Topic: Silicon Knights Partners with SEGA

[Pale]

Yeah, in general, based on what we already knew, this is great news.  I mean, it could have been Microsoft.  It also could have been Konami (and we know how well the support the cube)  At least we got one of the few Devs who has actually released Cube Exclusives (kind of).

[joshnickerson]

This is great news!

*remembers Sega's publishing "Shadow the Hedgehog"*

SIIIGHHH.....

[BiLdItUp1]

I don't know what to make of this; it depends on Sega's stance on the Rev (hehe, the Rev...could be misconstrued as Reverend). So far I've only cared for AV's stuff (F-Zero GX, Monkey Ball), and they haven't done anything since fzero anyway. WE'll have to take a wait-and-see approach on this one.
Good point about not getting rid of the Nintendo logo, it is a bit ridiculous...all in all, another reason to look forward to E3.

[couchmonkey]

Well, people may have connected a few too many dots, and I may have been too ranty, in my first post.  I don't think Nintendo is forcing franchises on developers in most cases, and in particular I  don't think that was the case when it comes to Metal Gear Solid, either.

But I do think that Nintendo is getting into a situation where it isn't as interested in having second party developers that make brand-new franchises anymore.  Rare alone developed about six new franchises for the Nintendo 64 and the other second parties were working on a quite a few new franchises back then as well.  Eternal Darkness is the one and only new franchise to come out of a second-party relationship with Nintendo this generation.  I'm just taking a wild guess that this may not have appealed to Silicon Knights.

[ruby_onix]

This ranks very high on my "WTF" meter.

I really don't see how Twin Snakes could've been a problem. According to Denis Dyack, Shiggy asked Hideo Kojima over coffee why he hasn't made anything for the Cube. Kojima said "Too busy." Shiggy said "I think I know some great people who aren't doing anything right now." Shiggy grabbed Denis and asked "Do you know Hideo Kojima?" Denis said "Hell yeah!" Shiggy asked "Do you want to work with him on a GameCube game?" Denis said "HELL YEAH!1!!" Shiggy said "Well, that was easy. Denis, meet Hideo. You two can go nuts" and wandered off.

That GameCube game being a remake of MGS1 was apparently Denis's idea, and the reason it bombed is obviously because Konami seemingly-deliberately overshadowed the game entirely with MGS3, in every way that they could.


Denis's apparent explanion for leaving Nintendo, about having "incompatible philosophies" and stuff like that still makes no sense, and still doesn't synch at all with the gushing praise for Nintendo that he was always dumping on us.

The only thing that changed is that he's doing it for Sega now. The only conclusion that pops up in my mind is that Denis Dyack is a disingenuous brown-noser, who will say anything to anyone if it has a minor chance of improving his own position. But... then why the heck would he switch from brown-nosing Nintendo to brown-nosing Sega? That just makes no sense.


Also, I noticed this part...

Quote
SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA, Europe Ltd. today announced an agreement to acquire and publish next-generation game content from Silicon Knights...

Just Sega of America and Europe? Not Sega-Sammy, or Sega of Japan? That seems a little odd.


Also, what was up with Matt from IGN saying that SK was "working on Xbox games as we speak" several months ago?


Oh and, the big red Nintendo logo is still front-and-center on http://www.siliconknights.com/

[Bill Aurion]

Important Dyack quote of the moment...

"If people are searching for how Nintendo is being really aggressive in the future, look to how we're reaching out for collaborations."~February 2004

[The Omen]

Quote
That out of the way, anyone care to theorize about why Ninty's logo is STILL on SK's site? I don't want to hear "because they haven't updated," because the site has been modified as recently as this past September...There has been plenty enough time to cut out a single freaking line of html text...

I will speculate.  It's because Nintendo will partner up with Sega who partners up with SK for exclusive titles for the REV.  Or it's jujst to fuel this damn rumor mill...I certainly6 hope it's because Nintendo has a deal in place with Sega though.  If not, nothing makes sense...not the SK move to Sega, not the logo on the site...I mean, Sega?!  This is taint amount to industry suicide without a stable force partnering up with them.  Enter the masters of stability...Nintendo.  

