Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

Revision as of 15:40, 31 March 2017

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

AM2 is arguably the most successful R&D division to have existed within Sega during the 90's, to the point where its internal division name became a marketable brand in its own right. As such, while significant changes have occurred within its lifespan from a business perspective, this division of Sega has always referred to itself as "AM2", even if it has not been exclusively an amusement-only department since 1991. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the chief operating officer of AM2 was industry stalwart Yu Suzuki.

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

Sega AM2 is thought to have been a continuation of an older R&D studio , famed for arcade games featuring sprite-scaling graphics and moving cabinets with games such as Hang-On, Space Harrier, OutRun and After Burner. It became a pioneer of early 3D polygonal 3D graphics with the 1992 release of Virtua Racing, before creating Virtua Fighter, beginning 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.

AM2 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. It soon 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. The AM2 palm tree would even become an unlockable character in in the AM2-developed Fighters Megamix.

In 1998, AM2-developer Toshihiro Nagoshi formed his own arcade department within Sega known as Sega AM11, where he worked on SpikeOut.

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.

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]. Confusingly, CRI Middleware Co. Ltd. was then established to handle the sale of CRI's former products such as ADX and Sofdec.

Yu Suzuki left AM2 in 2003 to found DigitalRex, also owned by Sega. This would become AM Plus before any games were released.

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". Due to the closure of AM3 in May 2008, some members moved to AM2. In May 2010, the arcade departments lost their "AM" name, becoming R&D2. During the March 2015 restructure, Sega' arcade division became Sega Interactive, thus becoming R&D2 of Sega Interactive rather than Sega proper.

