, it may take a great deal of time to reclaim them (the rights).

I, for one, hope you're right, but ... when you see Marvel screwing Stan Lee in the rights issue, perhaps Atari will screw Bandai as well... for a couple of years at least.

If i remember right, bandai always released dbz for europe (snes hyper dimension, ultimated batle 22, budokai, etc).

[ngnikolaos]

(shrugs) I'm European, but I buy the US versions because they're cheaper, and have a much bigger selection as far as titles are concerned.

In Greece anyway. Other European countries may be in much better shape as far as game titles go.

[Pedro The Hutt]

Wouldn't Bandai just release the games themselves in the US then?

And either way, I don't see Namco making a DBZ game themselves anytime soon. Namco/Bandai would still pass on the work to the likes of Dimps, Spike or Eighting.

[Sebastian (SB)]

Wouldn't Bandai just release the games themselves in the US then?

And either way, I don't see Namco making a DBZ game themselves anytime soon. Namco/Bandai would still pass on the work to the likes of Dimps, Spike or Eighting.

....& Craft & Miester. Basically, you just said the same thing I said in the earlier post.

[Xyex]

Wouldn't Bandai just release the games themselves in the US then?

And either way, I don't see Namco making a DBZ game themselves anytime soon. Namco/Bandai would still pass on the work to the likes of Dimps, Spike or Eighting.

There's probably a licences return clause in the rights agreement. Should Atari cease to exist then the rights return to Bandai or some such. Not a for sure thing but it's likely.

And actually, Pedro, Namco was going to do that already but their teams were busy with other games already. I see it as a serious possibility that the first new-gen DBZ game (BT2 doesn't count since it's also on the Ps2) could be a Namco original by the likes of the Tekken or SC teams.

[Maphisto86]

Gee.. I haven't been on the ball. I didn't know Atari was going to Hell ( or HFIL for that matter.... ) by doing badly in the corporate world. Well as far as I know the only problem is the ownership of gaming rights. If Atari goes under I doubt the copyrights in North America will gather dust. If Dragonball games are still a lucrative franchise in North America (which so far it seems to be... I know I'm a sucker for all things Dragonball ) then things will be ok. As far as I know Funimation owns the overall rights to Dragonball in North America and would not be impressed if a potential profit maker in the franchise was put on hold.