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[duckroll]

http://indexweb.jp/news/2012/news_20120217_01.html

Index Holdings announced today that starting from April 2012, they have entered into a distribution contract with Sega with regards to the retail distribution of games under the Atlus brand. There are no further details at the moment, but it seems that Sega will be helping Index distribute games released under the Atlus label in Japan in the retail market.

Edit: The last two lines of the press release states that by this agreement, Atlus hopes to leverage on Sega's larger domestic retail distribution network in Japan, while Sega plans to announce details of a diverse offering of various products leveraging on Atlus' strong IPs. This sounds like a sort of partnership that could indicate that Index Holdings is too small for Atlus' growing ambitions. Or... they're running out of money.

 

[Aeana]

This is really interesting. I wonder what implications it has, if any.

 

[Nirolak]

It seems they're picking up quite a few people lately.

They got the rights for all of EA's games starting last Summer as well.

This is really interesting. I wonder what implications it has, if any.

EA's sales improved quite a bit. Battlefield 3 sold about 200K.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

This doesn't seem like it will mean anything from the customer's perspective, does it?

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

Cool beans, I guess. I can only hope this leads to future cooperation and co-involvement on certain project like, oh I don't know, developer studio collaborations.

 

[Vamphuntr]

Wasn't Konami doing this for them in Japan before?

 

[Nirolak]

This doesn't seem like it will mean anything from the customer's perspective, does it?

Only longer term if their sales increase, since it means they'll be able to spend more.

 

[duckroll]

This doesn't seem like it will mean anything from the customer's perspective, does it?

I just edited in some more details.

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

SEGA seems to be taking a respectable business approach as of late. Offering to collaborate with other publishers over distribution normally means better business relations, and it helps SEGA's image in such an faltering part of the industry as Japan.

SEGA just keeps making better and better choices, while companies like Konami and Capcom are starting to rely more on cash crops and employee oppression. Perhaps SEGA can finally return to competing with Namco with full force! The possibilities are endless.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Atlus has too many creative minds under their umbrella to stay small-time. Whatever gets them more notice is all good with me.

Now if Index screws with R&D1, there'll be hell to pay.

 

[Aeana]

Yeah, the last line is what is really interesting to me. I'm not sure exactly what it's implying, the wording isn't quite clear.

 

[duckroll]

Yeah, the last line is what is really interesting to me. I'm not sure exactly what it's implying, the wording isn't quite clear.

Persona body pillows.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Persona body pillows.

There's already drama CDs and a metric ton of merch just from Persona 3 & 4. Not too far off the mark.

(I'd buy a Louisa Ferre plush.)

 

[ctrayne]

Now if Index screws with R&D1, there'll be hell to pay.

Is R&D1 even a thing any more? The last game I remember with their logo on it was Digital Devil Saga.

 

[realalbedo]

Sega Atlus.
Believe

 

[cj_iwakura]

Is R&D1 even a thing any more? The last game I remember with their logo on it was Digital Devil Saga.

Not really, no. But they live on in spirit.

 

[randomkid]

Sega Atlus union is just one more step towards the remake we've all been clamoring for.

 

[iavi]

I'm still not sure what will come from this, but the idea of my two favorite companies in JP coming together does own kind of hard.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

This is really interesting. I wonder what implications it has, if any.

I have the same half-queasy, half-hopeful feeling I got when I read Atlus proper was being merged into Index. I mean, things coulda gone BAD. BAD bad. Yet things only seem to be cashcowing P3/4, which isn't bad in and of itself, yet we're also getting some of the good old Atlus level stuff we've always gotten the last year on both development and localization fronts.

The last two lines of Duckroll's summary reminds me of stories about cartridge run shortages screwing sales of many Atlus DS titles. If this allows them to better meet the size of the desire of the Atlus Faithful, I'll remain cautiously optimistic.

Atlus has too many creative minds under their umbrella to stay small-time.

SMT4. HD. Believe.

 

[jooey]

so many replies and no one said "Maken X 2 confirmed" yet?

