, also known as the
Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese
holding companyA holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only purpose is owning shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow the...
formed from the merger of
Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
and
Bandaiis a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third largest producer of toys. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs....
. It has interests in
toyA toy is an object used in play. Toys are usually associated with children and pets, but it is not unusual for adult humans and some non-domesticated animals to play with toys. Many items are manufactured to serve as toys, but goods, or services produced for other purposes can also be used as toys...
s, video games and
arcadesA video arcade is a venue where people play arcade video games that are housed in colourfully-decorated cabinets...
,
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005. Officially, Bandai purchased Namco; however, both companies have equal power in group decisions. Namco Bandai companies are organised under four
strategic business unitStrategic Business Unit or SBU is understood as a business unit within the overall corporate identity which is distinguishable from other business because it serves a defined external market where management can conduct strategic planning in relation to products and markets...
s (SBUs) and the Affiliated Business Group.
, also known as the
Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese
holding companyA holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only purpose is owning shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow the...
formed from the merger of
Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
and
Bandaiis a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third largest producer of toys. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs....
. It has interests in
toyA toy is an object used in play. Toys are usually associated with children and pets, but it is not unusual for adult humans and some non-domesticated animals to play with toys. Many items are manufactured to serve as toys, but goods, or services produced for other purposes can also be used as toys...
s, video games and
arcadesA video arcade is a venue where people play arcade video games that are housed in colourfully-decorated cabinets...
,
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005. Officially, Bandai purchased Namco; however, both companies have equal power in group decisions. Namco Bandai companies are organised under four
strategic business unitStrategic Business Unit or SBU is understood as a business unit within the overall corporate identity which is distinguishable from other business because it serves a defined external market where management can conduct strategic planning in relation to products and markets...
s (SBUs) and the Affiliated Business Group. Bandai is currently the world's third largest producer of toys. Prior to the merger, Bandai owned
Sunriseis a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios....
, a Japanese animation company, which became a subsidiary of NBHD following the merger.
History
NBHD fully acquired developers
Banprestois a Japanese game development firm. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for Sega and its arcade division. It has been partially owned by Bandai since 1989, when it gained its current...
(whose video game operations were absorbed into Namco Bandai Games on April 1, 2008) and
Namco Tales Studio, formerly , is a Japanese video game development company founded in 1986. The company was renamed in 2003 when Telenet Japan sold part of its stake and made Namco the majority shareholder...
since the merger. Formerly, both were partially owned by Bandai and Namco respectively. On March 31, 2006, Namco and Bandai's video game operations merged into
Namco Bandai Games, also known by the publishing label Surge, is an arcade and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and...
Inc. (NBGI).
Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
's arcade and facility management continues under the name of Namco Ltd.
Namco Bandai purchased a 34% stake in Atari Europe on May 14, 2009, paving the way for its acquisition from
InfogramesInfogrames Entertainment SA is an international French holding company headquartered in Villeurbanne, Lyon, France. It is the owner of Atari, Inc., headquartered in New York City, and Atari Europe. It was founded in 1983 by Bruno Bonnell and Christophe Sapet using the proceeds from an...
. On 7 July 2009, Namco Bandai Holdings bought 100% of Atari Australia Pty Ltd. It will still continue to distribute Atari products from Atari Europe and Atari Inc and honor existing contracts, such as the one with Konami of Europe. Atari Europe would later become wholly owned by Namco Bandai, joining the former Atari Australia to create a unified PAL-region distributor, Namco Bandai Partners.
Namco Bandai is pursuing whole ownership of
D3 PublisherD3 Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher founded in 1992. Current CEO and president is Yuji Ito, and It is known for its Simple series of low-priced console games...
and currently owns 95% of the company's shares.
Organization
NBHD is organized into four Strategic Business Units, supplemented by Affiliated Business Companies that provide logistical support. The SBUs consist of Toys & Hobby, Game Contents (video games), Visual & Music (anime and recording), and Amusement Facility (theme parks).
Toys & Hobby SBU
The Toys & Hobby SBU is comprised mainly of the former
Bandaiis a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third largest producer of toys. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs....
's toy-making facilities and regional subsidiaries.
