Wolf Team

Wolf Team was a Japanese video game development company established in 1986 within the Telenet Japan corporate sphere. Although the name is best known for its connection with the Tales role-playing game series, the studio initially worked across a broad range of genres and platforms. Its early catalogue included action games, role-playing games, strategy titles, arcade conversions, and interactive laserdisc-game ports. Among its better-known projects from this period were Sol-Feace, Earnest Evans, El Viento, Granada, Arcus, Valis-related work, and conversions of Japanese laserdisc arcade games such as Time Gal and Ninja Hayate. The studio’s corporate history was unsettled. Initially headed by Masahiro Akishino, Wolf Team became independent from Telenet in 1987, returned to the parent group in 1990, and was subsequently combined with another Telenet subsidiary, Lasersoft. A further internal restructuring in 1993 effectively absorbed the unit, after which many employees departed. A smaller group remained, including programmer Yoshiharu Gotanda, designer Masaki Norimoto, director Joe Asanuma, graphic artist Yoshiaki Inagaki, composer Motoi Sakuraba, and sound designer Ryota Furuya. This group continued to develop games under the Wolf Team name. The decisive turning point came with Tales of Phantasia. The project originated as a concept associated with Yoshiharu Gotanda and was presented to Enix before Telenet entered into an arrangement with Namco. Namco required substantial changes, including a change from the working title Tale Phantasia to Tales of Phantasia. Disagreements over the project contributed to a delay from its originally expected 1994 release to late 1995, and several members of the original development group left during the dispute. A number of those departing developers later formed tri-Ace. Telenet subsequently re-staffed Wolf Team so that it could continue working with Namco on the Tales property. The reorganized studio became the principal development force behind many of the series’ mainline or “mothership” games, although some entries were made by other teams. In 2003, Namco became the majority shareholder and the company was renamed Namco Tales Studio. At that point, Namco held 60 percent, Telenet Japan and Kazuyuki Fukushima held 34 percent, and Tales director Eiji Kikuchi held 6 percent. The remaining connection to Telenet was removed after the creation of Bandai Namco Holdings. Effective April 1, 2006, the newly merged group acquired Telenet Japan’s remaining interest, raising its holding in Namco Tales Studio to 94 percent; Namco later acquired the residual shares. Telenet’s bankruptcy and closure in October 2007 also ended the historical corporate setting in which the Wolf Team name had operated. Namco Tales Studio continued to develop or co-develop Tales games for platforms including the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, GameCube, Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. In November 2011, Namco Bandai announced that Namco Tales Studio would be dissolved and merged with its publisher. In February 2012, it was announced that approximately 80 members of the Tales team would join Bandai Namco Studios. Wolf Team is therefore a defunct historical studio identity rather than an active standalone brand.

Wolf Team was founded in Japan in 1986 and initially operated in the Telenet Japan development network. Masahiro Akishino was its initial head. The company became independent from Telenet in 1987, returned to the group in 1990, and was merged with Telenet subsidiary Lasersoft. In 1993, another internal restructuring effectively absorbed the unit, prompting most of the staff to leave with Akishino. The remaining developers continued under the Wolf Team name. The group included programmer Yoshiharu Gotanda, designer Masaki Norimoto, director Joe Asanuma, graphic artist Yoshiaki Inagaki, composer Motoi Sakuraba, and sound-effect designer Ryota Furuya. During this period, Wolf Team produced a varied catalogue rather than focusing exclusively on role-playing games. Its work included Sol-Feace, Hiouden, Arcus-related titles, Earnest Evans, El Viento, Granada, and other action, strategy, and role-playing projects. The company also became known for adapting laserdisc arcade games for the Sega Mega-CD, including Time Gal and Ninja Hayate, the latter released outside Japan under the title Revenge of the Ninja. Wolf Team’s long-term importance was established by Tales of Phantasia. The project was conceived in connection with Gotanda and was offered to outside publishers. Telenet ultimately reached an arrangement with Namco, which requested significant revisions and a title change from Tale Phantasia to Tales of Phantasia. The negotiations and development changes pushed the release into late 1995. Several members of the original team left during this period and subsequently established tri-Ace. To preserve the development relationship with Namco, Telenet re-staffed Wolf Team. The reorganized studio worked on much of the Tales series and became the main developer for many of its principal entries. It was not responsible for every game: Tales of Legendia was made by Namco’s Team Melfes, while Tales of Innocence was developed by Alfa System. Other developers also contributed to series spin-offs. In 2003, Namco took majority control of the company and renamed it Namco Tales Studio. The initial ownership structure after the change placed 60 percent with Namco, 34 percent with Telenet Japan and Kazuyuki Fukushima, and 6 percent with Eiji Kikuchi. On April 1, 2006, Bandai Namco Holdings acquired Telenet Japan’s remaining shares, increasing its holding to 94 percent; the remaining shares were later acquired by Namco. Telenet’s bankruptcy and closure in October 2007 ended the studio’s former corporate relationship with its original parent. Namco Tales Studio remained active as the principal Tales development organization until the early 2010s. In November 2011, the company’s dissolution and merger into Namco Bandai Games were announced. In February 2012, the transfer of around 80 Tales team employees to Bandai Namco Studios was announced. The Wolf Team identity consequently survives as a historical predecessor of Namco Tales Studio and as an important part of the lineage behind Bandai Namco’s Tales development teams.

