SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today unveiled the formation of SURGE™, a new studio and publishing label dedicated to providing cutting-edge, genre-defining games that are targeted at satiating the appetite of western gamers. SURGE will deliver quality interactive entertainment across a wide assortment of categories and platforms.

“SURGE presents a significant milestone for NAMCO BANDAI as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope,” said Andrew Lelchuk, executive vice president of sales and marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc. “Through passion and innovation, SURGE will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.”

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Surge presents a significant milestone for Namco Bandai as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope. Through passion and innovation, Surge will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.

Surge presents a significant milestone for Namco Bandai as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope. Through passion and innovation, Surge will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.

Surge presents a significant milestone for Namco Bandai as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope. Through passion and innovation, Surge will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.

Namco Bandai forms 'Surge' label, targets Western gamers originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not much of a secret that almost every Japanese game developer outside of Nintendo is looking to recapture the western market from western game developers. There are two ways to do this. One being develop more games with a western slant or two, and you need silly Square Enix money to pull this one off, buy a western studio with already established games that are popular in the west. Since Square Enix does have silly Square Enix money, they’re taking the latter route. MCV is reporting that the company has shown strong interest in buying the floundering Eidos, making them and Warner Brothers the top two contenders.

Although the analyst seem to be predicting that WB will win the bidding war since they already hold a 30 percent share in Eidos, many believe that Square Enix shareholders are looking for an all-or-nothing bid for Eidos instead of just buying out a few franchises. Representatives of Square have already traveled to a few of Eidos’ development studious in Europe and it seems interest is very high with sources saying, “I think Warners will still win, but it’s very interesting that Square have expressed this late interest. They are clearly looking for Western talent.”

If the bigwigs over at Eidos were to look upwards today, they may see a stream of buzzards circling overhead in a most ominous fashion, if a report over on MCV is to be believed. Last week and this week, most rumors circulating around the possible take over of Eidos have mentioned Electronic Arts and Ubisoft within the same sentence, but Warner Brothers is the one that has purchased 20 percent of the stock in Eidos and have had restrictions lifted on purchasing more. However, today, MCV is reporting that Square Enix is thinking about throwing their hat into the ring as well… or to begin circling the skies above Eidos with the rest of the lot.

Although Warner Brothers would only have to purchase another $30 million for a controlling interest in Eidos, $80 million would give it total control over the company. Yet, with Square Enix showing interest now in the way of company president Yoichi Wada visiting Eidos’ Denmark developer studios, rumors have the Square set to make a bid on controlling interest in the company.

A source for MCV stated that: “I think Warners will still win, but it’s very interesting that Square have expressed this late interest. They are clearly looking for Western talent.”

This would make perfect sense because Square is interested in creating titles with a more Western appeal, and with Eidos in dire straits financially, this could indeed be a significant step towards a more global market for Square Enix. That is, unless Warner Brothers beats them to the punch.

Until more a concrete announcement is made however, take the news of Square Enix making a play towards Eidosas just a rumor for the time being and don’t count out Warner Brothers just yet. Someone will win the race eventually, and when they do we will be sure to let you know who crossed the finish line first.

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Related Articles at Gaming Today:

• Warner Bros. Signs Deal with SCi; Eidos Layoffs Abound
• Exhibitor List Revealed for E3 2008
• Final Fantasy VII Announcement Rumor
• Takeover Looms for SCi Once Again
• Square Enix Did Not Promise Final Fantasy XIII in 2008

Nintendo's hard-on for region locking anything it can has just got a little more ridiculous, if one Australian gamer's troubles are anything to go by. According to an Aussie NeoGAF user, imports from Animal Crossing: Wild World to Animal Crossing: City Folk/Let's Go to the City are region specific, meaning a US DS card won't import to a PAL copy of the game.

Even more stupidly, it seems that DS AC cards bought in Australia won't actually work with the Australian version of the Wii game. A stupid sad cat merely whines at the unlucky Aussie: "Hrm? I don't think you have the right game card."

Basically, the "Australian" version of Animal Crossing: Wild World is the United States version. While perfectly acceptable on the DS, where cards are region-free, Nintendo's utterly needless region-locking of this import feature has basically ruined a part of Let's Go to the City for Australian gamers. According to a European gamer, this isn't a problem elsewhere in the PAL territories, but we'll see how widespread it gets.

Incredibly stupid and needless region locking like this is pathetic. I wish Nintendo would realize that it doesn't need to be this anal about making sure only certain people can play certain games. Many Western developers get along fine without forcing territory locks, a company as big and influential as Nintendo should grow up about it.