ネットイース、セガの著名ゲーム制作者獲得で交渉-日本進出を拡大
中国ゲーム大手のネットイース(網易)はセガサミーホールディングス傘下セガのゲームクリエーターで「龍が如く」シリーズの生みの親として知られる名越稔洋氏の移籍に向け、現在詰めの交渉を行っていることが30日までに明らかになった。複数の関係者が匿名を条件に明らかにした。
www.bloomberg.co.jp
NetEase Inc. is in final negotiations to poach Yakuza franchise creator Toshihiro Nagoshi from Sega, a sign of how Chinese games companies are expanding beyond their home turf during a government-led crackdown.
The hire from Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. would mark the biggest coup in a contest between NetEase and close rival Tencent Holdings Ltd. to scoop up video game talent and assets in Japan, made more urgent by slowing growth and regulatory pressure at home.
Nagoshi, who developed and helms one of Sega's most successful action series, is expected to set up his own team and create new games, people familiar with the matter said. He hasn't signed a final contract and his duties have yet to be finalized, they said, asking not to be identified discussing a private deal.
Tencent and NetEase are on a multiyear quest to fill out their content libraries with more of Japan's highly prized animation, comics and games (ACG) titles, betting on their potential to become global blockbuster hits. In a country that's typically taken a skeptical view to outside investment, their ventures are now finding a more receptive audience in the wake of the pandemic's impact on funding and Sony Group Corp. cutbacks on support for small studios.
Tencent, the world's largest games publisher, regards Japanese content as a potential anchor for its increasingly critical effort to build a Disney-style global media juggernaut that also spans video, music and books. It's on the brink of adding another studio to its string of acquisitions in recent years, according to the people.
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