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Sega Loses Shenmue Trademark Because they Didn’t Bother Using it

A

Artimac

Banned
Caj814 said:
4jJcWkr.gif


I don't think I can handle anymore of this. It's always a glimmer of hope and then deep despair.
Click to expand...

x2
 
U n i o n 0015

U n i o n 0015

Member
Atolm said:
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Click to expand...

This is the saddest thing I've read all week. Fuggin hell.
 
Bucket-o-roadkill

Bucket-o-roadkill

Member
ultratruman said:
They used sales of NiGHTS into fucking Dreams HD to guage support for Shenmue and Skies of Arcadia?

Just when I thought SEGA couldn't get any dumber.
Click to expand...

Haha, you know, out of all their franchises, Nights is right down there in terms of general 'dont give a fuckness' of the public. Hell, golden axe, streets of rage, sega rally, pretty much any other franchise would be more recognised. No matter the quality of the games..
 
U n i o n 0015

U n i o n 0015

Member
animlboogy said:
The whole Night thing is so odd. It gets multiple ports, even a modern sequel... did anybody every really love that game? It's the game people stomached while hoping for the best with their Saturns. It isn't bad, it's just so far from great that I don't get why it keeps periodically being revived.
Click to expand...

I like NiGHTS, I bought it when it came out on Saturn with the analog pad and I love the HD release (especially since Sega took the time to patch the controls)...

But there are like 5,000 NiGHTS fans.

Skies and Shenmue are both bigger franchises to me. Especially Shenmue. I don't know why Sega wouldn't feel confident releasing these games in HD. It's a pretty minimal port.

Most baffling is how Sega still stays in business. They've gone from A tier to D tier.
 
KingJ2002

KingJ2002

Member
Atolm said:
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Click to expand...

Well there is a bit of silver lining here in that this allows Sega to either reboot or deliver a new experience for the series they cannot easily port.

I'd love for sega to re-imagine skies of arcadia or shenmue for this generation.

wishful thinking sure but still... it would allow them to grow their catalog with more AAA experiences aside from Yakuza, Sonic, and Virtua Fighter.
 
Bucket-o-roadkill

Bucket-o-roadkill

Member
animlboogy said:
The whole Nights thing is so odd. It gets multiple ports, even a modern sequel... did anybody ever really love that game? It's the game people stomached while hoping for the best with their Saturns. It isn't bad, it's just so far from great that I don't get why it keeps periodically being revived.

It even got a downloadable minigame for GBA through Phantasy Star Online. We could have had any number of cool little releases to put that game's use of the GBA to the test, and we get a half-assed Nights revival.
Click to expand...

Completely agree, I loved the original but the new modern sequel was just off. It's like the developers just didn't 'get it'. I don't question the quality of the original release but in terms of gauging that game in terms of public awareness.. It doesn't take Einstein to realise that it was never going to set the world alight. My original point being why didn't they look at something else? Jet Set Radio was another one where not a LOT of people will really give a shit. A lot of this generation grew up with the Mega Drive/Genesis, mention Nights or JSR to them and they'll look blankly and shrug. If you said something like Ecco.. Streets of Rage.. Golden Axe.. Daytona.. Sega are literally sitting on GOLDEN IP. Yet they do fuck all with it. The latter days of the Dreamcast with stuff like Ecco and Daytona USA 2001 showed they were on the case.. But it was way too late. The Sega of today are so out of touch it's scary. The Sega of post Saturn, 98 to the early 3rd party days, 2003 (basically when all the DC stuff was abandoned and thrown onto other consoles, Crazy Taxi 3, Panzer Dragoon, VF4, JSRF) were just right on it.
 
L

LelouchViBritannia

Member
Our only hope is if Sony fund Shenmue.

It would be an incredible exclusive to the ps4. Plus they are taking third party requests.

If another Shenmue is not announced by TGS, then it doesn't look to good,

DAMN YOU SEGA. DAMN YOU
 
B

batfax

Member
Goddammit. That spoilered news stings even more knowing that I personally bought like, 20 copies of Jet Set Radio on Steam to spread around when it released. Knowing that further DC ports like Shenmue and Skies got canned is the worst gaming news I've heard in ages. =\
 
S

Shadow2222

Member
Whelp, at least I don't have to hold off on my annual run through of Shenmue which I skipped the past two years (with the assumption that Shenmue HD would eventually come out). Same with Skies of Arcadia.

Good job SEGA. I pray someone competent eventually picks the series up, but I don't have much faith anymore.
 
V

Videoneon

Member
Fheonix said:
Didn't the same thing happen with Sakura Wars a few weeks back?
Click to expand...

You might be thinking of the Sakura Wars website domain name expiration? I can't think of something similar happening with Sakura Wars.

Atolm said:
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Click to expand...

=(
 
F

FLEABttn

Banned
Atolm said:
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Click to expand...

So Sega isn't dead. Sega is dead dead.

Don't cry for me Argentina. The truth is I never left you...
 
C

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
Atolm said:
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Click to expand...

If this is why I may never see JSRF and Skies of Arcadia, i'ma hurt things
 
S

shandy706

Member
EteRnal PAL said:
Save us Sony... you're our only hope.
Click to expand...

I'd be happy if Microsoft or Sony picked it up....just someone.

People doubted we'd ever see Killer Instinct...most gave up.

You would think all the people asking for something would eventually hit home. I feel like Sleeping Dogs (or something similar) could easily be transformed into Shenmue. Just add in more details with shops, interaction with people in the open world, etc. Other activities like fishing, planting, etc...
 
C

cuyahoga

Dudebro, My Shit is Fucked Up So I Got to Shoot/Slice You II: It's Straight-Up Dawg Time
Two of their Shenmue trademarks were cancelled because they were too lazy to file forms. Lol.
 
