Sega development studios

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Privately held, subsidiary
Industry Computer and video games
Key people
 Toshihiro Nagoshi, Yuji Naka, Rikiya Nakagawa, Noriyoshi Oba, Hisao Oguchi, Yu Suzuki
Products Video games
Parent Sega
Website sega.com

Sega Studios

Sega has had in-house studios and subsidiary studios from 1983 to date. See also List of Sega software development studios

1983–1990

Development division

The development division was largely restricted to arcade development. The only exception was Sword of Vermilion which was designed from the ground up for the Sega Mega Drive home console.

Department Headed By Titles
Sega DD #1 Sega's original Japanese development studio, spun off in 1990.
Sega DD #2 Yu Suzuki <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega DD #3 Rikiya Nakagawa <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

Consumer development division

Shinobu Toyoda was the leader of Sega CD later known as AM8, and eventually Sonic Team. Under Toyoda's leadership, project designer Naoto Ohshima and lead programmer Yuji Naka pitched the idea of Sonic the Hedgehog as company mascot to Sega CEO, Hayao Nakayama. Yuji Naka became Studio head afterwards.[1]

Department Headed By Titles
Sega CD #1
Sega CD #2 Shinobu Toyoda[1] <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega CD #3 Noriyoshi Ohba same as DD#3

1990–1998

Sega reorganized and expanded upon their R&D studios, and the Consumer Divisions and Development Divisions were all now renamed to Sega-AM Teams (Amusement Machine Research & Development Teams).

The name "Sonic Team" has been used for AM8 since the inception of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991. NiGHTS Into Dreams... was the first game to have the Sonic Team logo on the boxart, officially separating it from the Amusement Machine Research & Development teams.

The expanded AM4 studio, spun off of AM2, and was led by Toshihiro Nagoshi. AM5 had many former Namco employees that worked on Ridge Racer.

Outside of Fighters Megamix and Digital Dance Mix, the focus of Sega AM-1 to AM5 was restricted to arcade development.

Team list

Department Members From Headed By Titles
Sega AM1 R&D Sega DD #3 Rikiya Nakagawa <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega AM2 R&D Sega DD#2 Yu Suzuki <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega AM3 R&D New Studio Hisao Oguchi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega AM4 R&D New Studio Toshihiro Nagoshi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega AM5 R&D New Studio Tetsuya Mizuguchi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega CS1 R&D Sega CD #1 Yukio Futatsugi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega CS2 R&D Sega CD #3 Noriyoshi Oba <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sonic Team (CS3 R&D) Sega CD #2 Yuji Naka <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

1998–2004

In 1999, the original character designer of Sonic the Hedgehog, Naoto Ohshima left Sega along with other employees due to disagreements with Yuji Naka to where the future of the franchise is headed. Artoon was founded by Naoto Ohshima and has many former Sonic Team employees. Around the same time, Team Andromeda dissolved along with its lead Yukio Futatsugi leaving the company. Former Team Andromeda employees have since then worked at Artoon, AQ Interactive, Microsoft Studios Japan, Grounding Co. and Land Ho.

In 2000, Sega converted all their in-house studios into 2nd Party Studios, for more independency and a bigger focus on the consumer market by former arcade focused studios. Former AM5 head Tetsuya Mizuguchi formed his own studio by the name of United Game Artists. Several Team Andromeda members have joined Smilebit and United Game Artists.

In 2003, due to management disagreements, UGA-led Tetsuya Mizuguchi and the Rez team left Sega to found Q Entertainment. The rest of the UGA team consisted of Space Channel 5 developers was folded back into Sonic Team.

Also in 2003, the action game side of Overworks spun off in to WOW Entertainment, which after Nightshade and Blood Will Tell, solely focused on content for arcades.

Hisao Oguchi became appointed to CEO in 2001, and Mie Kumagai replaced him as the studio head of Hitmaker.

Hirokazu Yasuhara who was the lead designer and director of the original Sonic the Hedgehog games, left Sega in 2002 and joined Naughty Dog, with the last position being designer of Visual Concepts Floigan Bros..

Due to decline of revenue of traditional Arcades, more focus went on Networked trading card games; which is a genre of arcade games that Sega essentially invented.

