The only thing they really said was going to be at E3 would be the team and their game, I really doubt Sega plans to even mention any of this at all to Press, or at least hadn't up until this rumor popped up.
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Rumor: Sega Europe about to close, no more Sega AAA, focusing on digital only
- Thread starter Namomura
- Start date
The only thing they really said was going to be at E3 would be the team and their game, I really doubt Sega plans to even mention any of this at all to Press, or at least hadn't up until this rumor popped up.
I'd be fine with that. I needs my Yakuza.
No.
Little Big Planet 1/2 have individually sold more than Sonic Colors/Generations respectively.
They didn't? It's a rumour..
Then even less of a reason for Sony to give a damn.
Sonic is big, and a large following but it really seems like people are thinking it's much larger then it actually is.
I'm sure any of the Big 3 would like to have an extra franchise that would do a 2-5 Million, but they have series that do much better and the teams and money to create new ones that could out pace Sonic.
there was also that time when microsoft got a bunch of exclusive hardcore sega exclusive games made just for the xbox and then let them all die an unceremonious death at retail. i always thought that was pretty neat.
Spreading their fan base so far apart is one of the reasons why they are in this predicament. Sega has a Nintendo like fan base. This means that Sega has fans who would buy hardware just for their games and would then like to receive all of their favorite Sega games without having to buy new hardware until the next cycle. I think this has something to do with how far back Sega's fan base actually goes and the fact that Sega themselves use to be a first party to 4 generations of their own hardware.
Sega needs the security of a first party who won't gut them and leave them on the street naked. They are in need of their teams being supported by other talented teams with competent management but whom also have a deep appreciation for their long history and their diverse stable of IP's. For me, only one company fits that bill, and that is the only other company to have been in the game as long as Sega has. And if I'm not mistaken, Sega's flagship IP has always performed best on Nintendo hardware.
Sony would be my second choice for Sega, and I think they would do a good job supporting them. As for Microsoft, they just have a bad track record with absorbing developers, and I think that is due to game development not being their primary concern. Not to mention that Sega's Japan developed games have always underperformed on Xbox.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Ah. I dunno why I was somehow under the impression that the rumor suggested they were going to officially reveal this during their conference. Regardless, if it really turns out to be true, I really do hope either Sony or Nintendo absorbs them.
I wonder if they'll touch up on it during their conference at all now that it's spreading around.
A community manager from Sega of America is joking about this on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Clumseh/status/209158217576628225
https://twitter.com/Clumseh/status/209158875239292929
Somehow I doubt this is true.
https://twitter.com/Clumseh/status/209158217576628225
https://twitter.com/Clumseh/status/209158875239292929
Somehow I doubt this is true.
StealthGoblin
Banned
Someone needs to rescue The Creative Assembly and the Football Manager and Total War IP.
CecilRousso
Member
People who want them to merge with others are clearly not PC gamers.
The IP´s are really not that important. Sports Interactive lost their original IP once already, and are doing fine despite that. It´s the teams themselves that are important.
The IP´s are really not that important. Sports Interactive lost their original IP once already, and are doing fine despite that. It´s the teams themselves that are important.
Not saying this is true. Others have pointed out why it probably isn't, that said I really doubt this person would be like "Yep, shutting down everything and canning all our employes".
iamaustrian
Member
Buy Sega altogether, Nintendo
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
True or not, pre-E3 is supposed to be about hype and excitement, not this sort of thing 
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Hopefully, this news isn't factual.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Sega America and Europe's only worth was really translating Sega Japan's games for our markets. They can barely do that anymore. Shitcan them both and enlist Atlus or someone that can actually do this translation shit on an intelligent budget and drum up and keep a loyal fanbase.
A company that sits on entirely finished products never to see the light of day for sale in the rest of the world but still employs 200 people in offices for pencil pushing and crappy PR is not doing its job very efficiently.
A company that sits on entirely finished products never to see the light of day for sale in the rest of the world but still employs 200 people in offices for pencil pushing and crappy PR is not doing its job very efficiently.
Oh good, I'm glad that I am not the only one who took serious note of that and hasn't forgotten the significance of it. Because of MS we may never again see another new Panzer Dragoon, Spike Out or Jet Set Radio game. MS shouldn't even be allowed to touch Sega with a 200 meter pole made of solid gold.
I don't think that it is a coincidence that the Sega developers, who concentrated on Gamecube, had the most success, and ended up having the lead team after the restructuring of the Japan studios. Yakuza has become Sega's best and most important Japanese developed non-Sonic IP.
Noisepurge
Member
They announced Ryu Ga Gotoku 5, this is bad news for getting a Yakuza 5 version for us westerners.
