Forums > Game Talk > Will a Sega console ever happen again?
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/17/2011 10:35 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I know, I know. People have been talking about this for almost a decade now, but I can't help but wonder. Sega seems to have gotten more stable over the last five years or so, issuing controller patents a few years back, the last few Sonic games actually being decent (From what I've read anyway.), and generally laying low for the last few years just seems like they're up to something. A new type of arcade machine? A download only game hand held? Something that'll never see the light of day? It's probably the last one, but I can't resit thinking it might be a new console.
It would certainly let some fresh air into the buisiness. Nintendo has already announced their next console, and for some reason, I'm just not that excited for it. At all. I'm not the hugest Nintendo fan ever, but I own almost every one of their consoles for a reason.
Sony will be lucky if anybody ever buys anything they make again if they don't fix their current mess.
Even though I have the first xbox, since 2006, I really could care less about the 360. The RROD was enough to convince me to never get one, and I just don't see what they have nobody else does other than Halo. (DO they have any worthwhile exclusive besides Halo?) If anything were to happen to XBL like what happened to PSN, I think MS would be in deep trouble, as aside from Halo, XBL seems to be the one the main reasons to even have a 360. In short, it seems like the xbox is just taking up space.
If Sega were to make a move, the next couple of years might be a good time as any. I would aboslutely flip out if Sega released a new console. It makes me giddy in the way the PS2\GC\Xbox era used to just thinking about it. I'm not getting my hopes up though. Atari might come out with a new console be fore Sega ever does, but it's still fun thinking about it.
Sorry if this was kinda long winded. 8)
chirinea (47495) on 5/17/2011 11:17 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start DANIEL HAWKS ! wrote--]Even though I have the first xbox, since 2006, I really could care less about the 360. The RROD was enough to convince me to never get one, and I just don't see what they have nobody else does other than Halo. (DO they have any worthwhile exclusive besides Halo?) If anything were to happen to XBL like what happened to PSN, I think MS would be in deep trouble, as aside from Halo, XBL seems to be the one the main reasons to even have a 360. In short, it seems like the xbox is just taking up space. [/Q --end DANIEL HAWKS ! wrote--]I was under the sincere impression that the 360 was bigger in the US than you describe, but you live there, so... At least here in Brazil the 360 is the biggest player nowadays, I guess, and mainly because it is more "pirate-friendly" than the PS3.
As for the a new SEGA console, I'd love it, but I don't believe it will ever happen again.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 12:49 AM · Permalink · Report
Yeah, it's still huge, but it's not really doing anything outstanding other than Halo, XBL and mabey Kinect in my opinion. (Should have put that in the first post.) It just seems like it's taking up space that could be filled better by Sega, or even Sony, (The xbox used to be the console for the "hard core" after the Dreamcast.) while it's trying to move into the casual space that Nintendo has dominated for this cycle. (Kinect.) What I guess I was trying to say, it seems like it doesn't know what it wants to be anymore. Or mabey the definition of hard core games has changed from fighters\shoot em ups\platformers to COD and Halo knock offs?
Slug Camargo (583) on 5/17/2011 11:45 PM · Permalink · Report
And why does the PS3 get a free pass on your list of consolistic disappointments?
Granted, I'm the last person with any authority to talk about console gaming --but still, while I'm firmly convinced that the PS2 was the greatest gaming console of all times because of its awesome catalogue of games; I just couldn't give a tiny rat's ass' hair for anything on the PS3. Heavy Rain is the closest I can think to something halfway interesting, but frankly if I die without having ever seen it in action I don't think it would make even my top 1000 matters to resolve when I come back as a ghost.
And of course, this whole PSN situation is the most unbelievable fiasco I've seen in 25 years of gaming. Second to the infamous story of the ET game for the Atari 2600, maybe.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 12:38 AM · Permalink · Report
I have a PS3, but it's been rather dissapointing until recently. Child of Eden, The Last Guardian, DNF, and the Tekken vs. Capcom Capcom vs. Tekken games are coming out for it soon, and it's the kinda stuff I wanted when I got the thing almost three years ago! What I got in the meantime was TR Underworld. (Though I still have to get Tekken 6, Heavenly Sword, Turok and Bulletstorm.) It's like the PS3 waited until now to start being cool. Too bad we find out Sony sucks at this whole "internet" thing at the same time. (Don't get me started on how much I loathe online gaming anyway.) Also, agreed. PS2 is probably the best all around console ever. I'm more fond of my PS1, but the PS2 has soooo much cool stuff! And I haven't even tried many of the rpgs for it yet! Ooohhh, my life will be destroyed for sure when I get to that point in my collection. 8D
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 12:57 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Back to Sega, my ultimate dream for Sega's phantom console: STEAL AWAY STREET FIGHTER AND TEKKEN AND MAKE THEM EXCLUSIVE!!! One can only dream...
