Yo, what if Nintendo bought SEGA?

[Barry the Nomad]

So this happened, skip to 14:30

[youtube]http://youtu.be/HvZeifU2ENk[/youtube]

Over at Sonic Stadium, many are all for the idea (ugh) completely ignoring the fact that this dude doesn't really know his shit when it comes to SEGA (listen to how badly he posed the question to Nintendo reps). Not to mention, Nintendo pretty much gave a stock reply of "of course we'd love to buy SEGA, it would benefit us greatly". No shit, right? Too bad a few PR guys at E3 don't run Nintendo, and this Hip Hop Gamers dude knows jack shit about SEGA.

[semmie]

So this happened, skip to 14:30

[youtube]http://youtu.be/HvZeifU2ENk[/youtube]

Over at Sonic Stadium, many are all for the idea (ugh) completely ignoring the fact that this dude doesn't really know his shit when it comes to SEGA (listen to how badly he posed the question to Nintendo reps). Not to mention, Nintendo pretty much gave a stock reply of "of course we'd love to buy SEGA, it would benefit us greatly". No shit, right? Too bad a few PR guys at E3 don't run Nintendo, and this Hip Hop Gamers dude knows jack shit about SEGA.

honestly i wouldnt be a fan of sega anymore

period

[CrazyT]

As a SEGAfan that his sticked with SEGA through thick and thin and considering my love to be more than just loving their games, i'd have to second semie's sentiments.

I wouldn't care for SEGA anymore

[Randroid]

Oh thank god. I read the thread title and thought "Oh no, not you too Barry".

This dude's a typical idiot who knows nothing about the current state of Japanese gaming.

HAS EVERYONE FORGOTTEN THAT SEGA IS A DIVISION OF SAMMY NOW?!?!?

It literally never comes up in any of these idiot's "Nintendo should buy sega, durrrr!" posts


And ditto with everyone else here. Sammy in a way was a compliment to Sega's brand. If Nintendo was to acquire sega somehow it would be the castration of sega.

[SEGA_Portuguese]

Yeah, Semmie is right.

I can deal with everything, lots of IOS games, the problems with marketing, Yu Suzuki not being there anymore, etc etc. No way i am gonna hate SEGA.

However, there is a limit and a break point for everything in the life, and that's would be my limit, for SEGA.

Also, i think it's hard to understand how people think this would be good for SEGA. Often, you have people opening NGaf threads like, "durrr what franchise you want to see Nintendo saving from SEGA?", and you see people saying Skies of Arcadia, for example. If i am not wrong, SOA had average sales in both DC and GC, i mean, the fanboys are asking nintendo for a new FZ and Metroid and Nintendo is ignoring, does people really believe that nintendo would give money for a new Skies of Arcadia?

SEGA does not need nintendo or anyone, they just need to resolve their problem with the marketing.

[ROJM]

Many post DC sega fans limit was when sega was making games for Sony and nintendo and that was enough to see them split, especially when it became clear that their system of choice the Xbox was getting the bad end of the Sega antagonistic strategy.

At least with sammy, Sega's destiny is still within its hands.
Weve all been thru Sega slumps before, I mean sega was really in a slump during the mid noughties and then what appeared around the corner? YAKUZA, Valkria and then some of the best line ups any third party could have had but luckly for us it was sega and not just from japan but from across their western and second party divisions too. So while were facing a digital apcolypse it doesn't mean sega wont pull something out of the bag, they done it before and they should do it again.
If nintendo brought them? It would be the end of all of that. it would be the final reminder that the old enemy won. I think that would be too much for some around here.

[Radrappy]

I'm going to go ahead and say yes.  Nintendo would provide financial security of the likes that Sega hasn't known in ages.  Not only that but their indisputable dedication to creative integrity and quality control would also be an enormous boon.  Imagine a Sonic game that had some serious input from Miyamoto.  I'm not sure how anyone could be against that.   

