A million JRPG fans held their breath when it was announced that Atlus’s parent company, Index, was under investigation trouble for fabricating business transactions and later faced with bankruptcy. Rumors of who would take the reins went rampant, but only one buyer stood on top: Sega Sammy.
Japanese site Nikkei reports that Index will be acquired by Sega Sammy once the purchase for 14 billion yen is finalized in November. Though that may be a little over a month away, Sega is reportedly already moving management into Index.
This may not have been the result some (Nintendo and Sony fanboys) sought, this ensures that Atlus will not be tied to a single console in each generation. Shin Megami Tensei, Etrian Odyssey, and Persona fans can breathe easy knowing Sega is fond of releasing on multiple platforms within a console generation.
Those who are fans of Atlus titles may be able to agree that Sega Sammy is a fine fit for the developer/publisher. Both are unafraid to release niche titles on both sides of the water and are prone to taking gambles. This all seems like a win-win-win, and I am glad the end to this bumpy road was a good one.
