Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

Revision as of 15:56, 4 January 2020

Sega AM2

Founded: 1990

Merged with: Sega AM3 (2008)

Merged into: Sega AM11, Digital Rex

Headquarters:

Japan

← Sega R&D 8

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

Current Members

Former Members

History

Sega's second office, where AM2 lived during the 1990s^[1].

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.

Virtua Racing was the first game to be produced by AM2^[2], after which two teams were formed, one that would work on Virtua Fighter, and another on Daytona USA^[2].

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.

AM2 of CRI

CSK had been the parent company of Sega since 1984, running its own software development division, CSK Research Institute during the 1990s. Isao Okawa personally bought the division from CSK on 1st October, 1999^[3], and in February 2000, it was merged with Sega AM2, creating the short-lived title, AM2 of CRI. CRI Middleware was then established to handle the sale of CRI's former products such as ADX and Sofdec.

AM2 of CRI existed for much of 2000 and part of 2001, continuing to operate as it had before, but downplaying the use of "Sega" and the iconic palmtree logo over this period.

As a stand-alone company

While a few games were released by AM2 of CRI, the CRI name would be dropped later in August 2001, when, as with other development groups within Sega, AM2 was spun-off into an entirely separate (but wholly owned) subsidiary of Sega known as Sega-AM2 Co., Ltd.^[4]^[5].

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.^[6]

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.

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 ==Softography==
+{{multicol|
+{{CompanyHistoryAll|Sega AM2|AM2 of CRI|Sega-AM2}}
+|cols=3}}
 ===Arcade===
 {{multicol|
 ==== [[System 32]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=System 32}}
+*''[[Soreike Kokology 2]]'' (1993)
-*''[[Arabian Fight]]'' (1993)
-*''[[Burning Rival]]'' (1993)
-**''[[F1 Super Lap]]'' (1993)
-*''[[Soreike Kokology]]'' (1991)
-**''[[Soreike Kokology 2]]'' (1993)
 ==== [[Sega Model 1]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Model 1}}
 *''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993)
 *''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1992)
 ==== [[Sega Model 2]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Model 2}}
-*''[[Desert Tank]]'' (1994)
 *''[[Virtua Cop]]'' (1994)
 *''[[Virtua Cop 2]]'' (1995)
@@ Line 109: / Line 105: @@
 ==== [[Sega Model 3]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Model 3}}
 *''[[Fighting Vipers 2]]'' (1998)
 *''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' (1996)
@@ Line 121: / Line 115: @@
 *''[[Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge]]'' (1998)
 **''[[Daytona USA 2: Power Edition]]'' (1998)
-==== [[Sega Titan Video]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Sega Titan Video}}
 ==== [[NAOMI]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|AM2 of CRI|Sega-AM2|format=NAOMI}}
 *''[[F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition]]'' (2001)
 *''[[MJ]]'' (2002)
 *''[[Outtrigger]]'' (1999)
-====[[NAOMI 2]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|Sega-AM2|format=NAOMI 2}}
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned]]'' (2004)
 ==== [[Chihiro]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|Sega-AM2|format=Chihiro}}
 *''[[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)
-**''[[OutRun 2 SP]]'' (2004)
-*''[[Virtua Cop 3]]'' (2003)
 ==== [[Sega System SP]] ====
@@ Line 156: / Line 134: @@
 ====[[Lindbergh]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Lindbergh}}
 *''[[Derby Owners Club 2009: Ride for the Live]]'' (2009)
 *''[[OutRun 2 SP SDX]]'' (2007)
-*''[[R-Tuned: Ultimate Street Racing]]'' (2008)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 5 R]]'' (2008)
-*''[[MJ4]]'' (2008)
 ==== [[RingEdge]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=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)
@@ Line 180: / Line 146: @@
 **''[[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)
-==== [[RingWide]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=RingWide}}
-*''[[Sega Racing Classic]]'' (2009)
-==== [[Nu]] ====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Nu}}
-*''[[KanColle Arcade]]'' (2016)
-*''[[Fate/Grand Order Arcade]]'' (2018)
-*''[[Soul Reverse]]'' (2018)
 |cols=3}}
@@ Line 203: / Line 152: @@
 {{multicol|
 ====[[Mega Drive]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Mega Drive}}
-*''[[Rent A Hero]]'' (1991)
 *''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1994) (with [[Sega CS]])
 ====[[Saturn]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=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 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)
 ====[[Dreamcast]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|AM2 of CRI|Sega-AM2|format=Dreamcast}}
 *''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (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]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|AM2 of CRI|Sega-AM2|format=PlayStation 2}}
-*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2001)
-*''[[Ferrari F355 Challenge]]'' (2002) (also with [[Tose]])
-*''[[Virtua Cop: Elite Edition]]'' (2002) (also with RIZ Inc.)
-*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2003) (also with [[Tose]])
-*''[[Choujikuu Yousai Macross]]'' (2003)
 *''[[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)
 *''[[OutRun 2 SP]]'' (2007)
 ====[[GameCube]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|Sega-AM2|format=GameCube}}
-*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (2002)
 *''[[Virtua Quest]]'' (2004) (also with [[Tose]])
-====[[Xbox]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|Sega-AM2|format=Xbox}}
 ====[[Xbox 360]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Xbox 360}}
-*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
-*''[[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)
 ====[[Wii]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Wii}}
-*''[[Ghost Squad]]'' (2007)
 *''[[Gunblade NY & LA Machineguns]]'' (2010)
 ====[[PlayStation 3]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=PlayStation 3}}
 *''[[Miyazato San Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golfclub]]'' (2006) (with [[Global Entertainment R&D Dept. 2|GE2]])
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 *''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
-*''[[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)
-*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (2012)
-*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2012)
-====[[PlayStation 4]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=PlayStation 4}}
-*''[[Border Break (PlayStation 4)|Border Break]]'' (2018)
 ====[[Nintendo 3DS]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Nintendo 3DS}}
-*''[[Hatsune Miku and Future Stars Project mirai]]'' (2012)
-*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2]]'' (2013)
 *''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
 ====[[PlayStation Vita]]====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=PlayStation Vita}}
 *''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 *''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
 ====PC====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=PC}}
 *''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
-====iOS====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=iOS}}
-====Android====
-{{CompanyHistory|Sega AM2|format=Android}}
 * ''[[Fortisia SEGAxLINE]]'' (2016)

Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

From Sega Retro

Revision as of 15:56, 4 January 2020

Contents

Current Members

Former Members

History

AM2 of CRI

As a stand-alone company

Softography

Arcade

Consumer

PC

Gallery

External links

References