Preview: IDW Sonic the Hedgehog #8

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Fresh from IDW comes an official synopsis for the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog #8 as well as a look at a variant cover by Nathalie Fourdraine. Following issues #5-7, which will be titled “The Fate of Dr. Eggman parts 1-3”, issue #8 will see the return of Silver the Hedgehog as well as a new character named Whisper. Not much is known of this mystery character outside of a mention that they are a “Guardian Angel”.

As with past IDW issues, expect multiple covers. Cover A is by Gigi Dutreix, cover B by Evan Stanley and another cover will be by Nathalie Fourdraine.

Ian Flynn (w) • Evan Stanley (a & c)

Hush! You hear that? It sounds like Sonic’s racing off to another adventure and he’s not alone! But who is this “Guardian Angel” and why does everybody talk about her in a Whisper?

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

We’ll update this post with new information and images as we get them.

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Unboxing: SEGA Games On Atari 2600

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On this kind-of unboxing we take a look at some SEGA releases for the Atari 2600 from the early 80s, before the Master System hit the scene. SEGA really went all out when it came to the packaging and presentation of some of these titles, and photos just don’t do them justice. A majority of these games come from Gremlin Industries, which was purchased by SEGA in the late 70s and released games under SEGA/Gremlin and SEGA Electronics until 1984. Such classics to come out of this include Congo Bongo, Monaco GP, Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator and Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom.

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SEGA unveils Valkyria Chronicles 4 “Memoirs from Battle” Premium Edition

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SEGA is at it again with the must have premium editions! Valkyria Chronicles 4, set to release this fall in the Americas and Europe for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, will see a “Memoirs from Battle” Premium Edition priced at $99.99. This will include the game for your platform of choice, an exclusive vinyl statue of the “Hafen” Tank, “Claude’s Travel Journal” exclusive 100-Page themed artbook and a pair of DLC adventures featuring Squad 7 characters.

Pre-order the Valkyria Chronicles 4 “Memoirs from Battle” Premium Edition
PlayStation 4 | Xbox One | Nintendo Switch

After the break, check out the full press release and a gallery of images!

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Yu Suzuki pledges support for the International Linear Collider, a next generation particle accelerator

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It seems that Yu Suzuki has been stepping more and more out of the shadows, even if he is busy working on Shenmue III for his kickstarter project doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have enough time to pledge his support for other project. This time the ILC (International Linear Collider) is gonna be the name for the next generation particle collider that is planned to be built in the mountains of Japan. The idea is to smash particles in the speed of light in order to study what happen at during the Big Bang.

So what is Yu Suzuki doing to support the upcoming collider? It seems the ILC Support group, which Yu Suzuki joined, is a group of famous figures in Japanese entertainment gathering to raise awareness among the general public (this is needed considering how much misinformation I’ve heard from people in my real life). According to Yu, he joined because the Ghost of the Shell director Mamoru Oshii was looking for famous people, in his own words:

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Yakuza 6 records biggest series launch in US sales history

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For the first time in the series’ history, a Yakuza game has made the top 20 of NPD at position 17th! Beating out Sea of Thieves, Kirby and FIFA, the title was also the month’s 4th best selling Playstation 4 game (In a month which saw the PS4 record the best April sales for a leading console since 2009) and must now cement its place as the series most successful Western release. It’s funny how not only strong this series has become but a jump from Kiwami 1 to 6 has had no negative effects on the series sales potential which has been on an upward trend since 2015’s release of Yakuza 5. Numbers are yet to be published but if we ever see them in the wild we’ll be sure to share them with you but for now it’s certain that Kazuma Kiryu’s final outing as the main protagonist of the series is the most successful Western release yet.

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Yakuza 3, 4 & 5 remasters coming to PS4

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According to the latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation, SEGA plans to release remastered versions of previous Yakuza installments (Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5) for the Playstation 4 with improved resolution and frame rates. No further news on if SEGA is planning to localize the remastered versions to the West. All three titles are scheduled for release in 2018 and 2019 starting with Yakuza 3 on August 9th for 3,990 yen including a download code & soundtrack.

Here is the Japanese release schedule for the other titles.

  • Yakuza 4 – Fall 2018
  • Yakuza 5 – Spring 2019

I am happy to see that SEGA is pushing forward with the demand of remastering more Yakuza games and a great opportunity for fans to play Yakuza 3 in it’s original format if it gets localized. How do you guys feel about this news? Feel free to post your thoughts on the comment section below.

