SEGA Sammy Posts Profit

Shenmue Online is indeed a franchise name exploited for cash. But on the other hand, since Sega has lost it's full autonomy, it has produced (or contracted people to produce):

- Project Rub: Not only a creative game that looks as distinctive as it plays, but the best showcase for the Nintendo DS on launch. Under EA, Sonic Team's DS launch title would have been a Sonic platformer. Again.

- Gunstar Super Heroes: Sure, this is being developed by Treasure, but the original Gunstar Heroes bears Sega copyright and a sequel couldn't happen without Sega's say-so. Treasure games are rarely commercially successful.

- Virtua Tennis World Tour: Sumo Digital is developing this one, but after OutRun 2's stunning Xbox conversion I trust them. Games in this series are usually awesome, and I expect no less from this.

- Sonic Gems Collection: Commercially sound and the addition of certain harder to get Sonic games will please many. The addition of the Streets of Rage series, Vectorman games and Bonanza Bros seriously increases the value and quality of the package.

- The E3 games: I don't think anything else shows Sega's commitment to maintaining it's heritage more. After Burner, brought back after a long stretch. Virtua Fighter 5, another solid commercial prospect with a high chance of being fantastic. House of the Dead 4, looking better than ever and adding a new dynamic to the gameplay. Yes, they're all sequels, but then they all had sequels prior to Sammy's involvement.

Anyway, do you know what I think really signifies Sammy's intention not to interfere greatly? Sammy's game development operations have almost totally halted. Control of the Atomiswave has been turned over to Sega (though it doesn't appear to have long to live), the US Sammy development team was let go and became High Moon Studios, in fact the only previously Sammy franchise that seems to have survived is Guilty Gear, a series that I'd have no worries about carrying the Sega branding.

I'm as big a Sega fan as they come. From my first console being a Master System through to my continued purchase of the new Dreamcast games that appear in Japan, I've supported the company and continue to do so. I know about the pre-console days of David Rosen and Gulf & Western. But look at those latest figures and you'll see some alarming trends.

During those three months reported, the company's consumer business operations lost nearly twice as much as was gained through arcade business (ownership and machine sales). That's not a sustainable situation. The previous year's figures show that whilst Sega made considerable profit on it's arcade business, it lost about two thirds of that money in consumer business. Sega still wouldn't be financially stable alone.

I don't know, you seem fairly set in your ways. There's little else I can say.

I do apologise, I forgot to mention Sammy chipping away at SEGA in late 2003. But as I said before, this was still after Mizuguchi left.

Like Nik, I have a long history with SEGA games, hardware and the history also. However, I never once stated that developers NEVER left once Sammy started biting into SEGA from December 2003 (Rikiya Nakagawa, formerly of WoW for example in that same month). Of course developers left, and arms were up in the air. But you also call me a liar, when I make my statements based on fact - hell, three different news sources couldn't all be wrong about Mizuguchi's reasons for leaving. Oh sorry they must be, because you said otherwise.

And yes, I DID get my sources from various news websites, but not SPOnG. But seeings as you asked me to do so, why not check SPOnG's news archives and have a little look shall we?

SPOnG: Vibrator Man leaves Sega!
Mizuguchi leaves SEGA. The reason? According to my sources and knowledge? UGA/Sonic Team's studio merger. According to you? Sammy's takeover. According to SPOnG as told by you? Sammy's takeover. According to SPOnG, _really_?


No mention of Sammy. Sorry.

SPOnG: Sega Merger Canned, but Sammy Splashes the Cash
The beginning of "the end". Well, it was "the end" for many fans, but once they all got over it and realised that, as Nik pointed out, there's been some good out of this (shock mo-fo'ing horror), it's now just "your end". This article is the first time Sammy starts chipping in at SEGA, with controlling shares. The date? 8th December 2003.

But hang on a minute, didn't you say Mizuguchi left AFTER Sammy bothered to take controlling shares of SEGA? After calling me a hack and a disgrace, I'm the one who actually ends up correct?

Erm, whoops?