I was thinking the exact same thing. Not only are they hoarding the IPs they prevent smaller studios from growing into competitors in the future.Steven wrote:In any case, it does seem like the typical Disney/Activision/EA "buy a ton of companies just to get the IPs and then fire all of the employees because fuck them, only the greedy-ass CEO/board of directors/shareholders matter" thing. Surprised it took this long, though.
Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
I certainly didn't know or remember all they've bought so looked for info. Here's a list from Wikipedia; don't know if it's 100% accurate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... acer_Group
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... acer_Group
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Why a colossus like Embracer is interested in Toaplan catalog ? Are SHMUPS a big business ?
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Oh wow surely no one saw that one coming.cfx wrote:The reckoning is coming for Embracer Group:
https://embracer.com/releases/open-lett ... g-program/
Also:
https://embracer.com/releases/embracer- ... 6-million/
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
More:
https://embracer.com/releases/embracer- ... 0-million/
Article:
https://www.tweaktown.com/news/92896/em ... index.html
I guess they were really counting on that $2 billion influx of cash that didn't happen to support their buying sprees.
I am not familiar with this website so do not know if this article has any credence to it:
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/14/saudi- ... acer-group
https://embracer.com/releases/embracer- ... 0-million/
Article:
https://www.tweaktown.com/news/92896/em ... index.html
I guess they were really counting on that $2 billion influx of cash that didn't happen to support their buying sprees.
I am not familiar with this website so do not know if this article has any credence to it:
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/14/saudi- ... acer-group
-
hamfighterx
- Posts: 606
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:45 pm
- Location: Bonus Round
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Axios is a legit news site. The author of that piece, Stephen Totilo, is also a trustworthy journalist (former Editor-in-Chief of Kotaku, New York Time contributor). Probably reputable reporting.cfx wrote: ↑Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:21 pmI am not familiar with this website so do not know if this article has any credence to it:
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/14/saudi- ... acer-group
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:42 pm
- Contact:
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
I swear to god if they shut down bitwave or Tatsujin over this... i'm gonna be royally pissed. Moreso that they even entertained the idea of partnering with Savvy. Had to cut off buying SNK games once they got bought by the death general, and I really wouldn't have wanted to do the same to toaplan stuff. (even if it would have been less direct than in SNK's case).
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
This whole "Buy up literally everything and then pray for funding/success" thing is really, really stupid.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Those examples undermine the statement to a truly impressive degree.hamfighterx wrote: ↑Sat Aug 19, 2023 12:22 amThe author of that piece, Stephen Totilo, is also a trustworthy journalist (former Editor-in-Chief of Kotaku, New York Time contributor).
I'm curious if said "trustworthy journalist" would describe a Tencent acquisition as "controversial".
-
mycophobia
- Posts: 751
- Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2016 4:08 pm
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:51 pm
- Location: Sweden
- Contact:
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Tatsujin will be at Tokyo Game Show, more news there.
-
- Posts: 357
- Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 11:51 am
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Can you share a hint if we will finally see something new (and not just re-releases)?
I love the various re-releases that keep happening, and it's awesome to have easy, pick-up and play access to some previously hard to find (at least through legit channels) arcade titles, and with QOL features on top of everything, and I keep buying them (bought the latest Bitwave bundle as soon as they were up).
But, nothing beats having an actual "new" game to look forward to.
-
- Posts: 1224
- Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:18 pm
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
It was confimed weeks ago that the brand new game by Tatsujin will be finally presented there.
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:42 pm
- Contact:
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Bassa-Bassa wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 10:02 pm It was confimed weeks ago that the brand new game by Tatsujin will be finally presented there.
A slap fight sequel? Please be that…
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Considering an actual Slap Fight sequel was recently cancelled that seems like the least likely scenario.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
I've been operating on the uncritical assumption that it'll be Tatsujin III. Might make the delay of M2's Tatsujin collection and its impending announcement more legible.
Wishful thinking as always, but we'll see.
Wishful thinking as always, but we'll see.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Perhaps too far OT but as it's about Embracer I wanted to mention it--they have closed Volition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/volition ... 51936-hkgT
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Nah, it's on-topic, I think it's pretty useful to keep in mind what sort of company we're dealing with.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
The sweet embrace of death .. (too soon?)
-
- Posts: 357
- Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 11:51 am
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Sad to see them go.cfx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 5:47 pm Perhaps too far OT but as it's about Embracer I wanted to mention it--they have closed Volition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/volition ... 51936-hkgT
I know many thought of Volition as the Saint's Row studios, since it seems it was all they made recently, but for me they were always the Descent and Freespace studios (and also stuff like Red Faction, Summoner, or even a rather fun game based on The Punisher).
And speaking of Descent, and because I can't say this enough, Matt Toschlog and Mike Kulas, founders of Volition, made an awesome sequel/spiritual successor to Descent a few years back, that sadly many didn't give a chance, in part due to the lack of the Descent IP/brand awareness.
