Japanese gambling giants Sammy have finally bought Sega, following months of rumours that they would do so. Sammy, already Sega's top shareholder, will merge the two companies in a deal worth $1.4 billion.
An attempted merger between the two gaming outfits failed last year following disagreements about management style and the merger bid was scrapped in May 2003. However, Sammy subsequently bought a 22% share in Sega in December and Sammy chief executive Hajime Satomi was named new Sega chairman in February.
One of the main areas of interest for Satomi is in using Sega games in Sammy's Atomiswave coin-ops, the latest edition of their arcade cartridge system platform. A central part of the Atomiswave system is its broadband cartridge, allowing for online arcade gaming.
How the merger will affect Sega's console games remains to be seen, although analysts have already speculated that Satomi will attempt to make savings in Sega's celebrated research and development studios.
While Sammy are probably best known in the UK for their arcade gun games (such as Sports Shooting USA and Ranger Mission, which we saw at this year's ATEI coin-op show), far more lucrative is the fact that they are Japan's top manufacturer of pachinko gambling machines, the vertical pinball that is a Japanese national obsession.
Kilde : Gamesradar
An attempted merger between the two gaming outfits failed last year following disagreements about management style and the merger bid was scrapped in May 2003. However, Sammy subsequently bought a 22% share in Sega in December and Sammy chief executive Hajime Satomi was named new Sega chairman in February.
One of the main areas of interest for Satomi is in using Sega games in Sammy's Atomiswave coin-ops, the latest edition of their arcade cartridge system platform. A central part of the Atomiswave system is its broadband cartridge, allowing for online arcade gaming.
How the merger will affect Sega's console games remains to be seen, although analysts have already speculated that Satomi will attempt to make savings in Sega's celebrated research and development studios.
While Sammy are probably best known in the UK for their arcade gun games (such as Sports Shooting USA and Ranger Mission, which we saw at this year's ATEI coin-op show), far more lucrative is the fact that they are Japan's top manufacturer of pachinko gambling machines, the vertical pinball that is a Japanese national obsession.
Kilde : Gamesradar