For those of you mumbling something about "the final insult" or what have you, need I remind you of Mario & Sonic at the Olympics?  Sonic being in Smash Brothers?  Or heck, even the AV developed F-Zero GX?  These companies are no longer rivals and bring out great qualities in each other's work when they collaborate. 

And Sammy?  They bring nothing to the table creatively so as far as I'm concerned they can go jump off a cliff.  The entire merger was more or less a hostile take over in the first place.

Finally, if you're worried that Sega's spirit or style will be neutered or crushed then you're years too late.  The Sega that we all grew up loving died with the dreamcast.  The brand hardly means anything any more.  Between Total war, Aliens, Sonic, Football manager, Yazuka, and Rhythm heaven, I can hardly piece together an identity at all.   

[Randroid]

I'm going to go ahead and say yes.  Nintendo would provide financial security of the likes that Sega hasn't known in ages.  Not only that but their indisputable dedication to creative integrity and quality control would also be an enormous boon.  Imagine a Sonic game that had some serious input from Miyamoto.  I'm not sure how anyone could be against that.   

I'm against that. 

For those of you mumbling something about "the final insult" or what have you, need I remind you of Mario & Sonic at the Olympics?  Sonic being in Smash Brothers?  Or heck, even the AV developed F-Zero GX?  These companies are no longer rivals and bring out great qualities in each other's work when they collaborate. 

As independent collaborators with equal say in the final product yes I agree they work well together. But working solely for the benefit of an overseer that has the final word on all decisions and for a fan-base that for decades has resented your existence. Yeah no thanks.

And Sammy?  They bring nothing to the table creatively so as far as I'm concerned they can go jump off a cliff.  The entire merger was more or less a hostile take over in the first place.

Ok fair enough, but Sammy had a tiny games division at the time, so there really wasn't any creative overlap or filter that sega had to adjust to. Under Nintendo, they would be making Nintendo games.

Finally, if you're worried that Sega's spirit or style will be neutered or crushed then you're years too late.  The Sega that we all grew up loving died with the dreamcast.  The brand hardly means anything any more.  Between Total war, Aliens, Sonic, Football manager, Yazuka, and Rhythm heaven, I can hardly piece together an identity at all. 

Ok I won't argue with you there as I mostly agree. You can say Sega's already been neutered, but selling off to Nintendo would be putting the dog to sleep.   

[MadeManG74]

I love the games, not the badge. As long as they kept making Yakuza, Virtua Fighter and Total War I would probably be fine.

[Aki-at]

This is such a farfetched rumour for several reasons, but let us say it is a possibility, why do Nintendo do with the following if they were to obtain SEGA through some age old will that found out Iwata is the long lost time travelling son of Satomi who will bestow his eldest son the keys to the SEGA Sammy safe.

- What happens to all of SEGA's low sellers? SEGA has multiple series that sell under the 500k marks that they make games for from time to time, classics like Valkyria Chronicles are part of them, instantly Nintendo would not be interested in any of these titles. (Not that SEGA has any plans for Valkyria Chronicles, but titles like the sequel to 7th Dragon 2020 would have had a hard time getting the greenlight at Nintendo with those sales)
- Nintendo's horrible infrastructure when it comes to all things internet would make playing games like Phantasy Star Online 2 LOL worthy indeed!
- The fate of developers who do not make console titles would be hard to predict. The Creative Assembly would probably either be sold of or forced to work on console titles, Sports Interactive likewise. Then we get closures at Three Rings, Hardlight and SEGA Networks due them working solely on iOS devices. These extra developers would come with the purchase of SEGA, to Nintendo they would be the fat they would not need.
- Finally and the major elephant in the room... What the hell would Nintendo do with SEGA's massive arcade division? For whatever reason, the arcades that brought us classics like Outrun, Virtua Fighter, Hang-On etc is always forgotten in these fantasy buyout. Nintendo would have no interest in these series or SEGA's various amusement centres, it would be another bit of fat that add up to SEGA's valuation.

