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Sega's Fightback!

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  • 15-02-2001 8:42pm
    #1
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭


    A recent interview with SonicTeams Charles Bellifield.
    all the rumours are wrapped up in this and some interesting new developments in sega's fightback!

    No one can accuse the outspoken and always quotable Charles Bellfield of holding back his opinions. During a recent interview with GameWeek.com, Sega of America's VP of marketing and communications, when asked about new pal Sony’s much-hyped Emotion Engine, replied "Well if that's their Emotion Engine then everybody is either depressed, sulking, moody or grumpy. Horrible emotions!" That comment set the tone for what was an entertaining and insightful dialogue.

    Sega’s hardware failings are obviously still a sensitive subject for the company, and Bellfield made little effort to candy coat his frustrations with a lukewarm audience. "What does Sega have to do - give the thing away?!" He also confirmed that there was some truth behind the rumors that Nintendo was looking to buy Sega, as were Microsoft and Sony. If not for the optimistic outlook that Sega had for it’s new development-oriented strategy, Bellfield said that something would likely have happened with those deals.

    "In 2000, we were the sixth largest publisher in North America. That was with a 2-3 million Dreamcast install base. Imagine the potential for us when we get to PSX, GameCube, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance. There's only one way for us to go and that's up. That's the reality of it," Bellfield said.

    The mention of PSX immediately brought up questions of exactly which Saturn games Sega was looking to port to the PSOne. Bellfield was a little less forthcoming, saying only that they would ship for summer and that game specifics would be announced in April. Don’t count on seeing Panzer Dragoon anytime soon though.

    Regarding Sega’s partnership with Nintendo, Bellfield kinda sorta confirmed Sega and Nintendo are working together on an RPG, preferring to leave the real heat on new Sega of Japan COO, Tetsu Kayama. Bellfield also cautioned that people would be wise not to underestimate GameCube - a machine many gamers are ignoring in favor of the mega-hyped Xbox.

    Bellfield also put to rest rumors that Xbox would feature some kind of DC compatability. "I don't even know whether it would have been capable. Xbox is so much more powerful than Dreamcast, I don't know why anyone would want that."

    Fans of Phantasy Star Online (there has to be a few of you out there) will be tickled to learn that a PSO 2 is in the works for Dreamcast. And not an add-on either - a whole new game. Bellfield was especially proud that PSO sold 75,000 copies the day of its release, and stated that the franchise would definitely continue. He also mentioned Far Nation, the upcoming massively online RPG from Sega, but indicated the final decision as to the game's platform hadn't been reached. Could the game be skipping the Dreamcast entirely? Time will tell.

    So there you have it. Anyone who thinks Sega is going to be keeping a low profile is up for a shock. With a host of great games scheduled for the next few months, as well as their plans to dominate the third-party world, you haven’t heard the last from Sega. But you already knew this.

    Draffodx
    Out of desparition courage is born


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