Namco Commits To Western Front With Surge

Publisher Namco Bandai plans to aggressively target the Western gaming audience with its new game label, "Surge." The Japanese company today announced the brand, which it said would also encompass a new internal development studio. The first game to be published under the label will be Afro Samurai, based on the animated series. No details were given regarding the studio, but it may be Namco's existing internal United States development group, which is developing Afro Samurai. Like fellow Japanese publishers including Capcom, Sega, and Square Enix, Namco has demonstrated an interest in not just publishing games targeted at Western audience, but also increasingly frequently publishing games developed by Western companies. In recent years, it released Black Hole's Warhammer games Mark of Chaos and Battle March, and co-published Flagship Studios' Hellgate: London, among others. Said Namco Bandai exec Andrew Lelchuk of the new label, "Surge...personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope. ...Surge will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force."