Sega’s Atlus Rescue “A Bad Dream”

Persona fans are watching with bated breath as Sega has stepped in to put Index out of its misery and rescue Atlus, although there are some lingering concerns about Sega Sammy’s interest in social gaming and pachinko…

Sega has concluded an agreement with the Tokyo bankruptcy court overseeing Index’s “rehabilitation,” which will see Sega subsidiary Sega Dream take control of Index – most notably key Atlus properties.

As Atlus the company was dissolved years ago by the disastrously acquisitive and now all but bankrupt Index corporation, technically all that is changing hands are the rights to the Atlus name and its various titles.

In particular, Sega will be acquiring the Atlus brand, the rights to Megami Tensei, Persona and Etrian Odyssey, along with the uninteresting hodgepodge of other companies Index acquired over the years.

However, the news is not all good as far as gamers are concerned – Sega is now Sega Sammy, a company as much concerned with seedy pachinko parlours as wholesome Miku worship.

Aside from video games, their business plans for the remains of Atlus already include using it to churn out social games and provide more IPs to milk in their gambling dens.

The “rescue” is proving as sensitive as ever:

“This could not get any worse…”

“Don’t expect anything good to happen to the Megaten franchise now.”

“Expect Megami Tensei 5 soon – on a pachislot machine!”

“I guess it all depends on how good Persona 5 turns out.”

“Terrible name… reminiscent of that console.”

“A dream bought with money.”

“Dream does not go well with Sega now…”

“The name is an ill omen.”

“A bad dream indeed…”

“At least call it Sega Atlus.”

“Atlus Tensei should be the name!”

“We can but hope they keep the Atlus name on.”

“They say the Sega Dream company was just incorporated for conveyance purposes, and that they will likely change the name.”

“It’s hard to believe what’s left of that company is in any shape to turn out decent games.”

“Atlus is the only part of Index worth anything. It’s the other divisions which are rubbish.”

“They better not mess with the Odin Sphere makers.”

“They would have been so much more compatible with Koei Tecmo or Bandai Namco. Sega Atlus is…”

“Let’s just hope Miku turns up as an angel in the Megami Tensei series…”