All of the above would have a negative impact under Nintendo ownership.

I love the games, not the badge. As long as they kept making Yakuza, Virtua Fighter and Total War I would probably be fine.

You think Nintendo would bother with games that struggle to do under a million? Those are the first titles to enter the trash bin.

Ditto with Total War, but mainly because it's a PC title.

[Ben]

(Not that SEGA has any plans for Valkyria Chronicles, but titles like the sequel to 7th Dragon 2020 would have had a hard time getting the greenlight at Nintendo with those sales)

And they're having a hard time getting greenlit at SEGA as well, at least, as far as Western divisions are concerned.

- Nintendo's horrible infrastructure when it comes to all things internet would make playing games like Phantasy Star Online 2 LOL worthy indeed!

Apparently Dragon Quest 10 is working fine. And also, Wii U has a far superior online setup to anthing they've done before, seriously.

Anyway. I'm not saying that a Nintendo buyout would be a good thing necessarily but that I'm not sure that Sega will be continuing for long at this rate. Already they're releasing so few major titles that it's almost sad. Assuming Nintendo buys Sega specifically for hardcore appeal (similar to their agreement to publish Bayonetta 2) I think it would be far better than seeing Sega continue down their current path. But that's just my thoughts.

[MadeManG74]

You think Nintendo would bother with games that struggle to do under a million? Those are the first titles to enter the trash bin.

Ditto with Total War, but mainly because it's a PC title.

Point, but why else would they buy Sega in the first place if not to expand their library, whether that be into the PC market, arcade market or to cater to different gamers with those kinds of titles.

So basically if they bought it just to get the Sonic License so they can make Sonic waggle adventures or something then yeah that would be shit, but I doubt the quality of Sonic games would be much different anyway.

And even so, at the end of the day, why would they even bother with Sonic when they already have a stable of more profitable and well-loved characters?

[Aki-at]

And they're having a hard time getting greenlit at SEGA as well, at least, as far as Western divisions are concerned.

Which Western divisions? The Creative Assembly is working on 5 titles, Three Rings is running the Doctor Who MMO, Spiral Knights and continuing on their mobile games whilst Hardlight is the only victim. But then a game for the Vita probably should never have been greenlit at this stage sadly.

SEGA Japan has announced Shining Ark, 7th Dragon 2021 and Hatsune Miku since the restructure.

Already they're releasing so few major titles that it's almost sad.

EA released around 75 retail titles in 2008

They released around 16 retail titles in 2012

Everyone is releasing less and less and getting rid of as much waste as possible. SEGA is not a specific case.

[Aki-at]

Point, but why else would they buy Sega in the first place if not to expand their library, whether that be into the PC market, arcade market or to cater to different gamers with those kinds of titles.

That is the thing, I doubt they are in for SEGA at all. Nintendo going PC is something I find strange for them to do all of a sudden and initiate by purchasing SEGA. The arcade industry I doubt they would be interested in entering so all that is left is enticing gamers with Yakuza, Monkey Ball and Sonic. When you have Mario, Zelda and Pokemon, do you really need any of those franchises to get gamers onboard?

[Ben]

Which Western divisions? The Creative Assembly is working on 5 titles, Three Rings is running the Doctor Who MMO, Spiral Knights and continuing on their mobile games whilst Hardlight is the only victim. But then a game for the Vita probably should never have been greenlit at this stage sadly.

Again dude, none of those are of any interest to me as a Sega fan; they're not Sega games, it's that simple. It's nice that they'll bear the brand but that's not Sega.

SEGA Japan has announced Shining Ark, 7th Dragon 2021 and Hatsune Miku since the restructure.

None of which will come here and none of which are even close to as ambitious and groundbreaking Sega's games used to be. Skies of Arcadia is laughing at every Shining game released since.