Slashdot Mirror

jasoncart writes "News from Japan today informs us that the Sega-Sammy merger is progressing apace ahead of the October completion date, with the announcement of new appointments at the holding firm, and news that 'Sega's seven internal divisions, including famous studios such as AM2 and Sonic Team, will be amalgamated ahead of the merger.' Sammy boss Hajime Satomi argues: 'I feel that Sega has high individual capabilities, but it's too separated into different subsidiaries... It's about time that we returned back to the old Sega' - there's also a new company logo for the holding company. At a time of great change for Sega, the only thing now certain is this great shift, with which Sammy aims to push Sega back into profitability."

Thanks to GamesAreFun for its review of Space Channel 5: Special Edition for PlayStation 2, as the 2-disc rhythm action game compilation, "which not only contains [the original] Space Channel 5, but its sequel as well, which was previously unreleased in the US", has sneaked onto American shelves this week for an ultra-budget $15. The compilation was still released despite the connection to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, who "...makes an appearance [in both games] as Space Michael... when he joins your group, the dancing is patterned after moves lifted from his music videos." The release likewise seems unaffected by a recent likeness lawsuit from the lead singer of Deee-Lite, and is also positively rated by 1UP, who suggests: "Though the character-based rhythm action genre is all but dead, replaced by less story-driven fare such as DDR and Karaoke Revolution, this collection is pretty much the best possible sendoff it could receive."

Thanks to IGN PS2 for their article revealing that Sega studio director Tetsuya Mizuguchi will be leaving the company. According to the piece: "The end of Mizuguchi's tenure at Sega, which brought to the world such classics as Sega Rally, Space Channel 5 and Rez, will apparently take place on the 10th of this month", and this news comes after Mizuguchi's studio, UGA, are "to merge with fellow internal development studio Sonic Team" as part of Sega's major development re-organization that also saw other significant changes, including the Hitmaker and Sega Rosso studios merging and fellow Sega auteur Yu Suzuki getting his own studio, Digitalrex.

Thanks to Gamesindustry.biz for their report detailing Sega's first press conference under their new boss, Hisao Oguchi. As well as announcing "a target of doubling the company's global market share in the next five years", Sega announced better-than-expected Japanese software sales, including a good performance for racing title Initial D, and also detailed major changes in the company's development structure, as explained via a GamePro article - highlights include: "Sonic Team and United Game Artists (makers of Space Channel 5 and Rez) will merge and form a company whose aim is games for casual users. Sega-AM2 will stay as is... [and] Virtua Fighter designer Yu Suzuki will form a new development team."

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a Gamespot story that indicates Sega's remakes of Phantasy Star, Fantasy Zone, and Monaco GP will be available for Playstation 2 this August in Japan. According to the article, "Phantasy Star: Generation 1 will feature enhanced graphics and sound, cover artwork done by members of Sonic Team, and a special making-of booklet. Fantasy Zone and Monaco GP will feature 3D elements as well as a making-of booklet." No word on a US release, or, indeed, on the Slashdot Games' most-wanted remake, a next-gen conversion of Power Drift.