Bandai Namco has increased its stake in German developer Limbic Entertainment — now holding a majority stake.
The publisher acquired a minority stake in Limbic in February 2021 and has now extended the investment. Bandai Namco is publishing Limbic’s upcoming game Park Beyond. According to the press release, the Japanese publisher aims to “help Limbic become the new reference in strategy and simulation games.”
Bandai Namco is undergoing a strategy to “accelerate” the company’s “Western development capabilities.” This increased level of investment is a continuation of Bandai Namco’s expansion goals, which seek to establish “a significant share of its business outside Japan.”
Arnaud Miller, chief executive officer of Bandai Namco Europe, spoke about Bandai Namco’s increased investment in Limbic, saying “This investment is much more than a strategic move for Bandai Namco. With Stephan, Alex and their teams, we share the same values and passion for games. For the past 3 years, we have worked together on the creation of new IPs.”
Miller continued, “The first game Park Beyond will be released in 2023 but there is much more to come. This investment is just the continuity of our existing relationship…”
Prior to this partnership with Bandai Namco, Limbic previously worked with Ubisoft and Kalypso Media to publish the studio’s games. A strategy studio by trade, Limbic worked with Ubisoft on Might & Magic, developing three games in that series.
Limbic worked with Kalypso on Tropico 6, the most recent instalment in the series. Realmforge Studios, developer of the Dungeons series, has since announced they will be taking over the development of Tropico.
Limbic’s upcoming game, Park Beyond, is an amusement park simulation game with a futuristic twist. Players will be encouraged to create rides that “aren’t held back by gravity.” The game is set to release sometime in 2023 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.