Capcom scuttles Flagship

Publisher set to dissolve the brand behind handheld Zelda, Kirby games next month, employees to be retained.

As part of its continuing effort to streamline operations, Capcom is eliminating its subsidiary developer Flagship (not to be confused with Hellgate: London developer Flagship Studios).

In its year-end financial report today, Capcom updated investors on the status of some of its streamlining efforts, saying that Clover Studio was in the process of being dissolved and Studio 8 was completely consolidated as of March. The next Capcom label to fall will be Flagship, as Capcom is set to merge with--and then dissolve--the subsidiary June 1.

Flagship was established in 1997 and worked with Nintendo to develop a number of portable hits, including The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (with its Four Swords addition) for the Game Boy Advance, as well as the Game Boy Color Zelda titles Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. Flagship also developed Kirby and the Amazing Mirror on the GBA and Kirby Squeak Squad for the Nintendo DS. While Flagship did venture into game design with certain titles, its primary purpose was to work on the storytelling and dialog aspects of games from Capcom's other studios.

[UPDATE] According to a Capcom spokesperson, while the Flagship name is getting the axe, its employees won't be. Noting that the only thing to change will be the company name on their business cards, the spokesperson said all Flagship staffers are expected to continue working at the publisher in the same capacities.

92 Comments

  • disfalling

    Posted Jun 23, 2007 5:46 am PT

    and then microsoft will merge with the moon

  • coltACP

    Posted May 30, 2007 11:02 am PT

    next generation means some new studios to go along with new ideas, it isn't as if capcom hasn't done this before-the guys in flagship made games for capcom before 1997 too, under a different name-now that the game boy advance is no longer being developed for, the associated studio name isn't needed, makes perfect sense. Same happened with clover, that doesn't ,mean there won't be another veiwtiful joe game, just they'll be in a new studio with a new overall goal. restructuring for newer games, and as capcom are considering doing film tie in games for extra revenue, they'll still need all that talent they have.

  • Wyndia_Highwind

    Posted May 22, 2007 2:44 am PT

    Actually, that Four Sword game for the DS was terminated a long time ago. It was replaced with the more anticipated "Phantom Hourglass".

  • superfighter86

    Posted May 21, 2007 4:54 pm PT

    Wait a sec. So, does this mean that the anticipated "Four Swords" for the DS is now terminated? Uh-Oh!

  • ruttness

    Posted May 21, 2007 1:36 pm PT

    smooth move ex-lax

  • ManOfTeal

    Posted May 21, 2007 12:59 pm PT

    I wonder if the rumors are true and Capcom is preparing to ultimately merge with Microsoft.

  • Kcube

    Posted May 21, 2007 11:36 am PT

    Pay attention people.

    Capcom just disolved the NAMES,The people that made the games WILL STILL BE MAKING THE GAMES...just under the Capcom name.

    :According to a Capcom spokesperson, while the Flagship name is getting the axe, its employees won't be. Noting that the only thing to change will be the company name on their business cards"

  • manolobrown2

    Posted May 21, 2007 10:55 am PT

    looks like capcom loves giving the axe!

  • 1357900

    Posted May 21, 2007 10:30 am PT

    Financial buisness aside, is there any other reason for doing this, I wonder.

  • stripeknight

    Posted May 21, 2007 6:17 am PT

    If you read the article the people who did the designs are remaining with Capcom so it's a mute point.

  • bigcrusha

    Posted May 21, 2007 5:30 am PT

    Poor decision!

  • prioritymail

    Posted May 21, 2007 4:39 am PT

    At the risk of sounding repetitive, they made good games, why do this to them?

  • rokkuman09

    Posted May 20, 2007 5:48 pm PT

    Wow, just why? This is a good little studio they made good fun and high quality games.

  • josephmadde2005

    Posted May 20, 2007 3:12 pm PT

    This sucks they make great games.

  • glitchgeeman

    Posted May 20, 2007 2:56 pm PT

    Well, at least the people are staying, still, it's a shame to see the studio who was behind Minish Cap gotten rid of.

  • madmalz

    Posted May 20, 2007 2:26 pm PT

    I'm a little disappointed that the studio is going to be losing the Flagship name, as Flagship is responsible for some of the best externally developed Nintendo games, but I'm also very relieved that they aren't going the way of Clover. By the way, does anyone know if Flagship is developing Phantom Hourglass, or is Nintendo developing it internally?

  • MasterAsh42

    Posted May 20, 2007 12:56 pm PT

    Well, at least the folks are still with Capcom. . .Still, the name did mean something: a development group which did great things with Nintendo's licenses. That's a grand accomplishment. (See the new Wario for an example of how easily a non-Nintendo developer can botch a Nintendo franchise entry.)

  • smurf_killer

    Posted May 20, 2007 11:25 am PT

    it's good they'll continue workin on the same capacities, they have done some really kool games

  • cfamgcn

    Posted May 20, 2007 11:13 am PT

    I hope they continue to work on good games for the DS...

