According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Bandai Namco is cutting jobs and canceling several titles in development. According to the report, this is a result of “lackluster demand”. However, due to strict Japanese labor laws the company cannot execute mass layoffs and is instead forcing employees to voluntarily quit. According to the report, which cites several anonymous employees, the company is reportedly taking a traditionally Japanese approach to reducing staff and sending workers to rooms where they are given nothing to do. This puts pressure on them to leave voluntarily. Since April, affiliate Bandai Namco Studios Inc. has moved about 200 of its roughly 1,300 employees to these rooms and nearly 100 have resigned, with more expected to leave in coming months. “Our decisions to discontinue games are based on comprehensive assessments of the situation. Some employees may need to wait a certain amount of time before they are assigned their next project, but we do move forward with assignments as new projects emerge,” a Bandai Namco representative said. “There is no organization like an ‘oidashi beya’ at Bandai Namco Studios designed to pressure people to leave voluntarily.” Additionally, according to the report, the several cancellations include Naruto and One Piece IPs, along with a game that had been commissioned.
Details for the latest One Piece title via Bandai Namco:
One Piece Odyssey is an RPG project filled with the unique elements of adventure from One Piece that has been highly desired by fans. This project has been in the works for many years so that fans can truly touch the world of One Piece and now is ready to be unveiled!
Join this brand-new RPG featuring new character and monster designs produced by Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece. The game is also complemented by the beautiful music of Motoi Sakuraba, a composer well known for his various contributions to video games such as the Dark Souls and Tales of series.
A broken Thousand Sunny… Scattered crew members… Luffy’s missing straw hat…
During their voyage, the Straw Hats, led by Monkey D. Luffy are swallowed by a huge storm at sea. They end up on a mysterious island full of nature amidst the storm and become separated from each other. The crew set outs on a new adventurous journey filled with wonders of a raging nature, powerful enemies, and strange encounters with island locals.
Work together with Luffy and his crew to set sail once again!
Key Features
A Mysterious Island – Luffy decides to scout the island to meet up with his scattered crew members. They come across various mysterious ruins and never-before-seen monsters. Although excited to scout the island together, things soon take an unexpected turn. Discover and experience an original storyline!
Straw Hats as One – Defeat new enemies, unravel mysteries, and unearth a whole adventure with your favorite Straw Hats! In addition to Luffy, you can play as Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Frankie, and Brook!
RPG with a One Piece Twist – Experience quests and dungeons all with an authentic One Piece twist. Enjoy what you love about RPGs but with your favorite characters and an original touch from the One Piece universe.
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