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Hitmaker
TypeDivision (Defunct)
IndustryVideo games industry
FoundedFebruary 2000; 25 years ago (2000-02)
Defunct2004; 21 years ago (2004)
FateMerged with Sega's Research and Development
HeadquartersJapan
OwnerSega

Hitmaker was a division of Japanese video game developer of Sega.

History[]

Sega Rosso logo

Logo for Sega Rosso before being merged into Hitmaker

In 2000, all of Sega's in-house Consumer (CS) and Amusement Machine (AM) R&D departments were separated from the main company and established on 9 semi-autonomous subsidiaries, with each subsidiary getting an elected president as a studio head.[1] However, for more financial stability, Sega began consolidating its studios into five main ones in 2003 (Sega Wow, Sega AM2, Hitmaker, Amusement Vision, Smilebit, Sonic Team), and merged them back into a uniform R&D structure in 2004.

Hitmaker was established from the AM3 department which has created popular arcade favourites in past, such as Virtual-On, Derby Owners Club, Crazy Taxi and Virtua Tennis. It was headed by Hisao Oguchi, Mie Kumagai and Kenji Kanno.

Sega Rosso was headed by Kenji Sasaki, the company was short-lived before being absorbed by Hitmaker. It contributed to Sega's arcade line-up with Cosmic Smash and Initial D Arcade Stage.[2] With the latter becoming a major franchise.

In 2003, Mie Kumagai replaced Hisao Oguchi as the company president,[3] when Hisao Oguchi was promoted to President of the entire Sega company. Also in 2003, the studio absorbed Sega Rosso, making Initial D Arcade Stage part of its line-up.[4] By 2004, Hitmaker had 193 employees which focused on arcade development after the integration into Sega.[5]

List of games[]

Hitmaker[]

Arcade
List of SEGA Hitmaker games
Title Platform Release Year
Derby Owners Club 2000 Arcade 2000
Confidential Mission Arcade 2000
Crackin' DJ Arcade 2000
Air Trix Arcade 2001
Virtua Tennis 2 Arcade 2001
Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Force Arcade 2001
The Maze of the Kings Arcade 2001
World Club Champion Football Arcade 2002
Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Arcade 2003
The Key of Avalon: The Wizard Master Arcade 2003
The Quiz Show Arcade 2004
Dreamcast
  • Virtua Athlete 2K (2000)
  • Virtua Tennis (2000)
  • Confidential Mission (2001)
  • Cosmic Smash (2001)
  • Crazy Taxi 2 (2001)
  • Segagaga (2001)
  • Virtua Tennis 2 (2001)
Game Boy Advance
PlayStation 2
  • Crazy Taxi (2001)
  • Virtua Tennis 2 (2002)
  • Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Marz (2003)
  • Initial D Special Stage (2003)
Xbox
  • Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (2002)
GameCube
PC
  • Derby Owners Club Online (2004)

Sega Rosso[]

Arcade
  • NASCAR Arcade (2000)
  • Star Wars Racer Arcade (2000)
  • La Keyboard XYU (2001)
  • Cosmic Smash (2001)
  • Initial D Arcade Stage (2002)
  • Soul Surfer (2002)
Dreamcast
  • Cardcaptor Sakura: Tomoyo no Video Daisakusen (2000)
  • Cosmic Smash (2001)

References[]

  1. "Sega Corporation Annual Report 2000" (PDF). www.segasammy.co.jp. Retrieved 2018-01-09. {{cite web}}:
  2. "Sega Corporation Annual Report 2002" (PDF). www.segasammy.co.jp. Retrieved 2018-01-09. {{cite web}}:
  3. "Mie Kumagai will take over the head position at Hitmaker". www.games-zone.8m.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2015-05-18. {{cite web}}:
  4. "Video Games Daily | News: Sega Studio Mergers: Full Details". 2003-07-25. http://archive.videogamesdaily.com/news/200307/037.asp. Retrieved 2015-05-18. 
  5. "Notice on Reorganization of the Company's R&D Subsidiaries" (PDF). www.segasammy.co.jp. 2004-05-18. Retrieved 2018-01-09. {{cite web}}:
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