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Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.
Native name
株式会社バンダイナムコホールディングス
Kabushiki gaisha Bandai Namuko Hōrudingusu
TypeKabushiki gaisha
Traded as
TYO: 7832
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedTokyo, Japan September 29, 2005 (2005-09-29)
Headquarters
Shinagawa, Tokyo
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Shukuo Ishikawa
  • (Chairman)
  • Mitsuaki Taguchi
  • (President)
Products
RevenueIncrease ¥565.5 billion[1] (2015)
Increase ¥56.321B[1] (2015)
Increase ¥37.589B[1] (2015)
Total assetsIncrease ¥441.764B[1] (2015)
Total equityIncrease ¥303.513B[1] (2015)
Owners
  • Japan Trustee Services Bank (5.14%)
  • The Master Trust Bank of Japan (4.86%)
  • XIL, LTD. (2.73%)
  • Masaya Nakamura (2.71%)
  • The Normura Trust and Banking Co., Ltd. 2.09%
[1]
Number of employees
7,221[1] (2015)
SubsidiariesSee list
Websitewww.bandainamco.co.jp/en/

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. (BNHD) (株式会社バンダイナムコホールディングス, Kabushiki gaisha Bandai Namuko Hōrudingusu), also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company which was formed from the merger of Bandai and Namco on September 29, 2005.[2] It specializes in toys, video games, arcades, anime, and amusement parks. Namco Bandai also supply various arcade machines to movie theaters and arcades across the globe.[3]

The company's headquarters are in Shinagawa, Tokyo.[3] Their US branch, Bandai Namco Holdings USA, was officially formed on January 6, 2008, and handles the US operations of the company from their headquarters in El Segundo, California.[4]

Corporate history[]

Bandai[]

Bandai started in the 1950 as a toy manufacturing company in Japan. During the 1960s, Bandai expanded their business portfolio to include export sales. The 1970s provided Bandai with success through their racing car sets. Bandai established Bandai America Inc. in 1978 in order to have a sales and marketing distributor for western markets. By the 1980s, Bandai was Japan's leading toy company and consumer product licensor for popular franchises such as Power Rangers and Digimon. During the late 1990s, Sega expressed an interest in merging with Bandai, however, plans fell through for this merger due to corporal cultural differences.

Namco[]

Namco started in 1955 as a children's entertainment company in Japan under the name Nakamura Manufacturing. In 1958, They eventually expanded their business by manufacturing arcade machines, and through a company reorganization, the company was renamed to Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company, through the acronym "NAMCO". In 1974, Namco purchased Atari Inc. Japan for $500'000 including liabilities. The purpose of this acquisition was for a capital injection for Atari Japan in exchange for Namco to be a publisher for Atari games in Japan. In 1978, Namco created a subsidiary in the United States in order to license Namco games to western publishers.

Namco's first debut into the video game industry was through a game called Gee Bee. Their second debut, Galaxian was the first video game to project RGB color spectrum. It was on their third arcade debut, Pac-Man, that Namco gained worldwide acclaim and pop culture relevancy, and as a result, made Pac-Man the definitive mascot for the company. Namco continued their success in the video gaming industry by contributing to the Golden Age of arcades and home console gaming with notable franchises such as Tekken, Soulcalibur and Tales.

Merger[]

Namco Bandai Holdings was created in 2005, when Bandai and Namco performed a management integration.[5] Officially, Namco was purchased by Bandai for 1,7 billion $.[6][7] 57% percent of the company's holding went to Bandai while 43% went to Namco. Furthermore, Bandai swapped one of its shares for 1.5 of the new Namco Bandai. Namco traded evenly with a one-for-one share,[8] carried out via a share exchange. The shareholders of Namco received one NBHD share for each Namco share and the shareholders of Bandai received 1.5 NBHD shares for each Bandai share.[2] Prior to the merger, Bandai and Namco had various subsidiaries that worked under them. After the merger of Bandai Namco, the respective Bandai and Namco subsidiaries were re-designated into different areas of the combined conglomerate.