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 The AM2 name and logo continues to surface to this day.
-==Softography as R&D8==
+==Softography (arcade)==
 {{multicol|
 === [[Sega Space Harrier]] ===
@@ Line 61: / Line 60: @@
 *''[[Power Drift]]'' (1988)
 *''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]'' (1990)
-===[[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive]]===
-*''[[Sword of Vermillion]]'' (1989)
-|cols=2}}
-==Softography as AM2==
-{{multicol|
-=== [[Y Board]] ===
 *''[[Strike Fighter]]'' (1991)
-===[[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive]]===
-*''[[Rent A Hero]]'' (1991)
-*''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1994) (with [[Sega CS]])
 === [[System 32]] ===
@@ Line 119: / Line 105: @@
 === [[Sega Titan Video]] ===
 *''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]'' (1996)
-===[[Sega Saturn|Saturn]]===
-*''[[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]]'' (1994)
-*''[[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]]===
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' (with [[Genki]]) (1998)
-=== Other ===
-*''[[R360]]'' (1990)
-*''[[Virtua Formula]]'' (1993) (with [[Sega AM5]])
-|cols=2}}
-==Sega Software R&D Dept. 2==
 === [[NAOMI]] ===
 *''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (1999)
 *''[[F355 Challenge]]'' (1999)
+**''[[F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition]]'' (2001)
+*''[[MJ]]'' (2002)
 *''[[Outtrigger]]'' (1999)
-===[[Sega Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]===
-*''[[Shenmue]]'' (1999)
-==Softography as CRI of AM2==
-=== [[NAOMI]] ===
-*''[[F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition]]'' (2001)
 ===[[Sega NAOMI 2|NAOMI 2]]===
 *''[[Beach Spikers]]'' (2001)
+*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2002)
-===[[PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]]===
-*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2000) (with [[CRI]])
-*''[[Ferrari F355 Challenge]]'' (2000) (with [[CRI]])
-==Softography as Sega AM2==
-{{multicol|
-===[[Sega NAOMI 2|NAOMI 2]]===
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' (2001)
 **''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution]]'' (2002)
 **''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned]]'' (2004)
-*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2002)
-*''[[MJ]]'' (2002)
-===[[Sega Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]===
+=== [[Chihiro]] ===
-*''[[Fighting Vipers 2]]'' (2001)
-*''[[Outtrigger]]'' (2001)
-*''[[Propeller Arena]]'' (2001; unreleased)
-*''[[Shenmue II]]'' (2001)
-===[[PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]]===
-*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2001)
-*''[[Ferrari F355 Challenge]]'' (2002) (with [[Tose]])
-*''[[Virtua Cop: Elite Edition]]'' (2002) (with RIZ Inc.)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' (2002)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution]]'' (2003)
-*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2003) (also with [[Tose]])
-*''[[Virtua Quest]]'' (2004) (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) (with [[Tose]])
-=== [[Chihiro]] ===
 *''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2004)
 *''[[Quest of D]]'' (2004)
+** Quest of D Ver.2 (2004)
+** Quest of D Ver.3 (2004)
+** Quest of D: The Battle Kingdom (2004)
 *''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub|Sega Golf Club]]'' (2004)
+**''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub|Sega Golf Club Ver. 2006]]'' (2006)
 *''[[MJ2]]'' (2003)
 **''[[MJ3]]'' (2004)
@@ Line 213: / Line 134: @@
 **''[[OutRun 2 SP]]'' (2004)
 *''[[Virtua Cop 3]]'' (2003)
-===[[Xbox|Xbox]]===
-*''[[Shenmue II]]'' (2003)
-|cols=2}}
-==Softography as AM2==
-{{multicol|
-=== [[Chihiro]] ===
-* Quest of D Ver.2 (2005)
-** Quest of D Ver.3 (2006)
-** Quest of D: The Battle Kingdom (2007)
-*''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub|Sega Golf Club Ver. 2006]]'' (2006)
 ===[[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]]===
 *''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2006)
-*''[[Derby Owners Club 2009: Ride for the Live]]'' (2009)
+*''[[Derby Owners Club 2009: Ride for the Live]]'' (2008)
 *''[[Ghost Squad Evolution]]'' (2007)
 *''[[OutRun 2 SP SDX]]'' (2007)
 *''[[R-Tuned: Ultimate Street Racing]]'' (2008)
+*''[[Sega Networks Casino Club Ver. 1]] (2007)
+**''[[Sega Networks Casino Club Ver. 2]] (2008)
 **''[[Sega Networks Casino Club Ver. 3]] (2009)
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 **''[[Virtua Fighter 5 R]]'' (2008)
-*''[[MJ4]]'' (2007)
+**''[[Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown]]'' (2010)
+*''[[MJ4]]'' (2008)
 === [[RingEdge]] ===
 *''[[Border Break]]'' (2009)
-*''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2009]]'' (2009)
+**''[[Border Break Airburst]]'' (2010)
-*''[[Shining Force Cross]]'' (2009)
-*''[[Project DIVA Arcade]]'' (2010)
-=== [[RingWide]] ===
-*''[[Sega Racing Classic]]'' (2009)
-===[[Wii]]===
-*''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2007)
-===[[Xbox 360|Xbox 360]]===
-*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram]]'' (2009)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2007)
-*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2010)
-===[[PlayStation 3]]===
-*''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub]]'' (2006)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
-*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2010)
-|cols=2}}
-==Softography as R&D2==
-{{multicol|
-===[[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]]===
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown]]'' (2010)
-=== [[RingEdge]] ===
-*''[[Border Break Airburst]]'' (2010)
 **''[[Border Break Union]]'' (2012)
 **''[[Border Break Scramble]]'' (2014)
+**''[[Border Break X]]'' (2016)
 *''[[MJ5]]'' (2011)
 **''[[MJ5 Evolution]]'' (2011)
 **''[[MJ5R Evolution]]'' (2013)
-*''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2010]]'' (2010)
+**''[[MJ Arcade]]'' (2017)
+*''[[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 Raid]]'' (2010)
+*''[[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=2}}
+==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]]===
+*''[[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]]===
+*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2010)
 *''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Force]]'' (2010)
 *''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On]]  (2013)
+*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram]]'' (2009)
 *''[[Daytona USA]]'' (2011)
+*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (2012)
+*''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub]]'' (2006)
 *''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (2012)
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2012)
+*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2007)
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown]]'' (2012)
 *''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
@@ Line 297: / Line 263: @@
 ===[[Wii]]===
+*''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2007)
 *''[[Gunblade NY & LA Machineguns]]'' (2010)
-*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 ===[[PlayStation 3]]===
+*''[[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)
-*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (2011)
-*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On]]  (2013)
-*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (2012)
 *''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (2012)
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2012)
@@ Line 316: / Line 283: @@
 *''[[Hatsune Miku and Future Stars Project mirai]]'' (2012)
 *''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2]]'' (2013)
+*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
-===[[PlayStation Vita]]===
+===[[PlayStation 4]]===
-*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
+*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade Future Tone]]'' (2016)
 ===PC===
@@ Line 327: / Line 295: @@
 *''[[MJ]]'' (2012)
-*''[[Virtua Tennis Challenge]]'' (2012)
+*''[[Soul Reverse Zero]]'' (2017)
 ===Android===
 *''[[MJ]]'' (2012)
-*''[[Virtua Tennis Challenge]]'' (2012)
-|cols=2}}
-==Softography as Sega Interactive R&D2==
-=== [[RingEdge]] ===
-*''[[Border Break X]]'' (2016)
-=== [[Nu]] ===
-*''[[KanColle Arcade]]'' (2016)
-*''[[Soul Reverse]]'' (2017)
-===[[Nintendo 3DS]]===
-*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
-===[[PlayStation 4]]===
-*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade Future Tone]]'' (2016)
-===[[iOS]]===
-*''[[Soul Reverse Zero]]'' (2017)
-===[[Android]]===
 *''[[Soul Reverse Zero]]'' (2017)
+|cols=3}}
 ==Gallery==

Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

From Sega Retro

Revision as of 15:40, 31 March 2017

Contents

Current Members

Former Members

Corporate history

Softography (arcade)

Other

Softography (consumer)

PC

iOS

Android

Gallery

External links

References