Ideas for a new Sega console-Zach Morris/SegaLeaks Free Zone

[stu]

I thought I's start this thread so that we could exchange hypothetical ideas on how Sega could, in the future, re-enter the console market. I'm not really looking for specs and games and as the title says I don't want to hear about the latest and greatest "rumors" from Zach Morris and his SegaLeaks crew or any Sega patents either. These so called "rumors" are divisive and only cause arguments, the patents normally are too vague to use to accurately tell us what Sega is planning anyway.

I am going to repost my comment from the previous thread as my way of starting of this discussion

Quote:

Since this is supposed to be a Speculation thread I was wondering what people's ideas are. I've posted on other speculation threads on other forums and they've mainly tried to keep to the hypothetical ideas and most have clamped down on the discussion of crack pot rumors from SegaLeaks etc.

I think Sega needs to go back to basics and look at why they started building consoles in the first place, which was to offer the consumer the chance to play arcade games in the home, rather than trying to compete with Sony and Microsoft in the market of the all in one entertainment powerhouse. I think Nintendo has proven with the Wii that innovative ideas and a focus on pure videogames can be successful. Nintendo also tried to compete with Microsoft/Sony with the Gamecube, but failed. They then re-evaluated their strategy and realised the folly of that original plan and went out on their own.

I think Sega needs to do the same thing, go back to basics and be the innovative company they used to be. Leave Microsoft, Sony and Apple to fight over this idea of the All in One entertainment device, I personally am not interested in that, I just want to be able to play video games, not have to wade through a crappy UI to get to the game.

In closing I think there is room for a 4th game system, mainly competing for the marketshare that Nintendo holds right now, but if Sega plays their cards right they would be in a position to steal customers from Sony and Microsoft as well.

What do you guys think?

[comradesnarky]

I'd like them to really go for it as a games first type of system. The Xbox 360 launched this way, but now with all of the media functionality, I feel like it has almost become a "games second" system. I was thinking about this last night.

-No avatars of any kind. They're superfluous and stupid. Have you ever been using your Wii or Xbox 360 and thought "oh hey, I wonder what kind of clothes this person's avatar has?" I think people don't even remember PlayStation Home exists.

-On that games first thing, I think they should clearly divide the media functionality of the console. I loved the original Xbox 360 dash. Everything was logically organized. I knew where to go for games (with a separate Xbox Live tab!), where to go for music, and where to go for movies. Now none of it really makes sense. The UI is a huge aspect of the console since we no longer go right into a game. I know my 360 play time really dropped dramatically when the NXE showed up. I put on 15000 achievements in my first years of the console. I've only added 7000 since the NXE. I hate that dashboard with a passion.

Sony's XMB interface is marginally better, but, I just don't care for it. I don't think it's as functional as it could be. The Wii does its job well enough, but there should be an option for that music.

-Sega would need to have an absurdly huge first party line-up. I think they would have a hard time attracting certain third parties, like what happened with EA and the Dreamcast. I think they would have an even harder time now since developers are constantly bitching about how high development costs are. Developers wouldn't exactly welcome a third high-end console.

-Because of the above point, they'd need to cut into the market when there's a very, very obvious weak point. Otherwise, they're going to get shafted.

What would my dream launch line-up be for such a system...?
-A new Phantasy Star Online in the style of the Dreamcast titles (what the fuck, Phantasy Star Universe), but with obvious updates to the gameplay.

-A reboot of the Shenmue series. Imagine these games with a conversation system like Mass Effect.

-Yet another reboot of the Sonic series. They've gotta get this right sometime.

-Original IP. This was where Sega shined on the Dreamcast. They released a lot of brand new games, and it's one of the things that made the console so memorable. If they can make some new IP that will turn heads, then it'll guarantee them a good competitive chance.

[sega2k]

Here is the plan I think sega needs to take to make its successful..

-Team up with another company (Apple). Limitless money and innovation there

-Go back to the basics like previously stated (some people like us just care about the games and not the extra features. The Wii is good b/c it doesn't have all the extra stuff, but the games it has aren't that great either. It's first party titles are the only ones that sell well.

-More creativity like the dreamcast games (Gamers like us like wacky games like chu chu rocket or crazy taxi b/c its not the normal FPS or madden game.)

-Better Advertising (Spam it over the internet, commericals, and popular stores, and food food places)

-Wait for the competition to make the first move

-Expand the online gaming (I don't know how you can do this, but dreamcast was the first with online play basically, so expand it even farther.)

-Focus on what your good at (Innovation, quality hardware, great games)

[comradesnarky]

I've always thought Sega had excellent marketing. The problem for them is just that they don't have the money to sustain their campaigns.

