Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

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[[Image:Am2.svg|thumb|right|300px|Sega AM2 logo.]]
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{{Company
[[File:Am2 palmtree.svg|thumb|right|AM2 palmtree logo.]]
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| logo=Am2 palmtree.svg
'''Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department 2''' (popularly known as '''Sega-AM2''' or simply '''AM2''') was a research and development team for the video game company [[Sega]]. Originally known as "Sega Amusement Developing Section 8", AM2 was previously headed up by famed designer [[Yu Suzuki]]. Of Sega's AM teams, AM2 was would become a major development Team and the best known behind [[Sonic Team]] from house for [[Sega]]., first creating the late-eighties classics ''After Burner II'', ''Out Run'', and ''Space Harrier'', all of which were monster successes.  Later AM2 would go on to create the ''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' and ''[[Shenmue]]'' series, as well as Daytona USA, the most successful arcade game of all time.
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| mergedinto= [[Sega AM11]], [[Digital Rex]]
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| mergedwith= [[Sega AM3 (2005-2008)|Sega AM3]] (2008)
 +
| founded=1990
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| headquarters=Japan
 +
}}
 +
'''Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department #2''', ('''Sega AM R&D Dept. #2''', '''Sega AM2''') is a division within [[Sega Interactive (Japan)|Sega Interactive]] (formely [[Sega Enterprises]] and [[Sega Corporation]]). It was formed in 1990 primarily to create arcade (or "amusement") games.
  
Following the release of ''OutRun 2'', AM2 was absorbed into Sega (July 1, 2004). Unlike most of the other old AM departments, it remained a separate division within Sega.
+
Trough all Sega development divisions, Sega AM2 has remained most consistent in it's naming due to the "Number 2" attached. Thus there no multiple pages on Sega Retro unlike other Sega development teams.
 +
 
 +
==Current Members==
 +
{{multicol|
 +
* [[Daichi Katagiri]]
 +
* [[Hiroaki Shoji]]
 +
* [[Hiroshi Kataoka]]
 +
* [[Makoto Osaki]]
 +
* [[Masayuki Masumi]]
 +
* [[Mie Kumagai]]
 +
* [[Noriyuki Shimoda]]
 +
*[[Nobuyuki Yamashita]]
 +
* [[Kenji Kanno]]
 +
* [[Seiji Oaki]]
 +
* [[Shinichi Yoshino]]
 +
*[[Shoichiri Kanazawa]]
 +
* [[Takehiko Mikami]]
 +
*[[Takeshi Goden]]
 +
* [[Tatsuya Sato]]
 +
* [[Takuji Masuda]]
 +
|cols}}
 +
 
 +
==Former Members==
 +
{{multicol|
 +
*[[Daisuke Sato]]
 +
*[[Junichi Yamada]]
 +
* [[Keiji Okayasu]]
 +
*[[Mika Kojima]]
 +
* [[Satoshi Mifune]]
 +
* [[Seiichi Ishii]]
 +
* [[Takashi Fujimura]]
 +
* [[Takeshi Isone]]
 +
*[[Tetsuya Kaku]]
 +
* [[Toru Ikebuchi]]
 +
* [[Toshihiro Nagoshi]]
 +
* [[Yu Suzuki]]
 +
*[[Yukinobu Arikawa]]
 +
|cols}}
 +
 
 +
==Corporate History==
 +
 
 +
The root of Sega AM2 can be traced to [[Yu Suzuki]] entering the company as a programmer. He programmed the game ''[[Champion Boxing]]'', and his superiors were so impressed that he was promoted to project leader the same year he entered the company. With Sega's general atmosphere of high creativity as well as high end technology, Yu Suzuki was able to develop the most stand out arcade products from Sega from this time. The results were arcade games featuring sprite-scaling graphics and moving cabinets such as ''[[Hang-On]]'', ''[[Space Harrier]]'', ''[[OutRun]]'' and ''[[After Burner]]''. The ''[[R-360]]'' machine along with ''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]'' were the culmination of these efforts. Deluxe cabinets with similar graphics inspiried rival arcade division [[Sega AM1]] to do similar games such as ''[[Galaxy Force]]'' or ''[[Enduro Racer]]''. Yu Suzuki began to manage his own division, and he was not able to direct every title, so [[Satoshi Mifune]] took care of arcade originals such as ''[[Dynamite Dux]]'', or the sequel to ''Hang-On'', ''[[Super Hang-On]]''. Yu Suzuki's division was also the first arcade division to involve itself with the home console market, producing titles such as ''[[Sword of Vermillion]]'' and ''[[Rent-A-Hero]]'' for the [[Sega Mega Drive]].
 +
 
