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Sega AM2

Video game developer · Japan · Closed in 2004

Sega AM2

102
games developed
0
games published
0
in development

History of Sega AM2

Sega AM2 is a development team inside Sega. Its story begins with Yu Suzuki, who joined the company as a programmer in 1983. His group made Hang-On, Space Harrier (1985), Out Run (1986) and Enduro Racer (1986), and then, from a separate site known as 'Studio 128', After Burner and Power Drift. Some time after Power Drift, Sega split its arcade division into research and development teams, and Suzuki became head of number two, AM2, which started with around a hundred people.

Its first game was Virtua Racing (1992), running on the Model 1 board, which Next Generation magazine said changed how people saw polygons in games. The team then split in two: one half made Virtua Fighter, a 3D fighting game that was a huge hit in Japan, and the other made Daytona USA (1993), directed by Toshihiro Nagoshi to launch the Model 2 board. Through the rest of the 1990s came Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, Daytona USA 2 and SpikeOut, mostly fighting and racing games.

In April 2000 it came under the management of CSK Research Institute, and in 2001 it became the company SEGA-AM2 Co., Ltd. For Dreamcast it made Shenmue, an adventure with an unusually detailed version of the city of Yokosuka that went over budget and never turned a profit despite selling well. Virtua Fighter 4, with its VF.NET network system, brought the series back to success in arcades. Suzuki left AM2 on 1 October 2003 to start a new studio within Sega, Digitalrex, and Hiroshi Kataoka took over.

After Sammy bought Sega in 2004, AM2 was merged back into Sega. Since then it has made Virtua Fighter 5 (2007), Border Break (2009), one of its biggest arcade successes, the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA series and smartphone games in Japan. It co-developed Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, and since 2024 it has been under that studio and Masayoshi Yokoyama.

Milestones

  1. 1983

    Yu Suzuki joins Sega as a programmer.

  2. 1992

    Virtua Racing, AM2's first game.

  3. 1993

    Daytona USA is released in Japan.

  4. 2000

    Comes under CSK Research Institute.

  5. 2001

    Becomes SEGA-AM2 Co., Ltd.

  6. 2003

    Suzuki leaves AM2; Hiroshi Kataoka takes over.

  7. 2004

    Merged back into Sega after Sammy's takeover.

  8. 2009

    Border Break arrives in arcades.

  9. 2024

    Placed under RGG Studio.

Its best-known games

  • Shenmue

    Shenmue

    1999 · PS4 · PC · XONE

  • OutRun

    OutRun

    1986 · Arcade

  • Shenmue II

    Shenmue II

    2001 · XBOX · PS4 · PC

  • Virtua Fighter 2

    Virtua Fighter 2

    1994 · Arcade · Series X|S · PS3

  • Virtua Cop 2

    Virtua Cop 2

    1995 · Arcade · PC · Saturn

  • Virtua Cop

    Virtua Cop

    1994 · Arcade · PC · Saturn

  • Super Hang-On

    Super Hang-On

    1987 · Arcade · PS3 · C64

  • Daytona USA

    Daytona USA

    1993 · Arcade

  • Virtua Fighter

    Virtua Fighter

    1993 · Arcade · Sega32 · Saturn

  • Space Harrier

    Space Harrier

    1985 · Arcade · Sega32 · Wii

  • Sonic the Fighters

    Sonic the Fighters

    2012 · PS3 · X360 · XONE

  • Virtua Fighter 5

    Virtua Fighter 5

    2006 · Arcade · PS3 · X360

Every game it has developed (102)

2020

  • Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Mega Mix Switch

2017

  • Soul Reverse Arcade
  • Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone DX PS4

2016

  • Soul Reverse Zero Android, iOS

2013

  • Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade Future Tone Arcade
  • Virtua Striker PS3, X360

2012

  • Sonic the Fighters PS3, X360, XONE
  • Fighting Vipers PS3, X360

2011

  • Daytona USA PS3, X360, XONE

2010

  • Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown Arcade, PS3, X360
  • Sega Racing Classic Arcade
  • Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade Arcade

2009

  • Jambo! Safari: Animal Rescue NDS
  • Jambo! Safari Animal Rescue Wii

2008

  • Virtua Fighter 5 R Arcade

2006

2005

  • Sega Golf Club Version 2006: Next Tours Arcade
  • Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers PS2

2004

  • Ghost Squad Arcade, Wii
  • OutRun 2 SP: Special Tours Arcade, PS2
  • Sega Golf Club: Network Pro Tour Arcade
  • Virtua Quest NGC, PS2
  • Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned Arcade
  • Sega Network Taisen Mahjong MJ2 Arcade

2003

  • OutRun 2 Arcade, XBOX
  • Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary PS2
  • Choujikuu Yousai Macross PS2
  • Virtua Cop 3 Arcade

2002

  • Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution Arcade, PS2
  • Aero Elite: Combat Academy PS2
  • Sega Yon-nin Uchi Mahjong MJ Arcade
  • The King of Route 66 Arcade, PS2

2001

  • Shenmue II XBOX, PS4, PC, XONE
  • Virtua Fighter 4 Arcade, PS2
  • Beach Spikers Arcade, NGC
  • F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition Arcade

1999

1998

  • Daytona USA 2: Power Edition Arcade
  • Sega Ages Vol. 12: Galaxy Force II Saturn
  • Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge Arcade
  • Virtua Striker 2 Version '98 Arcade
  • Fighting Vipers 2 Arcade, DC

1997

  • Digital Dance Mix Vol. 1: Namie Amuro Saturn
  • Zen-Nippon Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua Arcade, Saturn
  • Daytona USA Deluxe PC
  • SCUD Race Plus Arcade
  • Virtua Fighter 3tb Arcade, DC
  • SCUD Race Arcade

1996

  • Virtua Fighter PC Arcade, PC, Saturn
  • Fighters Megamix Saturn
  • Fighting Vipers Saturn
  • Virtua Fighter 3 Arcade
  • Sonic Championship Arcade, Saturn
  • Virtua Fighter Kids Arcade, Saturn
  • Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series the Final: Dural Saturn
  • Neon Genesis Evangelion: 1st Impression Saturn
  • Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol. 9: Kage Maru Saturn

1995

  • Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.6: Lau Chan Saturn
  • Fighting Vipers Arcade
  • Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series Vol.4: Pai Chan Saturn
  • Virtua Cop 2 Arcade, PC, Saturn, DC
  • Daytona USA Sega32, PC, Saturn
  • Virtua Fighter Remix Arcade, Saturn

1994

  • Virtua Racing Deluxe Sega32
  • Virtua Fighter 2 Arcade, Series X|S, PS3, PC
  • Virtua Cop Arcade, PC, Saturn, PS2
  • Virtua Striker Arcade, PS3, X360
  • Virtua Racing Genesis/MegaDrive

1993

  • Virtua Fighter Arcade, Sega32, Saturn
  • Daytona USA Arcade

1992

  • Virtua Racing Arcade
  • Arabian Fight Arcade

1991

  • Space Harrier Game Gear
  • Rent-A-Hero Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive
  • OutRun Game Gear
  • Rad Mobile Arcade

1989

  • Dynamite Düx Arcade, C64, ZXS, Atari-ST
  • Sword of Vermilion Linux, Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive, PC
  • Shinobi NES
  • After Burner DOS
  • Turbo OutRun Arcade, C64, ZXS, Genesis/MegaDrive
  • Space Harrier famicom

1988

  • Galaxy Force II Arcade, C64, ZXS, Linux
  • Space Harrier turbografx16
  • Space Harrier Amiga
  • Space Harrier Atari-ST, DOS
  • Space Harrier
  • Space Harrier x1

1987

  • Space Harrier C64
  • After Burner SMS
  • After Burner II Arcade
  • Space Harrier
  • After Burner Arcade
  • Super Hang-On Arcade, PS3, C64, ZXS

1986

  • Space Harrier ACPC
  • OutRun Arcade
  • Space Harrier C64

1985

  • Space Harrier Arcade, Sega32, Wii, Saturn