Namco Bandai Locks Down Dragon Ball License For America
If you live in the lovely continent of North America, expect all Dragon Ball games you buy (or your parents buy you) in the next five years to have a Namco Bandai label on them.
The publisher has secured exclusive rights to the franchise, it announced today, granting it the power to publish Dragon Ball games “across all major consoles and hand held platforms.” Previously, the licence was handled by both Namco Bandai and Atari. The latter had a dispute with rights holder FUNimation in 2007.
The first three games to ship after the Namco Bandai deal are Dragon Ball: Raging Blast for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo for Wii, and Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans for Nintendo DS.
Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@Archaotic: How many times has Atari died now?
More Dragon Ball games, please. We've seen enough of Z, but the original, superior series hasn't gotten much love.
gordiehowe5
@kiramon: kamehaha
@Lainface: You not needing anymore surely doesn't effect it in any way. If you don't need it don't get it.
Vamplosion
@Do Kesubei: AMEN.
Rompehamster
@wazzzup16:
Less filler
SaanZ
@Spiderbait: actualy the main difference with SSJ2 was that Gohan was flickering with energy differently, you would not have ever noticed the hair getting longer, and Akira Toriyama has stated many times that he disliked transformations and did not even want to let Goku go SSJ, although he was ok with hime going Ozaru
@kyon-kyon: As long as someone's buying the games, they'll keep putting them out.
@Claude Comeau: Burst Limit was really limited... it had like 20 characters whereas in the previous game there were like... 200 characters LOL.
wazzzup16
@Raziel Dune: What would be the difference? Better intro?
wazzzup16
Honestly, if a real developer could get the rights to a game, I would like to see what they could make of an RPG. Imagine a DBZ game made by someone like Bioware.
ManBearChef
I thought the Budokai games were okay... but I loved the Tenkaichi Budokai games. And, since Bandai published the older Dragon Ball games... maybe we will see the older ones come out on Xbox Live/PSN/WiiWare. Or maybe just a compilation disc.
It could be bad though. Goku might be in Soul Calibur V.
@Colonel Burnill: Well considering the kick in the balls they got with the Ubisoft Naruto game, I would hope, that they follow their own Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm road and try to tell more story.
To me, the combination of "a little bit GTA" and a "2D fighter" sounds awesome and if they try a few times they might get it right. That said, we all know they won't follow that path..... and probably I am alone wanting them to. Mhhh. Now I am sad.
develin
@kyon-kyon: I disagree (slightly). We don't need another Dragon Ball game that follows the story--we have 10 or 20 versions (maybe more) that already do that!
What we NEED is a Dragon Ball game daring to do something new! Either continuing were Dragon Ball Z left off, not GT!
While there at it, they need to stop counting every transformation as an extra character--make them all the same character with the ability to power up/down with no variation in attack, just power increases/decreases. Goku Super Saiyan 1, 2, 3 or 4 is STILL SON GOKU! Get rid of kid (insert name here)! We only need the one important to the story being told, not the one shown in every story incarnation!
Creating new movies and combo system would also be a plus--please stop giving everyone similar/identical attacks (visually/command input-wise).
Should Namco-Bandai master these requests, I'll be ready to purchase a Dragon Ball game for the first time in years.
Thanks in advance Namco-Bandai m(_ _)m
American_N_Japan
"Hideous character designs" Im not a die hard fan but you boyfriend stick their dick up you ass to hard this morning?
I want TRUE Next Gen JRPG Dragon Ball Z game...
I miss those NES and SNES Dragon Ball RPGs...
Dragon Ball Z concept and RPG just go together so well...
DBZ = LEVEL UP
RPG = LEVEL UP
@+ Watch video
Tye-The-Czar
Can't Namco Bandai give the series' nipples a chance to recover from the nonstop milking. Just let it go and maybe you'll actually be able to make a different game.
I mean for the love of god it's ridiculous, I see more changes from year to year in the sports franchises than I do in these games. I think people keep buying them, hoping namco bandai finally did something to switch it up, sure enough every time they disappoint.
People need to let one of the games flop so Namco doesn't keep squeaking out Dragon Ball Z games with as little changes as possible for it to be considered a completely new game.
fanboyps3
@Kuwabara Kazuo:
Not to out geek you, but I think it was Justin Chatwin,
not "Jason Chatwick". lol. This coming from someone who didn't even watch that abomination of a movie. lol.
fanboyps3
RIP Atari
I wonder what cocky company will pick up the rights to the cursed Atari name next...
