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Bandai Namco Forge Digitals

Bandai Namco Forge Digitals Inc., formerly known as B.B. Studio Co., Ltd. (株式会社B.B.スタジオ), is a Japanese video game development company. The company is a result of a merger between Bandai Entertainment Company and Banpresoft by their parent company, Bandai Namco Entertainment.[1]

History

BEC Co., Ltd. (株式会社ベック), short for Bandai Entertainment Company, was a joint venture by Bandai and Human for video game development. They were best known for developing licensed video games for Bandai including Digimon, Dragon Ball Z and Mobile Suit Gundam.[2]

Bandai eventually took full control of BEC, after Human went bankrupt in 2000, and once Bandai and Namco merged to create Bandai Namco Holdings, BEC became a video game development subsidiary for the merged company.[3]

Banpre Kikaku Co., Ltd. (株式会社バンプレ企画) was a subsidiary of Banpresto that developed video games. Its name was changed to Banpresoft Co., Ltd. (株式会社バンプレソフト) in March 1997.

In April 1998, Banpresoft launched its internal development division, leading to the production of titles such as Super Robot Wars Alpha and subsequent entries in the Super Robot Wars series. The company continued to expand, increasing its capital to 200 million yen in June 2002 and relocating to Komagata, Taito-ku, Tokyo in July 2005.

By 2007, Banpresoft restructured its development teams, transferring non-Super Robot Wars projects (Summon Night, Ar tonelico, etc.) to Banpresto’s Consumer Division. In May 2007, the company moved to Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, inside the Bandai Namco Miraiken building.

In May 2008, Banpresoft became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Games.[4]

On April 1, 2011, Bandai Namco merged BEC with Banpresoft in order to streamline and unify the Bandai gaming subsidiaries under one division,[5][6][7] whilst the Banpresto brand was re-established as a toy company as part of Bandai Namco's toys and hobby business.[1] B.B. Studio continued to use the Banpresto name on its products until February 2014, when it was decided that all Bandai Namco video games going forward would only carry the Bandai Namco name.[8][9]

In July 2024, B.B. Studio, which was in the past a subsidiary of parent company Bandai Namco Entertainment became a direct subsidiary of Bandai Namco Studios.[10]

On March 3, 2025, Bandai Namco announced the change of name from B.B. Studio to Bandai Namco Forge Digitals.[11]

List of games

External links

References

  1. Bandai Namco Corporate History Bandai Namco Holdings, April 2011^
  2. Kato Watashi. バンダイの戦略とベックの戦術 ～販社と開発のより良い関係～ ITMedia, September 1, 2005, retrieved October 13, 2020^
  3. Hirohiko Niizumi. Bandai and Namco outline postmerger strategy GameSpot, CBS Interactive, 13 September 2005, retrieved 27 July 2020^
  4. Hideaki Fujiwara. Super Robot Wars developer becomes subsidiary of Bandai Namco Studios AUTOMATON WEST, 2024-07-03, retrieved 2025-03-31^
  5. Bandai Namco Holdings: Corporate History Bandai Namco Holdings, 23 November 2013^
  6. Anoop Gantayat. Banpresto and Bec Merge to Form B.B. Studio Andriasang, April 6, 2011, retrieved October 14, 2020^
  7. バンプレソフトとベック、4月1日付で合併しB.B.スタジオに GameBusiness.jp, iiD, April 6, 2011, retrieved October 14, 2020^
  8. Aki Mitsuki. バンプレソフトとベックが統合されB.B.スタジオに. 「スーパーロボット大戦」シリーズは今後もバンプレストレーベル作品として発売 4Gamer.net, Aetas, April 6, 2011, retrieved October 14, 2020^
  9. 「バンダイナムコゲームス」にレーベル統一 ゲームから「バンダイ」「ナムコ」「バンプレスト」消滅 ITmedia, February 5, 2014, retrieved August 2, 2020^
  10. Hideaki Fujiwara. Super Robot Wars developer becomes subsidiary of Bandai Namco Studios Automaton Media, July 3, 2024^
  11. B.B. Studio changes name to Bandai Namco Forge Digitals Gematsu, 2025-03-03, retrieved 2025-03-03^
  12. Sal Romano. Digimon World: Next Order coming west for PS4 2017 Gematsu, 16 September 2016^
  13. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM BATTLE OPERATION 2^
  14. ‘Gundam Battle Operation 2’ Finally Gets A Proper Western Release^
  15. Graham Russel. Namco Museum Archives: The 7 Best Games to Play Siliconera, Curse, Inc., June 19, 2020, retrieved 28 August 2020^
  16. Gundam, Mazinger, SSSS.Gridman, and more collide in new Super Robot Wars game^
  17. Super Robot Wars 30 Scores October Switch Release With English Subtitles^