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SEGA launches SEGA Accounts... Subscription Service To Follow?

Discussion in 'General Sega Discussion' started by shilz, Jan 24, 2025.

  1. shilz

    shilz

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    SEGA did a thing.

    Perhaps related to Power the Next Level and delisting classic games across various platforms, as there's been recent comments to suggest SEGA is looking into a subscription model. I didn't think this was too specific to either topic to bring it up there, and if this does become something bigger it would probably be best to start the discussion here.

    Personally, I'm hopeful this turns out nice. It's about time we had a system that would let us access online content across devices, and if they do go forward with a subscription model then hopefully they follow Rockstar's GTA+ model and have any games that are a part of it available seperately as well.
     
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  2. Trippled

    Trippled

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    It's worth noting that it's not minor because it's on the official Japanese Sega website pretty prominently. So often Sega of Japan and Sega of America did different initiatives apart from each other, Sega Forever, Sega Heritage, PlaySega....and it all was worthless.
     
  3. This is a good move by SEGA
     
  4. Gestalt

    Gestalt

    Sphinx in Chains Member
    It's cool because it's an actual first-hand Sega thing. Sega is very prominently represented on social media, but let's be real, it's about time they let them folks be and do something for those simply looking for a bit more out of their video games.
     
  5. Blastfrog

    Blastfrog

    See ya starside. Member
    This does not bode well. I doubt they'll let you actually download their games, it'll probably be streaming only. Even if you can download the games, they'll probably be DRM-laden and still require you to continually pay the subscription fee.

    On top of them delisting stuff on Steam, I don't understand why anyone would think this is even remotely a good thing.
     
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  6. Jason

    Jason

    *Results not lab tested. Member
    So far, it's all for a couple pieces of bonus content. We'll see where it goes. Best case scenario is tying all the Sega games you play into a single account for cross game promotions. Perfect for items in a Chao Garden mobile game a lot of people have been clamoring for over a decade now. If it's mainly to block content and games behind a subscription wall, it's not one I'll be eager to climb over.
     
  7. shilz

    shilz

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    The account system in general, that's just common sense with how they're about to go about things with online multiplayer games and existing ones they have.
    I do understand concerns about the idea of a subscription service in general, but I think it's in their best interest (financially) to do something way less intrusive. Setting up a streaming service seems like more work then necessary for a single company than just doing what they normally do and porting games (I also couldn't imagine SEGA making a service with without a single Sonic game to satisfy that crowds since Sonic seems to be streamable exclusively through Amazon Luna), and it only really makes sense to remove the games they have if they have a plan to replace them. But right now it's all only speculation anyways.
     
  8. I think for sure SEGA will allow users to download games and I don't even see the issue with a subscription service as long as there's a nice selection of games and some nice SEGA's extra's and the pricing is right.

    I hope in the future SEGA will use this service to bring some of their Arcades to home that have never been ported or ported perfectly maybe even have an SEGA arcade you can walk around in and pick to play a game and even add their own emu section of their old consoles.

    This could be such a nice service for the SEGA fan if SEGA handles it right
     
  9. AlliaTheEchidna

    AlliaTheEchidna

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    I really hope this rumor is false, honestly there are way WAY too many subscription services at this point. While I love SEGA and ATLUS and they are the developers I play the most games from, I would rather buy the game and not have to pay a subscription each month. That is just me personally.
     
  10. Blastfrog

    Blastfrog

    See ya starside. Member
    I'm using an account right now to post this. I have a Steam account, a YouTube account, a bank account, etc. Merely registering a user account for a service isn't an issue at all, and I never mentioned anything about accounts.

    It smells more of financial desperation, to me. If they're launching a subscription service of some kind, that could indicate that they feel like the well is drying up in traditional sales.

    Running a streaming service is a tall order. Even the tech giant Google tried and fell flat on their faces. It's costly to run such a service: you need enough machines with enough power to play the games, servers to actually stream the AV and receive user input, qualified people to maintain the machines and the premises, and enough bandwidth to reach your customers. They could contract it out, perhaps.

    That's the part that concerns me most. Telling the customer that no, you can't just buy it on Steam and play it that way, you have to come to us to rent temporary access for a monthly fee.

    It is speculation, yes. We admittedly don't know what the subscription service even entails yet, but I like to err on the side of cynical caution; can't be disappointed if you already expected the worst, and anything better than worst becomes a pleasant surprise.

    The issue is, will some sort of DRM kick in and prevent you from playing the games if you stop paying the subscription fee? As for what the right price is, to me, the right price is a one-time purchase and I can do whatever the hell I'd like with my copy of the game after that without having to ask permission to play it whenever I want, however I want.

    I already pay monthly for rent, utilities, internet, mobile phone service, car insurance, etc. I pay that because I have to. If I want to spend any expendable income on some frivolous luxury like a video game, I want to own my copy of the game, not rent temporary access to play via the equivalent of a Zoom call, because otherwise it's not worth the money.
     
  11. Captain L

    Captain L

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    I'm always against making an account for anything if I don't have to, to say nothing about paying a subscription fee (I pay a flat fee for Crunchyroll once a year that doesn't auto-renew, and that's the only subscription I pay for). I don't care if this locks cross-progression or cosmetics (like what Ubisoft has done), but as soon as useful stuff is locked behind it, whether it be games you can only get through a subscription service, or Steam games that don't work unless you also have this other account, then I'm wholeheartedly opposed.
     
  12. ReBirFh

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    The way this was done was pretty unintrusive, only an e-mail and the possibility to link accounts that will probably auto login when you're playing on one of the linked platforms. They have been giving gifts for a few years, always asking to register the email, even if you were already registered. The account will at least fix this issue.
     
  13. Gestalt

    Gestalt

    Sphinx in Chains Member
    "Unintrusive" seems to hit the nail on the head.
    sega.png

    What Sega says: Take part in a rewards programme, check out some statistics
    What fans hear: Sell your soul to the devil, commit tax fraud, steal candy from babies

    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2025
  14. Is this essentially a SEGA version of Club Nintendo/My Nintendo?
     
  15. Chimpo

    Chimpo

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    CAPCOM also has a similar service they use for all of their games called CAPCOM ID. Helpful for linking games and keeping set of game stats if you're into that sort of thing.

    IMG_20250126_122950.jpg
    Thanks RE.NET
     
  16. Captain L

    Captain L

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    However, the Capcom ID is required to play Street Fighter 6, at least online. That's the kind of thing I hate. Even something like "Doom Eternal won't let you play on PS4 without a Bethesda account unless you turn off Wi-Fi on the system". I just don't see the point. Cross-progression should be an optional feature (I don't want to praise Ubisoft too much, since Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown also requires their account on Steam, but if you play it on Switch, you can just say no), and I didn't need to make an account to play Guilty Gear Strive with crossplay.

    I'm not saying there's not a right way Sega could do this, I've just seen it go wrong so many times that the risks outweigh the benefits.
     
  17. Why do people like you think that SEGA won't also continue to sell games too?. I see SEGA just going the route of Ubisoft Plus or EA Play - Giving fans a choice of even buying games to own them as a oneoff purchase or playing a monthly fee to play a collection of their games.

    No one can say it's not worth the money until we know what content is put up and how much the monthly fee will be...
     
  18. penBorefield

    penBorefield

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    Are you defending EA Play?
     
  19. Blastfrog

    Blastfrog

    See ya starside. Member
    What is that supposed to mean?
     
  20. Kurisuu

    Kurisuu

    Previously manderc3 Member
    Could we just get a Dreamcast collection for the Switch pretty please?