What's the longest lasting shmup company?

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:45 pm

It seems like companies that predominately make shmups -- are there any that exclusively make shmups? -- don't last long.

The only companies that got famous in the 80s through shmups that are still around are the ones that became major companies that make everything now.

A lot of the companies of the 90s are defunct, like TechnoSoft and Toaplan and Raizing (unless they were absorbed by 8ing, which is still around, making Kururin and Naruto games). Psikyo seems to still be around, we'll have to wait until Sengoku Cannon to see if it's still really them, or if Xnauts is just capitalizing on the name.

Cave might very well be the longest lasting shmup-only company. 10 years, and only two or three non-shmup games released.

My theory is that it's hard to be a successful gaming company if you only focus on a single genre. To stick around, you have to make lots of stuff. Sell out, if you will. The question is, will the new crop (G. Rev, Triangle Service, Milestone) make it very far?

tehkao · Post by **tehkao** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:10 pm

Hmm...the only survivor I can think of is Seibu Kaihatsu.

Isn't Compile still around? (Zanac x Zanac). But I guess they mostly make Puyo Puyo and other non-shmup games these days.....

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:17 pm

tehkao wrote:Hmm...the only survivor I can think of is Seibu Kaihatsu.

Isn't Compile still around? (Zanac x Zanac). But I guess they mostly make Puyo Puyo and other non-shmup games these days.....

I actually don't think Compile is still around. Sega made Puyo Puyo Fever, and some company bought the rights to put some of their old games on cell phones. Not conclusive proof, but I think they went kaput. Either way, they dedicated themselves to Puyo Puyo a long while ago.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:37 pm

Compile went bankrupt acouple of years ago.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:57 pm

I know it's not as old as Cave or Seibu, but how long has Takumi been around now? They're still active, afaik...

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 1:55 am

Taito is still around, but I don't think they will be making another Darius. And since Toaplan made some of the shooters they published, and how it became Cave... *sad sigh*

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 1:56 am

And since Toaplan made some of the shooters they published, and how it became Cave... *sad sigh*

Why sad? Cave rocks Toaplan any day of the week.

Forgive my fanboyism...Finally got DDP

mannerbot · Post by **mannerbot** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:01 am

Nice, I was looking at that auction myself a couple of days ago. Took a while to pry myself away from the keyboard.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:09 am

I'm going with Taito here...Irem, Konami?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:18 am

BulletMagnet wrote:I know it's not as old as Cave or Seibu, but how long has Takumi been around now? They're still active, afaik...

As recent as GWG, I'd say it's a pretty safe assumption. Kyuukyouku (sp?) Tiger 2 came out in '96. It seems they may be cooling off a bit now, but it'd be nice to get at least one more shooter from them (original or sequel, don't particularly care).

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:43 am

TWITCHDOCTOR wrote:I'm going with Taito here...Irem, Konami?

Yes, but those companies have all branched out far beyond shmups, mainly just releasing stuff to tap the nostalgia factor. Although Taito has been particularly active in shmup-dom lately.

I had forgotten about Takumi. Looks like Seibu is the leader right now, although they were MIA for several years. Do we even really know Raiden III is made by the same people, and the rights to the names weren't bought out?

thesuperkillerxxx · Post by **thesuperkillerxxx** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:48 am

Neon wrote:
And since Toaplan made some of the shooters they published, and how it became Cave... *sad sigh*
Why sad? Cave rocks Toaplan any day of the week.

Forgive my fanboyism...Finally got DDP

Death to the infidel!!

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 4:18 am

namco(t) used to make shooters too, but I can't remember the last one they made. Now it's all blah-ish fighters and music games?

Dartagnan1083 · Post by **Dartagnan1083** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 7:15 pm

I would say Sega, but they haven't made their own in a Ridiculously long time (almost 20 years).

Other than that...
I can only think of Cave/Toplan, Konami, Irem, and Treasure.

But it would seem that Irem won't be making any more shmups since they think the genre is dead.

tehkao · Post by **tehkao** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:15 pm

Irem died couple years ago, I think.

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:20 pm

tehkao wrote:Irem died couple years ago, I think.

Irem are still making games, but not shooters.

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Mon May 02, 2005 1:38 pm

What about Psikyo?

How do you know IREM isn't going to make any more shmups? I've never read any article backing that up.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Mon May 02, 2005 3:26 pm

Taito is unquestionably the oldest. They -created- the genre with Space Invaders, and they're still in business.

Psikyo closed-then-opened, and nobody is really sure how much of the original staff is left.

Irem has never offically said they'd no longer make shmups, but it's pure speculation as to whether they will or not.

Dartagnan1083 · Post by **Dartagnan1083** » Mon May 02, 2005 5:23 pm

ST Dragon wrote:How do you know IREM isn't going to make any more shmups? I've never read any article backing that up.

The now defunct GMR magazine once had a great article on Shmups in general. Brought on by the impending release of R-type Final, Gradius V, and the PS2 DoDonpachi game (at a loss for the subtitle), and the success of Ikaruga on GC.

For Rtype Final, they had quoted the producer (either through short interview or transcript of an interview ) commenting on why it was the Final Rtype.
The Producer something in the vien that he didn't believe there wasn't any more room in the industry for 2D shooters. He didn't believe they had much of a future as a genre.

If you wish to track down this article, it's the issue with MGS3 on the cover, summer-ish 2003.

Recap · Post by **Recap** » Mon May 02, 2005 5:27 pm

Ganelon wrote:Compile went bankrupt acouple of years ago.

Compile is still alive under the Aiky name.

Irem are still making games, but not shooters.

Irem Software Engineering has little to do with the original Irem, thoe, besides the IP's.

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:25 pm

alpha5099 wrote:
TWITCHDOCTOR wrote:I'm going with Taito here...Irem, Konami?
Yes, but those companies have all branched out far beyond shmups

So did Cave: They did Uo Poko.

I'd go with Taito, since they did Space Invaders (the first shmup ever) and are still doing it.

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Mon May 02, 2005 8:35 pm

sffan wrote:
alpha5099 wrote:
TWITCHDOCTOR wrote:I'm going with Taito here...Irem, Konami?
Yes, but those companies have all branched out far beyond shmups
So did Cave: They did Uo Poko.

I'd go with Taito, since they did Space Invaders (the first shmup ever) and are still doing it.

What I was trying to go for was companies that aren't like Taito or Konami, that made shmups in the early days but now only occasionally dabble in the shmup genre. You have to admit there's a difference between those companies and developers like Cave and Raizing and Toaplan, even the latter companies did make some non-shmups.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Mon May 02, 2005 10:57 pm

I don't think Compile IS Aiky.

Also, what Aiky has done so far, besides trying to make some easy money with the Compile older titles?