Sales 2023: JPY 990.089 billion (€ 6.514 billion)

Overview

The Japanese corporation Bandai Namco emerged in 2005 from the merger of the toy and video game companies of the same name, founded in the 1950s. Thanks to game brands such as "Pac-Man," "Tekken," and "Dark Souls," and toy licenses for globally successful anime series such as "Dragon Ball," "One Punch Man," and "Sailor Moon," Bandai Namco is Japan's third-largest entertainment company behind Sony and Nintendo.

General Information

Headquarters
BANDAI NAMCO Mirai Kenkyusho
5-37-8, Shiba, Minato-ku
Tokyo, 108-0014
Japan
website: www.bandainamco.co.jp

Branches of trade: Video games, toys, TV and cinema productions, amusement parks
Legal form: Stock Company
Financial year: 01.04. – 31.03.
Founding year: 2005

Basic economic data

	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
Revenue (in million ¥)	990.089	889.270	740.903	723.989	732.347	678.312
Profit (in million ¥)	90.345	92.752	48.849	57.665	84.045	75.020
share price (in ¥, year-end)	2.839	2.771	2.998	2.975	2.210	1.615

Executives and Directors

Board of Directors:

• Masaru Kawaguchi, President & Representative Director
• Yuji Asako, Director
• Nobuhiko Momoi, Director
• Nao Udagawa, Director (Part-time)
• Kazuhiro Takenaka, Director (Part-time)
• Makoto Asanuma, Director (Part-time)
• Hiroshi Kawasaki, Director (Part-time)
• Shuji Ohtsu, Director (Part-time)
• Toshio Shimada, Director (Part-time, Outside)
• Koichi Kawana, Director (Part-time, Outside)

History

Bandai, founded in 1950 by Naoharu Yamashina (1918-1997), became one of the world's leading toy companies thanks to brands such as "Digimon" and "Kamen Rider" and the development of the first Tamagotchi handheld. Namco (Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company), founded in 1955 by Masaya Nakamura (1925-2017), began as a manufacturer of ride-on toys for children in shopping malls. In 1974, the company acquired the Japanese subsidiary of the US computer game manufacturer Atari and entered the arcade business. With its best-known games, Pac-Man and Galaga, Namco paved the way for the global triumph of video and arcade games in the early 1980s. A merger of the two companies in 2005 was a natural choice: Both companies expected significant synergy effects from the combination of Bandai's creative franchise development teams with Namco's video game expertise - especially in view of Japan's shrinking population and the number of children and teenagers decreasing year after year.

In February 2009, Bandai Namco acquired 34 percent of Atari Europe and expanded into Europe. The goal was also to establish a stronger position as a games publisher. Through various collaborations, the distribution network was expanded to over 50 countries. Due to the changing user habits caused by the mobile boom, the company simultaneously announced a "Restart Plan" and increasingly focused on social games and smartphone apps, with success. 

In-house classic games like Pac-Man and Galaga were reissued as HD remakes for use on consoles from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. In the handheld sector in particular, the titles "One Piece Unlimited Cruise," "Ridge Racer," and "Tales of the Abyss" proved to be bestsellers, and Bandai's most valuable brand, the science fiction series Gundam, became a Facebook hit in collaboration with social gaming expert DeNA.

management

Mitsuaki Taguchi, President and CEO since April 2018 and previously responsible for the arcade machine business and public relations, was removed from operational management in April 2021 and is now Chairman of the Board. Masaru Kawaguchi became the new CEO and immediately initiated a restructuring of the company. The boundaries between Bandai and Namco—that is, between toys and games—will become even more blurred in the future. Similar to its competitors Konami and Sega, Bandai Namco aims to be perceived as a fully integrated entertainment group.

Business Units

The top entertainmentThe division develops and distributes licensed video games, toys, music, and anime series. Well-known and successful titles include the "Dragon Ball" series, "One Piece," "Gundam," "Soul Calibur," "Ace Combat," and "Jump Force." The company is also increasingly active in the e-sports sector.

The Amusement-Segment develops and operates arcades and amusement parks.

Affiliated Business Companies are various distribution networks and logistics providers that help the company distribute its products worldwide.

Current developments

For around 40 years, Bandai Namco could rely on high profits from legacy franchises like "Gundam," "Pac-Man," and others. But management knows that it must develop new hits and further internationalize existing brands if it wants to remain at the forefront in ten years' time – for example, through storylines tailored to foreign and specifically Chinese markets and ambitious console titles like the role-playing game "Elden Ring," developed jointly with From Software and "Game of Thrones" creator George RR Martin.

Bandai Namco's image as a reputable game developer recently suffered its first dent – albeit largely through no fault of its own. As a distribution partner of the Polish developer CD Project Red, the company released the highly hyped role-playing game "Cyberpunk 2077" in 24 European countries in 2020. The problem: The science fiction shooter was riddled with so many bugs that it was simply unplayable, especially on older consoles, and thousands of disappointed players canceled their purchases.