Bandai Namco Online to Merge with Bandai Namco Entertainment in 2025

Bandai Namco Holdings has announced a significant restructuring, with Bandai Namco Online set to be absorbed by Bandai Namco Entertainment on April 1, 2025. This absorption-type merger marks the end of the online game-focused subsidiary that was originally established in 2009.

Founded as a spin-off of Bandai Namco Games (now Bandai Namco Entertainment), Bandai Namco Online was initially created to focus on releasing and managing online-exclusive games. However, the company has faced challenges in recent years, most notably with the shutdowns of two high-profile titles.

Gundam Evolution, a first-person shooting game, was discontinued worldwide in November 2023. The company’s other major release, Blue Protocol, an anime-style MMORPG, is scheduled to shut down in Japan on January 18, 2025, with its international releases also canceled.

Despite these setbacks, Bandai Namco Online continues to manage several active titles. These include Idolish Seven, SD Gundam Operations, and Gundam Tribe. Following the merger, Bandai Namco Entertainment will take over the management of these properties in the 2025 fiscal year.

The absorption will effectively eliminate Online as a separate entity, consolidating its operations under the Entertainment umbrella. This restructuring comes as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to streamline its online gaming business. The merger is set to take effect at the beginning of the new fiscal year, marking a significant change in the company’s organizational structure.

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