Difference between revisions of "Sega AM2"

From Sega Retro

(39 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Company
+
{{CompanyBob
| logo=Am2 palmtree.svg
+
| logo=AM2 logo 1993.png
 
| mergedinto= [[Sega AM11]], [[Digital Rex]]
 
| mergedinto= [[Sega AM11]], [[Digital Rex]]
 
| mergedwith= [[Sega AM3 (2005-2008)|Sega AM3]] (2008)
 
| mergedwith= [[Sega AM3 (2005-2008)|Sega AM3]] (2008)
 
| founded=1990
 
| founded=1990
 
| headquarters=Japan
 
| headquarters=Japan
 +
| prev=[[Sega R&D 8]]
 
}}
 
}}
'''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.
+
'''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 (Japan)|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==
 
==Current Members==
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|
* [[Daichi Katagiri]]
+
*[[Daichi Katagiri]]
* [[Hiroaki Shoji]]
+
*[[Fumio Ito]]
* [[Hiroshi Kataoka]]
+
*[[Hiroaki Shoji]]
* [[Makoto Osaki]]
+
*[[Hiroshi Kataoka]]
* [[Masayuki Masumi]]
+
*[[Junpei Mishima]]
* [[Mie Kumagai]]
+
*[[Kazuki Takagi]]
* [[Noriyuki Shimoda]]
+
*[[Keisuke Tsukahara]]
 +
*[[Kenji Kanno]]
 +
*[[Makito Nomiya]]
 +
*[[Makoto Osaki]]
 +
*[[Masayuki Masumi]]
 +
*[[Megumi Takano]]
 +
*[[Mie Kumagai]]
 +
*[[Naoto Oike]]
 +
*[[Noriyuki Shimoda]]
 
*[[Nobuyuki Yamashita]]
 
*[[Nobuyuki Yamashita]]
* [[Kenji Kanno]]
+
*[[Seiji Aoki]]
* [[Seiji Aoki]]
+
*[[Shinichi Goto]]
* [[Shinichi Yoshino]]
+
*[[Shinichi Yoshino]]
 
*[[Shoichiri Kanazawa]]
 
*[[Shoichiri Kanazawa]]
* [[Takehiko Mikami]]
+
*[[Takehiko Mikami]]
 
*[[Takeshi Goden]]
 
*[[Takeshi Goden]]
* [[Tatsuya Sato]]
+
*[[Tatsuya Sato]]
* [[Takuji Masuda]]
+
*[[Takuji Masuda]]
|cols}}
+
*[[Yasuyuki Nagata]]
 +
|cols=4}}
  
 
==Former Members==
 
==Former Members==
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|
 +
*[[Akira Yamanaka]]
 
*[[Daisuke Sato]]
 
*[[Daisuke Sato]]
 +
*[[Hideaki Miyamoto]]
 +
*[[Hidenori Shoji]]
 
*[[Junichi Yamada]]
 
*[[Junichi Yamada]]
* [[Keiji Okayasu]]
+
*[[Keiji Okayasu]]
 +
*[[Maki Morrow]]
 +
*[[Masanori Takeuchi]]
 
*[[Mika Kojima]]
 
*[[Mika Kojima]]
* [[Satoshi Mifune]]
+
*[[Sachio Ogawa]]
* [[Seiichi Ishii]]
+
*[[Satoshi Mifune]]
* [[Takashi Fujimura]]
+
*[[Seiichi Hamada]]
* [[Takeshi Isone]]
+
*[[Seiichi Ishii]]
 +
*[[Seiichiro Matsumura]]
 +
*[[Takayuki Nakamura]]
 +
*[[Takashi Fujimura]]
 +
*[[Takenobu Mitsuyoshi]]
 +
*[[Takeshi Isone]]
 +
*[[Tatsutoshi Narita]]
 
*[[Tetsuya Kaku]]
 
*[[Tetsuya Kaku]]
* [[Toru Ikebuchi]]
+
*[[Tomoya Koga]]
* [[Toshihiro Nagoshi]]
+
*[[Tomoyuki Kawamura]]
* [[Yu Suzuki]]
+
*[[Tohru Nakabayashi]]
 +
*[[Toru Ikebuchi]]
 +
*[[Toshihiro Nagoshi]]
 +
*[[Wataru Sakomura]]
 +
*[[Yasuhiro Takagi]]
 +
*[[Yasushi Nakajima]]
 +
*[[Yu Suzuki]]
 