[MistaBuck]

OK..Here's what I'd like in a New Sega Console:

A User system (like the ps3/360) for online play

Original, New Gameplay Ideas Along with new entries in Older ones

"Next Gen" visual (ps3/360) with an emphasis on games rather than multimedia (Wii)

Connection with Sega's "SEGA Pass" system; you would need a "SEGA Pass" account to Make an Online account

Integration with free-to-play "Play SEGA" and Facebook games to attract a broad audience

Built in applications (a "SEGA store", and "Chao Garden" come to mind)

A Mii/Avatar like application known as the "Hedgie creator", Where you can make you own "Sonic" or "Sonic Like" Character for specific games (especially sonic games.)

Simpler and faster GUI; once you chose your user, you can instantly go into the game

A Marketing campaign That caters to New Gamers, Retro Sega fanatics, and Casual Gamers (basically everyone...)

2 big sonic games. one Sonic Game in the vain of Unleashed/Colors, another in the vain of Adventure 1 and 2

A Great Name, because honestly, naming it "Dreamcast 2" is a bit dumb

A Great looking console. Because no one wants to buy a console that looks like shit...

Backwards Comparability with Dreamcast Games and Dreamcast accessories

VMU 2. A Superpowered VMU With DS-esq visuals and a touchscreen

A Removable HDD. For when your VMU isn't enough

...And that's all I could think of

[Sorcerer]

Apple does not team up with anybody. They do things there own way and on their own terms and you have to admit they are quite successful at it.
Sega's image is not exactly stellar at the moment. Why would Apple take them on?

I kind of liked it when Sega was just Sega. I don't even like that they are merely a division of Sammy. Sammy seems to treat Sega as just something they happen to have laying around.

Its too bad the arcade scene is dead in the US and from I understand is starting to die in Japan also.

If the Arcade was alive and well in America Sega would have places where the public could walk in try out the games.

I think this would be the key to get people interested in a Sega console.

As of now I can't possibly think of way that Sega could find a way into the crowded console market.

Its ashame they left the console market and let Microsoft in.

[MrSega]

Apple does not team up with anybody. They do things there own way and on their own terms and you have to admit they are quite successful at it.
Sega's image is not exactly stellar at the moment. Why would Apple take them on?

I kind of liked it when Sega was just Sega. I don't even like that they are merely a division of Sammy. Sammy seems to treat Sega as just something they happen to have laying around.

Its too bad the arcade scene is dead in the US and from I understand is starting to die in Japan also.

If the Arcade was alive and well in America Sega would have places where the public could walk in try out the games.

I think this would be the key to get people interested in a Sega console.

As of now I can't possibly think of way that Sega could find a way into the crowded console market.

Its ashame they left the console market and let Microsoft in.

The arcade market is not dying in Japan its been in a decline since 2006 in fact that decline itself has started to subside in Japan because the RING series arcade boards have become very successful and have helped bring down SEGA's operating income.

[comradesnarky]

The arcade market is not dying in Japan its been in a decline since 2006 in fact that decline itself has started to subside in Japan because the RING series arcade boards have become very successful and have helped bring down SEGA's operating income.

If you'd read the things you claim to get information from, you'd see that Sega's amusement center division had some pretty big losses. The Ring boards have brought more money into Sega, but they haven't helped the actual arcade business much.

Please, please, please stop using accounting terms too. You don't understand them. If the Ring boards were bringing down Sega's operating income it would mean that they're losing money.

[stu]

@ Sorcerer - Hey Sorcerer come to join us over here at DC-Talk
I agree I don't think Apple would be interested in a link up in the form of a partnership with Sega, they really have no need as they are being quite successful without any partner, anyhow I would rather Sega be successful on their own.

@ comradesnarky - I agree with the advertising, some of Sega's 16 bit adverts were the best the industry has ever seen. VERY innovative for their time.

Great ideas so far

[stu]

The arcade market is not dying in Japan its been in a decline since 2006 in fact that decline itself has started to subside in Japan because the RING series arcade boards have become very successful and have helped bring down SEGA's operating income.

If you'd read the things you claim to get information from, you'd see that Sega's amusement center division had some pretty big losses. The Ring boards have brought more money into Sega, but they haven't helped the actual arcade business much.

Please, please, please stop using accounting terms too. You don't understand them. If the Ring boards were bringing down Sega's operating income it would mean that they're losing money.

Comrade's right. The only division of SEGA-Sammy that is really profitable right now is the pachinko/pachi-slot machine business. And I'm quite sure the management of SEGA-Sammy are not going to gamble the profits of that business away on a risky move back in to building consoles yet.

For me, Sega need to start building quality games consistantly, both for the home and in the arcades, this would help associate SEGA with quality again. SEGA has made a good start with the tie-up with Platinum Games and have also improved the quality of their Sonic games. Once they have a sound foundation of quality games, this will then help swell the fan base and potentially provide the launching board for a return to building consoles, but they have to differentiate themselves from the competition. Again using the example of Nintendo, Nintendo keep the quality of their own games consistantly high, this added to the innovations they introduced with systems like the DS and Wii allowed them to carve out their own slice of the market, this is where Sega needs to target.