Author Topic: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it? (Read 24368 times)

Gamebasher · « **on:** May 25, 2005, 08:17:07 AM »

Gamesindustry.biz is reporting that SEGA-Sammy´s´s profits for the fiscal year in the videogamedivision dropped by 79.8%!!

Whoa! That is one heck of a blow! And here I thought that SEGA was doing much better after the merger with Sammy! The newsarticle also states that the only thing which kept them both out of an overall dissapointing annual turnover was the sales of the kind of pinball machines known as Pachinko machines in Japan.

But does this signify that SEGA has lost it gaming wise? Or is it only a temporary situation? Losing their inspiration perhaps?

Would love to hear your opinions!

The article is found

here

jasonditz · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:29:34 AM »

Sega's lost a lot of its autonomy snce the "merger", which was in reality an acquisition by Sammy. Since then, they've become much less willing (or able) to take risks in their games. Look at their E3 lineup for the past couple of years: its totally devoid of the once expected Sega flair. High concept titles and original play experiences are being eschewed in favor of safe, boring sequels that sell well at first, but alienate once loyal fans who expect more out of them.

This is not the Sega of Caution: Seaman! or Shenmue or NiGHTS Into Dreams, or even the Sega of Space Harrier and Golden Axe. This is the Sega of "Sonic Mega Collection 2" and "Phantasy Star Online: Umpteenth edition"

ThePerm · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:54:32 AM »

i know its very sad..sega was one of my favorite companies..now its as good as dead

vudu · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:55:00 AM »

What did Sega release last year? I can't think of a single title worth purchasing.

jasonditz · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2005, 09:01:31 AM »

Sonic Heroes and PSO3 were the "big name" releases. Those two and Sonic Mega Collection Plus were all that Sonic Team did all year.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:32:04 AM »

"But does this signify that SEGA has lost it gaming wise?"

No it's just that Sammy never had it. Sega doesn't exist anymore. It's just a name like "Atari". Sega caught cancer when the Dreamcast was discontinued and died when Sammy bought them.

It serves Sammy right for sh!t like Virtua Quest.

Though oddly enough Sammy wanted Sega to get away from games and focus more on arcade stuff like Pachinko. Brilliant estimation or self-fulfilling prophecy?

jasonditz · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:06:26 AM »

Sammy just makes a lot more off pachinko than Sega does off of video games. The reason they bought Sega in the first place was so they could use recognizable Sega properties like Sonic the Hedgehog on Pachinko machines. All they're really trying to do with the game division is keep the brands meaningful, and at the rate they're going I've got serious doubts they'll even be able to do that right.

There might be a market for a Shining Force III based Pachinko machine today, but if we go another decade with nothing but mediocre shining force titles, will people really care anymore?

jasonditz · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:08:04 AM »

And "Atari Corporation" could've saved it self a lot of money on new stationary if they could just explain to me what the hell a "grame" is.

couchmonkey · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:36:25 AM »

Yikes! I'm not surprised, but it's sad. Sega did have Amazing Island and Feel the Magic last year too. Still not exactly a stellar lineup. I'd love to see Sega come back, but there's absolutely nothing in this year's lineup that looks like it will make that happen.

Sir_Stabbalot · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2005, 12:42:49 PM »

...If Sammy kills off the game division of Sega, any chance Nintendo could pick up Sonic Team?

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2005, 12:57:58 PM »

I would love it if Nintendo and Sega could team up.

It seems like Sega needs more freedom and inspiration to redeem themselves. Nintendo could be their answer. If bought, they could become like Retro.

jasonditz · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2005, 01:02:17 PM »

probably not in name, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an exodus of the more creative designers if things don't improve. I can't imagine a guy like Yuki Naka being content to make half-assed Sonic sequels for the rest of his life.

TheYoungerPlumber · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2005, 06:31:01 PM »

I'm not sure Yuji Naka realizes most of his latest games ARE half-assed, jasonditz.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #13 on:** May 26, 2005, 01:08:39 AM »

According to Gamerankings Sega released 25 games last year, seven of which are ESPN titles and 11 being on the PS2. Not a single one broke the 90% hurdle, the only one above 80% that's not a sports game is Astro Boy: Omega Factor.

And "Atari Corporation" could've saved it self a lot of money on new stationary if they could just explain to me what the hell a "grame" is.

No, they just needed to explain to those Americans that the French use "es" as a plural form and therefore the singular was "Infogram", which should have a rather obvious meaning.

jasonditz · « **Reply #14 on:** May 26, 2005, 06:50:32 AM »

And Sega dumped the 2k sports series on Taketwo now, so that's even less they've got going fo them.

