Post by: RickPowers on May 07, 2003, 10:37:45 AM
In what has become a rather facinating process to watch, the impending merger between Sega and Sammy has been called off, as the two companies failed to meet on a couple of key terms.
Other names have popped up as being interested in merging with Sega in recent weeks, with Namco and EA being two major names. Recent rumors point to Microsoft having an interest in acquiring the company as well.
We'll have more information as we receive it.
Post by: joshnickerson on May 07, 2003, 10:49:06 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on May 07, 2003, 11:02:22 AM
If MS did buy Sega what would happen with F-Zero? Nintendo owns the franchise so it's not like the series would be lost but what about the specific game. Would Sega be required to finish that title? Also what happens to PSO? Would the company just abandon the Cube version's online support? If they did that they might as well just take the game off the market.
Maybe Nintendo should buy Sega. Okay that's likely not going to happen but it would be pretty cool and Sega is a pretty talented developer that would benefit greatly from Nintendo's guidance. Sonic Team could learn how to make a decent camera and controls that are like good and stuff.
Post by: Zelda on May 07, 2003, 11:06:25 AM
Post by: nolimit19 on May 07, 2003, 11:15:51 AM
Post by: Kulock on May 07, 2003, 11:22:08 AM
For some reason, it doesn't feel like the right time for Microsoft to pick them up, but I usually call these sorts of things poorly. EA, sadly, seems more likely. But I'm holding out and hoping for Namco. Man, they would make such a team.
Post by: Patch on May 07, 2003, 12:27:44 PM
Post by: BlkPaladin on May 07, 2003, 12:42:11 PM
Post by: Grey Ninja on May 07, 2003, 01:10:37 PM
Post by: T-Tiger on May 07, 2003, 01:43:29 PM
Post by: Perfect Cell on May 07, 2003, 02:34:40 PM
Post by: Illustrious Chen on May 07, 2003, 02:40:57 PM
Post by: Jedi Master Yoda on May 07, 2003, 03:06:39 PM
If Nintendo bought Sega that'd be cool. But everyone knows that's never going to happen.
The best would definitely be Sega and Namco. As soon as I heard of the initial offer, I was like "drop Sammy, go with Namco." Just imagine! Soul Calibur 2 with Sonic... uh... ok, so maybe that wouldn't work out so well. But Namco and Sega would seriously be a great team.
Post by: Michael8983 on May 07, 2003, 03:40:38 PM
Too many of Sega's developers would just go mad with rage if that happened.
It's almost a given that Yuji Naki would leave. He abandoned Sega before for much less of a reason.
If Sega's going to merge with anyone, I think it will be another company like Sammy.
Some company it will easily overshadow. But I wouldn't be surprised if Sega somehow found a way to tough it out on its own. It does have quite a few games coming out in the near future (including the Gamecube's FZero SADX) that will likely sell very well.
Another thought : Why would MS even want to buy Sega? Haven't all of Sega's exclusive XBox games (which MS must have paid a lot of money to get) completely bombed?
Sure the bundle deal with the two Sega games caused a notable increase in hardware sales but the same would have happened with ANY two games.
Post by: NWR_Lindy on May 07, 2003, 05:02:21 PM
Sure, from a business standpoint Nintendo supposedly shouldn't buy Sega (the old "Nintendo is a healthy company, why would they buy Sega when Sega is struggling financially" argument), but think about it...Sega's development resources and game properties could fill a LOT of gaps in the Gamecube game library:
- a Gamecube-exclusive fighting game (Virtua Fighter)
- realistic racing game (Daytona USA or Sega Rally, or use these developers to make a Gran Turismo-type game)
- RPGs (Phantasy Star Online, Skies of Arcadia)
- Gamecube-exclusive sports games (that would blow away Sony's second-party sports games from 989)
Nintendo has plenty of money in the bank so it could afford to absorb Sega's losses. Not that absorbing these losses would be ideal, but they'd get a lot of amazing franchises in return.
On top of that, you already have Yuji Naka openly declaring his love for the Gamecube console. And you know that Naka and Miyamoto would love to work on a project together and hold an immense mutual respect, not to mention the fact that the two companies seem to have very similar philosophies.
Heck, if you would have told me five years ago that Square and Enix would eventually merge I would have said you were nuts, but they did. What's so crazy about Nintendo and Sega merging? I'm beginning to think it's going to happen, since it's pretty clear what Sega's asking price is. And Nintendo would also like to stick it to Microsoft and rob it of its crown jewel of acquisitions.
