Japanese gaming company Bandai Namco closes Vancouver studio

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      Within a span of a few months, a second Japanese video-game developer has closed its Vancouver studio.

      Bandai Namco Vancouver senior vice-president of development and Tekken mobile game director Landon Nguyen announced the closure on November 15.

      The Vancouver studio was located at the Centre for Digital Media and had developed games such as Tap My Katamari, Pac-Man Bounce, and Pac-Man 256.

      The Georgia Straight has contacted Bandai Namco Vancouver for more information.

      Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver

      In a B.C. government news release dated April 10, 2013, Bandai Namco made an announcement from Japan that it would open two new studios in June 2013: one in Vancouver and another in Singapore.

      The news release also stated that Bandai Namco sought to develop content that drew upon local cultures and trends that could be delivered to international audiences. The company intended for the Vancouver studio to focus on developing game content for North American and European customers and next-generation entertainment.

      The company also opened a studio in Malaysia in 2016.

      Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver

      According to a November 7 financial report, the company had an 8.4-percent increase in net sales (¥334,665 million, or $3,900 million Cdn) for the second quarter of the fiscal year (ending in March 31, 2019). However, net sales for the full fiscal year are projected to be down by 4.2 percent (¥650,000, or $7,575 million Cdn) compared to the previous year.

      The video game operations at Bandai and Namco merged in 2006 to become what is now Tokyo-based Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco Bandai Games).

      This local closure follows in the wake of another Japan-based studio shutting down in Metro Vancouver. Capcom Game Studio Vancouver closed its Burnaby studio on September 18.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook.

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