Sega to become platform-exclusive...

[Clash!]

Yeah Sega has made too many future plans with too many different people for this to be true.

I mean they are one of the Main three on the TriForce (Sega, Namco, and Nintendo) and they are front runners on the Microsoft board.

Does not add up at all. Why would Sega do this and risk so much with the other guys? It would just piss them off. "Sorry we have to cancel all these projects that everyone is excited about because we are now with so and so." I doubt it.

[sggg]

More speculation from me, but if this is true - and I am still extremely skeptical - I am gonna guess it's Nintendo.

Reasons:
1, GCN has not done that well yet, and lacks software. So there is a need on Nintendo's part to make a move like this.
2, Sega and Nintendo are building a strong relationship (F-Zero, TriForce, etc).
3, Nintendo might +b Sega from GBA if they drop GCN.
4, Sony does not need Sega at all, thus has little incentive to pay Sega off.. and I don't think Sega would do this w/o a payoff.
5, Sega would prolly be foolish to saddle up with MS at this point, even with a payoff..

[Melf]

Originally posted by sggg

First of all, a lot of Sega fans would be able to buy the console and more Sega games if they were sure it was just one console. Really, for the Sega fan who only has a PS2, he has not bought Super Monkey Ball or JSRF yet. Secondly, whoever the company is it will surely mean they are paying SEGA a crapload of money, like in this Nintendo rumour, that will more than offset any potential sales losses (I am not convinced that will be too significant, except in Sega Sports 2K games maybe?)

I have to disagree here. JSRF could have been released on PS2 and it still would have sold like crap. People have bad taste. Aside from VF4 and the sports titles, what Sega games have sold like hotcakes on any of the new systems to justify writing them a blank check? Sure, Sega is a great game developer, but if you were to go by game sales, I can't see why anyone would think that having Sega as an exclusive developer would make systems fly off the shelves. Don't believe me? Ask Microsoft. Sega hasn't really put a pepper in their system sales over the last 6 months.

There's no way that Sega will make enough off an exclusivity deal to warrant not developing for PS2. Maybe when I see a Sega Xbox game that sells 1/2 of what VF4 sold, I'll change my tune.

Basically the only way I can see this being a bad thing for Sega is if it turns out to be Microsoft, and then Xbox is discontinued by next Xmas! That would tarnishing Sega's already sullied reputation and also not expose it's great games to enough fans.

Xbox doesn't have to go under to see the results of Sega releasing most of its titles on it. Just look at the sales of the Sega titles already published on Xbox.

It would be SOJ making this decision, n\'est-ce pas?

Same difference.......



No, scratch that. SOJ is just slightly less retarded than SOA.

[sggg]

Originally posted by Melf
I have to disagree here. JSRF could have been released on PS2 and it still would have sold like crap. People have bad taste. Aside from VF4 and the sports titles, what Sega games have sold like hotcakes on any of the new systems to justify writing them a blank check? Sure, Sega is a great game developer, but if you were to go by game sales, I can't see why anyone would think that having Sega as an exclusive developer would make systems fly off the shelves. Don't believe me? Ask Microsoft. Sega hasn't really put a pepper in their system sales over the last 6 months.

Well, then all the more reason for Sega to get as much money from whoever they can. If MS or Nintendo payed Sega a tonne of money to be exclusive, and their games don't sell well.... then all the more reason to take the money.

Besides, my point was that if the games don't sell that well, one of the reasons could be the fact that many of Sega's hardcore/traditional fans are massively scattered now. Most people don't have all three consoles. So when Sega makes a nichey game like JSRF, well, not only did it not sell well with the mainstream, but it didn't even have the traditional Sega fanbase there either. If 90% of Sega fans jumped on board one system, it may have sold more, because more Sega fans might own that system and thus buy the game. I am not saying they'll make it a hit.. but I think this could at least offset the sales they'd lose by no longer being multi-platform.

Anyway, your point seems to be that someone would be stupid to buy Sega's exclusivity. That may indeed be true, but if they did I don't think it's bad news for Sega.

*shrug*

[Shin Johnpv]

i think for sports the only system its guranteed to sell great on is PS2 PS2 is like sports home now or something

[Melf]

Originally posted by sggg
Well, then all the more reason for Sega to get as much money from whoever they can. If MS or Nintendo payed Sega a tonne of money to be exclusive, and their games don't sell well.... then all the more reason to take the money.

Very true. Sega needs a friend with deep pockets. Any of the three hardware makers can fit this role nicely.

