Namco Bandai Teams with Codemasters for Distribution - NA

Namco Bandai and Codemasters are teaming up. Namco Bandai will be distributing their games for them over Europe. In this article we will go over what this means for both companies.

Namco Bandai and the Changing Times

The main thing it means is that Codemasters do not feel they can go on their own anymore. Big companies are edging out smaller ones. The environment just is not suitable for mid level publishers anymore.

Are Mid-level Publishers Vanishing?

There has been an explosion of big studios. At the same time, small development teams are racking in huge donations. However we are seeing mid-level firms vanish or be bought out. THQ was a great example of this. It looks like Codemasters is headed down the same road. Will they be bought by Namco Bandai or someone else? Only time will tell. However it is obvious that things have never been harder for mid-level developers.

Grid 2 – the Test Case for the Partnership

The Grid 2 will be the first big game put out by Namco Bandai. What is interesting is that they have been partners before, but are now making it official.  The Grid 2 is a fast-paced racing game.

Namco Bandai, EA and a New Model

Far from the only big company to do this, EA also does this. We are seeing many big companies take others under their wing, so to speak. This may have become a new model for distribution. Of course developing a game and not publishing it yourself is nothing new. We just may be heading into an era in which nearly all companies are under a larger one. We can only guess how this will shake up the industry. Feel free to share your own ideas on this subject with us as well. No matter what happens, the industry is changing with each new project.