Indra was here (20755) on 5/18/2011 1:18 AM · Permalink · Report
I wonder what it feels like being a console fanboi. I don't remember the last time I touched a disc that didn't have naughty ideas in it. :p
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 2:14 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Indra was here wrote--]I wonder what it feels like being a console fanboi. I don't remember the last time I touched a disc that didn't have naughty ideas in it. :p [/Q --end Indra was here wrote--]
I wonder what it feels like being a pc fanboi. I imagaine they smash more keybords since they're cheaper than controllers. 8P
Edit-And all the keys look prettier when they go flying across the room! Whee!
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 2:09 AM · Permalink · Report
To me at least, it seems MS doesn't want Sega's slot anymore. Casual games make more money, and that's where it seems MS wants the 360 to go. (Again, Kinect.) Nintendo will always have Mario, Zelda, DK exct, but even the most die hard fanboys must be getting tired of releases and slightly different sequels. You can only make a Mario Kart game so many times before it gets old. Unless Sony fucks up even more, they shouldn't have to worry about their spot as the all around, appeal to everybody console maker. Sega has a good chance to snatch the hardcore market if they really wanted it. It wouldn't be big, but then again, other than the Genesis and Dreamcast, when did Sega ever have a huge hold on the market? They were always trying crazy stuff, even if it didn't always work. And they pretty much equal arcade games to me. Almost all the good arcade games I've played were either by Capcom, Namco or Sega. There's a market for them, just not a very big one.
Klaster_1 (57612) on 5/18/2011 2:42 AM · Permalink · Report
How that new console gonna make things different? It's just a platform with another label on it and different company management behind. Nobody stops SEGA from producing and publishing superb games on existing generation, which it sometimes does.
Moreover, fifth major platform will only makes things more complicated for developers. They would probably be happy if only one main system existed.
I say you are too pessimistic and fanboy of greener grass. Try looking at problem source deeper than now.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/18/2011 3:09 AM · Permalink · Report
Mabey I have been a bit pessimistic. I just haven't been interested in much of what the current consoles have to offer, and that's made me miss some great games. I just can't help but day dream what it would be like if Sega did re-enter the console market sometimes.
Lain Crowley (6629) on 5/18/2011 4:41 AM · Permalink · Report
SEGA will never make another console because they don't want to. The entire board of directors was against the Saturn and the Dreamcast, but Okawa wanted hardware, so they made the hardware. When Okawa died in 2001 they dropped the system like a rock and went third party, just like they had always wanted to do.
Xbox is winning against the PS3 because the PS3's online service is a joke. They still, in 2011, do not have cross game chat. Sure you pay through the nose for XBL, but it works.
Sony has come back from worse losses, too. Exploding laptop batteries, rootkits in music CDs, half a dozen lost format wars, and the entire company being carried by PlayStation in the late 90s haven't killed them yet. If something like the PSN data theft had happened in the 80s the company would be gone, but to be completely honest, most people already give away all the information Sony lost, for free, of their own volition, on their Facebook account.
Starbuck the Third (22606) on 5/21/2011 2:39 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I'd like to wade in on the "does the 360 have any decent games" point but before I do I just wan't to point out the following: I am not a fanboi. I'm not trying to big up MS (or by extension big up or slag sony) or their consoles. I just want to convey my own humble views on the 360 exclusives that I've played.
Now that's done, I would say that the halo games have actually matured over the iterations, with the best 2 being the best (ODST and Reach, ODST being the best of the series).
Gears of war is also a cracking series, much better and deeper than the halo's.
The two crackdowns are also a great sandbox superhero.
Also in terms of racing exclusives, I reckon the 360 has the PS3 over a barrell, paddled and bruised. PS3 only has GT5, and I've got the prologue, thought it was lousy. Forza 2 on the other hand had more to it, and did just about everything better. Oh yeah, and was a hell of a lot more fun. The PGR's are also great arcade handling racing games.
Like i said, I'm not trying to big up or flame anyone/thing, just thought I'd share my views on the 360 exclusives.
BurningStickMan (17916) on 5/21/2011 9:21 PM · Permalink · Report
360 is also far better at the downloadable titles. There's great stuff on XBLA. There's even great stuff in the indie section (though that's nearly impossible to find). PSN was a bit late to the party in this area.