These are very interesting times, my friends.
silks
Post by: Gamefreak on May 07, 2003, 05:11:05 PM
I don't see why Namco would want to merge with Sega, unless they stated a lot of conditions making Sega the less powerful side of the parternship, which they probably did.
And if Sega did finally go for sale, out of the 4 companies that can actually afford to buy them out without making dent in their finances (EA, MS, Nintendo, Sony), Only EA and MS seem like they will bother buying them. Sony doesn't have a history of really buying too many developers, especially ones that have asking prices in the billions like Sega probably does. Nintendo on the other hand has bought (both completely and enough to make a second party) plenty of developers, but almost all of the time they have been companies with a long history with Nintendo (like HAL) or companies that are just starting or ready to go into the big leagues that Nintendo develops an interest in (Rare, Retro, etc.). The only real exception is Silicon Knights, but they were pretty small, unknown, and cheap (compared to Sega). As for EA, it depends on if they want to spend billions of dollars on Sega or not. They seem more content with publishing games from their own studios or independent designers like Black Box than buying other companies...MS on the other hand, like Nintendo, has bought or second-partied several companies, and they ain't afraid to spend money if it will help their console (unlike like Nintendo, who says it's not in their "business philosophy" to buy other companies, which is sorta hypocritical...).
So if they do go for sale, I can see MS jumping up and down at the beginning of the line...Sony doesn't seem like it will even care too much (but you never know), and EA will probably just watch also, but then again they HAVE shown an interest in Sega. Nintendo has billions and billions hoarded up that will probably never even be spent, and I think it would be foolish if they passed off the oppertunity to aquire sega. Why not spend a billion or two and secure yourself tons of exlusive games, especially when those billions would have just been sitting in some Japanese bank for all eternity? Then again, in the long run they would probably have to spend a lot of money maintaining Sega (Rare comes to mind), but hey, Sega would hopefully bring in profits too, not just spend money...But I don't see Nitnendo changing heart and buying sega...
Post by: BlkPaladin on May 07, 2003, 06:03:34 PM
Post by: Uncle Rich AiAi on May 07, 2003, 11:49:33 PM
Post by: Sean White on May 08, 2003, 12:39:53 AM
Pleeeease dear god almighty do NOT let M$ get their greedy hands on Sega.
Sega games are so good, they should be avalliable to everyone.
*Bangs head in ground*
Pleeease!!!
Post by: cubedcinder128 on May 08, 2003, 05:00:58 AM
Nintendo and Sega seems like a great idea, but I doubt it will happen because of what Gamefreak said. I also think it might not happen because you know PS2 and Xbox fanboys will come barging into Nintendo and Sega's doors with sledgehammers. They're undoubtedably the most passionate gamers I have ever seen, whereas I don't see too many people embrace the GameCube like it were their baby.
Sega and Namco is suddenly looking like a good idea to me, but it's so close to the deadline... they're probably not even talking about it.
Sega and EA... don't see it happening. Those two have never really gotten along well after the Sega Genesis days, particularly in the sports gaming department.
Boy, oh boy... it'll be interesting to see what happens over the next few days. As long as it's not Microsoft, I won't mind seeing who Sega merges with.
Post by: Djunknown on May 08, 2003, 02:40:05 PM
I had a feeling that this Sammy business wasn't going to work. I just didn't think Sega would pull out at the 11th hour... I just ranted and raved about this a week ago, Namco would be the ideal choice in this situation. They both make similiar games, Namco is pretty stable despite flagging economies, and Sega will get the long-term finacial security they need.
But Sega itself is not calling the shots on this one. CSK (OR CKE some 3 letter acronym) handles their business decsions, so who knows, they might sell their souls to M$ for stability. They might knock at EA's door and grovel at their feet (we're sorry, save us please! Onegaishimasu!) Hell, if they walked into in Namco and said "We're sorry, you were right, I was wrong, lets get married errrm lets merge." It wouldn't shock me
Nintendo's been pretty silient on this one, but again as stated earilier, it looks like Sega just wants the money without the responsibility. They could scoop 'em up, but do they want to?
The last option has too outcomes: A) they stick it out alone, and some how manage B) declare bankruptcy if that's bad if it doesn't pan out. Looks like we got our selves a little soap opera to call our own...
Post by: BlkPaladin on May 08, 2003, 06:35:12 PM
