Sony Partners with Bandai Namco for Tekken and Pac-Man Restructure

Bandai Namco Holdings Undergoes Company-Wide Restructuring

Exciting changes are underway at Bandai Namco Holdings as they embark on a comprehensive company-wide restructuring initiative. This overhaul spans across their film, toy, arcade, and video game divisions, including their renowned video game label, Bandai Namco Entertainment, home to popular titles such as Pac-Man, Tekken, Soulcalibur, and Ace Combat.

Commencing on April 1st, this restructuring effort, although coinciding with April Fool’s Day, is actually aligned with the start of the financial year. The reorganization will involve significant personnel changes at the departmental head level, as reported by AnimeNewsNetwork.

Notable transitions include Osamu Sarudate of Bandai Namco Entertainment NE production department unit 1 assuming the role of executive officer of the card business division. Koji Tezuka, the general manager of the card business division, will now lead the Gundam division, while Yuzuke Minagawa steps into the role of executive officer of the CX park business division. Additionally, the company is implementing renaming and reorganization of several departments and divisions.

As per ANN, Sony’s acquisition of 16 million shares in Bandai Namco for around $464.5 million marked a significant development last year, constituting 2.5% ownership of the company. Nintendo’s announcement in November regarding the takeover of Bandai Namco Studios Singapore through a share transfer agreement also made waves. BNSS, a collaborative studio with Nintendo on projects like Kirby Air Riders, was part of this strategic move.

Bandai Namco, like many companies, experienced cutbacks during the Covid stay-at-home surge. Over 100 staff members were let go between April 2024 and February 2025, following the cancellation of several games in February 2024. Reports in October of the same year highlighted management’s controversial tactics of relocating employees to unoccupied rooms, essentially pressuring them to resign. Despite these challenges, no layoffs have been announced amidst the current week’s proposed restructuring.