Sega to go software only

NakedBibleReadingMan

The Dreamcast is being phased out this year and SEGA are going to develop for other consoles. How sad.

ThunderingMike

Well I say good enough for the *****s. In fairness, Sega attracted a hard core market and should have targeted that market, instead of bumbling every pathetic advertising campaign they launced for this poor console. In fairness, the only victim here is the DC itself. So much potential and such support from so many companies, most outstandingly Capcom who, being the incredible developers they are, saw the real potential in this still quite young machine. This was bigger and better then the Saturn. The DC had real potential. And sega have gone and made a chimps fist of the whole bloody thing. 20 milllion quid on Shenpoo? 90 million on advertising in Europe? Every ****ing penny wasted.

As of March they will no longer be producing Dreamcasts and by the end of the year they will not even market them. Its a dying company and to be honest thats fine by me. At least if they're gone they cannot do anymore damage.

In retrospective, it appears they just got lucky with the Mega Drive. They sure buggered every effort after that. Good bye fair Dreamcast. It could have been beautiful.

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I've seen some ****ed up **** in my time here: ThunderingMike

Firefox

That 'Rumor' has been officially denied by Sega as it says here:

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-4575165.html

I for one would be sad to see the demise of the console. There have been some truly excellent games brought out for the machine during the last year and the have pioneered online console gaming whereas PS2 online gaming is a long way off yet.

It is difficult to see the future of the Dreamcast after 2001 what with increasing pressure from Microsoft and Nintendo at the end of the year and it's advertising campaign in Europe was hardly inspiring.

Still, it's a great machine with great games and think it's not over yet for Dreamcast.

Q_Ball

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> Taken from C&VG

We've been told by senior sources today that there will be a set-top box announcement on Monday regarding a third-party deal between Sega and Pace, a manufacturer of such hardware. There will also be a series of positive announcements in Japan continuing for the rest of this week and running to next Wednesday, culminating in confirmation of production of Dreamcast stopping in March. Basically, Nikkei got whiff of Sega's plans and jumped the gun.

The bottom line is that Sega is retreating to what it does best: making games. According to insiders today, Sega titles are being planned for all platforms. "It's not the death of Dreamcast and it's not the death of Sega," said one. "There was nothing else they could do."

Sega will continue to support Dreamcast for the rest of this year, and you'll be playing Sega games for many years to come. So there you have it: Dreamcast is not dead; it's just… er… going to sleep…</font>

I feel violated, and not in a good way

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Sweeet

[This message has been edited by Q_Ball (edited 24-01-2001).]

Atomic Pineapple

It was rumoured along time ago sega were going to stop hardware production of the dreamcast.....
but there not going to produce software for other consoles (apart from maybe the x-box)
they are in fact producing games for the next generation of motorola phones....
sonic...columns...and some game called borkov

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Draffodx
Out of desparition courage is born

Firefox

Indeed....a sad day for gamers.

Shinji

Actually, quite a lot of these rumours are false. Here's the real deal...

1) Dreamcast software production will continue. There are a pile of new DC products in the making at the moment internally at Sega, which brings their release schedule right up until next Christmas.

2) Sega will produce software for the Game Boy Advance.

3) Sega MAY produce software for the PS2, but no deal has actually been signed and nothing is confirmed. It's more likely that they will work on the XBOX and GameCube systems.

4) Production of Dreamcast hardware will be stopping in March, but not permanently. Sega have a stockpile of consoles which they want to shift out of their warehouses before restarting production.

So it's not the death of the console. Less of the doom and gloom please

Firefox

The question now is....what's going to happen to Dreamarena???....and all these online games???

I take it they will keep their online network going???

NakedBibleReadingMan

ok, this is what I've heard

Sega will produce dreamcasts till march, market it until all stocks have been exhausted.

Sega are in negotiations(whoa, I spelt a big word!) to produce games for ps2 and gameboy advance.

Seganet will continue, will support DC, PC and other format online games.