The game is pretty much a revival of the series done right, only lacking the name:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/448850/Overload/
-
Warp_Rattler
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:48 am
- Location: OR, US
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
I've pretty much abandoned eX-Twitter as a platform but have been too lazy to actually uninstall the app from my phone, and the goddamned thing just keeps spamming me with all of these partially-relevant promoted tweets (eX-es?) in a desperate attempt to get me to re-engage in some form. One thing that it seemed to think would really catch my attention a few weeks back was the nail-biting drama of Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision, and so I kept getting notifications about the latest galaxy-brain takes on the topic from a few of these Content Influencer Guys (or whatever the hell their shtick is). I know that uncritical fandom screws your brain in pretty incredible ways, but I was still taken aback at just how much these people were falling all over themselves rooting for this merger to go through, and dogpiling on any regulatory bodies (or other users in general) who dared to suggest that maybe acquisitions at this size were possibly not entirely a Good Thing.
Beyond reaffirming the wisdom of my decision to just walk away from (eX)Twitter for good, the thing that floored me the most was just how fervently these people were supporting the merger and apparently believed in their soul of souls or whatever that this would be an unequivocally great thing for gaming. And... that's just not how media consolidation works. At best a studio/property/whatever will be recognized for the cash cow that it is and milked dry through whatever ghoulish, debased cash grabs the parent company thinks will resonate with the fanbase. At worst, it will just be neglected until the next round of cuts when it is unceremoniously given the axe because ParentCo has no idea what to do with it. And somewhere in the horrible middle, it will be hollowed out for its IP rights in whatever ways they can be capitalized on most cheaply. The philosophy has always been throwing shit at the wall--vacuum up as many cheap properties as they can, let the subsidiaries run on their own while ParentCo exploits whatever floats most easily to the top. And when profits dip in a few years, shed everything that's not showing endless growth to keep the shareholders happy.
It's no reflection on the quality of Tatsujin's properties, but I'd be really surprised if they survive another three years under Embracer, because Tatsujin is not the sort of company that lends itself to the mass popularity demanded by the logic of consolidation and conglomeration, no matter how much Embracer's PR pushes the whole "aw shucks, we're 'gamers' just like all of you and we love these companies so much!" image.
-
hamfighterx
- Posts: 606
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:45 pm
- Location: Bonus Round
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
They aren't done, also reports today that they've laid off people at Gearbox.cfx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 5:47 pm Perhaps too far OT but as it's about Embracer I wanted to mention it--they have closed Volition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/volition ... 51936-hkgT
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/ ... lose-modal
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Well-spotted, both of you.hamfighterx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 11:43 pmThey aren't done, also reports today that they've laid off people at Gearbox.cfx wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 5:47 pm Perhaps too far OT but as it's about Embracer I wanted to mention it--they have closed Volition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/volition ... 51936-hkgT
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/ ... lose-modal
Yep. :/
光あふれる 未来もとめて, whoa~oh ♫
[THE MIRAGE OF MIND] Metal Black ST [THE JUSTICE MASSACRE] Gun.Smoke ST [STAB & STOMP]
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
At least, as long as Tatsujin is just one person and exists solely to manage licenses, there's not much to cut in the first place.Warp_Rattler wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 11:20 pm It's no reflection on the quality of Tatsujin's properties, but I'd be really surprised if they survive another three years under Embracer, because Tatsujin is not the sort of company that lends itself to the mass popularity demanded by the logic of consolidation and conglomeration, no matter how much Embracer's PR pushes the whole "aw shucks, we're 'gamers' just like all of you and we love these companies so much!" image.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
There are at least 5 people working at Tatsujin as far as I know. 4 of them are from Toaplan and the other guy is apparently from Seibu Kaihatsu.
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Are they working on Tatsujin 3?
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
I think so. Here's Iwabuchi, Uemura, and a picture of a thing: https://youtu.be/hP4o-WESxDo?feature=shared&t=88
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
Well, hopefully they are cheaper to employ than Volition
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
It will probably be a good idea to buy the new game. We'll find out what it is in a few weeks, probably on the 21st.
BTW if anyone is going to Tokyo Game Show, Namiki Manabu will be there at the Tatsujin booth on the 23rd and the owner of Mikado will be there on the 24th. Joe will also be there on the 24th to talk about the documentary.
*cries because he has work on the 23rd even though it's a holiday and it's too late to get out of it*
BTW if anyone is going to Tokyo Game Show, Namiki Manabu will be there at the Tatsujin booth on the 23rd and the owner of Mikado will be there on the 24th. Joe will also be there on the 24th to talk about the documentary.
*cries because he has work on the 23rd even though it's a holiday and it's too late to get out of it*
Re: Embracer buys Tatsujin aka Torplan back catalog
That's a ship from this artwork:Steven wrote: ↑Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:49 am I think so. Here's Iwabuchi, Uemura, and a picture of a thing: https://youtu.be/hP4o-WESxDo?feature=shared&t=88