Creative Assembly is making Halo Wars 2 (Xbox One, Windows 10)

[George]

Its innovation at the arcades that most of these people like, but arcades are dead... which was the majority of SEGA's talent and workers, not to mention the reason their consoles pushed limits. It started on the arcades and that shaped SEGA's console development.

SEGA DNA is a pretty incorrect term considering it really wasn't long enough establish 'DNA', since its passed down over time. 1983-2001 was really SEGA's software years, a single generation of employees is now going to make up the make up of a company that existed making arcade games way before that?

[Trippled]

Its innovation at the arcades that most of these people like, but arcades are dead... which was the majority of SEGA's talent and workers, not to mention the reason their consoles pushed limits. It started on the arcades and that shaped SEGA's console development.


SEGA DNA is a pretty incorrect term considering it really wasn't long enough establish 'DNA', since its passed down over time. 1983-2001 was really SEGA's software years, a single generation of employees is now going to make up the make up of a company that existed making arcade games way before that?

Arcades died out pretty quickly, I think thier consoles are still more  fondly remembered than arcade games in the west.

[Sharky]

What's not diverse about SEGA? They make games in basically every genre on every platform. They go from Arcade touch screen and card games to incredibly deep historical strategy games to simple mobile games to colourful platformers to stealth horror to tech based rides and games controlled by building blocks, sand or even piss... SEGA are pretty much the most diverse games company.

[Trippled]

Screw my response, Sharkys better lol

[TimmiT]

What's not diverse about SEGA? They make games in basically every genre on every platform. They go from Arcade touch screen and card games to incredibly deep historical strategy games to simple mobile games to colourful platformers to stealth horror to tech based rides and games controlled by building blocks, sand or even piss... SEGA are pretty much the most diverse games company.

That's not really that much more diverse than EA. I mean, they do horror, colourful platforms, city builders, FPS, racing etc. And like SEGA, most of their games now are sequels. You're also ignoring the creative part I mentioned, which doesn't really fit SEGA anymore cause like I said, they mostly make sequels now.

Really Sony has replaced SEGA when it comes to being diverse and creative. Obviously they still put out sequels, but they also try to do new things. Aside from Devolver and maybe Adult Swim Games (both of which have been doing a great job funding indie games), I don't think there's any game publisher pushing as many new original games as Sony right now. Which is something SEGA used to do but have really dropped ball on in recent years. I mean, I don't think any other game publisher would put out Journey or The Last of Us.


Aside from that, without them we wouldn't get Yakuza 5 localized and Shenmue 3 wouldn't have gotten nearly as much attention. :V

[Sharky]

Yes EA are pretty diverse too... But YOU just ignored SEGAs entire arcade output, their innovative control schemes and ideas. As I mentioned things like Block People, The Sandpit game, The spinning Transformers sit in cab, Card reading games like Code of Joker... Are EA or anyone else doing anything like that? Sure it's easy to say 'EA does it too' so long as you leave out a huge part of what SEGA are about.

[TimmiT]

SEGA doesn't actually put out that many arcade games anymore though. In fact, during the recent restructuring a lot of the people who were fired were in the arcade division. The most recent arcade game you just mentioned is that sandpit game, which is almost a year old at this point. Transformers and Code of Joker are two years old, the latter of which SEGA has been milking a lot. And Brick People is already six years old at this point.

Also, I compared them to EA cause EA is one of the less diverse gaming companies. They make games in a variety of genres, yes, but they're all updates of games they released in previous years. They generally don't try anything that's very different from what they normally put out, which goes for SEGA as well. They're very far from being the most diverse game company out there right now. Especially here in the west.

[Sharky]

SEGA doesn't actually put out that many arcade games anymore though... words words words.

And how many Arcade games have EA put out in that time span? How many of those have had unique control schemes, cabinets or been new IPs? Just list them all in your next post please. Thanks.