Jimi-Spandex

To tell ye the truth its not very clear what is happening, Sega of Japan are saying one thing Sega of America are saying another and Sega of Europe are playing dumb as usual.
If you want an explanation of that read this

http://www.dailyradar.co.uk/features/game_feature_page_402_1.html

SheroN

nah **** it rob..seriously..we're all gonna die.......:/

bugs

Said it long long time ago , sega just couldn't possibly go on with the losses they incured and the fact that 33% of their company doesn't even belong to them anymore, it belongs to a capital company.
Won't be in the least bit sad to see them and their 5 minute boredom games gone, and unlike those gone before them , you won't be seeing the DC's suddenly reaching rare prices much like the neo geo did (because it actually had some useful games) and they buggered up everything , sales , advertising , no doubt it probably sold more than the DC anyway.
With any luck , they'll continue in their wayward route and completely fup up all their software.
As far as keeping the online gaming going, yeah....sure thats going happen, all of a sudden sega, after 10+ years of professionally shafting people out of large amounts of money are going to get a conscience. By the time they're no longer selling in the shops, expect there to be no dreamarena.

Once again , a glorious day .

Fa-la la la la

Firefox

It's a bit of a kick in the stones for people who just bought/got one over Christmas. Knowing they have bought a console that's got about a year and a half left before it's consigned to the history books. I've had mine for less than a year.

I mean, what 3rd party developer in their right mind would bring out a game for a console that's no longer in production!!!

Thanks alot Sega!!

_CreeD_

I don't really follow things in the console world, and this may well be vapourware. I just thought I'd add to the argument..
Xbox to be DC compatible?......

http://www.gamers.com/news/526674

Shinji

Mhmmm, and bugs wonders why we all think he's an ar$e

Of course, Sega produce 5 minute boredom games... not like the wonderful Bouncer which you were waxing lyrical about here only a short time ago, which features a grand total of FORTY MINUTES of gameplay, if you exclude the cutscenes. Longevity ahoy! But of course, it CAN'T be bad, it's on the PS2!!!!

Can we say "blinkered Sony fanboy"? Hmm... oh look, we just did.

Firefox

Hmmm....That Xbox/Dreamcast story is interesting...if it were true.

If it was true than I know what will be on my shopping list in 2002.

Shinji

It looks pretty certain that the XBox will be DC compatible... MS sources have gone from "definitely not" to "no comment" within the space of a week, and it's expected within the XBox development community that Gates will announce it at TGS.

It makes sense when you think about it... Sega have been developing a one-card Dreamcast for PCs, and the XBox is close enough to PC architecture to make it trivial to modify that into an XBOX daughterboard.

This explains the hardware manufacturing stop, too; Sega have stockpiles of Dreamcast consoles that will last them until next Autumn at current sales rates. Once they run out of DCs, the new, DC compatible XBox will be just around the corner... It's a brilliant idea, and it means that developers who are committed to the DC won't get scared off by dwindling hardware sales, because the game they're developing will also be available to the massive legions of XBox owners.

Firefox

It definitely sounds like a winner. Also the Xbox would have a massive back catalog of excellent DC games on launch day.

SantaHoe

****

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Atomic Pineapple

ah f**k now i have heard reports that sega have 5 games in production for the ps2 and 2 for the GBA :-( anything but develop for the ps2!!!!!
but sega have officially denied saying that 100 games are in production for the dc only
and it is commited to the dc for it's expected lifespan of 5 years
with on-line gaming taking up this year i cant see sega completly abandoning the dc
make a bomb out of the web

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Draffodx
Out of desparition courage is born

black_wizardd

when i first started reading this thread i was really pi$$ed of....i thought typical of sega to sell out after everyone buying their excellent machine such a shower of to$$ers etc etc....i have owned practically all of their consoles (bar the dreamcast...im becoming to weary of segas tactics)all of which have fallen into obsoletion...but then i read on to hear this rumour of x-box compatibility with dc games.....i think its a fuppin great idea...i mean lets face it sega cant make machines.....just look at their track record (bar md and dc)......but they CAN make games....oh hell yeah....and what games they are....i think that all this is quite an exciting prospect....

