Nintendo Acquires Xenosaga Developer: IGN.com

[*NormalGamer*]

wii.ign.com/articles/784/784029p1.html

Nintendo Acquires Xenosaga Developer
Namco transfers its hold in Monolith.

by Anoop Gantayat

April 26, 2007 - Nintendo may have just become a major player in the RPG field. Bandai Namco Holdings issued a press release today announcing that it will transfer 80% of its 96% stake in Monolith Soft to Nintendo, effective May 1.

As reason for the move, the firm cited considerations involving the future growth of the Monolith studio and the desire to strengthen its relationship with Nintendo in the console software business.

Monolith is known primarily for its work on the Xenosaga series, which has been mostly a PlayStation franchise. On Nintendo platforms, the developer brought Xenosaga I&II to the DS and also supported the GameCube through Baten Kaitos and its sequel.

This isn't the end of relations between Monolith and Bandai Namco, though. In addition to retaining a 16% stake in the developer, Bandai Namco says that it will continue to make use of the studio for planning and development. What this means for the Xenosaga series is anyone's guess at this point, but we'll let you know if we hear anything.

[Pilgrim John]

Xenosaga and Baten Kaitos were made by the same developer? Interesting. I hope they make more entries in each series for the Wii. *daydreams of a Xenosaga/Baten Kaitos crossover*

[*NormalGamer*]

Speaking of crossovers, they also developed Namco x Capcom for the PS2 which hasn't seen an international release due to Namco and Capcom's dissagreement on whether or not they're bringing the game over internationally.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namco_x_Capcom

[Pilgrim John]

Yeah, I've read up on that already. It was also not a very big success in sales, which might also lend it a reason as to why it was never translated.
But still: Klonoa versus Sir Arthur. KOS-MOS versus Morrigan. Is there any reason why it isn't cool?

[*NormalGamer*]

With lots of diverse Namco characters in that game, If only we could see "Capcom Vs. Namco" fighting game(In 2D with MvS style gameplay preferabaly since the past 2D Vs. games were so good) aside from NxC which is an RPG.

For now, NxC is the only game to make that dream come true already.

[benwayshouse]

Even so, Namco still owns the property rights, so I'm kinda confused how the whole thing will work. They really said that Episode III ended the series (which I certainly don't regret, since the game was awesome and all), but I guess an Ep 4 could happen if they wanted it to.. Ep 4'd dump out all of the main cast except for chaos and KOS-MOS though, according to the original story that was planned, and I'd hate to have to let go of Shion and her buds.

[Waffle Monger]

XS was supposed to have 6 episodes... tis sad they had to cut it.

[benwayshouse]

Yeah, if Ep III was any indication, the rest of the series was bound to be very very good.

[Pilgrim John]

...Well, I've never actually played the Xenosaga games, but maybe after I beat the Baten Kaitos games, I might want to ditch the fantasy setting in favor of exploring the darkness of outer space. My sister loves her some Xenosaga, though... Along with BK, Tales of (Anything), Kingdom Hearts... Come to think of it, the only RPG series she's not into is Final Fantasy.

[benwayshouse]

If that has anything to do with some of the newer Final Fantasies, then I really don't blame her. If it includes Final Fantasy VI, VIII and IX, SMACK HER UP

Xenosaga's great though. I honestly think Xenosaga III is among the best RPGs ever, especially when you take into account everything it had riding against it after the backlash from Episode II.

[Waffle Monger]

I love the story of Xenosaga and hope for it to be written in novel form. It has the best written Japanese RPG story of the Sony Generation.