Jaleco Leaves Games Biz Due To 'Increasing Competition'

Longstanding Japanese publisher and developer Jaleco, best known for the Bases Loaded and RodLand franchises, has announced that it's set to exit the video game business, after selling its game assets to online game company Game Yarou. Although always a relatively minor player, Jaleco first entered the coin-operated business in the early ‘80s, before moving into the home console market. American gamers will likely know the company best for the Bases Loaded series of baseball simulators, as well as arcade game RodLand and Dreamcast survival horror Carrier. The company also published a number of third-party console titles on the NES and SNES in the U.S., such as Atari’s Rampart, Irem’s R-Type III and LucasArts’ (then Lucasfilm Games) Maniac Mansion and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Parent company Jaleco Holdings, which also has real estate and securities interest, has now transferred 100 percent ownership of games subsidiary Jaleco to Game Yarou. The purchase was made for only ¥1 -- Game Yarou agrees to take on ¥700 million ($7.75m) of Jaleco Holding’s ¥16 billion ($177.0m) outstanding loans. In a press release translated by blog site Kotaku, Jaleco Holdings officials said the company's departure is because of "increasing competition in recent years in the video game market." "The risk factors for our profitability will be removed after withdrawing from the game industry," said a spokesperson.