Sega now owns all Atlus gaming IP following $141 million acquisition

Well known Japanese game developer and publisher Atlus got into trouble earlier this year when its parent company Index Corp. filed for bankruptcy. That put the future of popular gaming intellectual property including the Megami Tensei, Persona, andEtrian Odyssey series, in doubt. However, it looks as though Atlus’ future is assured, albeit under the Sega name.

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. has confirmed the acquisition of Index Corp. and therefore Atlus under a deal worth $141 million. The actual company carrying out the acquisition is called Sega Dream Corporation, but ultimately it’s the now software-focused Sega in control. And the company points to gaining access to “prominent IPs” in video games as a key reason for the decision to buy.

Sega will be keen to get back this $141 million investment as soon as possible, so expect Atlus’ key IP to continue to see releases across a range of formats, including smartphones, gaming handhelds, and the major consoles. Sega also points to pachinko machines and amusement centers as key areas to take advantage of the IP they now own. We won’t see the benefit of that in western markets, but fans of key Atlus series should continue to see new titles released on a regular basis.

Although the acquisition is agreed, it won’t be finalized until the beginning of November. So we won’t get a true picture of the new Atlus, or at least what’s happening to their IP, until some point in 2014.