Acquisitions and subsidiaries[]

On March 31, 2006, Namco and Bandai's video game operations merged into Bandai Namco Games Inc. (BNGI, Now known as Bandai Namco Entertainment).[9] Namco's arcade and facility management continue under the name of Namco Ltd.[9]

In September 2006, BNHD acquired CCP Co., Ltd. from Casio and made it a wholly owned subsidiary.[10][11] BNHD have since fully acquired developers Banpresto (whose video game operations were absorbed into Bandai Namco Games on April 1, 2008)[12] and Namco Tales Studio since the merger. Formerly, both were partially owned by Bandai and Namco respectively.

The business of Bandai Networks Co., Ltd. was merged into Bandai Namco Games in April 2009 and Bandai Networks subsequently ceased to exist as a separate company.[13]

Namco Bandai bought a 34% stake in Atari Europe on May 14, 2009, paving the way for its acquisition from Infogrames.[14] Until June 30, 2012, Infogrames had the option to sell the other 66% in Atari Europe to NBHD.[15] Between June 31, 2012, to June 20, 2013, Bandai Namco gained the option to acquire the 66% stake.[16] On the 7th of July 2009, Bandai Namco Holdings bought 100% of Atari Australia Pty Ltd. BNHD acquired 100% of the shares of Atari Asia Holdings Pty. Ltd. and 100% of the shares of Atari UK Ltd.[17]

Bandai Namco took over D3 Publisher on March 18, 2009,[18] after first acquiring a 95% stake in the company.[19] In August 2013, Bandai Namco opened a studio in Vancouver, broadening its reach for western demographics.[20]

Organization[]

BNHD is organized into three Strategic Business Units, supplemented by Affiliated Business Companies that provide logistical support.[21] The SBUs consist of Toys & Hobby, Content (video games, anime, and recording), and Amusement Facilities (theme parks).

Organizational history[]

The organization of BNHD has changed considerably since the merger. In 2007, NBHD consisted of 5 SBUs (strategic business unit) and the Affiliated Business Companies.[22] In April 2009, the Game Contents SBU and the Network SBU were merged,[23] and since April 2010, NBHD has consisted of three SBUs and the Affiliated Business Companies.[24]

Toys & Hobby SBU[]

The Toys & Hobby SBU is mainly made up of the former Bandai's toy-making facilities and regional subsidiaries.[25][26]

  • Bandai Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai S.A.
    • Bandai UK Ltd.
    • Bandai España S.A.
    • Bandai GmbH
    • Bandai Polska SP.ZO.O
    • Bandai (H.K.) Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai Asia Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai Korea Co., Ltd.
    • Creative Works Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai Taiwan Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai South Asia Pte., Ltd.
    • Bandai Industrial Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    • Bandai America Inc.
    • Bandai Corporacion Mexico S.A. de C.V.
  • WiZ Co., Ltd.
    • WIZ(H.K.)LTD.
  • Megahouse Corporation
  • CCP Co., Ltd.
  • Seeds Co., Ltd.
  • Plex Co., Ltd.
  • People Co., Ltd.
  • Sun-Star Stationary Co., Ltd.
  • Fujiya Co.
  • Tenyo

Content SBU[]

The Content SBU is responsible for all video game products, including games for home consoles, arcades, mobile platforms,[27] and anime production and distribution. The bulk of these facilities are made up by the former Namco, also with Banpresto, D3 Publisher and the Sunrise anime production company, along with the following:

Asia[]