I hope it's EA!
Well good, I didn't like the direction Atari was taken with it
I should start collecting the Dragon Ball manga.
Kayube
@Hero-Link: OH SNAP!
His turtle wave failed.
"rich history of dude's with bad hair and hideous character designs punching each other in the sack for decades to come."
You're not cool. Stop trying.
billysan
@hazelnut - RIP Michael Jackson: I have never played a DQ game for very long (I CANNOT get into those games) but CT was awesome... In sprite form. The fully animated sequences on the PS1 kind of sucked... I just HATE his art style.
@Kamen Rider Gatack: Character designs on Chrono trigger are terrible, too, when they're not in-game sprites. You can really see it when Red haired goku and blond Bulma get married.
@InfernoT: I'd rather a Budokai 4. Integrate a bit of the engine from BL and inncrease the character roster aswell as integrating the proper storylines and you have the DBZ game from heaven.
@Lainface: The crotch is the area between your legs... If you walk on two legs, you have a crotch, even if you don't have balls, a penis, or a vagina.
@Lainface: Yeah burst limit sucked ass cheeks but its time to lay this series to rest.
@Handsome Al: Yes!
+ Watch video
@someone_else: The series was supposed to end with DBZ and SSJ wasn't supposed to be the end, SSJ3 was supposed to be the final transformation.
That's the reason why hardcore DB fans refuse to acknowledge the DBGT series since it was just tacked on due to the popularity of the franchise. When you think about it it makes sense; With SSJ2 they were exactly the same except for the fact that their hair was a bit longer. When Goku finally achieved SSJ3 his hair grew exponentially and he said that he could not sustain that form for long due to the extreme amount of power. Later, when they introduced SSJ4, he became covered in red fur, got new pants and his hair became black again. This transformation doesn't really mesh with the others and although he could only sustain SSJ3 for a limited time he could sustain SSJ4 indefinitely.
Spiderbait
@Claude Comeau: Not this gen you can't
FunkyMunxy
@Lainface: He's right, Burst Limit sucked. But that's exactly why they don't need to "let the series die." As far as I'm concerned they can keep trying until they create the perfect DBZ game.
FunkyMunxy
Don't care who publishes this as long as dimps makes a Burst Limit 2. Easily the best fighting engine out of any DBZ game, it just lacked content, not to mention looks eons better than that Raging Blast shit put together by spike.
Man, I liked Budokai. It was silly fun.
@Kyuu: I still liked it. :(
@Vamplosion: Don't remind me of that abortion. I think to myself that the title , the references, and the names were just a mere coincidence.
"No Goku, you are Oozaru"
"Goku: What!"
"Then Goku was a Zombie"
@kyon-kyon: Just let them release the DB Online first...
@hazelnut - RIP Michael Jackson: Honestly, I like Toriyama's drawing style. It's fit for JRPG concept art and he can conjure pretty nice character designs when he makes an effort.
But the Dragonball series just kind of declined into a never-ending roster of bulky men in budo suits with spikey hairdos (or no hairdos). He can do better, and he has, but by and large I'd say that - yes, DBZ has some pretty hideous character designs.
Kyuu
@someone_else: I heard the series was supposed to end with the end of the series but Toriyama was pushed to make the Buu Saga.
@njd09: What is this nonsense? Freiza doesn't have a crotch! I don't even accept that he's male. Just... it.
@Vamplosion: This is bad news in the sense that we don't need another one of these games. Uuugh...
I wish I were Akira Toriyama right now. I would love those walks to the bank.
@kyon-kyon: The series doesn't need to die, it just needs to be left alone for us to look back on... I am sooo tired of these goddamn games!
@conman577: Burst Limit sucked.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure they took that screen shot for a reason.
DemonJester13
BRING BACK BUDOKAI FOR 360 AND PS3
"bad character designs"
So I reckon you hated Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest Games? Just asking.
Yes. Maybe we can see a DBZ game that plays better than and has the looks as Ultimate Ninja Storm. F*** YEAH =D
@GamePark32:
Same here. I mean, I can see how someone can dislike his artstyle, but for a man who still designs characters for games after all these years(and they keep hiring him), you can't say he's terrible.
@ShaSt One: It's HD, re-edited, new voiceovers and Fillerless. Meaning no episodes with everyone just screaming for six episodes
Ernest Coghill
@kiramon: its kamehameha!