 

[duckroll]

I wonder if this means Persona 4 Golden is coming out in Japan in April. There are no Atlus games left with fixed released dates now, and P4G is "Spring", which puts it as the perfect candidate for this distribution scheme to start with in April. Also, there was a rumor some time back that Atlus would release the game right after the TV anime is done airing. It will finish at the end of March.

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

anything that helps to make Persona 5 a reality is fine by me.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

Ok Atlus. First order of business: bring Valkyria Chronicles 3 over to North America. Please.

 

[ULTROS!]

So does that mean Sega will be distributing Atlus games rather than Index Corp themselves?

Maybe this means in the future that Sega is going to acquire Atlus from Index Corp or something?

 

[randomkid]

so many replies and no one said "Maken X 2 confirmed" yet?

my reference was more obscure bro, pretty sure that means i win

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Ok Atlus. First order of business: bring Valkyria Chronicles 3 over to North America. Please.

It begins.

 

[Nairume]

This is the same deal Atlus had with Konami last decade, where Konami helped get Atlus's stuff into stores.

 

[B.K.]

Now if Index screws with R&D1, there'll be hell to pay.

"Persona" 5 developed by Sonic Team!

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

"Persona" 5 developed by Sonic Team!

Takashi Iizuka's dream game. Let's give it to him, so Hirokazu Yasuhara and PROPE can team up to do the next Sonic!

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Ok Atlus. First order of business: bring Valkyria Chronicles 3 over to North America. Please.

On the PSP? You crazy?

Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3: Golden Edition for 3DS

 

[Femmeworth]

So does that mean Sega will be distributing Atlus games rather than Index Corp themselves?

Maybe this means in the future that Sega is going to acquire Atlus from Index Corp or something?

I fucking hope not.

 

[Busaiku]

Is this just Japan?
If it's distribution, Sega could probably help with those limited print runs over here.

 

[Teknoman]

"Persona" 5 developed by Sonic Team!

Nah, Shin Shining Force.

 

[Jomjom]

Ok Atlus. First order of business: bring Valkyria Chronicles 3 over to North America. Please.

Second order of business: Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan

 

[Jomjom]

On the PSP? You crazy?

Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3: Golden Edition for 3DS

I think you are crazy. Games that beautiful deserve to be on the sexy OLED of the Vita.

 

[duckroll]

I fucking hope not.

Out of curiosity, how would that be different from how Index Holdings acquired Atlus in the first place?

 

[androvsky]

So does that mean Sega will be distributing Atlus games rather than Index Corp themselves?

Maybe this means in the future that Sega is going to acquire Atlus from Index Corp or something?

Sounds a bit like how Tecmo/Koei bought Gust, although Gust wasn't part of a larger parent company.

 

[we.are.the.armada]

Ok Atlus. First order of business: bring Valkyria Chronicles 3 over to North America. Please.

Oh lawd yes.

 

[fallagin]

I'm cool with this as long as it is super beneficial to atlus.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Persona body pillows.

Aigis :O

 

[BlazingDarkness]

Are these smaller developers at more risk when being acquired by large publishers?
Or would it be safer for Atlus to incorporate themselves with the likes of Sega if they plan to be more ambitious in the future?

 

[Femmeworth]

Out of curiosity, how would that be different from how Index Holdings acquired Atlus in the first place?

It wouldn't be?

 

[OMG Aero]

Hey Sega, if you wanted to distribute Atlus games in Europe too that would be pretty awesome.

 

[duckroll]

It wouldn't be?

So what would change exactly which would make it so bad?

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

So does that mean Sega will be distributing Atlus games rather than Index Corp themselves?

Maybe this means in the future that Sega is going to acquire Atlus from Index Corp or something?

Probably not since Sega handles distribution for a ton of small Japanese publishers already. Arc System Works, SNK Playmore, 5pb.games, Cyberfront, Prototype, Cave, G.Rev, Milestone, Compile Heart, Dorart and a bunch others I'm probably overlooking.

 

[Femmeworth]

So what would change exactly which would make it so bad?

Well, Sega wouldn't be the worst company to acquire them, admittedly. However, unlike Index Holdings, Sega has a NA branch, so I would be concerned about the fate of Atlus USA.

 

[snkryo]

Smart move by Sega.