[ThePerm]

also sk rarely updates their website..even before they partnered with nintendo..its as if they forget they have a website....i think rick offered to do their wwebsite even....

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Well apparently SK's site's been updated as of TODAY and the Ninty logo is still present on the front page

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Sega could be really good for Silicon Knights, just from a multiplatform standpoint.  I predict this game will be multiplatform...and I see no reason Revolution wouldn't be included.  SK knows they have fans from their Nintendo partnership, and supporting a third system is not that much trouble.

Honestly my biggest fear is that Sega will rush SK near the end of development.  Sega tends not to care as much about tweaking and polishing when compared to Nintendo and other Japanese publishers.

Also, don't read a thing into having "Nintendo" still on the web site.  Most game developers like SK have NO time to  update their website.  Posting a press release is nothing.  Redesigning a web site is a lot of work.

[Bill Aurion]

But we aren't talking about redesigning a site, we are talking about removing a single line of html...

And this needs explanation...

[Djunknown]

What do you know, one fartfetched rumor becomes true (most of it anyway, I believe the rumor went that Sega and SK were developing an Xbox exclusive).

Quote
"We intend to establish SEGA as a leading publisher on the next generation of game hardware and only the highest possible quality of Western-developed content will get us there,

Sad but true. Its been said probably a billion times, but eastern developed titles such as Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Shenmue II, got the shaft, not by poor advertising(you could trip over all the adverstising they did with JSRF and PDO), but by Xbox-gamers.  I'm taking a wild guess that at least on the 'Cube, they would've have a fighting chance of good sales.  No sense in imagining what-if, what's done is done. Now if they Sega the publisher can't reach Western tastes with Western titles, they need to just go home. Take up knitting or something.

New franchise= Too Human? Its sure as hell not a sequel to Eternal Darkness.  Seeing has how ED went from the 64 to the 'cube, it would mean 3 console changes  for Too Human if that's what they're developing (Playstation, 'Cube[?], unspecified nex-gen platform.)

[ruby_onix]

From the SK site's description of Sega...

Quote
The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment.

Is there anything to be said for the order in which the console makers were listed?

[Bill Aurion]

Okay, for some reason my cache wouldn't show that SK updated their site with the Sega news...So now the site has been updated, and yet the Nintendo logo still remains...What gives?

Another interesting quote...

"Collaboration is going to become essential. I remember when Spielberg and Lucas got together to make Raiders of the Lost Ark; I looked at that thing and said "that is the weirdest thing I've ever seen", but when I saw it, it was incredible (...) I think those kinds of collaborations are going to be the future of our industry."
~February 24, 2004 (1up interview)
 

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: TheYoungerPlumber
Also, don't read a thing into having "Nintendo" still on the web site.  Most game developers like SK have NO time to  update their website.  Posting a press release is nothing.  Redesigning a web site is a lot of work.

Speaking from someone who runs a large website, and looking at Silicon Knight's page, I will say I don't agree with that statement at all.

In fact, it takes more work to put up the press release than remove the Nintendo logo in the current design. Here look, I removed the img tag in the code (that's it, took less than 10 seconds) and this is what I got:

Site without logo

If one has Fire Fox and ad blocker, then can do it themselves as well. The Nintendo logo is not an important part of the design. I'd buy that the webmaster there is simply clueless, and maybe didn't notice a huge Nintendo logo on his site, but I'm not going to buy that it's beacuse of the amount of work that has to be put into removing it.  

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Hmm, yes, for some reason I was under the impression it was more integral.  I still think it could be "I haven't gotten around to it" syndrome (remember  how long Retro's website was in shambles?), but the "simply clueless" is also possible.

[Mario]

I'm not going to believe, assume or think ANYTHING about anything Silicon Knights related until I see video evidence of a game in motion.

[couchmonkey]

I'm corporate webmonkey...if you're really busy, you do exactly what the assignment says and nothing more.  Post a Press Release.  I've left out-of-date stuff that would have taken 10 seconds to fix on our sites because I have more important stuff to do.  I'll make the change only when management thinks it's important enough to ask for it.  Maybe if I'm having a really slow week I'll point it out and they'll tell me to fix it...but usually they tell me just to ignore it.  It could be chalked up to laziness or preoccupation with more important things.