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return of the FLOPPY MONSTER...rrraaaaarrrrrr

Q_Ball

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by draffodx:
ah f**k now i have heard reports that sega have 5 games in production for the ps2 and 2 for the GBA :-( anything but develop for the ps2!!!!!</font>

Yeah that was said in the game chamber column of the sunday world which is a complete pile of toss IMO. They tend to jump on the bandwagon, exagerate every rumour and, to me, are biased AGAINST everything that isn't sony or playstation-related.

Pretty much like bugs really

Ah no in all seriousness I'd love to see some Sega games on the GBA because it looks like it will rock the world. And compatibility with the X-Box would finally take Sony down from the high horses they seem to be riding (up the **** no doubt, either that or they're in bed with the devil) Personally I have nothing against the PS2, it's sony I just don't like.

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Sweeet

[This message has been edited by Q_Ball (edited 29-01-2001).]

bugs

Don't see the point , if they're going to develop software, why bother cornering themselves into the market by only developing for the Xbox when i'm fairly sure they could develop for the lot.

Making a next generation machine backwardly compatible with DC tech is pointless. The ps2 is compatible with the psx, doesnt mean ppl will be making psx games in 2 years , and definetly doesnt mean that ppl will want to play an old dated machine when they can just play the latest.

I think the less that the Xbox put in, the better, currently they're going to have to supplant a huge base of ps2's and with the cost of all the hardware in the xbox and the fact they have to sell it at a competitive price , they're going to have to do extremely well to make any kind of dent in sony or nintendo.
As far as you go shinji, yes the bouncer is a 45 min game , you get "45" mins of actual enjoyment instead of 5 and then complete boredom. They should stick to coin-ops , at least they make money there.

Kali

what the hell is everyone complaining aboot?
imagine... Sega Rally 3 for PS2.
mmmmm.

Firefox

News just in.....


Sega To Develop Set-Top Box With PACE
11:55, 29 January 2001

Sega and PACE set to unveil new Dreamcast compatible set-top box as early as next month.


Sega Corporation has just announced that it will be jointly developing a set-top box with Britain’s industry-leading PACE Micro Technology. The product, which has yet to be named, will incorporate Dreamcast architecture and will be 100 per cent compatible with existing Dreamcast titles as well as offering high speed broadband connection and a high capacity hard disc drive. If PACE's box proves to be a winner and other companies follow suit by incorporating Dreamcast hardware into their own it will no doubt see Sega expanding its software business as the number of systems compatible with Dreamcast software increases.

"Consumers will be able to play network games as well as view TV shows and other entertainment content using this single product, with perfect ease and freedom", states the press release. It goes on to say that, "This development will also allow Sega to go beyond the conventional console-dependent business and promote a new network business by providing network compatible content."

Sega's aim now is to "become the world's leading network gaming service provider." It plans to achieve this primarily through the licensing of Dreamcast architecture and the continued development of interactive network videogame content but also through narrow and broadband electronic services to the online community, and location-based amusement centres.

No release date for the first "dreambox" has been set, although PACE has announced that it plans to show it off to the public on both sides of the Atlantic as early as February.

Q_Ball

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by bugs:
Making a next generation machine backwardly compatible with DC tech is pointless. The ps2 is compatible with the psx, doesnt mean ppl will be making psx games in 2 years , and definetly doesnt mean that ppl will want to play an old dated machine when they can just play the latest.</font>

the point is tho that sega could stay in the console market by developing software for the X-Box as it would be beneficial to both companies. and it's not that we won't be playing 2 year old games, it's that in 2 years time we would still be playing new games from sega, and that those games would have a larger audience than those playing the same games on a machine that would be three years old at the time.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">As far as you go shinji, yes the bouncer is a 45 min game , you get "45" mins of actual enjoyment instead of 5 and then complete boredom. They should stick to coin-ops , at least they make money there.</font>

YOU GET 45 MINUTES OF ENJOYMENT?!?!?!?!?!
Bugs thats rubbish, there are plenty of games out there that give you far more than 45 minutes pleasure. I wouldn't buy it if i knew that there was only that amount of time in it before i got bored. nuts to that, even chu chu rocket gave me more than that!!!