But aside from the debatable point that PS3 gets lower-quality versions of third party titles more frequently, I really don't see a reason to own one console over the other.
I just wish we'd drop the whole idea of exclusives, but it's good for the console manufacturers, and I guess all the gamers like belonging to a "gang".
Parf (7873) on 5/22/2011 8:01 AM · Permalink · Report
I have to agree with some of what's been said in the thread already. Developers are not fans of exclusives, as they limit their potential sales to one console.
To be quite honest, I could bring up the same points as you did but reverse them. Why bother getting a Ps3 over a 360? The bulk of the games are the same. There's a handful of exclusives on either side of the fence, but hardly anything that any "normal" player would consider when deciding which of the two to get. Back in ye olden days of consoles, it mattered more which you got. If you had a SNES or Genesis, you'd have a vastly different gaming catalogue to pick from. Now, you pick whether you want trophies or achievements in your games basically... but that's it.
As for Sega being a publisher with good titles behind them... well, I feel that may have been true at some point. Now, I feel they are more a middle of the road one. Some great, some terrible. If (big if) they were to make another console, then they better have something superb to offer or people won't care in the least to get it. Like klaster said, another box with another label. I think we're better off just remembering what they used to do right as opposed to what kind of hardware failure they might spit out in the future.
Also... "maybe" is the word you're looking for, not mabey. ;)
Indra was here (20755) on 5/22/2011 8:10 AM · Permalink · Report
Only console worth mentioning is the one that makes 3D virtual reality the norm. Helmets, gloves, underwear, and all.
Twenty-first century and the best thing they could come up with, is the electronic equivalent of a ping-pong racket. So much for the holodeck fantasy.
Zovni (10504) on 5/23/2011 2:17 PM · Permalink · Report
Sega's only profitable business right now is in the Japanese arcade business, what with the deathgrip they have on the VF network. Their support for console releases of anything other than Sonic is pathetic (check out Bayonetta, Yakuza3, Valkyria Chronicles, etc.) and unless some major management changes occur that's the way the company will keep operating. Really the best bet for Sega fans would be for them to be swallowed by Nintendo or Sony and be done with it. Why it hasn't happened yet is a mistery.
vedder (70793) on 5/23/2011 3:14 PM · Permalink · Report
Hmm I seem to remember reading recently that some top man at SEGA North America's branch said that currently the PC division of SEGA is doing best. Though I think this was only referring to the North American market.
Can't find the source/link right now to back this up though.
Lain Crowley (6629) on 5/23/2011 5:32 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Zovni wrote--]Their support for console releases of anything other than Sonic is pathetic (check out Bayonetta, Yakuza3, Valkyria Chronicles, etc.) and unless some major management changes occur that's the way the company will keep operating. [/Q --end Zovni wrote--] I really don't get what you're trying to say here. Yes, the PS3 version of Bayonetta, which was ported by SEGA, wasn't as hot as the 360 version, but then they released a patch two weeks after launch that fixed everything. Yes, Yakuza 3 wasn't as good as 1 or 2, but 4 is great, and Of the End is supposed to be excellent as well. Yes, Valkyria Chronicles 2&3 are kind of disappointing in comparison to 1, but keep in mind that VC2&3 have actually sold, while no one fucking bought VC1. Most of its sales came from after it dropped to $20.
SEGA is probably one of the best publishers this generation. They've been taking a lot of risks on new IPs from companies that want to try something different (They've published most of Platinum's games, also Resonance of Fate from tri-Ace and Alpha Protocol from Obsidian). The movie licenses and Sonic games are there to support their risks, and even Sonic games are getting back to the point where they're legitimately good.
Sciere (930488) on 5/23/2011 5:44 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
SEGA's been praising its UK studios responsible for the Football Manager and Total War franchises. They're even funding a 10,000 square foot new studio for Creative Assembly.
I'm not interested in SEGA as a developer or hardware manufacturer at all any more (just bury Sonic already, how many more reboots do we need), but they do have a lot of publishing experience and the funds to back it up. And as Lain Crowley said, you have to give them a lot of credit for taking up such a capricious developer as Platinum Games. They need to market their titles better though.
Zovni (10504) on 5/23/2011 9:32 PM · Permalink · Report
Well you are partly right in the sense that I was rambling a bit back there. But that's not to say I didn't have a few points.
