SEGA Networks

[MadeManG74]

Yes , the cost of porting is very cheap but the cost of distribution, taxes, retailers fee and conditions, marketing, logistic, etc. are five times more expensive than PC.

Now you're talking about retail vs digital moreso than console vs PC. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

JP devs often do a few medium-term releases and one AAA per year. The market is so heavy that they gain more losses than profits.

Why? Simple, People expect too much from a game that those medium-term releases pass under the radar or they are being criticized for not innovating too much (7.0 or 6.5 per review, in Metacritic terms, "below average" even if it is false).

Selling 1 million didn't help either if the game is multiplatform and LTD are counting sales from retailers (discount/sales/garbain) so you see the problem.[/font]

Yes the increasing cost of development for new games is squeezing out the middle range titles, since it's too hard to make back that money as games become more expensive. I feel like the indie scene is slowly picking up that slack though.

[George]

Video games are having the comicbook problems, at least on consoles. Too many people taking 'their cut' and something has to give. Most people think publishers will become obsolete but in the end I think shelf space for games in stores will go away especially with most kids buying digitally than physically. I know there are gamers that love their physical games but I think stores charge too much for shelve space. I wonder how much online shops charge.

If publishers want to survive they will need to start thinking of new ways to deliver their content to player and so far digital has been the best bet. Personally think publishers should just work together and make an amazon of games and charge 10% fee on goods to keep the place running and have some exclusives thrown in with games bought there to move them away from Gamestops. They can even do a GOOD online trade in program and have actual publishers make money off of used games instead of Gamestop.

But hey, that's probably too hard so let's just fuck over the consumer with DLC, microtrancations and rushed/shitty games. That's how the industry will survive.

[Nirmugen]

Don't forget annual releases in the same month with always the same input or a sequel, oversaturation and overhyped stuff, rushed development and many delays.

VG Stores this day are 20% games, 20% publicity and 60% toys from Skylanders to Amiibos. I think I see something very interesting here with all the sign off of the CEOs and Co. of many big stores.

[George]

And have you guys been to Gamestops? Who are they hiring. I swear, they have the worse employees. I took a few of my brother to get Monster Hunter 4 there (BTW they took 2 weeks to get a copy in...) and the guy behind the counter was asked what DLC was by a parent. He was confused... my brother literally stepped in and told her it mean't 'Downloadable content' and he said, I shit you not, 'Oh, I always wondered what it stood for.'

Right, great hiring process guys. Its also funny that one of the workers knew about this site via a conversation we had about a JSR sweater (that we where giving away months ago on twitter). Of course I didn't say I owned the site, but ya.

[Berto]

And have you guys been to Gamestops? Who are they hiring. I swear, they have the worse employees. I took a few of my brother to get Monster Hunter 4 there (BTW they took 2 weeks to get a copy in...) and the guy behind the counter was asked what DLC was by a parent. He was confused... my brother literally stepped in and told her it mean't 'Downloadable content' and he said, I shit you not, 'Oh, I always wondered what it stood for.'

Right, great hiring process guys. Its also funny that one of the workers knew about this site via a conversation we had about a JSR sweater (that we where giving away months ago on twitter). Of course I didn't say I owned the site, but ya.

Fortunately there is no Gamestops at my country. 

Usually the employees of local gamestore at my store are also gamers so they know very well what they are selling.
For example when I idly asked for a price of retail version of PSO2 which they put in their display window, they also explained that Japanese PSN account is required for the game as well as a Japanese IP address through VPN.

They also know about 3DS/Wii U's region lock since they sell many different regions of the games since there is no Nintendo's representative office here. Hence, our country isn't even listed in Asia's list when we created our Mii.

The bad thing is : they also sell the ROM version of the game, usually for PSP, NDS, and 3DS owner.  Many 3DS gamers are using Gateway now, especially those who are still in school/college. Not me, of course.

[George]

Very interesting, where are you from exactly?

Also, Gamestop is very... badly run. I personally can't wait for it to tank.

[Berto]

Very interesting, where are you from exactly?

Also, Gamestop is very... badly run. I personally can't wait for it to tank.