*[[Yukinobu Arikawa]]
 
*[[Yukinobu Arikawa]]
|cols}}
+
|cols=4}}
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
[[File:Sega Office Tokyo 2 2009.jpg|thumb|right|Sega's second office, where AM2 lived during the 1990s{{magref|edge|9|45}}.]]
 +
Sega restructured its internal R&D divisions around 1990/1991, and Sega AM2, the second "amusement machine" division emerged from [[Sega R&D 8]]. Clearly dividing the arcade and consumer (CS) teams meant that AM2 would be focused entirely on arcade games (R&D 8 having also produced two [[Sega Mega Drive]] titles; ''[[Sword of Vermilion]]'' and ''[[Rent A Hero]]''). The divide would not stick - by 1994 AM2 were involved with Mega Drive and [[Sega Saturn]] conversions of their popular titles, but the group was first and foremost an arcade division.
 +
 
 +
The change to AM2 coincided with a change in the industry. [[Atari Games]] and [[Namco]] were edging ahead of Sega by producing 3D video games comprised of polygons, so Sega, with heavy influence from AM2, began work on the [[Model 1]] board - a "CG" arcade system capable of rendering thousands of polygons at high frame rates. It was during this period where AM2 abandoned the [[taikan game]] formula which had seen success for its predecessors during the 1980s, to focus on supporting this new, true 3D system.
 +
 
 +
1992's ''[[Virtua Racing]]'', demonstrating the Model 1 board, was the first game to be produced by AM2{{magref|edge|9|47}}. Following this, two teams were formed, one that would work on ''[[Virtua Fighter]]'', and another on ''[[Daytona USA]]''{{magref|edge|9|47}}, the latter for the improved [[Sega Model 2]] hardware. These three games, the latter two proudly showing AM2's new "palm tree" logo, elevated the company to new heights and made their producer, [[Yu Suzuki]] a video game celebrity.
  
==Corporate History==
+
Success for AM2 continued with ''[[Virtua Cop]]'', ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'', ''[[Virtua Striker]]'' (led by [[Satoshi Mifune]]) and ''[[Fighting Vipers]]'', with the [[Model 3]] games ''[[Scud Race]]'' (led by [[Toshihiro Nagoshi]]) and ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' making Sega leaders in the arcade throughout the 1990s. AM2 also had an important role with the [[Sega Saturn]], producing the [[Sega Graphics Library]] in 1995 in conjunction with its Saturn conversion of ''Virtua Fighter 2''.
  
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]].  
+
Among its home conversions, ''[[Fighters Megamix]]'', perhaps a celebration of the company's efforts to that point, was released for the console, combining the rosters of ''Virtua Fighter'' and ''Fighting Vipers'' (alongside a plethora of others, including a playable AM2 palm tree). It was towards the end of the decade, however, when Yu Suzuki AM2 embarked on its most ambitious project to date - the [[Dreamcast]] epic, ''[[Shenmue]]''.
  
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.
+
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.  
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.
+
====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{{fileref|CSK AnnualReport 2000.pdf|page=32}}, 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]].
  
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 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.
  
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 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.'''{{ref|http://dengekionline.com/data/news/2001/8/1/70e819844b813fbf73f290e563297591.html}}{{magref|dori|2001-07|11}}. This is the only official iteration of the company to have a hypen between "Sega" and "AM2".
  
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.
+
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.  
 
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.  
Line 72: Line 105:
 
Overall [[Sega AM1 (2005-current)|Sega AM1]] is Sega's more prominent arcade division as of recent, with a higher amount of successfull titles.
 
