Yo, what if Sega bought SNK Playmore?

[MadeManG74]

Would you guys start playing King of Fighters?
Would we see Yakuza and Virtua Fighter Pachinko machines?
Would there be more Metal Slug games on digital marketplaces or would it get shelved?
Would Sega start releasing Vintage SNK titles that have playable netcode as opposed to the unqualified train-wreck we currently have with old SNK games?

Now this seems like a troll topic, but in all seriousness, how would you guys feel about Sega buying out another small publisher/developer like this? Would you adopt the games as part of the Sega pantheon or would you see them as seperate? I know it's split the community a bit with stuff like Creative Assembly where some feel that they aren't 'True' Sega games or something. If it were a Japanese group would you feel differently?

Answers on a postcard to the usual address.

[crackdude]

SNK and Sega used to have close ties. Their style is similar too, with an incredible arcade legacy filled with great fast paced arcade games. The NeoGeoPocket was basically "Sega's" portable system in the Dreamcast days (Sonic and DC connectivity and all).


I would adopt the games as part of Sega, but in my mind the meaning of the name "Sega" would be less tied with the company as is now and more with arcade excellence as a whole.


Ideally I would love that Sega bought up all the great arcade legends and became the final boss of arcade gaming.


One can dream right.. Though I understand I'm probably the only one who would remotely enjoy this.

[Radrappy]

If sega is niche, SNK is niche niche.  It would probably be expensive to purchase them and it wouldn't help sega what so ever. 

[ROJM]

Geez Sega had virtually control over ArxcSystem Works and Dimps and they didn't do NOTHING with them, They let AA go and Dimps have been doing Sonic games ever since, never mind they were formed from ex SNK staff and created two intresting 2d fighters RUMBLEFISH 1 and 2. So they wouldn't do anything with SNK especially when they had the chance to buy them back in 2004/5.

[Nameless 24]

SNK in general? SEGA would have many shmups in their arsenal if they did...

Twinkle Star would probably get the SEGA AGES treatment (or would that be SNK KNKS?) and the Metal Slug series will be.....probably used just as much as Sonic is these days.

At least King of Fighters would be a good fighter if they prom-oh wait.

Overall, I think it's a good idea, but I hope it doesn't mean £200+ games because SNK have always favoured the "top tier" end spectrum for prices.

[Barry the Nomad]

It if happened, first game I'd want to see would be SEGA Vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2013

[STORM!]

  Sega was helping SNK after the fall of Aruze, but it was not really Sega who has managed to work with/help SNK, Dimps or Arc System Works... it was actually Sammy who has brought it all to Sega.

 Sega had a policy to not make 2D fighting games, but they have released it all due to Sammy having already developed some titles on the Atomiswave era. Sammy have made a lot of deals with these companies before merging with Sega...so... Sega just ended up what Sammy has started.

 Last year Sega gave(sold??) back the rights over the franchises Rumble Fish and Guilty Gear (and who knows which else...) to their respectives developers.

 SNK has announced recently that they have quit with the developmente of new games. Oh, they are dead...

 Well, SNK is not SNK since the koreans have bought them long time ago... Playmore is a korean company. They are only using the brand name "SNK" to appeal to the public.

 Sadly, SNK has no future and would not help Sega on nothing.


 If I had money and was Sega's owner, I would love to buy SNK though ;p

[Centrale]

I love SNK, but I agree with those who have said that it wouldn't really be that helpful to Sega.  If Sega were to buy anyone, it should be EA.  Crazy? Not really.  EA's been vulnerable to takeover for years, even moreso now with the prolonged downturn in the game industry.  Plus it would be delicious irony, after EA having been a thorn in Sega's side for years.

[MadeManG74]

^Um, isn't EA the single largest publisher in gaming right now? 

And this wasn't really a realistic proposal to everyone saying "THIS WON'T HAPPEN", more just a 'What if' thing.

And Barry, I would love to see Team Yakuza enter the KOF stable if this dream crossover were to happen. Kiryu, Majima and Akiyama (?). Heat moves become Desperation Moves, all drawn in glorious 2D of course...

@Storm: Did SNK actually formally announce they're just making Pachinko Machines and hentai games or whatever? I know they've been very quiet since KOF XIII but I thought that was them just being conservative with releases and riding on XIII's success for a while.

[Centrale]

^Um, isn't EA the single largest publisher in gaming right now? 

And this wasn't really a realistic proposal to everyone saying "THIS WON'T HAPPEN", more just a 'What if' thing.

Activision took over that position several years ago.  EA's been losing money for quite a few years now -- a lot more than Sega has.  There had been some speculation that Activision might try to take over EA about three years ago, but it never happened.  I think Sega would be a much better steward of the EA portfolio than Activision would.  Sega has been publishing EA titles in Japan for the last two years.  Of course, this is all in the spirit of idle speculation.

[MadeManG74]

Activision took over that position several years ago.  EA's been losing money for quite a few years now -- a lot more than Sega has.  There had been some speculation that Activision might try to take over EA about three years ago, but it never happened.  I think Sega would be a much better steward of the EA portfolio than Activision would.  Sega has been publishing EA titles in Japan for the last two years.  Of course, this is all in the spirit of idle speculation.

Actually, last year (or the year before possibly) EA overtook Activision as the #1 position.

[Centrale]

Are you sure you're not thinking in terms of review scores rather than financially?  Because EA has been in the red for a long time now.  The closest they got to not losing money was at the very beginning of the Star Wars MMO, but that obviously went south pretty quickly.

[MadeManG74]

Pretty sure, don't forget that while Acti has COD, which is massive, they don't really have much else at all. They have the occasional Blizzard release, but those are pretty irregular and only on PC. By comparison EA has regular releases of
Battlefield/Medal of Honor
FIFA (which is a juggernaut by itself)
Need for Speed
Various other EA sports titles (Tiger Woods etc).

Activision is really scraping around without COD, they have a few licensed titles like Family Guy and they used to have Star Wars but apart from that?

[Aki-at]

Pretty sure, don't forget that while Acti has COD, which is massive, they don't really have much else at all. They have the occasional Blizzard release, but those are pretty irregular and only on PC. By comparison EA has regular releases of
Battlefield/Medal of Honor
FIFA (which is a juggernaut by itself)
Need for Speed
Various other EA sports titles (Tiger Woods etc).

Activision is really scraping around without COD, they have a few licensed titles like Family Guy and they used to have Star Wars but apart from that?

They have just discovered Skylanders and THE POWER OF CHILDREN!

[jonboy101]

Seems like SNK would fit into Sega's portfolio just fine. Incidentally, it would be nice to see a bit more than Virtua Fighter come out of Sega's stable of fighters, this century, now that its mentioned.