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Could Sega get back into the Console market?

Discussion in 'General Sega Discussion' started by Agobue, Dec 12, 2009.

  1. Agobue

    Agobue

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    Some say the 32x damaged the company's reputation, and thus was a major contributor to Sega dropping out of the console market. But, nearly 10 years on; perhaps Sega could get back into the market and have learned from their mistakes?
     
  2. muteKi

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    From where I'm standing I see a company that's already in a financial bind of some form. I'm pretty sure Sega's still posting losses, and unless they go the route of selling slightly cheaper technology at a small profit, I can't see that changing anything. Add into that the fact that the economy over the world is still in the process of making a recovery and it's fairly clear that at least if they tried to do it right now, they probably wouldn't have much success, and like with the Dreamcast, lack the financial support that it would need to really develop.

    I'd imagine them managing to have a more impressive launch than, say, Sony did with the PS3, but unlike Sony they're a much smaller company, meaning they have that much less money to pour into the project to keep it afloat.

    I'd personally far rather see that money put into outright acquiring Platinum Games because they're a damn good group who have been turning out lots of high-quality titles for the company. They've got a strong reputation and, fuck, Bayonetta just got a perfect score from Famitsu.
     
  3. GT Koopa

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    Isn't this like Family Guy and Futurama coming back for new episodes because they were popular after they went into syndication and DVD sales?
     
  4. SonikkuForever

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    Hey, in 2005 they made these:
    [​IMG]

    And if you go by the definition, a game console is an interactive entertainment computer or modified computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used to display a video game. So, you could technically consider those little Happy Meal toys Segas' last console.
     
  5. Phos

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    This is something I've spent a lot of time thinking about. Currently, Sega doesn't have the money for it. They've been ion the red for a long time now. Part of the problem is how much Sega currently has vested in the arcades. They simply don't make very much money right now, and cost a lot to operate.

    But if Sega were to trim their arcade operations and focus on the home market? They probably could in a few years. Currently, there's no room for a new contender in the A list console market, BUT both Sony and Microsoft's respective game divisions are both losing their respective companies a lot of money. I could see one of them dropping out.

    But then there's Sega's chronic problem of not being very good at making games that are able to attract people to actually buy their systems. They're great at making game for people who already own a console, but very few of them are the type that really draws people to their console. Sonic was the Mega Drive's system seller, but Sega hasn't made another game that could do that in a long time.If they could make a really good 3D Sonic game, that could attract kids to buy their console, but they need something else to attract older gamers. The Yakuza series could function like this in Japan, but only in Japan. During the Genesis days, they had a virtual monopoly on the good sports games, but that's a much harder market to corner these days. If they could somehow get EA to release their sports games exclusively on Sega's new console, that could do it, but I don't think Peter Moore is really that interested in redeeming himself for the death of the Dreamcast. That would be hilarious, though.

    I'm also worried that the market is headed towards a crash. Not like the 1980's crash, no, this one would be the result of impressive games becoming unsustainablely expensive to make. If that were to happen, Sega's arcade business might be their best bet for riding it out.

    Basically, they could, but it would be risky, and would also require some unlikely things to happen.
     
  6. Overlord

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    Launching a new console right now, as much as I'd like to see it, would be commercial suicide. Sega is best off right now doing what they're doing and building their cash reserves back up.
     
  7. Why would they get back into the console market when they're reporting that they've been making more off software sales today than they ever did doing hardware.

    C'mon guys. Money.
     
  8. Ravenfreak

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    I say they could possibly get back, once they earn enough money off software. I think Sega would be much better than Microsoft when it comes to video game systems. Because it just seems like the Xbox, and 360 don't last long at all, while the Wii and PS3 last longer than the 360.
     
  9. Chimpo

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    Their only worldwide success was the SEGA Genesis. And if you're talking about the hardware itself not failing the original X Box was built like a rock. Yes, we all know the 360 breaks, thanks for sharing.
     
  10. Lobotomy

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    They should start making consoles when they stop reporting losses.
     
  11. Vangar

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    Dreamcast's plug was pulled almost as fast as it was released. Sega just don't want to do it, im afraid.
     
  12. MarkeyJester

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    Oh god, fuck no, if that was SEGAs' last console, then we've been screwed.

    Now as said before, SEGA simply just don't have the money for console making, it's a too risky move, and I doubt that even SEGA are stupid enough to go that route yet (That's not to say that I wouldn't like to see one made by them again).
     
  13. Chimpo

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    I honestly don't see why people still have a boner for this to come true.

    All you're going to do is play SEGA's games on it, and with the way the video game industry is right now with multiplatform titles, you'll hardly see exclusive third party games.

    You're basically paying admission price just to play a company's games made for just that system.
     
  14. doc eggfan

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    16-bit era > Current gen
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    Mega Drive > XBOX360
    Wii > PC Engine
    Neo Geo > ????

    There is an untapped slice of market. If Sega gets together with Namco, Capcom, Taito et al and develops the new arcade standard for the next five years, and releases a home version of that arcade standard, there is potential for a new gaming platform. It's a win-win situation. By selling the arcade tech to the home buyer, you're potentially doubling or tripling your market for every new arcade release. And if we learnt anything from the Neo Geo, it's that there are people prepared to pay for quality and instant access - no more waiting for home conversions. Don't aim for the mass market and sell at a loss, aim for the cashed up elite gamer crowd.
     
  15. Afti

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    Problem is that the Neo Geo comes from before the death of arcades...
     
  16. doc eggfan

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    They're not dead, they're just on life support. Create a new standard and release it to the home consumer, then every home is a potential arcade, and every arcade release has a greater potential to be profitable.
     
  17. Lobotomy

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    SEGA's games shit the bed when they went third party. I would pay 10 easy payments of $599USD to have a new console, assuming their games would be of higher quality as a result.
     
  18. MykonosFan

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    I think the main advantage of a new SEGA console for me is having all my Sonic games on one system instead of having exclusives all over the place.

    I don't think I'll ever get to play Rivals. (Not like it's high on my priority list though)

    Other than that, at this point, I don't think I'd really care if they made a console. I doubt they will, for financial reasons stated previously in this thread.
     
  19. Chimpo

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    I seriously doubt having a console will boost a game's quality considerably. Not to mention SEGA isn't that bad of a developer. They still pump out good games. They just have a certain team that keeps giving them a bad image.
     
  20. Phos

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    My reason is that Sega's consoles had better controllers, especially the Dreamcast's. It's analog stick is based on a technology not used since, and it had a much greater degree of feedback as to what direction you were pointing the stick. This page has a description of how it works, and here's a diagram of one of the shitty ones.