Game Love Triangle: Square-Enix wants Tecmo but Tecmo wants Koei
Game Love Triangle: Square-Enix wants Tecmo but Tecmo wants Koei
September 5, 2008
Business Week reports that Tecmo, uneasy with the prospect of being acquired by much larger Square Enix, has sought refuge in the arms of fellow small publisher Koei:
When Japanese video game developer Square Enix unveiled its "friendly" offer to buy rival Tecmo last week, analysts and investors applauded. The two companies seemed a natural fit: Square Enix's Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series had a huge following among diehards in Japan, while Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive fighting games were popular in the U.S. and Europe. To sweeten the deal, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada pledged to preserve the Tecmo brand. He gave Tecmo's management a week to think it over.
At the deadline, Tecmo told Square Enix "thanks, but no thanks," and said it was exploring a merger with Koei. From the report:
Tecmo didn't give a reason for going with Koei. But size appears to have been one issue: Rather than getting swallowed up, Tecmo may have wanted something closer to a marriage of equals...
Industry executives say Japan's midsize game developers are prime takeover targets. Many of them have a strong record at home but limited exposure overseas. A suitor with a worldwide network—particularly in the U.S. and Europe—could take a niche Japanese developer stuck in a stagnant market and create a global mainstream franchise.
This one's not over, at least not yet. Square Enix has asked Tecmo to explain how Koei's deal was better for shareholders than its offer and may continue its pursuit of Tecmo.
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Posted 12/03/08 at 07:04pm
Shadow D. Darkman: MIKE GETS A COOKIE!!!
Shadow D. Darkman: MIKE GETS A COOKIE!!!
Posted 12/03/08 at 06:05pm
sqlrob: @JC: I'm both a dev (not games) and a consumer, and a fairly strict Constitutionalist
sqlrob: @JC: I'm both a dev (not games) and a consumer, and a fairly strict Constitutionalist
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:52pm
ZippyDSMlee: JC:no doubt but looking at the mix, net speeds and and avabilty are not there, HDDs might be but constant use is a worry, lastly big media will have to forget DRM and focus on volume sales world wide, all of these will ignite DD for joe public.
ZippyDSMlee: JC:no doubt but looking at the mix, net speeds and and avabilty are not there, HDDs might be but constant use is a worry, lastly big media will have to forget DRM and focus on volume sales world wide, all of these will ignite DD for joe public.
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:45pm
JC: Heh. As much as I like to give my own opinion, I feel mainstream supports the industry more. Very few buy digital for their fami
JC: Heh. As much as I like to give my own opinion, I feel mainstream supports the industry more. Very few buy digital for their fami
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:40pm
ZippyDSMlee: JC:meh I know I suck but I will be more than happy to argue my point with you in a stable yet silly fasion :P
ZippyDSMlee: JC:meh I know I suck but I will be more than happy to argue my point with you in a stable yet silly fasion :P
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:30pm
JC: Everyone has their opinion. We can't all agree on something specific though. sqlrob also has interesting viewpoints...
JC: Everyone has their opinion. We can't all agree on something specific though. sqlrob also has interesting viewpoints...
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:22pm
ZippyDSMlee: JC:I tell it like it is from my POV and try not get into petty arguments..but sometimes.... I can not hold it back...
ZippyDSMlee: JC:I tell it like it is from my POV and try not get into petty arguments..but sometimes.... I can not hold it back...
Posted 12/03/08 at 05:17pm
JC: Zel & Zippy. I love your opinions on the matter of this recent discussion. Especially since EZK doesn't seem to be aroun.
JC: Zel & Zippy. I love your opinions on the matter of this recent discussion. Especially since EZK doesn't seem to be aroun.
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:43pm
zel: @sqlrob: thanks for pointing that out, i actually bought it straight from steam myself and registered my reg HL cd-key.
zel: @sqlrob: thanks for pointing that out, i actually bought it straight from steam myself and registered my reg HL cd-key.
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:41pm
zel: Namely the one where I said I do not think steam is perfect. :P
zel: Namely the one where I said I do not think steam is perfect. :P
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:40pm
zel: "has issues with understanding that steam is imperfcert and dose not quite work right on all PCs" apparently you missed one of my shouts :)
zel: "has issues with understanding that steam is imperfcert and dose not quite work right on all PCs" apparently you missed one of my shouts :)
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:30pm
ZippyDSMlee: sqlrob:will will stop off line mode from working,would that revamped and made better,would also like game transfers made better.I can wait to support steam directly its easy to find a steamless rip of a game to put in my retail package.
ZippyDSMlee: sqlrob:will will stop off line mode from working,would that revamped and made better,would also like game transfers made better.I can wait to support steam directly its easy to find a steamless rip of a game to put in my retail package.
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:29pm
ZippyDSMlee: sqlrob:He has issues with understanding that steam is imperfcert and dose not quite work right on all PCs, I'll agree my issues with steam are somewhat silly, I can handle the online activation but not the forced online aspect of that more oftten than not
ZippyDSMlee: sqlrob:He has issues with understanding that steam is imperfcert and dose not quite work right on all PCs, I'll agree my issues with steam are somewhat silly, I can handle the online activation but not the forced online aspect of that more oftten than not
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:17pm
sqlrob: @zel: Half Life 2 box requires Steam
sqlrob: @zel: Half Life 2 box requires Steam
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:11pm
ZippyDSMlee: Y helo thar MR troll......
ZippyDSMlee: Y helo thar MR troll......
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:07pm
farlander28: Not getting offline mode to work is also invalid, as it's not a design issue but a tiny minority who can't figure it out.
farlander28: Not getting offline mode to work is also invalid, as it's not a design issue but a tiny minority who can't figure it out.
Posted 12/03/08 at 03:03pm
farlander28: @Zippy: Having your internet cut-out has already been covered as an invalid complaint, you don't need to be online.
farlander28: @Zippy: Having your internet cut-out has already been covered as an invalid complaint, you don't need to be online.
Posted 12/03/08 at 02:19pm
ZippyDSMlee: Zel to finsih the previous post.
ZippyDSMlee: Zel to finsih the previous post.
Posted 12/03/08 at 02:17pm
insanejedi: Well for Prey, they just sent disk copies of the game when their DL service went down.
insanejedi: Well for Prey, they just sent disk copies of the game when their DL service went down.
Posted 12/03/08 at 02:06pm
zel: Now thats a great question. It is within reason that they could issue 1 final patch to make games work on their installed machines and then that would be it. but who really knows?
zel: Now thats a great question. It is within reason that they could issue 1 final patch to make games work on their installed machines and then that would be it. but who really knows?
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
I definitely understand Techmo's position on the idea. They want their franchises to stay alive and not be abused like bigger companies like EA and Activision do. Square Enix has abused a few of their franchises a little bit, but I don't think that was something that they are going to follow through with in current or future games.
Best to play it safe though, merge with Koei, and develope a long term worthwhile partnership. Most importantly, people are less likely to lose their jobs this way, while merging with a bigger company almost always means many people will lose their jobs at the higher and lower end of the specturm.
Alil bit? FF is trash now adays!!!!!
I is fuzzy brained mew =^^=
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
(in need of a bad overhaul)
Come now, 12 was alright, and 10 was decent (at least better than 5). And Squenix are doing right by Kingdom Hearts, which is just fun to play.
Would be cool to see that. If Square Enix get both Tecmo and Koei. A lot of cool thing probably would happen.
Dynasty Warriors: Final Fantasy (if you can have gundams, why not have all Final Fantasy characters togethers and have them fight against evil)
Samurai Warriors with Ryu from ninja Gaiden
Koei is like Temco in its franchises they share the same interests more often than not, I think like devs joining is good, Sqaure is sht now adays..... its the EA of JP RPGs.... over hyped under delivering...
I is fuzzy brained mew =^^=
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
(in need of a bad overhaul)
I've got to dissagree with yous.
Square has proven that with it's most recent buy out of Taito has been nothing but a benefit as Taito's games now have worldwise releases and technically by them.
The only thing Square could be doing better is giving Square Production Team 4 it's name back Quest.
If anything, I hope the Dynasty/Samurai Warriors series improves in quality from this. It has so much untapped potential.
You people hate SE but think Koei is good! There games are terrible in comparison to some of the things SE has made. Koei is nothing special, they haven't made one truly outstanding game imo.
Its probobly because Koei is more familiar with action than SE.
I can easily see why this can be good for both Tecmo and Koei. As far as Square-Enix is concerned, yes there is the large worrying factor that thier own gaming series may be diluted by the large company. That worry is probably well-founded too (Look at Game-Arts for instance).
Tecmo though has a large U.S fanbase though not a great JAP one. Koei on the other hand has a whopping JAP fanbase while not a massive one here. Tecmo is losing main staff members. Koei seems to have many (well... judging by the amount of games they churn out). Tecmo also has money, money that would allow Koei to try and branch out and try new types of games. Games that thier previous state wouldnt have allowed to be brought over to the EU/US.
I dont agree with Square being a pile of crap-heap though. Im still enoying FF12 and plan on buying FF13 to waste away some time with... That and Warriors Orochi 2... Damm im a warriors whore.
The consolidation of all these companies makes me worry for the health of the industry and the health of the artform.
gotta love FFVII and VIII.... mixed with Condmened 2 (a mix in my head, kind of sick ne?)
Jesus Jack Jones Thompson told me to do it!
Would be cool to see that.By the way Do you love Tiffany Rings .Browse Tiffany Ring in Tiffanylife,You can find cheap Tiffany Rings with High quality,Ours including Tiffany wedding rings,cushion ring, x ring and so on .