Hero-Link
@Daniel Villanueva: where?
Vamplosion
@Mit: They were essentially Atari's ONLY source of revenue, especially with their near-constant string of bombs last year.
Phil Harrison was smart to jump out when he did.
@Kamen Rider Gatack: LOL. Akira Toriyama also makes the character designs for several games like Tobal and Dragon Quest. I always thought his artwork was great.
North America is part of a lovely continet called America.
Daniel Villanueva
@Kuwabara Kazuo: geeko
Vamplosion
@conman577:
I just realized I described Budokai 4.
Get to work Namco Bandai!
I want a DBZ game developed by AM2.
Do Kesubei
@kyon-kyon: Actually, I'm all up for the idea. Budokai Tenkaichi 3 was one of the best DBZ fighting games. DBZ Burst Limit was excellent, but it was very lacking in comparison to its predecessor. If they can manage to put together the graphics of BL, destructive environments of Budokai, as well as all the characters in 3(plus story), then its the ultimate DBZ fighting game.
@someone_else: I agree it was overused after the cell saga, but it was obvious from the beginning of DBZ he was setting up the Super Sayain.
@Archaotic: Yeah, they're finished after this one. The Dragon Ball games had to be one of their chief sources of revenue.
@njd09: "we envision a long, rich history of dude's with bad hair and hideous character designs punching each other in the sack for decades to come." from the article, lol
@sentroshi: as I said erlier, I got bored of DBZ long before they made games, the Friza saga should have been the end, and at an absoloute push the perfect cell saga should have been the final story,
Kid Buu was just well a steaming pile of crap
"hideous character designs"
eat a dick
@njd09: yes he is, but he was androgenous so its not a problem anyway....
Burst Limit 2, please. Preferably with a much larger character roster.
InfernoT
yay, old series soundtrack license problems are gone
Resso
@kyon-kyon: dude the series died the moment Goku went SSJ, Toriyami (sic?) hatd the idea of tranformations, and they mad e a hundred or so episodes after that, lets ignore that fact that becoming SSJ became a free for all, and even freaking Goten could do it.
So the fact that the games have jumped the shark (majin Buu? should come as no surprise
@ShaSt One:
It's basically a remastered DBZ with all the filler cut out. About 30 episodes of DBZ = 12 episodes in DBKai. I'm watching it myself as it's airing and enjoying every minute of it. Brings back all kinds of nostalgic memories of childhood.. just minus the crap.
@Neon: I hadn't heard that. I'm far behind in my Anime airing in Japan.
So - reedited and HD. Sounds like a restored version, not a new version (like FMA: Brotherhood)?
The Forgetful Brain
I don't know about this, I enjoyed the Budokai games on the PS2 but my favorites are the RPG's on the GB. They arn't just good DBZ ganmes, they are good games full stop.
Anyone else tired of the Dragon Ball franchise? I stopped long ago at the PS2 ...
@Mat1cs is a Gentleman and a Scholar.: You actually can do this in the games.....
Claude Comeau
@kyon-kyon: It's not like you have to buy them....
Sure they've been coming out since the NES but it's not like this gen is over saturated with HD DBZ games. The only one that came out was Burst Limit and that was almost 2 years ago. Nowhere near as bad as the annual sport titles or sequels.
Is it just me, or is Frieza getting punched in the crotch?
njd09
@Neon: What's the difference between DBZ and DBKai? Is Kai just DBZ but HD?
RIP, Atari. You fought long and hard, but it looks like Dan Aykroyd's going to be setting down a ghost trap for you soon. =/
Is this deal worth over 9000?
Great with Atari out of the picture, the franchise can now move on. To be more repetitive at a cheaper price.
Colonel Burnill
I used to go bonkers over these games back when they were on the PS2. they won't hook me again.
unless you can go from normal to SSJ 1,2, and 3, do fusion later on in the same battle. then I'm sold.
This is pretty good news for me. They do the series justice. Not the best games ever but they're still fun.
Vamplosion
DragonBall Kai Games? i betcha.
Jason Chatwick FTL!
Kuwabara Kazuo
@kyon-kyon:
considering a reedited HD version of DBZ called DBKai is airing RIGHT now in japan no they are not. I just got back from a trip to tokyo and Dragonball is everywhere and as big as ever
Neon
WHYYYYY! We don't need anymore DBZ games. I guess people won't let that series die.
Kamahameha