For Bayonetta the ps3 patch was provided by Sony, not Sega who really couldn't be bothered to code a decent port if their lives depended on it. (and it didn't fix everything, just the loading times but that's besides the point). I think Yakuza 3 is pretty good, but the reason I slammed Sega was for the poor localization and cut content. I get it, I don't need japanese history trivia games, but cutting siquests and hostesses? That's just bad.
And as for Valkyria yeah I guess you are right, but I was ranting more about how they let the franchise die with no support other than the safe animé market in Japan. Oh andnd for every Alpha Protocol there's an Aliens rpg cancelled because of lack of funding. :S
I know, I'm rambling again, the fact is I fucking hate Sega. They have a strong legacy of franchises with strong following and guaranteed sales, yet they sit on their ass and do everything in their power to annoy their fans (in fact, I'm positive Sega's head honcho Hajime Satomi hates this whole videogame ¨fad¨ and secretly wants to kill the company so that he can go back to focus on pachinko machines). They cut corners everywhere they can (which is the real reason why Valkyria went to the portables) and outsource everything with often horrendous results (Sega Ages anyone?). Sega was a groundbreaking developer back in its day, I´ll give you that, but Sega Sammy Corp which is what they are today is nothing but a low-cost publisher affordable for the likes of Obsidian and a pale shadow of what they once were.
Aaaaaaand they just won't. ever. port a decent home version of Virtua Fighter. EVER.
Lain Crowley (6629) on 5/24/2011 1:13 AM · Permalink · Report
The patch came from Platinum. Sony doesn't make game patches. As for Yakuza 3's cut content, I don't like it, but I can see where they were coming from. Yakuza 1 was supposed to be a huge deal in the west. They went all out on it. It bombed pretty hard. Y2 was delayed for ages because SEGA had no faith in a western audience for it. It eventually came out and did just as poorly as they expected. Yakuza games require a very large translation job for a game that is just not that popular in the west. They cut parts out of it because that was the only way to get it under budget. And SEGA has said with both Y3 and Y4 that they sold about as many copies as they expected, and that number was low.
The SEGA Ages stuff actually got kind of good once they got past, oh, volume 20 or so.
VF4/4 Evo had a good home version, and when VF5 Version C came out on the 360 it was almost current with the arcade version. And hey, maybe Final Showdown Version A will come out on consoles. And maybe they'll include the Saturn port of VF3 as an unlockable extra. And then Sonic Team will announce Burning Rangers 2 for the PS3 and 360.
Zovni (10504) on 5/24/2011 3:53 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Lain Crowley wrote--]The patch came from Platinum. Sony doesn't make game patches. [/Q --end Lain Crowley wrote--] Quickly googling seems to point out that they did in fact develop the patch. And as far as I know Platinum made it very clear that they were not touching the ps3 in any way for Bayonetta. I guess you are right about Yakuza though. But still, I blame the fact that Sega is so underfunded in anything that doesn't relate to pachinko on the lack of support.
[Q --start Lain Crowley wrote--] And hey, maybe Final Showdown Version A will come out on consoles. And maybe they'll include the Saturn port of VF3 as an unlockable extra. And then Sonic Team will announce Burning Rangers 2 for the PS3 and 360. [/Q --end Lain Crowley wrote--] And then maybe Shenhua will give free blowjobs on the next Shenmue! C'mon... Really, just look at your average Tekken. Yeah, it plays like shit, but it has 2 dozen game modes, unlockable extras beyond the costumes, full online support and a completely ridiculous but functional storyline with ending videos for every character (endings ENDINGS!!!! I think VF2 was the only one that had one of those and it was the same for every character!). Want to know why is that? Because Sega has an arcade business that is one of the few things barely keeping it afloat and Bandai/Namco is a thriving software publisher, so you know they are never going to put any money on a port that jeopardises that sweet Pachinko money.
j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (95085) on 5/24/2011 2:35 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Lain Crowley wrote--]SEGA is probably one of the best publishers this generation. They've been taking a lot of risks on new IPs from companies that want to try something different (They've published most of Platinum's games, also Resonance of Fate from tri-Ace and Alpha Protocol from Obsidian). The movie licenses and Sonic games are there to support their risks, and even Sonic games are getting back to the point where they're legitimately good. [/Q --end Lain Crowley wrote--]Yay! Finally someone that agrees with me. Everyone on the internet bitches and moans about nobody making new IPs and everyone relying on sequels. Sega has been putting out a healthy number of original titles from many different developers, including their own internal studios. Internet's response? "LOL SEGA"
I legitimately thought Sonic Unleashed (HD) was a good game. Played the crap out of it and loved every minute. Even the werehog parts. Still want to play Colors, the soundtrack is fantastic. Can't freaking wait for Generations.
