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Sega To Leave Console Business? (Updated)

Posted by Hemos on from the exit-stage-left dept.

Raistlin Majere writes "Thought a few of you might be interested in checking this out, but according to The Gaming Intelligence Agency, Sega creators of the Dreamcast say that they are quitting the console hardware business, for the full story, click here. Just so you all know, no, they are not quitting quite yet, they're still fully supporting the Dreamcast, just, the Dreamcast will be their last console. "Thanks to skynet for a competing account of the story. This story chalks it up to mistranslation, and says that Sega will be staying in the console business, but focusing more on the Internet.

2 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. No they're not! It's a mis-translation by Bowdie · · Score: 5

    http://www.segadreamcast.net/dcnews/111199_segahar dware.html

    --
    yes, www.dotcomforwardslash.com is my real URL.
  2. stagnation of consoles? by tabish · · Score: 3

    I don't know about that... isn't the idea behind console systems that it is supposed to stand still for a few years at a time? Console systems provide a platform that's ahead of its time when it comes out but lasts for a few years The reason there are gaming systems like the Dreamcast is (1) they are cheaper than computers (at least for that kind of raw graphical power), (2) the end user never has to worry about configuration, hardware conflicts, etc. since there is only one possible configuration (or with N64, two depending on whether or not you have the memory card), and (3) they're designed specifically for gaming.

    Granted, no company can rest on its laurels for long. All console companies are constantly in development of the next best system, but that system will be released a few years after the last.

    But older systems are still great... witness Final Fantasy VIII for Playstation, a game released a few months ago for a three or four year old platform. Graphically, the game is groundbreaking, and in terms of gameplay and plot, the game is amazing. A three year old computer is a Pentium 150 or so, which can barely run today's groundbreaking games... at least not w/o expensive upgrades such as a fast 3d card.

    Though I do not doubt that someday the venerable Nintendo will be replaced, that does not mean that their current system is no longer a viable platform... but this round may be the last for them since they have historically been too late to market with their system... but that's an entirely different topic...