 +
During the Sega wide restructure in 1991, Yu Suzuki's studio became known as AM2, short for being the second arcade software division within the company.
 +
Yu Suzuki continued to pioneer with the early 3D polygonal graphics of ''[[Virtua Racing]]'', as well as ''[[Virtua Fighter]]'', which became one of Japan's most popular arcade series ever made. ''Virtua Fighter'' was, incidentally, the first time AM2's name (and signature palm tree logo) became publically visible - a trend that would continue in the majority of its releases going forward. The AM2 palm tree would even become an unlockable character in in the AM2-developed ''[[Fighters Megamix]]''.
 +
 
 +
Yu Suzuki continued to push graphics technology to it's limits. ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' featured the most advanced graphics at that time, with Suzuki negotiating custom arcade boards just to archive his vision. In turn the [[:category:Sega Model series|Sega Model series]] found themselves to be used across all arcade software divisions within Sega, producing countless of succcessful titles.
 +
 
 +
Much talent was cultivated within AM2, with directors Satoshi Mifune, [[Toshihiro Nagoshi]], [[Hiroshi Kataoka]] and [[Makoto Osaki]] making other AM2 games such as ''[[Daytona USA]]'', ''[[Fighting Vipers]]'', ''[[Fighters Megamix]]'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]''. Toshihiro Nagoshi and Mifune Satoshi formed their own division eventually in 1998, [[Sega AM11]].
 +
 
 +
AM2 found itself at the forefront of [[Sega Saturn]] technology, producing the [[Sega Graphics Library]] in 1995 in conjunction with its Saturn conversion of ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'', which was directed by [[Keiji Okayasu]]. Okayasu was AM2's most experienced console game developer, being the main programmer behind ''Sword of Vermillion'' and ''Rent-A-Hero''.
 +
 
 +
As with other R&D divisions within Sega, Sega AM2 was briefly renamed Sega Software R&D Dept. #2 in May 1999. Unlike its sister divisions, however, the department continued to trade as AM2 and was largely unaffected by the internal restructure. In 2000 the division went one step further, becoming an entirely separate (but wholly owned) subsidiary of Sega officially known as Sega-AM2 Co., Ltd. AM2 was at this point the only R&D division to still rely on the "AM" name. It was during this period when Yu Suzuki's two ''[[:category:Shenmue|Shenmue]]'' games were released. Together with experienced console game developer Keijii Okayasu, Suzuki pushed video game technology once again, building Sega's biggest title yet, made as a killer app for the [[Sega Dreamcast]].
 +
 
 +
[[Isao Okawa]]'s [[CSK]] was the parent company of Sega at the time, with its own software development division, [[CRI]]. CRI absorbed Sega AM2 in February 2000 (occasionally leading to credits to AM2 of CRI) and renamed itself Sega-AM2 Co., Ltd. in August 2001{{ref|http://dengekionline.com/data/news/2001/8/1/70e819844b813fbf73f290e563297591.html}}{{fileref|Dorimaga_JP_20010824_2001-07.pdf|page=11}}. CRI Middleware Co. Ltd. was then established to handle the sale of CRI's former products such as [[ADX]] and [[Sofdec]]. CRI staff however stayed at Sega AM2, with [[Noriyuki Shimoda]] and [[Seiji Oaki]] eventually becoming prominent staff. However due to too much unfamiliar staff, Yu Suzuki found himself unwilling to continue manage AM2, and instead formed [[Digital Rex]] in 2003.
 +
 
 +
Sega's separate development companies were merged back into the main business in 2004, and this included AM2, trading once again as "AM R&D Dept. 2". The arcade industry became limited to Japan, and Sega's initiative for it's arcade studios to produce console titles filtered out. Therefore Sega AM2 became much more low key compared to the global impact it had in the past. Nonetheless ''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'', ''[[MJ]]'' and ''[[Border Break]]'' had new features that contribute to Sega's arcade business. This includes nationwide internet play in arcades, and also mobile applications connecting to the arcade games.  
 +
 