Studio list

Department Members From Headed By Titles
WOW Entertainment Sega AM1 R&D Rikiya Nakagawa <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega AM2 same as before Yu Suzuki <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Hitmaker Sega AM3 R&D Mie Kumagai <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Amusement Vision Sega AM4 R&D Toshihiro Nagoshi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sega Rosso Sega AM5 R&D Kenji Sasaki <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Smilebit Sega AM6 R&D Shun Arai <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Overworks Sega AM7 R&D Noriyoshi Oba <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sonic Team same as before Yuji Naka <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
United Game Artists AM5 + AM6 + AM8 Tetsuya Mizuguchi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

2004–2009

General Entertainment R&D Division which is was formed by the merger of Sonic Team, United Game Artists, and Overworks. The two departments were led by Sonic Team and Overworks producers, such as Yuji Naka and Akira Nishino. In 2006, Yuji Naka went independent to form Prope. Akinori Nishiyama and then Takashi Iizuka replaced him as the Producer.

Department Members From Titles
GE1 R&D Sonic Team + United Game Artists <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
GE2 R&D Overworks <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

New Entertainment R&D Division is essentially the AM6 or Smilebit of before with sports titles. However, Toshihiro Nagoshi and his team were integrated due to moving outside the arcade division, and gaining large control in this division. Takayuki Kawagoe continues to have a Producer and Executive role as he had before in the AM6/Smilebit division.

Department Members From Titles
NE R&D Amusement Vision + Smilebit <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sports R&D Amusement Vision + Smilebit <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

Amusement Software R&D Division which focuses on the development of games for arcade. The division is headed by Yu Suzuki, Hiroshi Kataoka, Atsushi Seimiya and Mie Kumagai. Networked arcade games that get continuously updated with users being able to save their file on ID cards, started to become a huge increase of focus, beginning with Virtua Fighter 4 in 2001.

Department Members From Titles
AM R&D WOW Entertainment + Sega-AM2 + Hitmaker + Sega Rosso <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

2009–present

General Entertainment R&D Division changed its name to Consumer R&D Division, and New Entertainment R&D Division merged with Consumer R&D Division.

Department Members From Titles
CS1 R&D same as before <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
CS2 R&D same as before <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
CS3 R&D same as before <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
Sports R&D same as before <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4

Amusement R&D Division which focuses on the development of games for arcade. Yu Suzuki stepped down and is now solely responsible for YS.NET

Department Members From Titles
AM R&D same as before <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
  • Wonderland Wars (2015) [36]

Sega Networks focuses on development for smartphones and tablets.

Department Year of purchase/founding Members from Headed by Titles
Sega Networks [37] 2012 Consumer R&D Division Haruki Satomi <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
4
[43]

Acquired studios

Department Division Year of purchase/founding Notable titles
The Creative Assembly Sega Europe 2005 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Sports Interactive Sega Europe 2006 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Three Rings Design Sega of America 2011 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Hardlight Studio Sega Europe 2012 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Relic Entertainment Sega of America 2013 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Index (Atlus) Sega of Japan 2013 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Demiurge Studios Sega of America 2015 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Ignited Artists Sega of America 2014 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3

Affiliated studios

Sega began contracting subsidiary studios in 1983.

Japanese

Studio Titles
Westone Bit Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Treasure <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Sonic! Software Planning <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
System Sacom <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Arc System Works <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Vic Tokai <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Compile <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Aspect Co. <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Coreland <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Microcabin <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Game Freak <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Givro <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Chime <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
J Force <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Climax Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
RED Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Vivarium Inc. <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Genki <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Neverland <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Shade <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Ancient <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Dimps <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
French Bread <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
From Software <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
D3 Publisher <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
M2 <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Chunsoft <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Tabot Inc. <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Alfa System <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Imageepoch <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Crypton Future Media <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Flight-Plan <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Tri-Ace <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Prope <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Platinum Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Studio Forefront <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Media.Vision <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Syn Sophia <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2

Western

Studio Titles
STI <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
SegaSoft <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Appaloosa Interactive <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Infogrames <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
ToeJam & Earl Productions <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
BlueSky Software <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Big Red Button Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Realtime Associates <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Gearbox Software <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Traveller's Tales <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Visual Concepts <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
No Cliché <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Zono Incorporated <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Amuze <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Sanzaru Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
EA Black Box <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Access Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Pseudo Interactive <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Petroglyph Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Bizarre Creations <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Backbone Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Creative Assembly <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Shiny Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Planet Moon Studios <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Sumo Digital <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Monolith Productions <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Sega Studios San Francisco <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Totally Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Kuju Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Griptonite Games <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Arkedo Studio <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Double Fine Productions <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Avalanche Studios <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2
Obsidian Entertainment <templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
2

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 [1]
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  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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