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)==
+
==Softography==
{{multicol|
+
{{CompanyHistoryAll|Sega AM2|AM2 of CRI|Sega-AM2}}
=== [[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]] ===
+
===(old)===
*''[[Power Drift]]'' (1988)
+
{{multicol|
*''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]'' (1990)
+
==== [[System 32]] ====
*''[[Strike Fighter]]'' (1991)
+
*''[[Soreike Kokology 2]]'' (1993)
 
=== [[System 32]] ===
 
*''[[Arabian Fight]]'' (1993)
 
*''[[F1 Exhaust Note]]'' (1991)
 
**''[[F1 Super Lap]]'' (1993)
 
*''[[Soreike Kokology]]'' (1991)
 
**''[[Soreike Kokology 2]]'' (1993)
 
  
=== [[Sega Model 1]] ===
+
==== [[Sega Model 2]] ====
*''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993)
 
*''[[Virtua Racing]]'' (1992)
 
 
 
=== [[Sega Model 2]] ===
 
*''[[Daytona USA]]'' (1993)
 
*''[[Desert Tank]]'' (1994)
 
*''[[Virtua Cop]]'' (1994)
 
*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]'' (1996)
 
 
 
=== [[Sega Model 2A CRX]] ===
 
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (1994)
 
*''[[Virtua Cop 2]]'' (1995)
 
 
 
=== [[Sega Model 2B CRX]] ===
 
 
*''[[Virtua Striker]]'' (1995)
 
*''[[Virtua Striker]]'' (1995)
*''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' (1995)
 
  
=== [[Sega Model 3 Step 1.0]] ===
+
==== [[Sega Model 3]] ====
*''[[Fighting Vipers 2]]'' (1998)
+
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' (1996)
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' (1996)  
 
**''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]'' (1997)
 
 
 
=== [[Sega Model 3 Step 1.5]] ===
 
 
*''[[Scud Race]]'' (1996)  
 
*''[[Scud Race]]'' (1996)  
**''[[Scud Race Plus]]'' (1997)
 
*''[[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: Battle on the Edge]]'' (1998)
**''[[Daytona USA 2: Power Edition]]'' (1998)
+
*''[[Daytona USA 2: Power Edition]]'' (1998)
  
=== [[Sega Titan Video]] ===
+
==== [[NAOMI]] ====
*''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]'' (1996)
 
 
 
=== [[NAOMI]] ===
 
*''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'' (1999)
 
*''[[F355 Challenge]]'' (1999)
 
**''[[F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition]]'' (2001)
 
 
*''[[MJ]]'' (2002)  
 
*''[[MJ]]'' (2002)  
*''[[Outtrigger]]'' (1999)
 
  
===[[Sega NAOMI 2|NAOMI 2]]===
+
==== [[Chihiro]] ====
*''[[Beach Spikers]]'' (2001)
+
*''[[MJ2]]'' (2003)
*''[[The King of Route 66]]'' (2002)
 
*''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' (2001)
 
**''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution]]'' (2002)
 
**''[[Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned]]'' (2004)
 
  
=== [[Chihiro]] ===
+
==== [[Sega System SP]] ====
*''[[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)
 
*''[[Rhythm Tengoku]]'' (2007)
  
===[[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]]===
+
====[[Lindbergh]]====
 
 
*''[[After Burner Climax]]'' (2006)
 
*''[[Derby Owners Club 2009: Ride for the Live]]'' (2009)
 
*''[[Ghost Squad Evolution]]'' (2007)
 
 
*''[[OutRun 2 SP SDX]]'' (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]] ===
+
==== [[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)  
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade]]'' (2010)  
*''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2009]]'' (2009)
+
*''[[Sega Card-Gen MLB 2013]]'' (2013)
**''[[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]]===
+
====[[Dreamcast]]====
*''[[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)
 
*''[[Propeller Arena]]'' (2001; unreleased)
*''[[Shenmue II]]'' (2001)
 
*''[[Shenmue]]'' (1999)
 
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]'' (1998) (also with [[Genki]])
 
  
===[[PlayStation 2|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. 16: Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (2004)
*''[[Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers]]'' (2005)
 
  
===[[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]]===
+
====[[Xbox 360]]====
*''[[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]]  (2013)
 
*''[[Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram]]'' (2009)
 
*''[[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]]===
+
====[[PlayStation 3]]====
*''[[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]])
 
*''[[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)
 
*''[[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)
 
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' (2006)
 
*''[[Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown]]'' (2012)
 
 
===[[PlayStation 4]]===
 
  
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Arcade Future Tone]]'' (2016)
+
====[[Nintendo 3DS]]====
*''[[Border Break]]'' (2018)
 