 +
Ports of arcade titles developed by AM2 continue to be well received, such as ''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' and ''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram]]'', however became less common in comparision to the past. It was once mentioned by AM2 staff there is a strange atmosphere that console staff could dissapear anytime.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20140328153138/http://blog.sega.jp/amcvt/}}
 +
 
 +
In April 2009, a restructure took place within Sega's arcade software studios, with part of Sega AM3 staff ended up at AM2. Around this time, AM2 also branched out to mobile development, mainly with AM3 staff, with titles like ''[[Virtua Tennis Challenge]]'' and ''[[Derby Owners Club (2012)|Derby Owners Club]]''.
 +
 
 +
Overall [[Sega AM1 (2005-current)|Sega AM1]] is Sega's more prominent arcade division as of recent, with a higher amount of successfull titles.
 +
 
 +
==Softography (arcade)==
 +
{{multicol|
 +
=== [[Sega Space Harrier]] ===
 +
*''[[Space Harrier]]'' (1985)
 +
*''[[Hang-On]]'' (1985)
 +
*''[[Super Hang-On]]'' (1987)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega OutRun]] ===
 +
*''[[OutRun]]'' (1986)
 +
*''[[Turbo OutRun]]'' (1989)
 +
 
 +
=== [[X Board]] ===
 +
*''[[After Burner]]'' (1987)
 +
**''[[After Burner II]]'' (1987)
 +
*''[[GP Rider]]'' (1990)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Y Board]] ===
 +
*''[[Power Drift]]'' (1988)
 +
*''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]'' (1990)
 +
*''[[Strike Fighter]]'' (1991)
 +
 +
=== [[System 32]] ===
 +
*''[[Arabian Fight]]'' (1993)
 +
*''[[F1 Exhaust Note]]'' (1991)
 +
**''[[F1 Super Lap]]'' (1993)
 +
*''[[Soreike Kokology]]'' (1991)
 +
**''[[Soreike Kokology 2]]'' (1993)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 1]] ===
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993)
 +
*''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1992)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 2]] ===
 +
*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (1993)
 +
*''[[Desert Tank]]'' (1994)
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*''[[Virtua Cop]]'' (1994)
 +
*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (1996)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 2A CRX]] ===
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (1994)
 +
*''[[Virtua Cop 2]]'' (1995)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 2B CRX]] ===
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*''[[Virtua Striker]]'' (1995)
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*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (1995)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 3 Step 1.0]] ===
 +
*''[[Fighting Vipers 2]]'' (1998)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' (1996)
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**''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]'' (1997)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 3 Step 1.5]] ===
 +
*''[[Scud Race]]'' (1996)
 +
**''[[Scud Race Plus]]'' (1997)
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*''[[Virtua Striker 2]]'' (1997)
 +
**''[[Virtua Striker 2 Version '98]]'' (1998)
 +
**''[[Virtua Striker 2 Version '99]]'' (1999)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Model 3 Step 2.1]] ===
 +
*''[[Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge]]'' (1998)
 +
**''[[Daytona USA 2: Power Edition]]'' (1998)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega Titan Video]] ===
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]'' (1996)
 +
 
 +
=== [[NAOMI]] ===
 +
*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (1999)
 +
*''[[F355 Challenge]]'' (1999)
 +
**''[[F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[MJ]]'' (2002)
 +
*''[[Outtrigger]]'' (1999)
 +
 
 +
===[[Sega NAOMI 2|NAOMI 2]]===
 +
*''[[Beach Spikers]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2002)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' (2001)
 +
**''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution]]'' (2002)
 +
**''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned]]'' (2004)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Chihiro]] ===
 +
*''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2004)
 +
*''[[Quest of D]]'' (2004)
 +
** ''[[Quest of D: Gofu no Keisyousya]]'' (2005)
 +
** ''[[Quest of D: Oukoku no Syugosya]]'' (2006)
 +
** ''[[Quest of D: The Battle Kingdom]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Sega Golf Club]]'' (2004)
 +
**''[[Sega Golf Club Ver. 2006]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[MJ2]]'' (2003)
 +
**''[[MJ3]]'' (2004)
 +
*''[[OutRun 2]]'' (2003)
 +
**''[[OutRun 2 SP]]'' (2004)
 +
*''[[Virtua Cop 3]]'' (2003)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Sega System SP]] ===
 +
*''[[Rhythm Tengoku]]'' (2007)
 +
 
