Microsoft to buy SEGA?

[17daysolderthannes]

Better in every imaginable way? That is big statement to back up.

ok, ok, Apples are more expensive and its harder to find local stores to buy software from. Also there are fewer games for them. There, named all the flaws. Although, come to think of it, I've never known ANYONE that owned a Windows PC and ran all (or any) games without some glitch or another because of the shitty Windows architecture and atrocious backward compatibility with software that uses older drivers and what not.

And yes, this is relevant to Sega's potential takeover because if Microsoft=shit, then Microsoft owning Sega will make Sega=shit, or at least a bigger pile of it than it has been lately.

[Psy]

ok, ok, Apples are more expensive and its harder to find local stores to buy software from. Also there are fewer games for them. There, named all the flaws.

MacOSX is also more bloated then BeOS that Apple should have used for basis of MacOSX instead of NeXT.

And yes, this is relevant to Sega's potential takeover because if Microsoft=shit, then Microsoft owning Sega will make Sega=shit, or at least a bigger pile of it than it has been lately.

I think a bigger issue is Sega won't make games for the Wii which they haven't been too bad at developing for, like NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

[snume]

Lets move this to a different thread, before we get scolded.

I've started this one.

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4793

Oh, and I'm all for MS buying SEGA. I thought they should have when the DC was coming out.
They could have used the huge budget of MS to pay for some ACTUAL advertising, reminiscent
of the Genesis days. (I needed to post something on topic with the thread)

[snume]

I think a bigger issue is Sega won't make games for the Wii which they haven't been too bad at developing for, like NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

I wonder how successful those games have been for SEGA though. Do we know what the sales were? I think their best sellers this year so far have been Superstars Tennis and Mario & Sonic at the Olympics. And I think across multiple platforms.

I wanted Comdemned 2 and Viking to sell better, and I think they're both great games, but the market is so flooded right now that a lot of good properties are having a tough time selling enough.

[Iron Lizard]

Oh boy Sgamy is up 6 whole cents!

[17daysolderthannes]

Oh, and I'm all for MS buying SEGA. I thought they should have when the DC was coming out.
They could have used the huge budget of MS to pay for some ACTUAL advertising, reminiscent
of the Genesis days. (I needed to post something on topic with the thread)

You got it backwards, apparently you don't understand how a buyout works. If/when Microsoft buys out Sega, most likely they will fire just about everyone, sell off most of the physical assets (offices, etc.) and just start putting Sega logos on everything. Buying out doesn't mean going "hey, have some money, go play!" it means "I own this bitch now, GTFO!" You think someone that created something as heinous as the XBOX really gives a shit about making good games? hell no.

In a side note, apparently you don't recall, but there were loads of Dreamcast ads, I remember seeing the ad where all the video game characters were at a party with Tails DJing playing OVER and OVER again day in and day out. I remember seeing very few, if any, Genesis commercials. Sure there are lots if you look around youtube, but as far as actual plays go, not so many.

[Iron Lizard]

Well I think you have been 6 or so when they stopped playing Genesis ads so of course you don't remember them.

[snume]

You got it backwards, apparently you don't understand how a buyout works. If/when Microsoft buys out Sega, most likely they will fire just about everyone, sell off most of the physical assets (offices, etc.) and just start putting Sega logos on everything. Buying out doesn't mean going "hey, have some money, go play!" it means "I own this bitch now, GTFO!"

They bought RARE and let them do their own thing. Maybe they shouldn't have, Rare has arguably been below par since the buyout. You are using EA as a model for MS. Historically MS has been more likely to attempt to create a competing product and force them out.

You think someone that created something as heinous as the XBOX really gives a shit about making good games? hell no..

What is so heinous about the XBOX? It's outward design? You don't like the looks? Because there was nothing wrong with it as a games machine. And the games they made (as well as those made by others for it) were as good as anyone other console. Better graphically than the PS2 and equal to or better than the GC. I preferred Links over Tiger Woods, loved Crimson Skies and Halo.

In a side note, apparently you don't recall, but there were loads of Dreamcast ads, I remember seeing the ad where all the video game characters were at a party with Tails DJing playing OVER and OVER again day in and day out. I remember seeing very few, if any, Genesis commercials. Sure there are lots if you look around youtube, but as far as actual plays go, not so many.

I recall seeing a bunch of ads featuring Randy Moss and the Sonic characters
but most of them were after the launch and in the first year. The ones leading up the the launch were the "It's Thinking" ads and they were too obscure. As a SEGA follower, I knew what they were but far too many people were without a clue. They needed more coverage and better advertising.

Genesis ads were EVERYWHERE in the late 80's early 90's. On TV, in comics and magazines, on my cable provider (SEGA Channel was advertised a lot). You may not remember them, but they were there.

[dragonboy]

For some reason, I don't remember any Dreamcast commercials but I remember seeing some Genesis commercials on Nickelodeon when I was 3 and 4 years old. I don't remember any one in particular, but I just remember it being advertised.

[ThePirateMike]

Sega is not the company to buy to achieve success in Japan -- Sqeenix is the one. Sega's only existing franchise I see which could help the system make gains in that RPG heavy fanbase is Sakura Taisen, and that (I believe) still remains a property of Red, with Sega just having production rights.

Then again, Sega is a bargain at this point, and it'd help the system regardless, though it will take a huge exclusive franchise along the lines of Pokemon or Final Fantasy to have the system really take a stab at the Japanese market. If anything, this should bode well in theory for Sega, since the company should be able to focus on quality instead of quantity. Sega's two Microsoft commissioned titles are great, and perhaps with better financial backing, Sega could once again look to capture that level of innovation and creativity it abandoned when losing its hardware foothold.

Form what I've heard, a lot of Sega's current deplorable game qaulity comes from a lack of funding. Apparently Sammy wants them to focus on the arcade/pachinko market and limited cosole game budgets and pushed deadlines to make holiday sales to the point where we ended up getting games like "Sonic the Hedgehog (360/PS3)". Microsoft's deep pockets and console/pc market focus could easily fix things if that's truly the case.

As far as breaking into the "RPG heavy" fanbase of Japan, A Microsoft-owned Sega could probably make some good headway if they made a sequel to Skies of Arcadia and another proper (read: not online) Phantasy Star game that were of the same calibur as their predecessors (which could be done with the right budget.)

[17daysolderthannes]

hey, if Microsoft is really prepared to hand Sega money and not stand over their shoulder screwing up their work, then by all means, let it be so. It's just my experience that everything Microsoft touches turns to shit (MSR->project gotham anyone? LOVED MSR, HATE Project Gotham).

[snume]

I'm not a fan of either MSR or PGR. I hate the oversteer.

I prefer the arcadey driving of Burnout. And the crashes rock.

[TheEdge]

I heard its just a rumor but if it is true I dont like it at all. Microsoft would further ruin the company.