Bandai Namco has recently disclosed in its latest quarterly earnings report (via IGN) that it has decided to cancel five projects that were in development but had not been announced to the public. It’s always sad to see such issues arise, especially for a developer of this caliber.
This financial setback highlights the growing concerns over the escalating costs of game development, prompting publishers to adopt a more selective approach toward project approvals.
Bandai Namco’s move reflects this trend, as the company aims to tighten its project selection criteria in response to these financial challenges. Despite the cancellations, it’s not all negative for Bandai Namco.
The company has experienced success with Tekken 8, which has surpassed 2 million sales in under three weeks, a performance that has exceeded the company’s expectations.
There have been rumors that Bandai Namco collaborated with Tencent to develop a mobile version of Blue Protocol. Whether this project is among the canceled remains unclear, especially considering the game’s lackluster performance in Japan.
Bandai Namco has stated that it will implement stricter guidelines for greenlighting new projects, driven by the need to manage rising development costs more effectively.