 +
===[[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]]===
 +
 
 +
*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Derby Owners Club 2009: Ride for the Live]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Ghost Squad Evolution]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[OutRun 2 SP SDX]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[R-Tuned: Ultimate Street Racing]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 +
**''[[Virtua Fighter 5 R]]'' (2008)
 +
**''[[Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[MJ4]]'' (2008)
 +
 
 +
=== [[RingEdge]] ===
 +
 
 +
*''[[Border Break]]'' (2009)
 +
**''[[Border Break Airburst]]'' (2010)
 +
**''[[Border Break Union]]'' (2012)
 +
**''[[Border Break Scramble]]'' (2014)
 +
**''[[Border Break X]]'' (2016)
 +
*''[[MJ5]]'' (2011)
 +
**''[[MJ5 Evolution]]'' (2013)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2009]]'' (2009)
 +
**''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2010]]'' (2010)
 +
**''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2011]]'' (2011)
 +
**''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2012]]'' (2012)
 +
**''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2013]]'' (2013)
 +
*''[[Shining Force Cross]]'' (2009)
 +
**''[[Shining Force Cross Raid]]'' (2010)
 +
**''[[Shining Force Cross Elysion]]'' (2012)
 +
**''[[Shining Force Cross Exlesia]]'' (2013)
 +
**''[[Shining Force Cross Exlesia Zenith]]'' (2014)
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2012)
 +
 
 +
=== [[RingWide]] ===
 +
 
 +
*''[[Sega Racing Classic]]'' (2009)
 +
 
 +
=== [[Nu]] ===
 +
 
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade Future Tone]]'' (2013)
 +
*''[[KanColle Arcade]]'' (2016)
 +
*''[[Soul Reverse]]'' (2017)
 +
 
 +
=== Other ===
 +
 
 +
*''[[R360]]'' (1990)
 +
*''[[Virtua Formula]]'' (1993) (with [[Sega AM5]])
 +
 
 +
|cols=3}}
 +
 
 +
==Softography (consumer)==
 +
 
 +
{{multicol|
 +
===[[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive]]===
 +
*''[[Sword of Vermillion]]'' (1989)
 +
*''[[Rent A Hero]]'' (1991)
 +
*''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1994) (with [[Sega CS]])
 +
 
 +
===[[Sega Saturn|Saturn]]===
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' (1994)
 +
*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Digital Dance Mix Vol.1 Namie Amuro]]'(1997)
 +
*''[[Fighters Megamix]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Cop]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Cop 2]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.1 Sarah Bryant]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.10 Jeffry McWild]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.2 Jacky Bryant]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.3 Akira Yuki]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.4 Pai Chan]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.5 Wolf Hawkfield]]'' (1995)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.6 Lau Chan]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.7 Shun Di]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.8 Lion Rafale]]'' (1996)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.9 Kage Maru]]'' (1996)
 +
 
 +
===[[Sega Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]===
 +
*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2000) (also with [[CRI]])
 +
*''[[Ferrari F355 Challenge]]'' (2000) (also with [[CRI]])
 +
*''[[Fighting Vipers 2]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[Outtrigger]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[Propeller Arena]]'' (2001; unreleased)
 +
*''[[Shenmue II]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[Shenmue]]'' (1999)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]'' (1998) (also with [[Genki]])
 +
 
 +
===[[PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]]===
 +
*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2001)
 +
*''[[Ferrari F355 Challenge]]'' (2002) (also with [[Tose]])
 +
*''[[Virtua Cop: Elite Edition]]'' (2002) (also with RIZ Inc.)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' (2002)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution]]'' (2003)
 +
*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2003) (also with [[Tose]])
 +
*''[[Virtua Quest]]'' (2004) (also with [[Tose]])
 +
*''[[Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 16: Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2004)
 +
*''[[Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers]]'' (2005)
 +
 
 +
===[[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]]===
 +
*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2002)
 +
*''[[Beach Spikers]]'' (2002)
 +
*''[[Virtua Quest]]'' (2004) (also with [[Tose]])
 +
 