I'm from Indonesia, used to be the heaven of pirate games in the Dreamcast/PS1-2/Gamecube era.
No wonder many publisher hates us so much.
Sony already forgave us but I think Nintendo still hates us. A lot.

Is Gamestop really that bad? I heard they also sell used games in store.

[Mariano]

I'm from Indonesia

Wow, i would never guess it XD.
The whole world know about your website George jaja

[George]

I can see why, I have heard that Indonesia has a big pirating problem. As for Gamestop what they do is sell new and when you go back to 'trade it in' you get a fraction of what your game is worth. Come in with 20 new games that came out last year? You will probably walk away with like 30 dollars, they will then turn around and make 200+ dollar profit on the total transaction.

Sometimes they have decent deals, like if you traded in a 3DS XL for a New 3DS you would get 100 dollars credit (meaning you only paid 100 dollars for the new 3DS XL). Not that bad. Those are usually very small timed things.

Most people I know don't even play console games and if they do they order on Amazon or get them at stores like Walmart.


Mariano: Yeah, its kinda insane when i meet people that know about the site.

[Berto]

I can see why, I have heard that Indonesia has a big pirating problem. As for Gamestop what they do is sell new and when you go back to 'trade it in' you get a fraction of what your game is worth. Come in with 20 new games that came out last year? You will probably walk away with like 30 dollars, they will then turn around and make 200+ dollar profit on the total transaction.

Sometimes they have decent deals, like if you traded in a 3DS XL for a New 3DS you would get 100 dollars credit (meaning you only paid 100 dollars for the new 3DS XL). Not that bad. Those are usually very small timed things.

Most people I know don't even play console games and if they do they order on Amazon or get them at stores like Walmart.


Mariano: Yeah, its kinda insane when i meet people that know about the site.

Wow, it looks like selling used games is also part of why they're still doing their business, may be it gave them more profits than selling new games. Who knows.

I first knew this site from Facebook actually. Interestingly enough back then when I type SEGA in the Facebook search buttons looking for page, your SegaBits facebook page came out third (the first one is official page of SEGA of America and the second one is official page of SEGA of Japan).

[George]

Yeah, its basically where they get a lot of the profits. The issue is that means that publishers loose money. They tried to combat this with 'free day one DLC', brand new games having codes to unlock multiplayer and then season passes (the idea is you promise all this content, user pays up front, publisher makes more money + doesn't sell their copy to gamestop) but it seems that they are continuing to fuck over the consumer with not only seasons pass DLC, but extra DLC outside of that with Microtransactions (see Evolve).

Just bad business all around there. The only way to combat this is to control distribution. Now we have PC, while sales are high they are still missing a market of pirates... so it means games have to be cheap for most PC users to buy them (or they make vague rules like they pirate single player only games).

The issue is both of these markets have smart consumers that value their dollar (buying used or with deals at Gamestop or pirating/buying super cheap on PC) while you have mobile that are made up of casuals that don't flinch when they waste 30 dollars a month on Castle Crashers.

Its a hard thing to say no to and we have seen Nintendo even now join in...

Sorry for rambling, I didn't know we came in on facebook that high. Nice. Glad you enjoyed the site

[Team Andromeda]

I think since you don't play them your assuming most people ... don't? I mean, Sonic Runners is close to a million active players and it hasn't even launched world wide.

If that was the case it would be simple to dismiss, but even if one looks at this board main pages and forums: The talk of any SEGA mobile games is really is minimal and deep down you know it. Its admirable that you and the likes of Sharky, Aki seems ready to defend SEGA at all costs, but its a mugs game .

I've been there,  a complete SEGA Fanboy and loved the group and defended the group for years , but the SEGA I knew and grew up to love is all but dead . That's the reason why I have a go at the group , not to be a troll or wind people up , but because I care for SEGA and hate the direction its going in. SEGA on it's own got millions of people in to games thanks to its consoles and console games and to see this one mighty Arcade and Console powerhouse ,being reduced to mobile for a huge part of its output is tragic it really is .

It's so sad I'm not even sure I the current SEGA could even make Shenmue III, JSRF II, Panzer Dragoon Saga II, SOA II , F335 II, REZ II  and so on worthy to carry the names and what the fans would hope and expect those sequels to look and play like  . So much of the talent is gone and there's so little focus on training up new members and getting SEGA console pipe lines up to scratch.


