Sega Sports Research and Development, or Sega Sports R&D, was a development team within the Japanese video game company Sega. It was previously called Smilebit, one of nine independent studios that Sega created in 2000. Smilebit was earlier named R&D6 or AM6, which was mainly based on Sega PC. Smilebit was known for creating sports simulation games and the game Jet Set Radio. When Sega started making games for other platforms, Smilebit began developing games for the Xbox, including Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and GunValkyrie. Smilebit had leaders named Shun Arai as president and Takayuki Kawagoe as director. Kawagoe became president of Smilebit in 2003.
During a reorganization, Sega combined its nine studios into four main groups. The non-sports staff from Smilebit was merged into Amusement Vision. Smilebit then focused only on sports games, and the Virtua Striker series from Amusement Vision was credited to Smilebit. When Sega and Sammy merged to form Sega Sammy Holdings, all studios were brought back under Sega. Smilebit became Sega Sports R&D and created more sports simulation games, including the first game in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series. Later, these games were assigned to CS1 and CS2 designations, and Sega Sports R&D no longer existed.
History
When Shun Arai joined Sega, he wanted to create online projects as Sega started new businesses, such as home banking. Arai was responsible for the Sega Saturn development tools and technical support. Because of this, Sega asked Arai to create an online game when Smilebit was formed. The game was called Hundred Swords and was made for the Dreamcast. The name Smilebit was chosen to bring happiness to users, and the word "bit" gave the name a more serious look.
Smilebit had about 105 employees and six development teams. A third of the staff came from Sega PC. Other workers joined from another Sega studio called Team Andromeda, which made the Panzer Dragoon games for the Saturn. Team Andromeda stopped working together after the third game, Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998).
Smilebit was known as the leading studio for sports games. It created the successful sports simulator series Derby Tsuku, Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou!, and Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou!. It also made non-sports games. Jet Set Radio was developed by former Panzer Dragoon Saga creators who wanted to make something completely different. A sequel called Jet Set Radio Future was made for the Xbox. The team received praise at events like E3, but they realized this did not always mean higher sales. Panzer Dragoon was also brought back with Panzer Dragoon Orta, which returned to the regular rail shooter style, unlike Panzer Dragoon Saga. The team hoped that when Orta was released, the Xbox market would be more successful than previous Xbox games, Jet Set Radio Future and Gunvalkyrie. However, sales in the United States were not satisfying. Toshihiro Nagoshi, who later led some Smilebit team members, said that while Smilebit did not have high sales, its technical skills were very strong.
Smilebit was also interested in arcade games. Typing of the Dead was first shown to AM1, and Ollie King was originally made under Smilebit before being released by Amusement Vision.
In 2003, Sega reorganized its development studios, and Amusement Vision and Smilebit merged. The surviving Smilebit focused only on sports games, adding the Virtua Striker series. At the same time, Shun Arai left Smilebit to lead the Sega Creative Center. Takayuki Kawagoe took his place.
In 2004, Sega and Sammy merged to form Sega Sammy Holdings, and all studios were combined back into Sega. Smilebit became Sega Sports R&D and continued making sports games, including the first Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Takayuki Kawagoe continued managing sports games but later oversaw all of Sega of Japan's creative work as a creative officer and then as a senior executive officer. The Mario & Sonic games and sports simulator series were labeled as CS1 and CS2, and a dedicated sports division no longer existed.