[Source: Gematsu]

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SEGA and PUMA Sonic the Hedgehog sneaker collaboration hits stores June 5

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SEGA has sent us a bunch of images showing off the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog sneaker collaboration between PUMA and SEGA. Set to hit stores June 5, 2018 and priced at $130, the sneakers come in two designs: one inspired by Sonic and another inspired by Eggman. There are several little details in the shoes, which can be seen in the gallery after the break and in the following descriptions from Puma:

The RS-0 Sonic takes cues from Sonic the Hedgehog and the areas he protects, including the iconic Green Hill Zone. The upper is made from a textured suede reminiscent of Sonic’s trademark blue fur while the striking red outsole stands for his shoes. Take a closer look and you’ll see more familiar color hints from the beloved game – from classic gold rings, to the lush green grass that he speeds on. The upper also features micro ventilation perforations, embroidered PUMA Formstrip, deboss of Sonic’s head and gold rings. Metallic gold rings once again appear on lace ends relating to the classic gold rings collected in the video game. The story continues on the mid and insole with checkered print nostalgic to the retro video game. 16-bit grass print on heel is a nod to the Green Hill Zone. Outsole features translucent red rubber and a Sonic logo under print. Finally, the tongue label features the collaboration logo and RS-0 binary number branding.

The PUMA x SEGA RS-0 Dr. Eggman take cues from Sonic the Hedgehog’s archnemesis, from his flashy outfit to the black and yellow caution stripes from his Eggmobile represented by the sneaker’s all-over red upper and footbed. The upper is decked in a pebbled patent leather with micro ventilation perforations, a debossed PUMA Formstrip, and a debossed Dr. Eggman head that shoots fireballs from his Eggmobile. His conniving face and fireballs are debossed on the medial heel, while gold rings, have been inserted on the lace. The footbed features black and yellow caution stripes – nod to the graphics on Eggman’s Eggmobile. Metallic outsole and caution stripes take design cues from his scientific machinery. Outsole features translucent blue rubber and Sonic logo under print, the exact color referenced from Dr. Eggman’s glasses. Tongue label features the collaboration logo and RS-0 binary number branding. Both sneakers are packaged a special box that inspired by the iconic Green Hill Zone.

Share your thoughts on the designs in the comments below, and let us know if you will be picking up a pair!

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SEGA Legends, a mobile puzzle game featuring SEGA Legacy IPs leaks early

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The guys over at Sonic Paradise have found a upcoming mobile game being titled SEGA Legends, which is a puzzle game for mobile platforms (iPhone and Android). The game, for what it seems in leaked shots, is set to feature SEGA Legacy IP characters from games such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Monkey Ball and Streets of Rage. It seems that the game will have a puzzle and battle element like other popular games currently on the mobile market. I think the oddest mistake in this is that they didn’t make the puzzle shapes into Columns or Puyo Puyo themed.

The people at Sonic Paradise got this leak via a official SEGA newsletter, which featured a sign up for a beta.  Who knows, the game might never even come out, we here at SEGAbits have seen SEGA mobile games get tested and never get released. What are your thoughts? Would you play SEGA Legends or is seeing legacy SEGA IPs in a generic puzzle game not your thing?

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Super Monkey Ball: Sakura Edition joins the SEGA Forever lineup

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The SEGA Forever lineup has expanded with the inclusion of the previously released Super Monkey Ball: Sakura Edition for iOS and Android. Released back in 2010, Super Monkey Ball: Sakura Edition utilizes the gyro sensor allowing players to tilt their device and roll monkeys through 6 unique worlds and four bonus mini games with local multiplayer.

As with previous SEGA Forever releases, the game is free to download and play with ads. $1.99 removes the ads.

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SEGA News Bits: Shenmue III Delayed Until 2019

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Unsurprisingly, the next chapter in Ryo Hazuki’s Saga, Shenmue III has been delayed. On this episode of the SEGA News Bits, Barry and George discuss why it was delayed, our thoughts on the delay and ramble on about features that Shenmue III should try to include. Like always, our videos are just our thoughts and we would love to hear what you think regarding the delay in the comments below!

