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| Liz Maas |
What does this mean for Atlus?
06.27.13 - 2:28 PM
Earlier today the board of directors of Atlus' parent company, Index Corp., decided to begin 'civil rehabilitation' - that is, they've all but filed for bankruptcy. The company has about $24.5 billion yen ($250 million US) in debt, and was recently alleged to have conducted fraudulent business transactions, inflated sales reports, and made round-trip transactions - these are illegal in Japan.
Index, who purchased Atlus seven years ago, reported less overseas revenue than expected. What does it mean for the Shin Megami Tensei developer, who went from being a subsidiary for Index to an in-house brand? Nothing immediately, as the releases of Etrian Odyssey Untold, SMTIV overseas and Dragon's Crown are extremely unlikely to be affected. Under the supervision of Japanese courts, Index will continue to operate and re-organize, and is also seeking sponsors to transfer its game business operations to, so that their value doesn't diminish. As Atlus might be their most profitable asset, Index may especially be keen on protecting its value...
