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Sammy Buys Shares, Angling For Sega Takeover

Posted by simoniker on from the monday-morning-excitement dept.

cdneng2 writes "Following failed merger talks earlier this year, it seems like game developer/pachinko giant Sammy has made a bid to acquire 22.4% of Sega shares. Sega's former parent company CSK sold its shares to Sammy, Japan's largest pachinko machine maker, who also has a game development subsidiary. The article mentions: 'Sega managed to rebuff its most enthusiastic suitors [including Namco, possibly EA, Microsoft] in a determined effort to remain independent', but it seems their efforts may be failing. The piece also notes: 'Sega officials are believed to have been particularly unhappy about a merger with Sammy due to the shady image of the pachinko industry in Japan'."

4 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. Pity about Pachinko's reputation... by DLWormwood · · Score: 4, Insightful
    It's the last surviving profitable form of bagatelle or pinball in the world right now. And pachinko's a destinctinly Asian, if not Japanese, gaming form. You would think that this game would have more success as a cultural export. (I find Japanese slot machines all the time here in the Midwest, but rarely find a pachinko machine.)

    I own one, and I can say that it's very fun to play with. The only prob is keeping the machine fed with ball bearings. They don't recycle their own bearings; they have to be mounted in a special wall for that. I really ought to dig it back out of that attic sometime...

    --
    Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
  2. Better than Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo.... by dstyle5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... buying them. If the Sammy buyout goes through then Sega will most likely still develop games for all consoles. :) If Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo would buy them then Sega games would be exclusive to one console again, which isn't fun if you don't have all 3 consoles.

    1. Re:Better than Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo.... by SScorpio · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Why would you need all 3 consoles? Wouldn't you just need the console from the company that bought them out?

      Right now you need all 3 console to get the full Sega product line such as Panzer Dragoon, and Shenmue on the Xbox, Shinobi, Virtua Fighter on the PS2, and Sonic Adventure 1 & 2, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg on the GCN.

      One of them buying Sega would require you to need to own fewer consoles. Of course in the end it would be better for them to produce every game for every console but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

  3. Sega makes Gambling Machines as well by cdneng2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Pachinko is an Asian gambling machine, and most people aren't aware that Sega makes gambling machines (Royal Derby, Blackjack, Royal Ascot, Bingo Party, and Roulette Club) as well.