ThePerm · « **Reply #15 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:22:04 AM »

now the question is....Ubisoft pronounced oohbee soft or yoobeesoft

jasonditz · « **Reply #16 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:34:44 AM »

I always said Oohbee

Then again, I always pronounced Hudson like the bay... and to hear that damned bee pronounce it, its "Huh-duh-san"

Gamebasher · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:53:15 AM »

I am all for SEGA´s top game designers jumping ship, and making their talent show on all future Nintendo consoles. Afterall, the next console war is about to begin, and Nintendo needs all the games they can get and only good 8.5-10.0 scored ones. SEGA can deliver that if not impeeded by Sammy. And Nintendo impedes noone, so Nintendo will be the right new home for them.

Still, I don´t think that they will be able to carry Sonic over to Nintendo. It´s owned by Sammy now, if I am not mistaken?

These consoles battles have taken their ugly tolls. Only the biggest companies and the best games will survive the future. That much is certain. Keeping my fingers crossed for what´s left of SEGA.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2005, 11:34:55 PM »

Screw Sonic, that guy's not worth anything anymore outside the UK. Make a new character, without all the legacy crap that comes with Sonic. Nobody would have complained about "Shadow of the Hedgehog" had they just killed off Sonic and created a new scenario for that game.

Dasmos · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2005, 04:01:21 AM »

2D sonic still tickles me in places unknown........i am eagerly awaiting Rush!

stevey · « **Reply #20 on:** May 29, 2005, 09:42:31 AM »

3 steps for sega to prefant from dieing

step one kill everyone at sammy

step two make a new sonic the heghog game that in 3d but move in 2d like new smb and praser dragoon make lot of money

step 3 after the xbox 1.5 get dreamcast buy all you can of the remain and make a new cheap game system and call it gennis 2, then get 3rd party by giving out free dev. kits

Gamebasher · « **Reply #21 on:** May 30, 2005, 05:50:45 AM »

OK, I will go to grab my Minigun. Then I will remember to say "Hasta Lavista, Baby!" before I give ´em Hell!

Once, all the offices are cleared of Sammy employees, I will:

1) Get a hold of Yuji Naka and friends and glue them to office chairs put in front of powerfull PC´s and tell them they won´t get out and off until they´ve come up with a Sonic Game that´s better than anything they´ve ever made and where the camera is functioning at last (#¤%&/ -that camera!)

2) Get a similar hold of Yuji Naka and superglue him to a POLE until he stops making "inventive" games that either too few people overall worldwide want´s to play really (hurting the reputation of SEGA) or is so difficult to master that noone CAN play it in the end!

3) Get a hold of the people who makes SEGA Rally 2005 exclusively for the Ps2 and tell them to change it so it only comes out on GameCube or they will be sent to one of Jupiters moons on a OneWay Ticket

4) Find the blighters who made Panzer Dragoon Orta impossible to complete, for reasons of an impossible control system which made it impossible to steer the dragoon in crucial places in the same game, and build them into a room with no exit, and tell them that they won´t get out until they´ve made TWO new Panzer Dragoon games that are actually PLAYABLE!

Hmmm, mmmyes! That should do it for now.

First clear out the dark side of SEGA Management, and next clear out the dark side of SEGA creativity. THAT would just about bring us back to where we were years ago when SEGA was still great.

The DC is dead, so I don´t care what system they launch their games on. As long as it isn´t that or the Ps2 (suckz!).

SEGA´s own management´s rubbish decisions undid SEGA. So their only option today is to go over to Nintendo and save the day for themselves. SAMMY will kill them for sure.

ThePerm · « **Reply #22 on:** May 30, 2005, 09:09:12 AM »

give them 100 million dollar hats

jasonditz · « **Reply #23 on:** May 30, 2005, 10:26:45 AM »

I frankly feel a little guilty that I personally profited off of the Sega-Sammy merger. Sega's one of the few game companies I've ever really believed in, and Sammy's just totally ruined them.

But if Sega's not done squeezing blood from the Dreamcast's remaining stones, might I suggest porting Caution: Seaman! to the DS?

TMW · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2005, 10:46:38 AM »

This totally blows. Sega's gone from a creative powerhouse to playing second fiddle to a Pachinko machine company.

W. T. F.

Sonic Team really needs to jump ship and sign on with Nintendo, and then ONLY develop games for the DS. They've already proven they can't handle three dimensions. Two seems to suit them just fine.

News:

Author Topic: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it? (Read 24368 times)