 
 
===[[Nintendo 3DS]]===
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku and Future Stars Project mirai]]'' (2012)
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2]]'' (2013)
 
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX]]'' (2015)
  
===[[PlayStation Vita]]===
+
====[[PlayStation Vita]]====
 
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 
*''[[Virtua Tennis 4]]'' (2011)
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
 
*''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F]]'' (2013) (with [[Sega CS3 (2008-current)|Sega CS3]])
  
===PC===
+
====PC====
 
 
 
*''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
 
*''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
  
===iOS/Anroid===
 
 
*''[[Virtua Tennis Challenge]]'' (2012)
 
*''[[MJ]]'' (2013)
 
* ''[[Squads]]'' (2015)
 
 
* ''[[Fortisia SEGAxLINE]]'' (2016)
 
* ''[[Fortisia SEGAxLINE]]'' (2016)
*''[[Soul Reverse Zero]]'' (2017)
 
 
|cols=3}}
 
|cols=3}}
  
Line 347: Line 170:
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Am2.svg|Logo, sans palm tree
 
Am2.svg|Logo, sans palm tree
 +
AM2 logo 1993.png|Logo (1993)
 +
AM2 logo 2000.png|Logo (2000)
 +
Am2 palmtree.svg|Logo (2001)
 +
AM2 logo 2005.png|Logo (2005)
 +
AM2 logo 2015.png|Logo (2015)
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  

Revision as of 16:29, 11 April 2021

https://segaretro.org/images/0/05/AM2_logo_1993.png

AM2 logo 1993.png
Sega AM2
Founded: 1990
Merged with: Sega AM3 (2008)
Merged into: Sega AM11, Digital Rex
Headquarters:
Japan

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].

Sega restructured its internal R&D divisions around 1990/1991, and Sega AM2, the second "amusement machine" division emerged from Sega R&D 8. Clearly dividing the arcade and consumer (CS) teams meant that AM2 would be focused entirely on arcade games (R&D 8 having also produced two Sega Mega Drive titles; Sword of Vermilion and Rent A Hero). The divide would not stick - by 1994 AM2 were involved with Mega Drive and Sega Saturn conversions of their popular titles, but the group was first and foremost an arcade division.

The change to AM2 coincided with a change in the industry. Atari Games and Namco were edging ahead of Sega by producing 3D video games comprised of polygons, so Sega, with heavy influence from AM2, began work on the Model 1 board - a "CG" arcade system capable of rendering thousands of polygons at high frame rates. It was during this period where AM2 abandoned the taikan game formula which had seen success for its predecessors during the 1980s, to focus on supporting this new, true 3D system.

1992's Virtua Racing, demonstrating the Model 1 board, was the first game to be produced by AM2[2]. Following this, two teams were formed, one that would work on Virtua Fighter, and another on Daytona USA[2], the latter for the improved Sega Model 2 hardware. These three games, the latter two proudly showing AM2's new "palm tree" logo, elevated the company to new heights and made their producer, Yu Suzuki a video game celebrity.

Success for AM2 continued with Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2, Virtua Striker (led by Satoshi Mifune) and Fighting Vipers, with the Model 3 games Scud Race (led by Toshihiro Nagoshi) and Virtua Fighter 3 making Sega leaders in the arcade throughout the 1990s. AM2 also had an important role with the Sega Saturn, producing the Sega Graphics Library in 1995 in conjunction with its Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 2.

Among its home conversions, Fighters Megamix, perhaps a celebration of the company's efforts to that point, was released for the console, combining the rosters of Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers (alongside a plethora of others, including a playable AM2 palm tree). It was towards the end of the decade, however, when Yu Suzuki AM2 embarked on its most ambitious project to date - the Dreamcast epic, Shenmue.

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]. This is the only official iteration of the company to have a hypen between "Sega" and "AM2".


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.

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

Softography

System 32

Model 1

Model 2

Sega Titan Video

Model 3

NAOMI Multiboard

NAOMI 2 GD-ROM

Mega Drive

Saturn

Dreamcast

PlayStation 2

GameCube

Windows PC


(old)

Gallery

External links

References


Timeline of Sega of Japan research and development divisions








83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22