DryvBy

DryvBy

Member
shandy706 said:
I'd be happy if Microsoft or Sony picked it up....just someone.

People doubted we'd ever see Killer Instinct...most gave up.

You would think all the people asking for something would eventually hit home. I feel like Sleeping Dogs (or something similar) could easily be transformed into Shenmue. Just add in more details with shops, interaction with people in the open world, etc. Other activities like fishing, planting, etc...
Click to expand...

I always felt Yakuza was the mature rated Shenmue. Speaking of which, SEGA, where is my freakin' Yakuza 5 in the States!!!!???
 
E

eyeball_kid

Member
All Sega had to do was put anything with the Shenmue name out there. Shenmue Flappy Bird, whatever. That they let it lapse says less about their disinterest in the brand than general incompetence at either the corporate level or their US legal team.
 
Q

qualitydisc

Member
Acidote said:
Considering how SEGA is... I wonder how much of the original assets and code has been lost into oblivion.
Click to expand...

This happens with pretty much all game companies.

Just this week the producer of the Final Fantasy series admitted they lost the originals assets to FFX.
"Additionally, since the games were made 10 years ago, the source materials for the games that we had were not in a complete state. Between this and having to fill in the extra details on the side, all of that really took a lot of effort to recreate."
Click to expand...
http://sgcafe.com/2014/02/interview...lks-final-fantasy-xx-2-hd-remaster-ff-titles/
 
T

Trojan X

Banned
Spaghetti said:
well sega have been trying to get a new streets of rage off the ground a few times now, but they've all ended up cancelled for one reason or another


people are jumping to some very wild conclusions about what this means for both shenmue and sega

yes, someone could in theory grab the trademark, but they'd have the name only and nothing else

if anything i'd advise against some fan trying to buy up the trademark, because at some point in the future sega is going to come calling for it back for one reason or another (slapping the name on a different title, hd remaster, new game, whatever), and they're either going to have to come to an agreement of transferring the trademark freely (or more likely in exchange for some free stuff), or sega is taking them to court
Click to expand...

Exactly. Which is why I thought it was a good point. I guess I should have elaborated to highlight that it is best to leave it alone. I.e. you and I were thinking on the same lines.
 
A

Agent Unknown

Member
Sad but not surprising in the least. Time to move on. Sega just doesn't care about their other non-Sonic/non-licensed brands anymore.

Also as kind of a side note, as Bucket-o-roadkill said, they're just sitting on incredible IP like Streets of Rage, Ecco, ect. which reminds me of a far different company but something similar: Konami: Contra, Gradius, Twinbee, Mystical Ninja, and an amazing plethora of other classic mindshare they have, not to mention Bomberman, Bonk and all the IP they aquired from buying up the Hudson/TG-16/PC Engine properties and they just do nothing with it all while recycling Metal Gear and wasting time with the continuing decline of Pro Evo. Don't forget Suikoden, I could go on.

qualitydisc said:
This happens with pretty much all game companies.

Just this week the producer of the Final Fantasy series admitted they lost the originals assets to FFX.

http://sgcafe.com/2014/02/interview...lks-final-fantasy-xx-2-hd-remaster-ff-titles/
Click to expand...

Lose assets? How can major game companies even do this? I can't imagine a company such as Nintendo allowing something like this to happen. I mean, unless I'm misunderstanding something, reading this reminds me of the old days when some movie and TV studios would just let their film stock rot or get hopelessly misplaced instead of being vigilant and trying to maintain/preserve it.
 
D

Dragoon En Regalia

Member
For all of its great development staff coming and going over the years, SEGA is still haphazardly managed, with some corporate components doing most if not everything right (classic ports, for example) and some others just burning bridges however they please (Shining team). That they can lose the assets to Panzer Dragoon Saga and then start an HD port series with a game people have trouble understanding (JSR at least handles like a classic platformer!) isn't surprising; who knows why they let this trademark lapse! And the legal issues behind porting Shenmue are sad to hear, since even a little fucking bit of work shouldn't be that big a deal-breaker. It's like the EarthBound situation all over again...and that one was solved!

Best scenario is that Sony buys up the trademark and IP so Cerny can grant Suzuki's wishes. I don't like Sony that much more than the rest of these generally mismanaged Japanese businesses, but they don't make massive mistakes that would undo the useful little things they do for publicity.
 
L

LelouchViBritannia

Member
Hopefully the audience floods mark and yu with ps4 and Shenmue at GDC.

If they aren't going to make the game, at least give us some details on potential alternatives, or issues yu faced when trying to make the game with outside investors.
 
D

dhlt25

Member
I honestly would have been satisfy with a shemue 1,2 port to pc and a digital novella telling the rest of the story.
 
I

IdreamofHIME

Member
Kids going to High School that were born after Shenmue released and probably have no idea what is, yet call themselves gamers.....I can't believe I live in this world.
 
B

Boogybro

Member
Agent Unknown said:
Lose assets? How can major game companies even do this? I can't imagine a company such as Nintendo allowing something like this to happen. I mean, unless I'm misunderstanding something, reading this reminds me of the old days when some movie and TV studios would just let their film stock rot or get hopelessly misplaced instead of being vigilant and trying to maintain/preserve it.
Click to expand...

Here comes some smartass saying "They can't ever lose assets because they reuse the same old shit over and over har har har"
 
I

IdreamofHIME

Member
How can they lose the license to Shenmue, when Ryo has been a guest star in a bunch of games? Don't they fall under an umbrella copyright or is every single character in a game individually protected...which seems stupid and unlikely.
 
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