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Sweeet

bugs

The bouncer was to all intensive purposes, just a showcase for what the machine could do , it keeps you amused for about 3 or 4 days with extra's and the like , 45 mins is how long it takes to fight thru the game if you skip everything.
Its got a decent versus to keep it playable.
Personally if if a game lasts me a week i'm more than happy , most of the games on the DC couldnt last me 5 mins , zombie revenge , house of the dead 2 , sega rally 2.

What i think everyone is missing out on here is that irregardless of whether sega continue producing or not , you have to wonder if you're still going to be shafted.
From what i've seen of what comes out here and what comes out in japan for the dc , i'd say the japs are getting better treated and they dont even buy the machine!

ThunderingMike

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by bugs:
intensive purposes,</font>

LOL!

Ok, now that it's out of my system I can offer an opinion. It probably boils down to wether you like Scrolling Beat Em Ups or not. I for one am a huge fan of the once proud genre. The Punisher, Alien Vs. Predator, Final Fight, Streets of Rage, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and many others. Shallow but very good fun.

Zombie Revenge is a poor example of a roaming (is that the term for 3d scrollers?)beat em up because of samey enemies, uninspired levels, weak boss's and simple attacks.

As for the Bouncer, this game will stand or fall on wether the player enjoys hammering differing enemies with powerful moves in various lavishly rendered sets. To a Beat 'Em Up fan, it sounds cool but to other gamers, it sounds dull. Having not played it, I cannot offer much more of an opinion on it.

For a real example of what a modern, accomplished Beat Em Up should look like, see this months 'Edge' for Spiker's Battle which looks absolutely wicked and a I pray to the mighty arcade god, sat high on the holiest Cabinet, that it will be converted to DC. But I think hopes of a decent roaming beat em up on a console faded with Gekido: Urban Warriors.
/me hopes 'Spawn: In The Demons Hand' is good

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I've seen some ****ed up **** in my time here: ThunderingMike

Shinji

Um, lets get some things clear about the Bouncer.

This was indeed meant to be a showcase for the PS2. The early vids we saw of it were AMAZING - there was one particular fight in a room where all the furniture and fittings were smashed up and used in the fight, top stuff. The audio was going to be Dolby 5.1, another showcase for the PS2.

The game finally comes out... and it's got 45 minutes of gameplay. The scene with the room-smashing? Sorry, they dropped that, now all the stuff is smashed before you get there. The audio? Nah, sorry, it's just stereo same as everything else. The graphics? Quite nice, nothing to write home about. The gameplay? Yawn. Just don't yawn for *too long*, you'll miss the ending sequence...

It's sh|te. It deserves to sink like a stone at retail.

I'm amused to note that your definition of "most of the games on the DC" is:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">zombie revenge , house of the dead 2 , sega rally 2.</font>

... conveniently forgetting all the really good games on the format, nice one. By this logic, the PS2 is sh!t because it has Midnight Club, TV DJ and RC Revenge on it

RasTa

allo
yeh im in new york atm and its on the news every hour,ther going doing to 99 dollars over here which is a fukin bargin.i dunno how much its going down to in irl but get 1 if it does,they say there puttin it down to 99 dollars coz the've stoped making tham and ther gettin rid of 2million backlogged consoles and when ther all gone,sega dc is no more!!
ther still ment to be making games until next year though,im looking forward to shenmue 2 meself

bugs

Bouncer retained the 5.1 dolby for audio , yes they scrapped the environment interactivity.
It still had a nice little game to it , fun storyline and fun to play, not for those who have become (much like dailyradar) ppl who can longer appreciate a game unless its damn near perfect. No it didn't live up to the hype , it still looks amazing.

And as for DC games , i could've named a whole bunch of other well deserved crap titles , they just asked for it.

The only games i played i actually thought might have been worth the money were street fighter 3rd impact and .... no that was it , they made a complete **** of SNK vs. capcom, ****ing off SNK in the process. Go back and play your 'hardcore' games there shinji.