Topic: Sega Officially Kills GameCube Sports Development

[PGC-Agent Cooper]

It’s not just baseball anymore.  Get the official company line inside.

We recently told you that Sega was canceling World Series Baseball 2K3, now the official word is out.  Sega will no longer be producing sports games for the Nintendo GameCube.

We contacted Sega of America, and this is the official company statement:

 "SEGA is committed to Nintendo GameCube and will continue to support the platform with its leading entertainment properties including the recently announced "Sonic Adventure(tm) DX Directors Cut," as well as many other titles yet to be announced. As stated in November 2002, SEGA has been evaluating its resources and product lineup to ensure it is bringing the right games to the right platforms as the company builds towards becoming a profitable, independent content publisher. After careful examination, SEGA has made the strategic decision support to support Nintendo GameCube with a priority on delivering its leading entertainment properties such as "Sonic The Hedgehog®" and "Super Monkey Ball(tm)," proven franchises which have been top sellers on the system.  Accordingly, SEGA will focus its sports development resources on delivering its SEGA Sports(tm) games to PlayStation®2 and Xbox(tm) on time at the start of each season.  Nintendo GameCube is a fantastic platform for all genres of games.  SEGA's entertainment properties have sold extremely well on GameCube and as a result we are placing priority and focusing our resources on delivering those titles to the platform moving forward.  SEGA is committed to Nintendo GameCube and we will continue to support the platform in the future."

[Modulus-X]

Tthis is truly a sad day for GC owners.  Now we only have 1 option for sports games, and that's EA.  NFL 2k3 wiped the floor with Madden.  Sega does not become the #1 publisher in the world by doing this.  Make more ports Sega, as soon as you run out of old games to port, what are you going to do...?

[The Omen]

  Madden is better than NFL2k3.  Nfl2k3 was better in some areas, but madden, overall, is the better game.  The other sports were all Sega.  Hopefully, EA will keep all the sports games on cube now that they have no competition

[NickNiteQ93]

personally, it sucks.  I like sports games.  I'm a Nintendo fan, and I hate when most people think that we just want adventures, adventures, adventures.  Sure, they're fun, but I need a break from time to time from Mario and Zelda.  Kicking my brother's butt at football is very pleasing.  Especially when I can beat his Buccaneers with my Saints.    I really liked NFL 2K3, and HOPE that EA doesn't do the same thing and pull it's sports line-up.  then I'll find myself buying another system to get my sports fix.  

[Cyrian]

So basically they just said they're putting all the cool stuff on PS2 and XBox and using the 'Cube as a dumping ground for their cute kid friendly stuff, kickass games though they may be. Lovely. -_-

[ruby_onix]

Maybe it's just me, but reading this I get the impression that the GameCube has become their primary target console, except where sports are concerned.

"SEGA is committed to Nintendo GameCube and will continue to support the platform with its leading entertainment properties including the recently announced "Sonic Adventure(tm) DX Directors Cut," as well as many other titles yet to be announced. As stated in November 2002, SEGA has been evaluating its resources and product lineup to ensure it is bringing the right games to the right platforms as the company builds towards becoming a profitable, independent content publisher. After careful examination, SEGA has made the strategic decision support to support Nintendo GameCube with a priority on delivering its leading entertainment properties such as "Sonic The Hedgehog®" and "Super Monkey Ball(tm)," proven franchises which have been top sellers on the system. Accordingly, SEGA will focus its sports development resources on delivering its SEGA Sports(tm) games to PlayStation®2 and Xbox(tm) on time at the start of each season. Nintendo GameCube is a fantastic platform for all genres of games. SEGA's entertainment properties have sold extremely well on GameCube and as a result we are placing priority and focusing our resources on delivering those titles to the platform moving forward. SEGA is committed to Nintendo GameCube and we will continue to support the platform in the future."

And yes, this might just be meaningless compliments to soften the blow of Nintendo losing all of Sega's sports games, and all they specifically mentioned having a future on the Cube was Monkey Ball and Sonic, but...

http://cube.ign.com/articles/373/373041p1.html

Last I heard all of Sega's non-sports games on the PS2 and XBox (except JSRF) were selling about as badly as sports games on the GCN (which are dead now).

[Stealthy Warrior]

Considering Sega's best selling games on a next generation console have all been on the GameCube, I wouldn't worry about this news unless you're a sports fan.  But then again, you could get some friends together, head outside (that's the place with all the dirt and trees) and throw a real life football and sprain some real life ankles.  

[Fammy2000]

Man, this stinks. I didn't buy NBA2K? this year because it didn't have the online component. I was going to wait till next year. I wasn't planning on getting the online adapter for the PS2, but now I might have too. Darn you Sega!

[steve]

This really sucks. i own nfl2k3 and nhl2k3 and i think they are both really good titles.iwent to about twenty stores in a span of about two weeks just to find nhl 2k3, so I know that it's because the retailers arn't suplying the games, for the consumers to buy, so that sega can make a profit off of the games that are sold on the system. I also was really escited about possible online capbilities for nhl 2k3. Im sorry but thid just really irritates me. I hope that sega realizes their mistake so that gamecube isnt left out of the game.