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Sega Unveils OutRun 2 Xbox, Shining Force, 'Explosive Announcement'
Thanks to Gigex for its article revealing Sega has announced an OutRun 2 conversion to Xbox, as "handed off to UK-based [developer] Sumo Digital", which will "support network play for 2 to 4 drivers, along with online [Xbox Live] support for an as yet unknown number of players" - Eurogamer has the first screenshots of the conversion. Elsewhere, 1UP has new details on Sega's Shining Force franchise, as the notable RPG series gets extended, including a "completely original Shining Force strategy-RPG for PS2, developed by Amusement Vision", and the freshly previewed spin-off, Shining Tears, a "top-down 2D action-RPG with computer-controller partners to join the fight." Finally, Sega is extensively hyping an unknown E3 announcement which "will surprise the gaming world."
...so, what do you guys think this is? As much as another Sega console would rock, I don't think it's likely. In fact, I don't think anybody thinks it's likely. But hey, this announcement is supposed to suprise us all, right? Idunno - it sounds like to much hype to be just a game...
The original Shinning force is my favorite game of all time.
It's a combination RPG and Turn based strategy that is just spectacular.
Pick up the rom and play until you get past the battle with the marionette. (About 3 hours) It's well worth a look, the music becomes captivating and the story is quite interesting though obviously a little simple.
If Shenmue III is announced as an Xbox exclusive, I think my brain might explode in an obsessive/moralistic paradox of "Must Play Shenmue" and "Must not buy Xbox". If instead the announcement is that Shenmue III-VI are all on the way as Dreamcast2 exclusives, my brain will just explode with happiness. :D
I can think of only one thing that would warrant this extensive hyping: the return of Alex Kidd.
I bet Sony will have a better special announcement and they will have to cancel there's half way through. Hahahahaha *badoom chssh*
Hacker Media
How about DC portable? Dozens of DreamCast games are WindowsCE-based, then it's not unnatural for Sega to go handheld with WindowsCE.
In roughly reverse order of probability:
It's not a console---they wouldn't be announcing for PS2 or XBox if it was.
It's not exclusivity for either---obviously, given the previous.
It may be a handheld---a shrunken version of the HK pirate Treamcast. If anyone's stupid enough to try to launch a handheld between the GBA, DS, and PSP, it's Sega.
It may be a new arcade platform, possibly with a home enthusiast version a la Neo-Geo---Sammy owns bits of Sega, all of SNK, the Neo-Geo itself is dying, and Sega is still heavily involved in the arcade business.
It may be something like Nintendo's "megaton" announcement---A game with dense appeal to the one target audience the quote was aimed at, and little to others. Candidates: New Sonic, new Shenmue, new Panzer Dragoon, English-language Sakura Taisen, new Phantasy Star.
My guess is that they will have a fairly exclusive contract with Microsoft. Probably starting with the next generation of consoles. I am guessing that the current crop of PS2 games are the last non-Xbox titles you will see from Sega for a long time.
Sega wants money. Microsoft has money.
Microsoft's future in the game business is competing against TWO giants. Sony, and EA. Microsoft will be making their own hardware to compete against Sony, but in the games area they need more exclusives that are quality titles. Especially more 'non-American style' exclusives.
If Microsoft was able to hype the Xbox 2 enough to Sega, and convince them that sales would be equal to what PS3 gets, then we might see a more polarized marketplace: Sony/EA vs. Microsoft/Sega.
Of course Nintendo will be out there too, but I predict that these will be the big players in the next generation. But even with a deal with Sega, MS is going to have a tough time in Japan.
Of course this is only my prediction...if it comes to be, just call me Nostradamus. If not, just call me Nosferatu.
No reason to lie.
Arcade developer Sammy owns a controlling share of Sega. Sammy came out with the Atomiswave arcade hardware this year, to cycle out the aging NeoGeo system. NeoGeo had a console system come out with its hardware (even if the games cost several hundred dollars a piece). I can see an Atomiswave-based console from sega.
The Braying and Neighing of Barnyard Animals Follows.
There has been no news on it since last june.
A Survival Horror game?
Sega workers took pictures of everything in the town. Lightswitches, floors, cars, house shingles, etc.
"The result was a nine-day trip to Carbondale for the Tokyo-based team to capture those touches of realism and e-mail them back home for the new game. On Monday, head designer Shinichi Ogasawara led the team through police headquarters.
They recorded close-ups of manila folders crammed onto shelves, the computer console in the emergency dispatcher's room, and the measuring chart that hangs behind suspects in mug shots to display their height. "
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/07/01/ news/local_illinois/8476a93db17d9d6486256d55007dcf e0.txt
http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/videogame_news/apg ame_carbon06-30-03.htm
Could be.. There was speculation from Gamers.com that that particular game is a collaboration with Michael Crichton dealing with an alien invasion and is slated to be released this fall. As the second article states the director of the game, Hitmaker's Shinichi Ogasawara, last did The Lost World: Jurassic Park, a Crichton universe game that probably involved interaction with the writer. Their inference is probably dead on.
g amers.com/news/1413594
http://www.gamers.com/news/1242927
http://www.
If not the "super secret" it should at least have ben announced for E3 with the other games because of its 2004 projected release date. Given that it has not been announced and it should be, this is probably the secret.