Yu Suzuki Leaves SEGA-AM2

[kenshiro]

Sega's recently inaugurated president Hisao Oguchi has confirmed that famed producer Yu Suzuki will leave Sega-AM2 to establish his own development studio. Under the terms of the separation, Suzuki-san will head a new Sega subsidiary which will focus exclusively on popular software brands including Shenmue and the Virtua Fighter series. The establishment of the new company is part of a major restructuring effort that will reduce Sega's development studio group from 9 to 5 companies by the end of the year. For reference, another new subsidiary will be established this fall to focus solely on developing sports games.

[kenshiro]

Here's more on that:

Sega has completed the contraction of its development subsidiaries, creating seven teams where there once were nine, reports Mainichi Interactive. Some teams have been combined with others, but none have actually been eliminated. Rather, Sega hopes to streamline and refocus its teams in order to create more hit titles over the next five years.
The new structure works out as follows:


Sonic Team combines with United Game Artist.
This team will focus on popular titles for more casual gamers -- Sega likely wants to balance Sonic Team's focus on mass-market games with UGA's creativity.

Hitmaker combines with Sega Rosso.
This team is to focus on new types of games for new hardware.

Wow Entertainment combines with Overworks.
A rather odd fit -- the makers of House of the Dead combined with Sega's premier RPG team -- but this group's focus is on games for all age groups.

Amusement Vision combines with Smilebit.
A meeting of two extremely talented teams -- this team will focus on creating movie-like experiences.
Sega-AM2 will remain independent, but with the departure of Yu Suzuki, its focus will shift even more towards games for serious gamers, especially fighting games.

Meanwhile, Sega will also create two entirely new teams. One of the two new teams will focus solely on sports games, using staff drawn from Smilebit and Amusement Vision (likely those responsible for the "Let's Make A Pro Sports Team" titles and the Virtua Striker series). The other will be headed up by Yu Suzuki, who has turned over leadership of the AM2 division to Hiroshi Kataoka. Suzuki's new team will be built around his hit properties, like the Virtua Fighter and Shenmue series. This holds out the strange possibility of the Shenmue series continuing, despite its commercial failure in the past.

Hopefully, these moves will help Sega more effectively direct the considerable talent at its disposal. We'll continue to update with more news on Sega's reorganization as it arises.

[shinneri]

I would NOT call Shenmue a commercial failure... Shenmue 1 sold over a million copies. Shenmue 2 was on a dying system so it was bound to sell less. And the Xbox version was just poorly marketed (hardly at all). If marketed well, I think Shenmue could sell like crazy.

Anyway, I didn't expect this but I think it's a very good idea. Yu Suzuki getting his own development house is a REALLY good move.

[Vyse Hazuky]

well.. at least now Suzuki can focus on what really matters.. and not all those AM2 arcade games.. kinda tiring now..

[My Best Day is Gone]

well.. at least now Suzuki can focus on what really matters.. and not all those AM2 arcade games.. kinda tiring now..

Uh AM2 Arcade games is what made AM2 succesful in the first place... the majority of their profits came from the arcade.

[Vyse Hazuky]

you should know games shouldn't be made for profits.. it's for personal realization.. doing what you really like to.. not to make money like EA and that shit.. and Shenmue is just about that.. not a best-seller.. but a marvelous game

[Zhao]

EA is a good example of an un-talented game company. Very repetitive with no originality.

[My Best Day is Gone]

Uh wake up man... these companies are in the industry solely FOR the money... why make games otherwise (besides personal interest in which case they wouldn't be sold to the public)

[Tomo]

EA is a good example of an un-talented game company. Very repetitive with no originality.

you are so right.