Bandai Namco Holdings - Content SBU Asia
Parent Company Subsidiary Location Notes
Bandai Namco Entertainment Bandai Namco Games Tokyo, Japan Merged from video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco in 2006.
Bandai Namco Studios Tokyo, Japan
Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia Singapore
Bandai Namco Games Korea South Korea
Bandai Namco Games Taiwan Taiwan
Bandai Namco Games HK (Hong Kong) Hong Kong
Bandai Namco Studios Singapore Singapore
Bandai Namco Studios Malaysia[28] Malaysia
D3 Publisher Japan Founded in 1992. Acquired in 2009.
Cellius Tokyo, Japan Founded in 2007. Sony Interactive Entertainment owns 49%
Bandai Visual Bandai Visual Shiodome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Lantis
Emotion
Bandai Namco Pictures
Tsuburaya Productions Hachimanyama, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan Fields Corporation owns 51%
Bandai Channel
Sunrise
Toei Animation Sunrise Music Publishing
Sunrise Interactive
Sunrise USA
Bandai Namco Pictures
Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. (joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Toei Animation, TMS Entertainment and Nihon Ad Systems)
2-10-5 Higashiōizumi, Nerima, Tokyo 178-8567, Japan Founded on January 23, 1956. Toei Company owns 32%.
Grand-Slam Ltd. Tavac
Toei Animation Music Publishing
Toei Animation Philippines
Toei Animation Inc.
Toei Animation Europe

America[]

  • Bandai Namco Games America
    • Bandai Namco Games Brazil
    • Bandai Namco Games US
    • Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver
  • Bandai Namco Online

Europe[]

Bandai Namco Holdings - Content SBU Europe
Parent Company Subsidiary Location Notes
Bandai Namco Games Europe Bandai Namco Games Europe
Bandai Namco Games France Cergy-Pontoise, France
Bandai Namco Games Hellas (Greece) Alexandroupoli, Greece
Bandai Namco Games Nordic Stockholm, Sweden
Bandai Namco Games Portugal
Bandai Namco Games Iberica Madrid, Spain
Bandai Namco Games Germany Frankfurt, Germany
Bandai Namco Games UK (United Kingdom) London, England
Bandai Namco Games Romania Bucharest, Romania
Beez Entertainment

Oceania[]

  • Bandai Namco Games Australia
  • Bandai Namco Games NZ (New Zealand)
  • Bandai Namco Studios Asia Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, formerly Infogrames Studios Asia Pty Ltd and Atari Studios Pty Ltd.
  • Bandai Namco Melbourne House Pty Ltd in Melbourne, Australia, formerly Infogrames Melbourne House Pty Ltd and Atari Melbourne House Pty Ltd.
  • Bandai Namco Partners Australia Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, founded as Ozisoft Pty Ltd in 1982, acquired July 7, 2009, from Atari.
  • Bandai Namco Partners Asia Holdings Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia. Former names have been Atari Asia Holdings Pty Ltd and Infogrames Asia Holdings Pty Ltd, serves as Namco Bandai's asset holdings company for the Asian region outside Japan.

Former subsidiaries[]

  • Banpresto Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd and acquired on April 1, 2008.
  • Namco Tales Studio in Tokyo, Japan, it was founded as Wolf Team in 1986, and was fully acquired from Telenet Japan on September 29, 2005.
  • Namco Networks America Inc.

Amusement Facility SBU[]

The Amusement Facility SBU oversees the company's theme parks and the management of its own arcades, most of which were acquired through the merger with Namco.

  • Hanayashiki Co. Ltd acquired with Banpresto in March 2006.
  • Namco Ltd.
    • Namco Entertainment
  • Pleasure Cast Co. Ltd, acquired with Banpresto in March 2006.

Affiliated Business Companies[]