The fact that Total War and Football Manager exist proves this isn't correct.
Sega America, though this might be actually true if Sega Europe has been doing the translating duties like some have suggested.
Cygnus X-1
Member
Holy shit. This is seriously bad.
brain_stew
Member
That's smart SEGA, close down the one branch of the company that's performing well. The Total War and Football Manager franchises are SEGA's most dependable quantities these days.
Viola of the Abyss
Member
If this is true we can pretty much give up on getting Yakuza 5 and all other Nagoshi (or Sega all together) titles localized by Sega.
Our only hope would lie in other publishers, like Ghostlight or Xseed / Aksys in the US, but somehow I highly doubt they would be willing to pay the huge licensing costs associated with Yakuza escpecially...
This is very very bad news...
Our only hope would lie in other publishers, like Ghostlight or Xseed / Aksys in the US, but somehow I highly doubt they would be willing to pay the huge licensing costs associated with Yakuza escpecially...
This is very very bad news...
fabricated backlash
Member
It's really a sign of how hostile the whole video game industry has become. The margin of error is so small, it's ridiculous. Granted, SEGA had tons of mismanagement problems, but if this news is true, then it sucks major monkey balls... (no pun intended)
Hope this isn't true.
I don't think anyone's going to be buying Sega any time soon, but if it ever came to that, I could see it being Microsoft. Between the collaboration on Dreamcast and a buy-out being discussed a couple times last decade, they just seem like a logical fit. That, and they could really use the IP. Sony probably couldn't afford it and I'm not sure that's really Nintendo's style.
I don't think anyone's going to be buying Sega any time soon, but if it ever came to that, I could see it being Microsoft. Between the collaboration on Dreamcast and a buy-out being discussed a couple times last decade, they just seem like a logical fit. That, and they could really use the IP. Sony probably couldn't afford it and I'm not sure that's really Nintendo's style.
brain_stew
Member
Ok, as a huge Total War fan, what happens to Creative Assembly? Will they be able to shop around for a new publisher for their next TW game after this one?
If this puts a damper on the TW series, then I really hope Rome 2 is being shown next week.
TCA and Sports Interavtivr are both wholly owned subsidiarys of SEGA Europe, if there's no SEGA Europe, there's no Creative Assembly or Sports Interactive. That would leave the IP in SEGA's hands without anyone component enough to develop it. It would be dead.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
I never really bought the whole Sega as a Publisher thing, and Footy Manager succeed despite being under Sega's arm. Those games are certainly the profit makers, and I'm not really referring to any developers over here when I'm more casting aspersions on the bloat all videogame publishers have ballooned unsustainably to. Videogame credits have become like exhibit A of this. Theres 200 names on each with jobs just for the sake of there being jobs. All ongoing wages that make dubious "it wouldnt be cost effective to translate this title" when entire departments of faff could be shitcanned. And that seems to finally what theyre doing.
It also feels like with every other western crappy game they plopped their name on, like High Voltage's questionable offerings, they diluted the brand of what people perceived Sega actually as previously. So while Football Manager and Total War are turning profits, theyre not 'helping' Sega back to relevance again if you understand. Theyre just not looked upon at large as Sega games.
brain_stew
Member
Irony of all ironies being that SEGA Europe is the one division in the company that has been doing this consistently over the last few years.
corporate cheerleader
Member
I almost want to buy it out of pity (21,something on EU PSN), even though the gameplay didn't click with me. Almost. :/
Steverulez
Member
As long as football manager survives
brain_stew
Member
Pie and beans, SEGA don't just publish the Total War and Football Manager games, they're fully in house productions. They're as much a part of SEGA as Sonic is these days.
Haunted
Member
I've seen several people say this, what do you mean by it?
I believe it. Breaks my heart but look at their sales this year. They push out quality and everyone writes off anything that isn't a military shooter. Fuck
Assume he just means that when Sega had their own platform, Sega fans bought the Sega console. Now Sega fans are split between Wii, PS3 and Xbox360 platforms.
Acquiescence
Member
This would be absolutely horrific if true, to see Sega in such desperate circumstances, but all it is right now is a rumour right now and I'm praying it's horseshit.
I want mah Yakuza 5 over here dammit!
I want mah Yakuza 5 over here dammit!
In short.
Too many different characters.
Too many different gameplay styles.
Too many different personality types for each game.
MoogleWizard
Member
I believe this when I see it. Seems way too drastic to go from AAA games to dropping everything, closing their western branches and going phone/tablet only. I mean, who can survive only making games for phones? You have to price them so low that a company as big as Sega might as well just close completely before trying to survive on phone/tablet games alone.