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Shenmue III delayed to 2019

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What should come as a surprise to nobody, publisher Deep Silver has announced that Shenmue III will be releasing in 2019, moving the release date from an unspecified 2018 date to next year. Deep Silver said in their statement, “The extra time will be used to polish the quality of the game even further, to the high standards it deserves and release the product in the best possible timeframe”. Yu Suzuki added “To all of our backers, we are very sorry for the delay. After much discussion with our partners, Deep Silver, we have concluded that extending the release will allow us to deliver Shenmue III at its best. We promise to use this time to improve the quality of Shenmue III. We cannot thank you enough for your enduring support.”

The extra time, in my opinion, is good news. From what little we saw of the game thus far it is clear that they do not have a game ready for a release in the next 7 months. To be honest, I was surprised the Kickstarter gave a December 2017 release date given the Kickstarter campaign was only announced in the summer of 2015. With development truly underway in 2016, a three year timeframe makes much more sense.

It also helps that SEGA is rereleasing Shenmue I and Shenmue II later this year, giving gamers a year to purchase and play both titles before the release of the third game.

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Should SEGA stop making console exclusives?

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It does seem that part of SEGA is going more multi-console friendly approach, with games like Shinining Resonance Refrain and Valkyria Chronicles 4 getting ports for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. But it seems some franchise are continuing to stick with one console, most blatantly Yakuza and Persona series. There are quite a bit more, but these seem to be the ones that have been growing in popularity for SEGA. The biggest insult? The lack of PC announcements for titles like these, considering that PC seems to be a ‘non competing platform’ for most console manufactures. For example, Sony funded Street Fighter V to be exclusive, but it still got a PC release. I think having PC ports is very important for SEGA, considering the success of stuff like Bayonetta and Valkyria Chronicles.

Do you think its worth it for SEGA to make console exclusive games anymore?

It seems that something is going on behind the scenes with some franchises, especially Sony exclusives. But as fans, would you rather see these titles hit all platforms or do you like the fact that SEGA has console exclusive games? Sound off in the comments below.

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Persona 5 has shipped over 2.2 million units world wide

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Atlus/SEGA have put out their latest financial reports stating that they have shipped more than 2 million units of their highly acclaimed JRPG Persona 5 world wide. If you didn’t know, the game has been a massive success for Atlus/SEGA, selling more than five times that of Persona 4 in the USA. We also know this November the game broke its 2 million milestone, meaning that since November 2017 the game has shipped an additional 200,000 units.

The way that Atlus seems to do their Persona titles, don’t be shocked if they announce a re-release with extra content on it and manage to outsell this version of the game. Maybe Persona 5: Crimson on Switch? Regardless, its most likely going to happen. If SEGA and Atlus really wanted to sell a ton, they would make the re-release available on all major platforms.

[Source: Gematsu]

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New IP from Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, the Yakuza studio, in development

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SEGA has released their 2018 performance summary, which falls under the “Road to 2020” initiative, and among the information contained within is a confirmation that Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, the creators of Yakuza, are working on an “unannounced new title” which falls under the New IP section. For comparison, other New IP in this section include Kotodaman and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim – the former being a smartphone game and the latter being a console game.

Longtime Ryu ga Gotoku Studio fans might remember their previous attempt at a new original IP, Binary Domain. Binary Domain wasn’t the success Ryu ga Gotoku Studio had hoped it would be (in my opinion, part of the blame falls on SEGA badly marketing it in the west), but it is great to see that the studio is hard at work on another new IP.

Remember, it took Sonic Team a few attempts at original non-Sonic IPs before they found success, so here’s hoping Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s next attempt is a success!

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Fan created ‘Super Mario 64 Online’ returns, adds Sonic & Knuckles as playable characters

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Back last year there was a mod for Super Mario 64 that made a splash online. This mod was called Super Mario 64 Online by Kaze Emanuar and would allow up to 24 players to play the Nintendo 64 classic at the same time. The mod gained massive popularity online and of course it was only a matter of time before Nintendo struck this project down. They started by taking down the creator’s Patreon account.

Now, after eight months of silence, Mario 64 Online has returned with the new, less exciting name of ‘Net64 2.0‘, being a very similar project with new additions. One of those additions is the inclusion of SEGA’s popular Sonic & Knuckles.

This isn’t just some ‘skin’ on Mario, the characters have actually been changed. If you look at the video above, they break down the changes made to Sonic & Knuckles. Start at 1:36 for Sonic and Knuckles at 2:00. What do you guys think?

[Via: Nintendo Life]

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