Index (Atlus' parent company) declared bankruptcy

[Annubis]

After a stream of annual losses (Atlus was about the only thing making money) and legal problems, Index is finally going under.
https://twitter.com/sprsk/status/350164804150886400

I'm no legal expert but that should mean they will start selling all of their assets including Atlus.

I guess someone would buy that... but the question is who?

EDIT: More info -> http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-06-27/atlus-games-index-corporation-files-for-civil-rehabilitation-bankruptcy

(and my lame joke is: if Square Enix buys Atlus, will it be renamed Square Anus?)

[Klutz64]

Thankfully Square Enix has enough financial problems that I doubt buying anything is at the top of their to-do lists right now.

That being said, I think discussion of this topic has been relegated to the Megami Tensei thread for some reason. I guess Atlus doesn't make anything else.

[Aeolus]

And I hope to god Squeenix never touches Atlus. They'd just do what they've done with every other studio they've acquired thus far, slap their label on their current products, then gut the company, bleed out the talent, and let the IPs wither and die.

Honestly, I'd rather see them with either Marvelous or Sony (or perhaps Nintendo in the long run). Hell, I'd take Namdai over Squeenix despite not really being able to articulate why I wouldn't like to see them get it either.

[Taelus]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU*20 YEARS

Let the uncertain future begin.

[Klutz64]

Honestly, I'd rather see them with either Marvelous or Sony (or perhaps Nintendo in the long run). Hell, I'd take Namdai over Squeenix despite not really being able to articulate why I wouldn't like to see them get it either.

Atlus' online division seems to have been acquired by or partnered with Marvelous, so that one might actually be a possibility. Honestly, until we see Last Guardian I don't really trust Sony with niche studios like Atlus right now.

[Yggdrasil]

^As far as I know, P5 has almost been in the same amount of development time that The Last Guardian and Versus/XV has.

That being said, I think discussion of this topic has been relegated to the Megami Tensei thread for some reason. I guess Atlus doesn't make anything else.

I didn't move any discussion. I just put the news there because there wasn't any article online yet.

Also, Annubis do you want to put this on the OP for more info?

[Annubis]

Also, Annubis do you want to put this on the OP for more info?

More info is always nice.

[Klutz64]

Oh, nope. I wasn't accusing anyone of moving it. I just thought it was an odd place for it. I came online this morning after hearing the news and expected it to have it's own thread like this or for it to be in the news thread. I was surprised to find it in the Megami Tensei thread is all.

And I wasn't even aware that Persona 5 was confirmed in development, so I'll give you that.

[Yggdrasil]

^Well, they haven't 'officially' announce that P5 but the have said that they are working on it (without showing anything) for years now.

Personally I'm expecting to see it at TGS along with SMT x Fire Emblem. Dunno if this whole situation is gonna get in the way though.

[Kevadu]

Honestly, until we see Last Guardian I don't really trust Sony with niche studios like Atlus right now.

Wait, what?  The Last Guardian taking forever is a direct result of Sony being very hands-off with their developers.  The higher-ups at Sony have nothing to do with it, the problems are on the developer's side.  In fact, I think a lot of publishers would have pushed it out the door by now even if it wasn't totally ready.  Sony is kind of the complete opposite of publishers like EA with regard to stuff like this.

That said, I don't actually expect Sony to buy Atlus.  That's really not how they do things.  Sony typically develops a working relationship with the studios first, having them develop exclusives under contract first and if that goes well then they might acquire them.

[Annubis]

There are so many possibilities we could actually make a betting pool.

I think the least likely option is that no one would buy Atlus... I just can't see that happening.

[Starmongoose]

[Kevadu]

You guys do realize that bankruptcy doesn't necessarily mean going out of business, right?  Lots of companies have recovered from bankruptcy after some restructuring.  And given that Atlus is probably the most profitable part of Index I don't think they'll mess with them too much.  It's the rest of Index that's dragging them down...

[Starmongoose]

I don't like change, Kevadu. This is terrible for me.

[Sagacious-T]

Microsoft buys Atlus. They now exclusively create Kinect titles.