Sega buys Index, owner of Persona dev Atlus

UPDATE: Sega has confirmed it has bought Index.

The part of Sega that bought Index is called Sega Dream Corporation, founded on 5th September 2013. That's not made up.

This from Sega's press release announcing the deal:

"The Company believes that transfer of Index's operations to Sega will create synergies, on the grounds that the deal will enable the Company to:

• (1) gain access to prominent IPs in the home video game software, through which the Company can expect to achieve steady flows of revenue;
• (2) expect further facilitation of revenue growth for the PC Online Game Business and Content Business for Smart Devices operated by Sega and Sega Networks Co., Ltd. by exploiting acquired prominent IPs and
• (3) maximize the value of acquired IPs by effectively deploying them in the Pachislot and Pachinko Machines segment, Amusement Machine Sales and Amusement Center Operations segments."

Well, quite.

The deal should be wrapped up by 1st November 2013, Sega said.

ORIGINAL STORY: Sega has bought Index Corp, the parent company of Persona developer Atlus, according to Nikkei and Bloomberg.

Bloomberg said Sega Corp., a division of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., won an auction to buy the bankrupt company in a deal valued at 14 billion yen (approximately £88 million). All being well, the purchase will be completed in November.

Atlus' highest-profile brands include role-playing game series Shin Megami Tensei, Persona and Etrian Odyssey. It's also published the recently-released Dragon's Crown.

Sega has been on something of a spending spree in recent times. In Januray 2013 it bought Relic and with it IP rights to Company of Heroes for $26.6 million.

Both Sega and Index declined to comment on the reports, but Bloomberg said an announcement could be made later today.