Bandai Namco Entertainment invests in more U.S. game startups

28.11.2023 - 01:45 / venturebeat.com

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Bandai Namco’s 021 Fund said it has invested in two additional U.S. game startups — Flickplay and Code Charm — as part of its strategic investment plan.

The Japanese-based company, a division of global game giant Bandai Namco Entertainment, is investing in game startups in the U.S. despite a recent spate of gaming layoffs and a slowdown in gaming venture capital investments.

This strategic investment aligns with Bandai Namco’s overarching vision of fostering deep, diverse relationships with fans, partners, employees, and communities worldwide under the theme “Fun for All into the Future.”

“We continue to invest in the U.S. market and startups in America because we think the U.S. is like the center of advanced technology and also the center of entertainment,” said Yoyo Yang, chief of the corporate planning unit at Bandai Namco Entertainment, in an interview with GamesBeat. “That’s why we invest even though the environment right now for fundraising and startups is not that good. We are committed to the community and we continue to invest in the good companies. All of these solutions in these companies are focused on the community itself.”

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She noted that Code Charm’s Magma is focused on supporting creators all over the world, while Flickplay is focused on communities around digital and physical characters. Previously, Bandai Namco also said it invested in GGWP, which is focused on reducing toxic behavior in communities.

“Bandai Namco Entertainment is all about connecting with fans,” said Karim Farghaly, senior vice president of corporate development at Bandai Namco Entertainment America, in an interview with GamesBeat. “We connect with fans using video games. But we’re not a traditional video game publisher as we have a pretty big toy business and amusement business. So we create multiple connections with fans with different media. That is how we can extend IP value and deliver richer experiences to the fan. This is really an extension of what we’re trying to do by striking partnerships and investing in companies that will give us an opportunity to connect with fans in a different way in the future.”

Farghaly said Bandai Namco has invested historically in third-party game studios or games themselves, but these new investments are much wider in nature in terms of partnering with startups.

Flickplay offers a unique service that intertwines digital toys with real-world experiences. Their “phygital”