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The Evolution of Sega
Gamasutra is running an interview with Simon Jeffrey, Sega of America's CEO, discussing the gradual change of the company from a hardware manufacturer to a game publisher. Among other things, he talks about how the transition was intended to help keep up with rival manufacturers at a time when Sega was clearly falling behind.
"We were on the cusp of the next generation, and on the cusp of Nintendo changing into a different company and opening up a new part of the market. So it felt like the time was right for Sega to reinvent itself. Really what I tried to do was ride that train and make the most of that point in time, bringing new people into the company and start building the kind of products that would get a leadership position in the next generation on the Wii and the DS, rather than just playing catch-up with everybody else, which is what we've traditionally done."
...is how all the animosity has gone out of the relationship between Sega and Nintendo. Not just in the corporate world (where most of it was blustering, anyway) but in the minds of consumers as well. When was the last time you heard someone say, "Sega is way better than Nintendo!" or "Nu-uh, Sega beats the pants off Nintendo!" Even when the Dreamcast came out, it was well received on both sides of the fence.
Of course, the wussifying of Sonic the Hedgehog might have something to do with this. Considering that he's now portrayed as a "cute" character rather than "cool and edgy", this might have gone a long way toward changing the public's perception of Sega.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
Most companies would keep plodding along, doing exactly what they've been doing because that's what they do. Sega would have fallen farther and farther behind and eventually evaporated to the sound of nobody caring.
This is why executives get the big bucks (not that all of them are worth it). You need somebody able to step back and evaluate where the company really stands.
Have they programmed a game that a girl would rather play with you, rather than go out for breakfast or meet your mother?
Seriously. With the exception of the various 2D Gameboy Advance and DS versions of "Sonic the Hedgehog" (which are fun, but nothing very new), their games are horrible. The 3D versions of Sonic for the big consoles have been mostly terrible, and never better than mediocre. They even managed to screw up the Nights sequel.
I guess there is the Virtua Fighter series, which is still well-done. But who plays that anymore?
Basically, Sega churns out junk based on their (formerly) popular franchises.
Specifically, the Sega that brought you Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Shenmue. Looking at the consoles I've had over the years, the Dreamcast was by far the one with the weirdest, and ultimately most enjoyable libraries out there. Yeah, Soul Calibur 4 looks sweet on the PS3, in high-def and all, but the magic of playing the original, arcade version, on the Dreamcast with no performance or graphics penalty was just amazing.
Sega was that crazy friend of yours who was funny as hell and had so many good times with, and is now happily filling out TPS reports and saying he can't go out because he's got to work Sunday too.
I will never forgive SEGA for fucking up Sonic the Hedghog with the Adventure series.
"Really what I tried to do was ride that train and make the most of that point in time...rather than just playing catch-up with everybody else, which is what we've traditionally done."
We were tired of being third to Nintendo and Sony all the time, so we just gave up and now produce rehashed versions of our old games on the new systems to make a living.
Too bad no one but /. was really interested in the dreamcast.
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A Console Too Soon
"MIT betrayed all of its basic principles."
Sega's console games division pretty much died with the Dreamcast. Their once flagship Sonic games have been reduced to a cash cow, just like Capcom's Mega Man games. But at least the newer Mega Man games aren't bogged down by ridiculously convoluted plot lines, horrible gameplay and the constant addition of useless characters that distance the series from its roots (i.e. PLAYING AS SONIC). It says volumes when the long anticipated sequel to "NiGHTS" had a muted reception. The best that long time Sega fans can hope for is that they don't screw up their old franchises too badly.
The Sega of today is Sega only in name, similar to that corporate mess they now call Atari. After the deal with Sammy, Sega's chief purpose is to lend whatever cache the name has left to a wide array of games like "Yakuza" and various licensed games (mostly developed by third parties) like "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk". Gone are the days when you could closely identify a game as being distinctly Sega - games like Panzer Dragoon, Space Harrier and the Shinobi series among others.
The good news is that Sega does release a lot of quality of arcade games - if you can find an arcade to play them in. The House of the Dead and Virtua Fighter series are still going strong, Sega has continued porting both series to home consoles. Just ignore the Sammy titles rebranded as Sega ones - like those darn deer hunting games.
Actually I think the 360 and PS3 are still selling them at a loss, but the revenue from game sales gives a little boost. Sega lost that little boost when everyone was able to download and burn. I know its not the only reason for the demise, but I do think it is at the top of the list. And I bet it won't happen to another console ever again.
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