  • WllDan7

    Posted May 20, 2007 11:00 am PT

    So they are just changing their names.

  • wanderingblade

    Posted May 20, 2007 5:37 am PT

    Wow that's wrong.

  • lewser5

    Posted May 20, 2007 1:34 am PT

    Does this mean no more portable games for nintendo?

  • Svarthek

    Posted May 19, 2007 1:00 pm PT

    Why does Capcom always feel the need to make me love and hate them at the same time?

  • patchyfando

    Posted May 19, 2007 12:12 pm PT

    Capcom is doing a lot of house cleaning. i think they want to streamline their operations in a more efficient manner. Personally Nintendo is getting the shaft Flagship and Clover were all pro-Nintendo.They made a ton of games that were orientated more for Nintendo consoles than XBOX or Sony.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted May 19, 2007 8:52 am PT

    Well they aren't losing their jobs....

  • Pete5506

    Posted May 19, 2007 8:21 am PT

    This is a good thing

  • Sheiko

    Posted May 19, 2007 6:41 am PT

    Just a shake up and a retune? Doesn't sound too bad.

  • HotsFrost

    Posted May 19, 2007 5:52 am PT

    So doesnt really effect nething

  • budboarder

    Posted May 19, 2007 12:01 am PT

    this is good, means quicker games from capcom.

  • Chainblast

    Posted May 18, 2007 10:28 pm PT

    Nintendo should buy Capcom.

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted May 18, 2007 8:25 pm PT

    0.0 Flagship Studios is being dissovled?!?!......

  • Unstoppable_1

    Posted May 18, 2007 7:48 pm PT

    Proably mostly due to confusion between Flagship Studios and Flagship. Good move.

  • swrdof1000trths

    Posted May 18, 2007 7:48 pm PT

    it's sad when a company dies, but atleast the members are still working. By the way, what's up with Capcom doing all this crap?

  • Super-Mario-Fan

    Posted May 18, 2007 7:09 pm PT

    I guess HAL will take over developer status for the handheld Kirby games now.

  • finaleve

    Posted May 18, 2007 6:35 pm PT

    why can't everyone read? The name Flagship is gone, not the the people working. They STILL work for Capcom!

    Minish Cap and 4swords was awesome

  • zinkeboy

    Posted May 18, 2007 6:26 pm PT

    Seems like not too huge a deal, if this is true.

    That is, that they will still be around, just not under the name "flagship".

    Too bad Capcom is doing this.

    Clover and Flagship were the companies two best assets.

  • ahyumifan

    Posted May 18, 2007 6:20 pm PT

    OMG that is LARGEST mistake ever made. Flagship only made one of the top notch games for Nintendo consoles.

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted May 18, 2007 5:58 pm PT

    Wow man, they're not closing studios, they're just renaming and moving them. Yo a noobs

  • MuscleCarMan

    Posted May 18, 2007 5:03 pm PT

    i dont see what the big deal is, same people that made those games are sticking around. Theyre just going to be solely under the capcom umbrella. That means larger budgets to work on those games everyone is complaining about disappearing so they'll be better than before. So whys everyone crying?

  • unclejohn0525

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:53 pm PT

    Damn. Just like with Clover.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:30 pm PT

    Tsk, losing Clover was it's first mistake.

  • monty_4256

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:29 pm PT

    they're not closing studios
    they are keeping the staff just taking away the pointless need to be taxed for multiple brand names

  • siversonicboom

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    Why are they doing that?

  • Setsa

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:11 pm PT

    Ugh... Flagship made a lot of good games... Too bad, the oracle games and Alttp/FS were really bad and another one would be appreciated.

  • Vulpis

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:06 pm PT

    Yeeesh. Is Capcom *intentionally* trying to run itself out of business by closing studios like this?

  • SaxxyGamer18

    Posted May 18, 2007 3:17 pm PT

    (at Somini)
    In the future? How do you explain the recent string of lousy Mega Man games? RE4 is the only great game from Capcom itself that was recently released that I can think of. Okami is one of the best Capcom published games ever, and Clover's gone. Now what?

  • Somini

    Posted May 18, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    I don't like this at all. I think that Capcom is making enough money to support their smaller developers as well. Dissolving Clover was a monumental mistake, IMO, and now this. I can see the future Capcom only making mainstream games and not caring about innovation at all.

  • Nintendo_Ownes7

    Posted May 18, 2007 3:10 pm PT

    Rave_n2 Hal Labratories is the one that made the Console Kirby games, and the Handheld Kirby games before Flagship made the Handheld games since Kirby was created by Hal Labratories.

  • SaxxyGamer18

    Posted May 18, 2007 3:04 pm PT

    (at rave_n2)
    No. HAL Labs has been doing them too. I guess Phantom Hourglass isn't being developed by these guys, though. I figured it was...

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