• 2012

  Tales team joins Bandai Namco Studios

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Approximately 80 members of the Tales team transfer to Bandai Namco Studios.

• 2011

  Dissolution announced

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Namco Tales Studio’s dissolution and merger with its publisher are announced.

• 2006

  Bandai Namco increases ownership

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Namco Holdings purchases Telenet Japan’s remaining interest, raising its stake to 94 percent.

• 2003

  Renamed Namco Tales Studio

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Namco becomes the majority shareholder and the Wolf Team company adopts the Namco Tales Studio name.

• 1995

  Tales of Phantasia is released

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  The first Tales game reaches the Japanese market after development changes and delays associated with its Namco publishing arrangement.

• 1993

  Internal restructuring

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Wolf Team is absorbed during a Telenet restructuring, after which many developers depart.

• 1990

  Reintegration and Lasersoft merger

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  The studio returns to Telenet and is combined with another Telenet subsidiary, Lasersoft.

• 1987

  Independence from Telenet

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  Wolf Team becomes independent from Telenet before later being reintegrated into the group.

• 1986

  Wolf Team is founded

  [1]Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org

  A Japanese video game development company named Wolf Team is established within the Telenet Japan sphere.

A Japanese multi-genre game developer that became especially significant as the original development organization behind many early Tales role-playing games.

• Japanese role-playing game · 1995

  Tales of Phantasia

  The project that established Wolf Team’s lasting relationship with Namco and served as the foundation of the Tales franchise. It began as Tale Phantasia before Namco required changes, including a revised title. The game was delayed during development and was released in late 1995. Several members of the original development group left during this period.

• Japanese role-playing game series

  Tales series development

  After being re-staffed by Telenet, Wolf Team became the primary development organization for many of the principal Tales games. Its work included Tales of Destiny, Tales of Eternia, Tales of Destiny 2, and other entries, although some games were made by separate Namco or external teams.

• Action game

  Sol-Feace

  A science-fiction action title developed by Wolf Team and associated with the studio’s early multi-genre catalogue. It was released in versions known as Sol-Feace and Sol-Deace.

• Action game

  Earnest Evans

  An action-oriented title from Wolf Team’s pre-Tales period, representative of the studio’s work on character-driven console games before its closer association with Namco.

• Action game

  El Viento

  A Wolf Team action title from the company’s early catalogue. It forms part of the studio’s broader body of console work outside the later Tales role-playing game focus.

• Laserdisc arcade-game conversion

  Time Gal and Ninja Hayate conversions

  Wolf Team worked on Sega Mega-CD conversions of laserdisc arcade games, including the Japan-only arcade titles Time Gal and Ninja Hayate. Ninja Hayate was released outside Japan under the name Revenge of the Ninja.

• 2011

  Dissolution and integration into the publisherStrategy

  Background

  Bandai Namco reorganized its game-development operations around its publisher and internal studio structure.

  Action taken

  Namco Tales Studio was announced for dissolution and merger with Namco Bandai Games.

  Aftermath

  The Tales development staff moved into Bandai Namco Studios, ending the standalone studio identity.

  Source

• 2006

  Bandai Namco acquires Telenet Japan’s remaining stakeM&A

  Background

  The merger that created Bandai Namco Holdings enabled the group to consolidate ownership of the Tales development company.

  Action taken

  Effective April 1, Bandai Namco Holdings purchased Telenet Japan’s remaining shares, increasing its holding to 94 percent; Namco later acquired the remaining shares.

  Aftermath

  Namco Tales Studio no longer had a continuing ownership link with Telenet Japan.

  Source

• 2003

  Namco takes majority control and renames the companyM&A

  Background

  Namco sought to formalize and continue its development relationship with the team responsible for much of the Tales series.

  Action taken

  Namco acquired 60 percent of the venture, while Telenet Japan and Kazuyuki Fukushima retained 34 percent and Eiji Kikuchi held 6 percent. The company was renamed Namco Tales Studio.

  Aftermath

  The renamed studio continued as the principal developer of many mainline Tales games.

  Source

1. 1Namco Tales Studioen.wikipedia.org