Bandai Namco Holdings: Difference between revisions

|founded= '''Namco:''' June 1, 1955<br>'''Bandai Namco Entertainment:''' March 31, 2006

'''{{wp|Bandai Namco Entertainment|Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.}}''' (formerly capitalized as '''BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.'''), previously called '''Namco Bandai Games Inc.''' (capitalized as '''NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.''') and '''Bandai Namco Games Inc.''' (capitalized as '''BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc.'''), is a publisher that was created when Bandai's video game division was merged into Namco in 2006. On April 1, 2015, the company changed its name to Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. As a subsidiary of the entertainment conglomerate Bandai Namco Holdings, Bandai Namco Entertainment is in charge of managing, publishing, and marketing content, while '''Bandai Namco Studios''' serves as the company's main game development studio. They have developed several ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' games for [[Nintendo]] in the past. Bandai Namco Entertainment has created several successful franchises, including ''Tekken'', ''Pac-Man'', ''Galaxian'', ''Ace Combat'', and ''Tales''.

The first ''Mario'' game developed by the company, before the merger, was ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]'' for the [[Nintendo GameCube]].  After the merger, they later developed the game's follow-up for the [[Wii]], ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''. The company produced an arcade crossover ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'', which came to be known as ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]'', as well as three sequels, ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'', ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'', and ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP VR]]'', with the later two being produced as '''Bandai Namco Amusement Inc.''' (formerly capitalized as '''BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Inc.'''). These arcade ''Mario Kart'' games have featured playable appearances of ''Pac-Man'' characters, as well as the {{wp|Tamagotchi}} [[Mametchi]] and [[Don-chan]] from the ''{{wp|Taiko no Tatsujin}}'' series. In addition, it also worked with [[Capcom]] to sell ''[[Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher]]''.<ref>[https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/news/html/090601b.html "バンダイナムコゲームスとカプコン、開発・販売を協業開始 ～第１弾は中型メダルゲーム機「マリオパーティ ふしぎのコロコロキャッチャー」～". Capcom.]</ref><ref>[http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e090601b.html Capcom and NAMCO BANDAI Games Begin of Medal-winning Game Machines -Starting with the "Mario Party – Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher" midsize medal-winning machine]. Capcom.</ref> The company also assisted in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''{{'}}s development, the former of which features a [[Mii]] Racing Suit based on ''Pac-Man''. They are the primary developers for ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]'', with [[Camelot Software Planning]] co-developing for the tennis and golf segments of the game. Bandai Namco ended tech support for ''Korokoro Catcher'' on April 1, 2013,<ref>[https://www.banasupport.net/news/index_page3.html "「マリオパーティーふしぎのコロコロキャッチャー」メンテナンス窓口変更のご案内(再掲)". Bandai Namco.]</ref> then ended support for its first two ''Arcade GP'' games in June 2015.<ref>[https://www.banasupport.net/cms-files/E3818AE79FA5E38289E3819B20150722-E4BF9DE5AE88E5AFB.pdf#page=2 "『弊社商品の保守対応終了について』". Bandai Namco.]</ref>