Slashdot Mirror
Sega To Take X-Box To Arcades
kikta writes "Well, after our previous speculation about what Sega would do after they got out of the hardware biz, it appears we have our answer. CNN is reporting that they will be producing motherboards to port the Xbox to the arcade. GamePro also weighed in on the announcement."
I didn't think this was all that big of a deal. There have long been suggestions of Sega working with Microsoft on the XBox. Didn't we even hear that the XBox might play Dreamcast discs natively at some point? Rumor or not, this isn't really huge news.
Unless you look at the hardware, of Sega discussing building an arcade version of the XBox. Again, I really don't consider this news. Sega pulled out of the _home_ console market, they were always doing well in the arcade market, and never intended to pull out of that at all.
So put two and two togeather. Sega makes games for XBox, and Sega makes arcade games. Wouldn't it make sense that Sega would want an Arcade version of XBox in order to make the transition from Arcade to home easiest?
They may not have put out a good (read: profitable) game system since the Genesis, but innovative games like Jet Set Radio and the ridiculously addictive Samba de Amigo should show everyone that Sega's still got plenty to offer when it comes to the often-stale world of video games.
Easy does it!
This comment has been submitted already, 276865 hours , 59 minutes ago. No need to try again.
So now I can look forward to paying 50 cents to see the blue screen of death. I wonder if the arcade attendants will need to get MCSE certification...
What do you mean they cut the power? How can they cut the power, man? They're animals!
Ummm. Have you been to an arcade recently?
After far too many years of formulaic beat 'em up nonsense, there has been quite a resurgence recently in arcade games providing experiences you won't get at home. The best examples of these are games such as Dance Dance Revolution (which although looking like no-one in their right mind would play in public is hugely successful) but head to head racers (daytona is still the no.1 blueprint) and even FPS games (anyone seen SWAT 24/7? Cracking game) are light-years ahead of home consoles - mainly because designers have finally got rid of the up-down-left-right-fire mentality so beloved of the JAMMA era
Arcade designers are, it seems, finally realising that they can't really compete with home consoles on the graphics and sound front and are pretty much returning to root design principles. Make the _game_ different in the arcade; provide controls customised for the game; put players head-to-head; in short give the player something extra!
Or are you intending to buy different controllers for each game you get for the x-box? Your living room is going to be pretty cluttered...
Personally, I think this is great news. The easier arcade games are to produce the better.
Back in March, I posted this reply to a story about capcom calling it quits. Specifically, I said:
Today, the situation is quite difference. In fact, the X-Box seems to put the final nail in the coffin. Arcade game manufacturers may very well stop creating arcade games on custom hardware. Instead, they'll compile for an X-Box style platform. Why? For the ease of conversion to the home game. That's where the money is. The arcade game is just the 'advertisement' to create the buzz.
I don't pretend to have my finger on the pulse of the arcade industry, but it seemed like an obvious development. There isn't much need to create custom arcade hardware when you've got something like the X-Box that you can develop arcade games on and later port to the home PC (and X-Box game console).
Quite a good strategy, for Microsoft and Sega.
This is a legitimate business move. One of the main reasons people go to arcades is to play other people. A good friend of mine bought a copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for his Dreamcast and hardly plays it anymore. He's had it maybe three weeks. However, he still goes to arcades and spends hour after hour playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The Dreamcast version he can play at home on his big screen TV is arcade perfect (arguably better than the arcade version), but playing a computer-controlled opponent just can't compare to playing another person. Computer-controlled opponents have routines and tendencies that become familiar to players after a while. On the other hand, if console networking continues to improve that incantive decreases. There is a lure to having a physical opponent to scream insults at, but is it strong enough?
My Karma is so good, I'm the Dalai Lama...or something.
No, this is the environment that Sega knows they have been and ARE successful in.
This is only about introducing the Xbox as another arcade hardware platform for the company, not a change in their strategy. I imagine they'll use Xbox hardware for the "commodity" games, and they'll continue to use their custom hardware for the "A" games.
SEGA has done two great things for the world. Hedgehogs and driving games. SEGA should do hedgehogs and driving games. Simple as that.
I beg to differ. Watch as I karma-whore my way into greatness by rallying Sega-fanboys and geeks alike by reminding you of Sega's other immense successes:
Phantasy Star series
Alex Kidd series
Shining Force series
NiGHTs Into Dreams
Panzer Dragoon series
Ecco the Dolphin series
Toejam and Earl series
Eternal Arcadia (Skies of Arcadia in US)
Jet Set Radio (AKA Jet Grind Radio)
Virtual On series
Sakura Taisen series
Virtua Fighter series
And then, you have all the *real* old school stuff...Shinobi, Out Run, Space Harrier, Alien Syndrome, Flicky, Bloxeed, Psycho Fox...
Not to mention a wide array of some excellent third party titles that have a significant background history, like Capcom's port of Strider, Radiant Silvergun, all the SNK home ports...The Genesis may have been Sega's highlight in history...but that doesn't mean that everything else they've done was a failure.
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
Heck, there's a couple games at the laundry I often use and only once in over a year have I seen anyone play them.
Putting the xbox guts into these machines might be a cost effective solution, but I dunno. If the whole thing is supposed to sell for $499, even at cost I think they could do better. I wonder if there'll be any marketing through stenographic or subliminal messages...
Insert 1 coin for one player
Insert 2 coins for two players
Insert 5 coins for customer support
Insert 20 coins to recover from blue screen
Insert 100 coins if you don't want captured video of you getting your worst score ever published on the web
WINners DOn't use drugs!
WinnerS eXPerience the
GOOD LIfe! Never Underestimate
the power of the Xbox, Boys AnD
girls!
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar