Bandai Namco’s presence at GAGA 2013, the Panyu Animation and Game Expo, in China last week, reinforced the company’s central role within the international video games and amusement market.
The Japanese-based company’s booth was one of the busiest at the show and general manager Osamu Sakamoto was pleased with the response from visitors.
“We are very happy with the show,” he said. “All of our Namco customers and partners are here.”
Namco took the opportunity to present its Midnight Maximum Tune 4 racing game in China for the first time, with a bank of machines at the front of its stand constantly occupied by enthusiastic players. Also generating a significant amount of interest was Pac Man Smash air hockey, which again had already been launched in the international market but was being introduced to the Chinese market for the first time.
Both these and the rest of the Namco range had been well received, said Sakamoto, who explained that the company had ensured that it had plenty of staff on the stand to fully demonstrate to clients how to play its games.
China, however, remains an “unstable” market and so Namco is taking its time to ensure that it builds its market on strong foundations. Sakamoto said that both the Chinese economy and government policy, which includes restrictions on game content, means there is a certain degree of uncertainty about the market here. Namco has other important markets in Asia to maintain, he said, suggesting the company is happy to bide its time.
Picture: Bandai Namco’s Osama Sakamoto stands with his company’s Midnight Maximum Tune 4 display