 +
===[[Xbox|Xbox]]===
 +
*''[[Shenmue II]]'' (2003)
 +
 
 +
===[[Xbox 360|Xbox 360]]===
 +
*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Force]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 +
 
 +
===[[Xbox Live Arcade]]===
 +
*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On]]  (2013)
 +
*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Virtua Striker]]'' (2013)
 +
 
 +
===[[Wii]]===
 +
*''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Gunblade NY & LA Machineguns]]'' (2010)
 +
 
 +
===[[PlayStation 3]]===
 +
*''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub]]'' (2006) (with [[Global Entertainment R&D Dept. 2|GE2]])
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
 +
 
 +
===[[PlayStation Network]]===
 +
 
 +
*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On]]  (2013)
 +
*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Dreamy Theater]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Dreamy Theater 2nd]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade Future Tone]]'' (2016)
 +
*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown]]'' (2012)
 +
 
 +
===[[Nintendo 3DS]]===
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku and Future Stars Project mirai]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2]]'' (2013)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
 +
 
 +
===[[PlayStation Vita]]===
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
 +
 
 +
===PC===
 +
 
 +
*''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
 +
 
 +
===iOS/Anroid===
 +
 
 +
*''[[Virtua Tennis Challenge]]'' (2012)
 +
*''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
 +
* ''[[Squads]]'' (2015)
 +
* ''[[Fortisia SEGAxLINE]]'' (2016)
 +
*''[[Soul Reverse Zero]]'' (2017)
 +
|cols=3}}
 +
 
 +
==Gallery==
 +
<gallery>
 +
Am2.svg|Logo, sans palm tree
 +
</gallery>
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
 
* [http://www.sega-am2.jp/ Official website]
 
* [http://www.sega-am2.jp/ Official website]
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20010401052513/http://www.sega-rd2.com/ Official website (Archived on 10 April 2001)]
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040630040721/http://www.sega-am2.co.jp/ Official website (Archived on 30 June 2004)]
 
* [http://games.ign.com/objects/026/026004.html IGN info page for Sega-AM2]
 
* [http://games.ign.com/objects/026/026004.html IGN info page for Sega-AM2]
  
[[Category:Development Companies]]
+
==References==
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
{{SoJ}}

Revision as of 05:42, 20 August 2017

Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department #2, (Sega AM R&D Dept. #2, Sega AM2) is a division within Sega Interactive (formely Sega Enterprises and Sega Corporation). It was formed in 1990 primarily to create arcade (or "amusement") games.

Trough all Sega development divisions, Sega AM2 has remained most consistent in it's naming due to the "Number 2" attached. Thus there no multiple pages on Sega Retro unlike other Sega development teams.

Current Members

Former Members

Corporate History

The root of Sega AM2 can be traced to Yu Suzuki entering the company as a programmer. He programmed the game Champion Boxing, and his superiors were so impressed that he was promoted to project leader the same year he entered the company. With Sega's general atmosphere of high creativity as well as high end technology, Yu Suzuki was able to develop the most stand out arcade products from Sega from this time. The results were arcade games featuring sprite-scaling graphics and moving cabinets such as Hang-On, Space Harrier, OutRun and After Burner. The R-360 machine along with G-LOC: Air Battle were the culmination of these efforts. Deluxe cabinets with similar graphics inspiried rival arcade division Sega AM1 to do similar games such as Galaxy Force or Enduro Racer. Yu Suzuki began to manage his own division, and he was not able to direct every title, so Satoshi Mifune took care of arcade originals such as Dynamite Dux, or the sequel to Hang-On, Super Hang-On. Yu Suzuki's division was also the first arcade division to involve itself with the home console market, producing titles such as Sword of Vermillion and Rent-A-Hero for the Sega Mega Drive.

During the Sega wide restructure in 1991, Yu Suzuki's studio became known as AM2, short for being the second arcade software division within the company. Yu Suzuki continued to pioneer with the early 3D polygonal graphics of Virtua Racing, as well as Virtua Fighter, which became one of Japan's most popular arcade series ever made. Virtua Fighter was, incidentally, the first time AM2's name (and signature palm tree logo) became publically visible - a trend that would continue in the majority of its releases going forward. The AM2 palm tree would even become an unlockable character in in the AM2-developed Fighters Megamix.

