Bandai Namco Canceling Games and Cutting Staff

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Bandai Namco Canceling Games and Cutting Staff

Key Takeaways

  • Bandai Namco is reducing its workforce and canceling several upcoming titles due to low demand.
  • Over 100 employees have left so far, with another 100 potentially resigning in the coming months.
  • The company’s most recent release, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, sold over three million copies in its first day.

As a long-time gamer who has witnessed the rise and fall of many gaming giants, I must say, Bandai Namco’s current situation leaves me with a mix of emotions. On one hand, it’s disheartening to see such a storied company like Bandai Namco struggling, particularly when they are responsible for some of my all-time favorite games like Tekken and Dark Souls.

Bandai Namco is making some adjustments by downsizing their team and postponing or cancelling certain projects, including one collaboration with Nintendo. This decision comes despite the successful sales of their latest game, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, released in April 2024. To optimize its portfolio, Bandai Namco has reportedly been reorganizing its employees and reconsidering several upcoming titles.

Back in 2006, the companies Bandai and Namco merged together with the aim of expanding their reach to new player communities. Today, they stand as one of the world’s leading game developers, with popular franchises like Tekken, Dark Souls, and Ace Combat under their belt. Recent games such as Tekken 8 and Dragon Hall: Sparking Zero have garnered massive success, but unfortunately, Bandai Namco has decided to postpone the global release of their upcoming anime MMO, Blue Protocol, with its Japanese servers set to close in January 2025. To reduce expenses, the company is resorting to a unique cost-cutting measure by letting go of some staff members.

Based on Bloomberg reports, Bandai Namco is implementing a Japanese technique known as ‘oidashi beya’ to encourage employees to voluntarily leave, rather than terminating them and offering severance pay. The strategy involves assigning workers to idle rooms, leading to around 100 resignations since April due to the aggravating conditions. It is predicted that an additional 100 staff members will resign in the near future. This practice is primarily used to navigate Japan’s stringent labor laws, which make it challenging to dismiss employees without severe economic reasons.

Over 100 Bandai Namco Employees Have Resigned Since April 2024

Bandai Namco denies forcing employees to leave voluntarily through ‘oidashi beya’, but instead states that some staff members are being asked to temporarily stand down until their next assignment. Regrettably, Bandai Namco has terminated the mobile game Tales of the Rays and put on hold the development of several titles, including those based on popular anime and manga series like One Piece and Naruto. Additionally, a project commissioned by Nintendo is no longer in progress, though specifics about the game remain undisclosed.

Despite the setbacks from postponed and abandoned projects, Bandai Namco is rejoicing over a significant triumph with “Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero”. This is the initial installment in the “Budokai Tenkaichi” series in 15 years, and it’s been a hit since its release on October 10, selling over three million copies globally. Additionally, on Steam alone, it managed to attract 122,554 concurrent players, demonstrating that Bandai Namco still possesses some impressive enchantment.

Enthusiasts are buzzing about several forthcoming video games inspired by anime that are planned by the developer, such as the recently exposed “Death Note: Killer Within” and “Bleach: Soul’s Resurrection.” However, since these titles don’t have fixed launch dates yet, players are keeping their fingers crossed that they won’t face any delays due to the ongoing challenges at Bandai Namco.

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2024-10-15 18:03