Besides, my point was that if the games don't sell that well, one of the reasons could be the fact that many of Sega's hardcore/traditional fans are massively scattered now. Most people don't have all three consoles. So when Sega makes a nichey game like JSRF, well, not only did it not sell well with the mainstream, but it didn't even have the traditional Sega fanbase there either. If 90% of Sega fans jumped on board one system, it may have sold more, because more Sega fans might own that system and thus buy the game. I am not saying they'll make it a hit.. but I think this could at least offset the sales they'd lose by no longer being multi-platform.

But that's the thing. Mainstream gamers have never cared about Sega games anyway. They never owned a Saturn or DC, so Sega being exclusive to one system would do nothing for them at all. Sega's fanbase probably owns at least one of the 3 systems out there, so exclusivity wouldn't do much for them either. If they have a Saturn or DC, chances are they have another system as well.

Anyway, your point seems to be that someone would be stupid to buy Sega's exclusivity. That may indeed be true, but if they did I don't think it's bad news for Sega.

Sadly, that is my point exactly.

Having Sega as a developer is helpful, but not essential. Nintendo and Sony have gotten by without them for years now, which is why Sega going to Microsoft seems to be the first guess of most people. I just hope it isn't true.

[gamevet]

Originally posted by sggg
Well, then all the more reason for Sega to get as much money from whoever they can. If MS or Nintendo payed Sega a tonne of money to be exclusive, and their games don't sell well.... then all the more reason to take the money.

Besides, my point was that if the games don't sell that well, one of the reasons could be the fact that many of Sega's hardcore/traditional fans are massively scattered now. Most people don't have all three consoles. So when Sega makes a nichey game like JSRF, well, not only did it not sell well with the mainstream, but it didn't even have the traditional Sega fanbase there either. If 90% of Sega fans jumped on board one system, it may have sold more, because more Sega fans might own that system and thus buy the game. I am not saying they'll make it a hit.. but I think this could at least offset the sales they'd lose by no longer being multi-platform.

Anyway, your point seems to be that someone would be stupid to buy Sega's exclusivity. That may indeed be true, but if they did I don't think it's bad news for Sega.
*shrug*

Jet Grind Radio did'nt sell well on the DC either. At least Sega has had some great sales numbers coming from game released on Nintendo's hardware. Sonic Adventure 2 stayed on the top 5 sales charts for a couple of months. Sonic Advance sold like crazy, and Super Monkey Ball also had a successful run. Maybe Sega sees that their biggest audience is playing with Nintendo hardware, with exception being their Sega Sports lineup selling well on the PS2.

[sggg]

Originally posted by Melf
But that's the thing. Mainstream gamers have never cared about Sega games anyway. They never owned a Saturn or DC, so Sega being exclusive to one system would do nothing for them at all. Sega's fanbase probably owns at least one of the 3 systems out there, so exclusivity wouldn't do much for them either. If they have a Saturn or DC, chances are they have another system as well.

I agree. Like I said, Sega fans alone will not make any of these games hit. But I think it would spike the sales a very little bit. Just enough to negate the negative effects of dropping the other consoles.

Plus, a lot of Sega fans have not decided on a specific system yet (like me). Or maybe they only have one so far, but if they were big fans they would buy the system in question. -- Meh, I dunno.. I just think that if this is true it will make life easier for many Sega fans, and it'll make it easier for them to buy more Sega games. That's more sales.

If all Sega games on the big three were on the same system I'd surely own/buy JSRF, Gunvalk, Shinobi, Gungrave, Super Monkey Ball 1/2, Sega Soccer Slam, PD Orta, Out Run 2, TJ&E3, F-Zero, Beach Spikers, VF Quest, Phantasy Star Ep I/II, etc. If I only have one console, I can only buy 1/3rd of these games. -- A lot of die-hard gamers own all 3 consoles. But I don't yet because I can't afford them so I have been biding my time waiting to pick the first one. Eventually I'd like all 3, but that's going to be a long time from now. I think this is the case the the majority of fans so, picking one system may see a consolidation of Sega fans.

I was never against Sega being multi-platform though and things seem pretty profitable as they are. Or at least I was under that impression. I just hope whatever they do keeps them profitable, because that way they keep making games I love.

[Ragnarok the Red]

3.5 bil to develop exclusively for Nintendo?

Well, I'm sure Bill and M$ could match that pretty easily, so could Sony for that matter, if they wanted too.

It wouldn't be so bad though, because not only would Sega be developing for the Cube, but also for the GBA! I mean, think about it! 2D ports or sequels to Shinobi, Alex Kidd, Phantasy Star, etc. In addition to all the good stuff they'd be churning out for the Cube itself. Phantasy Star Collection could just be whetting the appetite for GB fans

[Green]

Say if Sega signs up with Nintendo, this wouldn't mean Orta would be ported or canceled would it?