  • Sotsu
  • Happinet Corporation
  • Artpresto Co. Ltd.
  • Kaikaya Limited
  • Bandai Namco Will Inc.
  • Bandai Namco Business Arc Inc.
  • Bandai Logipal Inc./Logipal Express Inc.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "2015 Annual Financial Statement" (PDF). Bandai Namco. {{cite web}}:
  2. 2.0 2.1 Bandai, Namco to merge in Sept to form Japan's No 3 toy, game group - UPDATE 2, Forbes.com, 5 February 2005, archived from the original on 14 August 2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20110814014400/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2005/05/02/afx1990362.html, retrieved 20 December 2010 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Corporate Data | About Company | BANDAI NAMCO Holdings". Bandainamco.co.jp. Retrieved 2014-06-28. {{cite web}}:
  4. Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) Inc. introduction, Bandai Namco, http://www.namcobandai.com/company/index.html, retrieved 4 August 2010 
  5. "NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. – News". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2010-06-24. Retrieved 2016-03-08. {{cite web}}:
  6. Zaun, Todd (3 May 2005). "INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Power Rangers Meet Pac-Man in $1.7 Billion Deal" – via NYTimes.com. {{cite web}}:
  7. "May 2, 2005: Namco And Bandai Merger - Press Releases - News - Vending Times". www.vendingtimes.com. {{cite web}}:
  8. "Tekken's worldwide domination continues as it goes online for the first time on the PlayStation 3 system". Namco Bandai Games America Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2011. {{cite web}}:
  9. 9.0 9.1 http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/releases/images/3/26785.pdf
  10. "NAMCO BANDAI Holdings Inc. Announces Acquisition of CCP Co., Ltd.". Reuters. 2006-09-12. https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/keyDevelopments?symbol=7832.T&pn=6. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
  11. About Company - History, Namco Bandai Holdings Inc., http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/about/history/, retrieved 31 December 2010 
  12. "Games, reviews, previews, nieuws, tips, video's en trailers - IGN Benelux". Uk.games.ign.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28. {{cite web}}:
  13. "About Company - History". Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. Retrieved 2010-12-31. {{cite web}}:
  14. "Namco Bandai To Swallow Atari Europe". Edge. 2009-05-14. Archived from the original on 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: ; deadurl
  15. Schilling, Mark (2008-09-10). "Namco Bandai buys Infogrames stake". Reed Business Information. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117992022. Retrieved 2011-01-23. 
  16. "Infogrames And Namco Bandai's Europe Joint Venture". kotaku.com. Retrieved 2011-01-23. {{cite web}}:
  17. "Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. Fully Acquires Three Companies". Reuters. 2009-11-05. https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/keyDevelopments?symbol=7832.T. Retrieved 2010-12-11. 
  18. "D3 Publosher Addresses Bandai Namco takeover - Edge Magazine". Web.archive.org. 2009-03-18. Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2016-03-08. {{cite web}}:
  19. "Namco Bandai Acquires D3 Publisher | News | Edge Online". Web.archive.org. 2009-03-18. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved 2016-03-08. {{cite web}}: ; deadurl
  20. "Namco Bandai Opens Social Gaming Development Studio In Vancouver". Vending Times. September 1, 2013. http://www.vendingtimes.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=EB79A487112B48A296B38C81345C8C7F&nm=Vending+Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=A8FF747D08724576BAAED0D5B3B1746F. Retrieved September 4, 2013. 
  21. "BANDAI NAMCO Group | BANDAI NAMCO Holdings". Bandainamco.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2014-06-28. {{cite web}}: ; deadurl
  22. Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. Annual Report 2007, Namco Bandai Holdings, http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/ir/annual/pdf_bnh/en_2007_3.pdf, retrieved 21 December 2010 
  23. Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. Annual Report 2009, Namco Bandai Holdings, http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/ir/annual/pdf_bnh/en_2009_3.pdf, retrieved 21 December 2010 
  24. Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. Annual Report 2010, Namco Bandai Holdings, http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/ir/annual/pdf_bnh/en_2010_3.pdf, retrieved 21 December 2010 
  25. Toys and Hobby, Namco Bandai, archived from the original on 29 May 2010, https://web.archive.org/web/20100529054250/http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/about/business/toyshobby.html, retrieved 19 October 2010 
  26. Global Development, Bandai, http://www.bandai.co.jp/e/company/global.html, retrieved 19 October 2010 
  27. "Game Contents | Strategic Business Units |NAMCO BANDAI Holdings". Web.archive.org. 2009-04-04. Archived from the original on April 4, 2009. Retrieved 2016-03-08. {{cite web}}: ; deadurl
  28. http://www.bandainamcostudios.my/studio.html

External links[]

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