     

[Team Andromeda]

Anything from Fantasy Zone to Golden Axe, Outrun, Super Monkey Ball, After Burner, Typing of the Dead

I have monkey ball on the Tablet and phone and its not a patch on the Cube versions . The likes of Outrun I'm sorry I really can't get used to playing driving games with out analogue triggers these days (a move that SEGA pioneered with its NiGHTS pad and SEGA Rally plus) and games like Golden Axe which multi button combos just don't work at all - It was a pain in the ass playing the likes of those games on the ST or Amiga thanks to them having 1 button never mind none at all .

,

Settlers, Warcraft, Monkey Island type games. Anyone who says mobile is crappy, or anything less than any other console is simply thinking far too small

All slows games and the likes of point and click . I love to see you trying to play the likes of Panzer Dragon Zwei , Street Fighter II , VF II,  on the mobile . It just doesn't work nothing beats a control pad for games. I have JSR on the tablet and its a complete nightmare to play on it and just can't see game like Out Run II ever working on the format

If you have a mobile device that cant run the higher end games that is not SEGAs fault

I have a HTC M8 (getting the upgrade to the M9 in July) the I-Pad Air II and ever the latest Amazon Fire  they're more than able to handle most SEGA mobile games I'll think you find and sorry the likes of JSR just don't work with touch screen controls at all . You can play them, but they're not as good as playing them on the pad.

Well I don't even own a current console, so it's no loss to me.

Well that's a selfish view I must say and you're missing out .  I do have PC myself (like most here ) and with again more than enough Juice to handle most of SEGA's output since its a i7 27k - 3.50 Ghz with 16 gigs or Ram windows 8.1 and AMD Radeon 7900 X2 and have the PS4 and Xbox One, Wii U hell I even have a Vita and 3DS   so I'm covered and have plenty of choice for gaming  . I'll like SEGA to be multi platform so wouldn't at all mind SEGA Japan leading on the PC and then porting down the consoles at all .  But be it PC or consoles SEGA Japan is just joke at the mo, bar the odd title.

Mobile gaming is the future

Hardly . Like with TV and films , Most people would still rather watch and play them on the Big TV/screen  and on the sofa . Its most prob why the likes of Amazon, Nvida, Valve are all trying to make their own set top consoles. The future of gaming is one days the servers taking the place of the console hardware and again SEGA saw that coming years back wasn't Irimajiri-san put to work on such projects and the DC was dropped .
People can surf the web and post on forums using the mobile, but for most they'll still rather use the PC and the old keyboard and mouse given the choice of the 2.

What does that have to do with Sega? Making PC ports

Nothing and even if it did it would matter at all. As a Mega CD, Saturn and DC nut I had no trouble with SEGA ported their games to Windows at all . In fact it was thanks to such moves that I was able to play Hundred Swords in English and was well pee off that SEGA West never brought the DC version overhere. 

 

 






 

[Berto]

I have monkey ball on the Tablet and phone and its not a patch on the Cube versions . The likes of Outrun I'm sorry I really can't get used to playing driving games with out analogue triggers these days (a move that SEGA pioneered with its NiGHTS pad and SEGA Rally plus) and games like Golden Axe which multi button combos just don't work at all - It was a pain in the ass playing the likes of those games on the ST or Amiga thanks to them having 1 button never mind none at all .

While I don't agree some of your opinions, I agree on how multi button combos was a pain in the ass to play on mobile, even on tablet.
I never enjoyed mobile version of Sonic 1-2 Remastered, Sonic 4 Ep 1-2, Sonic, All Star Racing, and JSR.
I've more enjoyed playing Rhythm Thief and Paris Caper, Spellwood, Sonic Runners, Puyo Quest, Monkey Ball, and Sonic Dash.

For me this rule is essential : If you're gonna make a mobile game, make it a single finger play.
At least that's what SEGA Network do now, most of their games can be controlled by single finger play,
including their newest game, Poitto Hero.
Yuji Naka's PROPE games on mobile are mostly like that too.

[crackdude]

^This

All mobile games need to have single finger play.
Hell, Crazy Taxi has this and it's way better than playing the originals on the iPhone