Discounting the licensed titles, I feel that the only outright failures from Sega from a gamer's perspective this generation were Sonic 4 and Sonic 2006, but they both did more than well enough in sales despite that.
All I want them to do now is another Jet Set Radio and a new classic-style Phantasy Star.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/24/2011 12:04 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I haven't played any recent Sega games, but I want to play Sonic Colors too. It looks like the best Sonic game in ages! If Sega made a new entry in any game series, I wish it was Space Channel 5. I really liked it the first time I played it, and now I'm kicking myself for selling it.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/24/2011 9:40 PM · Permalink · Report
No, I didn't. But it was included with the special edition that was released on the PS2. That's the one I had, and it was great, but I can't remember why I sold it. Suppose I'll have to get a copy online somewhere.
Lain Crowley (6629) on 5/24/2011 10:15 PM · Permalink · Report
Hopefully they patched it, because when it came out the music was out of sync, which is kind of important for a game like SC5. There were dozens of other issues with the rest of the DC ports too. It was like going back to the late 90s of Japanese PC ports.
Parf (7873) on 5/25/2011 8:11 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start 雷堂承太朗 -djsw- wrote--]All I want them to do now is another Jet Set Radio and a new classic-style Phantasy Star.[/Q --end 雷堂承太朗 -djsw- wrote--]
In my dreams... :)
I'd like to see a collection of all the Dreamcast games I liked (not only Sega's games) on, say, the 360. I'm a little tired of finding replacement consoles for the sole purpose of actually playing the DC games I like. I've had four so far... To think that I've gone through that many while my Ps1 and Saturn are both still alive and kicking is kind of sad. :\
Hmmm... that brings me to a new thought. How about Sega releases a vintage Dreamcast with a GD-ROM which won't break every couple of years? I'd totally buy that.
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/25/2011 10:05 PM · Permalink · Report
You don't have to get a new DC everytime it breaks. The easiest way to fix it is buy another GD-ROM drive online. I've taken my DC apart twice, and if I remember correctly, there aren't cables to it. It just plugs into the main board. If you're worried about losing parts, do what I do. Take some scrap paper, make a rough diagram of where the screws go, and lable each part. Make a dot where each screw is inserted, poke a very small hole in the dot, and insert the screw. I've never put anything back wrong with this process. It might also help if you put some white lithum grease on the plastic gears on the GD-ROM drive if they don't have anything on them. (I've heard its the best grease for plastic parts.)
After all of that, if you're feeling brave enough, you can take the system all the way apart and give it a good cleaning. When I bought my DC it was VILE. Examples: The fan was caked in crud worse than my pc fans, and there was a mysterious orange crud on the inside of controller port face plate. Gack! It takes some time to do all that, but it's preferable to buying a new console if you ask me.
Parf (7873) on 5/25/2011 10:13 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Well... they used to come so cheap when the Dreamcast died that I hardly paid anything for it as people were "upgrading" to Ps2 and the like. Nowadays they've gone up in price again, of course because I got rid of all my old ones instead of gutting and replacing parts for them. Oh well... Maybe I'll have to invest in one more at some point.
"Luckily" I've got too much of a backlog as is to even have to worry about having any time for Dreamcast games. :p
GAMEBOY COLOR! (1990) on 5/25/2011 10:27 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
From what you said earlier, you still have a working Saturn? The one I bought a couple of years ago was in great shape, but it didn't work after the boot up, and it wouldn't read any disks. I heard that was a somewhat common problem, and I foolishly gave it way. (At the same time, Saturn stuff went up in price.) Are Saturns really that reliable?
Parf (7873) on 5/26/2011 9:12 AM · Permalink · Report
Absolutely not... Mine is a little hit and miss. It sometimes freezes up for no good reason whatsoever. The CD drive is also incredibly loud on mine... but I still want to keep it. I have a couple of nice games for it I need to get to some day. :)
Adzuken (836) on 5/24/2011 2:03 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Why would you want Sega to release a new console? They aren't the same company they were in the 90's since they merged with Sammy. It would be like if Atari (Infogrames) were to release a new console. Yeah, it may feel just like old times, but the company you used to love is dead.
Indra was here (20755) on 5/24/2011 2:11 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Adzuken wrote--]It would be like if Atari (Infogrames) were to release a new console. [/Q --end Adzuken wrote--]Now that would be a sure sign of Armageddon. I'd totally start praying again. :p