Yu Suzuki continued to push graphics technology to it's limits. Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Fighter 3 featured the most advanced graphics at that time, with Suzuki negotiating custom arcade boards just to archive his vision. In turn the Sega Model series found themselves to be used across all arcade software divisions within Sega, producing countless of succcessful titles.

Much talent was cultivated within AM2, with directors Satoshi Mifune, Toshihiro Nagoshi, Hiroshi Kataoka and Makoto Osaki making other AM2 games such as Daytona USA, Fighting Vipers, Fighters Megamix and Virtua Fighter Kids. Toshihiro Nagoshi and Mifune Satoshi formed their own division eventually in 1998, Sega AM11.

AM2 found itself at the forefront of Sega Saturn technology, producing the Sega Graphics Library in 1995 in conjunction with its Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 2, which was directed by Keiji Okayasu. Okayasu was AM2's most experienced console game developer, being the main programmer behind Sword of Vermillion and Rent-A-Hero.

As with other R&D divisions within Sega, Sega AM2 was briefly renamed Sega Software R&D Dept. #2 in May 1999. Unlike its sister divisions, however, the department continued to trade as AM2 and was largely unaffected by the internal restructure. In 2000 the division went one step further, becoming an entirely separate (but wholly owned) subsidiary of Sega officially known as Sega-AM2 Co., Ltd. AM2 was at this point the only R&D division to still rely on the "AM" name. It was during this period when Yu Suzuki's two Shenmue games were released. Together with experienced console game developer Keijii Okayasu, Suzuki pushed video game technology once again, building Sega's biggest title yet, made as a killer app for the Sega Dreamcast.

Isao Okawa's CSK was the parent company of Sega at the time, with its own software development division, CRI. CRI absorbed Sega AM2 in February 2000 (occasionally leading to credits to AM2 of CRI) and renamed itself Sega-AM2 Co., Ltd. in August 2001[1][2]. CRI Middleware Co. Ltd. was then established to handle the sale of CRI's former products such as ADX and Sofdec. CRI staff however stayed at Sega AM2, with Noriyuki Shimoda and Seiji Oaki eventually becoming prominent staff. However due to too much unfamiliar staff, Yu Suzuki found himself unwilling to continue manage AM2, and instead formed Digital Rex in 2003.

Sega's separate development companies were merged back into the main business in 2004, and this included AM2, trading once again as "AM R&D Dept. 2". The arcade industry became limited to Japan, and Sega's initiative for it's arcade studios to produce console titles filtered out. Therefore Sega AM2 became much more low key compared to the global impact it had in the past. Nonetheless Virtua Fighter 4, MJ and Border Break had new features that contribute to Sega's arcade business. This includes nationwide internet play in arcades, and also mobile applications connecting to the arcade games.

Ports of arcade titles developed by AM2 continue to be well received, such as Virtua Fighter 5 and Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram, however became less common in comparision to the past. It was once mentioned by AM2 staff there is a strange atmosphere that console staff could dissapear anytime.[3]

In April 2009, a restructure took place within Sega's arcade software studios, with part of Sega AM3 staff ended up at AM2. Around this time, AM2 also branched out to mobile development, mainly with AM3 staff, with titles like Virtua Tennis Challenge and Derby Owners Club.

Overall Sega AM1 is Sega's more prominent arcade division as of recent, with a higher amount of successfull titles.

Softography (arcade)

Sega Space Harrier

Sega OutRun

X Board

Y Board

System 32

Sega Model 1

Sega Model 2

Sega Model 2A CRX

Sega Model 2B CRX

Sega Model 3 Step 1.0

Sega Model 3 Step 1.5

Sega Model 3 Step 2.1

Sega Titan Video

NAOMI

NAOMI 2

Chihiro

Sega System SP

Lindbergh

RingEdge

RingWide

Nu

Other

Softography (consumer)

Mega Drive

Saturn

Dreamcast

PlayStation 2

GameCube

Xbox

Xbox 360

Xbox Live Arcade

Wii

PlayStation 3

PlayStation Network

Nintendo 3DS

PlayStation Vita

PC

iOS/Anroid

Gallery

External links

References


Timeline of Sega of Japan research and development divisions








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