Nothing lasts forever. Not you, not me, and certainly not game companies. Just ask Midway, Pandemic, and Acclaim. They're gone.
In the latest issue of Japanese weekly Shukan Gendai, the publication goes through and attempts to suss out which Japanese companies will still exist ten years from now.
Shukan Gendai awarded points to companies on what seems to be a scale of one-to-ten, with ten apparently being the highest and meaning that the company would survive.
Since I haven't seen the full article, I do not know what criteria Gendai used. Moreover, Shukan Gendai is not a respected business journal like the Nikkei. It's a tabloid.
Here are the results:
• Gree: 6 points
• Capcom: 1 point
• Koei Tecmo: 0 points
• Konami: 1 point
• Square Enix: 0 points
• Sega: 0 points
• Sony Computer Entertainment: 2 points
• Nintendo: 7 points
• Namco Bandai: 2 points
Gendai noted recent trends like the shift from retail, packaged games to low cost digital titles as impacting the country's game industry. While Gendai stated that Nintendo's longevity is due to its cross-generational appeal, I do think both Sony Computer Entertainment and Namco Bandai scored surprisingly low.
Sony Computer Entertainment is an international company with titles that do well abroad, while Namco Bandai is fortunate to hold the rights to perennial franchises like Gundam, Ultra-man, and Kamen Rider.
The others? Well, we'll know in a decade.
10年後も絶対に生き残ってる企業（週刊現代） [HighGamers]
(Top photo: Keith Srakocic | AP)