Game Contents SBU
The Game Contents SBU is responsible for all video game products, including games for home consoles, arcades, and mobile platforms. The bulk of these facilities are made up by the former
Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
, also with
Banprestois a Japanese game development firm. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for Sega and its arcade division. It has been partially owned by Bandai since 1989, when it gained its current...
and
D3 PublisherD3 Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher founded in 1992. Current CEO and president is Yuji Ito, and It is known for its Simple series of low-priced console games...
.
- Cellius
Cellius, located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is a computer game developer founded in 2007 as a venture between Sony and Namco Bandai. The aim of the company is to "help take share from Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co." Sony hopes that the company will make up for the losses it made during quarter two of...
in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2007.
- Namco Bandai Games
, also known by the publishing label Surge, is an arcade and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and...
Inc. in Tokyo, Japan, merged from video game development divisions of Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
and Bandaiis a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third largest producer of toys. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs....
on March 31, 2006.
- Banpresto
is a Japanese game development firm. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for Sega and its arcade division. It has been partially owned by Bandai since 1989, when it gained its current...
Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd, acquired April 1, 2008.
- D3 Publisher
D3 Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher founded in 1992. Current CEO and president is Yuji Ito, and It is known for its Simple series of low-priced console games...
is headquartered in Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, founded in 1992, acquired in 2009.
- Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
- Namco Bandai Games Europe
, also known by the publishing label Surge, is an arcade and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and...
S.A.S.
- Namco Tales Studio
, formerly , is a Japanese video game development company founded in 1986. The company was renamed in 2003 when Telenet Japan sold part of its stake and made Namco the majority shareholder...
in Tokyo, Japan, founded as Wolf Team in 1986, fully acquired from Telenet Japanwas a Japanese video game and software developer founded in October 1983 by Kazuyuki Fukushima. The company was also known as Nippon Telenet . The company was best known for the Valis series as well as its Wolfteam & RiOT divisions...
on September 29, 2005.
- Atari Studios Asia Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, formerly Infogrames Studios Asia Pty Ltd.
- Atari Melbourne House Pty Ltd in Melbourne, Australia, formerly Infogrames Melbourne House Pty Ltd and Infogrames Australia Pty Ltd and is currently in receivership.
- Namco Bandai Partners Australia Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, founded as Ozisoft Pty Ltd in 1982, acquired July 7, 2009 from Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Infogrames Entertainment SA ....
.
- Namco Bandai Partners Asia Holdings Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia. Former names have been Atari Asia Holdings Pty Ltd and Infogrames Asia Holdings Pty Ltd.
- Namco Networks America Inc.
Visual & Music SBU
The Visual & Music SBU consists mainly of the former
Bandaiis a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third largest producer of toys. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs....
's anime production company along with
Sunriseis a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios....
.
- Bandai Channel
Bandai Channel Co., Ltd. is a distributor and broadcaster of anime by broadband access. It was established on by Bandai in coordination with Sunrise Inc., Bandai Visual Co., Ltd...
- Bandai Entertainment
Bandai Entertainment, Inc. is an anime distribution company, owned by the Japanese enterprise Namco Bandai Holdings. It is involved in the distribution of numerous anime in North America, as well as manga and other merchandising ventures related to anime....
- Bandai Visual
, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...
- Beez Entertainment
Beez Entertainment is a distributor of anime DVDs and soundtracks for Region 2 in Europe. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai.-Anime series:* .hack//Legend Of The Twilight* .hack//Roots* .hack//SIGN* Haré+Guu* Cowboy Bebop* Crest of the Stars...
- Lantis
is a Japanese company that specializes as a music publisher label for Japanese musicians, anime soundtracks and video game soundtracks. It was established on November 26 1999, and in May 2006, it was bought by, and became a subsidiary of, Bandai Visual...
- Sunrise
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios....
Amusement Facility SBU
The Amusement Facility SBU oversees the company's theme parks and the management of its own arcades, most of which were acquired through the merger with Namco.
- Hanayashiki Co. Ltd, acquired with Banpresto in March 2006.
- Namco
, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
Ltd.
- Namco Cybertainment
- Pleasure Cast Co. Ltd, acquired with Banpresto in March 2006.
External links