[TimmiT]

Hey man, if you're gonna ignore most of my argument, then I'm not gonna respond to yours. :V

Seriously though, my main point is that SEGA isn't nearly as creative or diverse as Sony, Devolver, Adult Swim Games, or even Ubisoft. Sure, they put out some creative games, but every game company does that. And they don't need to use literal sandboxes to be diverse. And if the only thing that makes SEGA more diverse than a company like EA is two or three original arcade games in the last few years, then maybe they're not actually that diverse anymore.

[Aki-at]

Hey man, if you're gonna ignore most of my argument, then I'm not gonna respond to yours. :V

Seriously though, my main point is that SEGA isn't nearly as creative or diverse as Sony, Devolver, Adult Swim Games, or even Ubisoft. Sure, they put out some creative games, but every game company does that. And they don't need to use literal sandboxes to be diverse. And if the only thing that makes SEGA more diverse than a company like EA is two or three original arcade games in the last few years, then maybe they're not actually that diverse anymore.

I can agree on Devolver and Adult Swim Games, but it's harder to justify with EA though, Unravel is nice but it's not like SEGA hasn't published low risk new IPs either, they had like 4 or 5 new IPs in Japan for 2014 and a couple set to be released this year too (I'm specifically talking about consoles here.) it becomes tougher when we throw Atlus in the mix too which just bulks up the main groups creative output.

EA's release list for 2015 is: The Sims 4 expansion, Need for Speed, Battlefield, Dragon Age, Madden, NHL, FIFA and Battlefront

SEGA's release list for 2015 is: Total War expansion, Yakuza 0, Tembo, Project Mirai 2 Deluxe, Shining EX: Blade Arcus, 7th Dragon 3, Sonic Fire & Ice, Stella Glow, Football Manager 2016, Miracle Girls and Dengeki Bunko Climax: Fighting Climax

EA's: Life management, Racer, FPS, RPG, American Football, Hockey, Football and Tactical FPS.

SEGA: Strategy Tactic, Brawler RPG, Platformer, Dance Rhythm, 2D fighter, turn based RPG, Platformer, Strategy RPG, Management, Dance Rhythm and 2D fighter.

Taking out the Japan only products it becomes: Strategy Tactic, Platformer, Dance Rhythm, Platformer, Management and Fighter.

Looking at it as solely SEGA West's console games vs EA's console game, the latter comes out on top, adding in SEGA's arcade, Japan only products and Atlus though, their line up is more diverse. EA obviously has the bigger budgeted bombastic line up though and stuff like Unravel is probably more creative than some of SEGA's new IPs. I'd check later on with Sony, who I do think should be more diverse and creative, but I'm not sure about Ubisoft.

I do agree with your initial point though, if SEGA DNA is diverse and creative lineup then Sony and even Microsoft have always had SEGA DNA since their entry into console development, let's not forget some of the oddball stuff Sony has been making/funding since the Playstation 1 era. Really it's a silly comment that holds no barring in reality and nothing about games like Daytona, Streets of Rage or Shining Force are "creative" either, just games made better than or response to their competitors in the market.

[Trippled]

Still think Wonderland Wars is a pretty "Sega like" triumph, that is overlooked. It's a MOBA, which arent that popular in Japan, controlled with a pen stylus. Its different and out there. Yet it turned out to be a success.

[George]

Arcades died out pretty quickly, I think thier consoles are still more  fondly remembered than arcade games in the west.

I agree because we live in the West. IN Japan they will be known for their amusement machine, since the Saturn is the only hardware that actually did well there. But like I said, the consoles wouldn't be what they where without the arcade hardware pushing technology forward enough, including Model 2's texture mapping chip.

I think we are all ignoring one big thing: All Japanese studios have fallen behind the west. This isn't a issue exclusively to SEGA. It feels like when games started hitting mainstream and budgets started to get bigger and bigger, most Japanese developers couldn't keep up and having Japan basically abandon consoles wasn't helping them.

While I consider Nintendo and even Square-Enix to be some of the last big players right now in Japanese development, you gotta admit that they aren't even close to some of the biggest players. Sure, Square has some high selling IP power (Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest) but there is a reason why they bought Crystal Dynamics. As for Nintendo, sadly while their software on their console is still high, their Wii U attach rate compared to other consoles is trash and the sales of Wii U is trash. Right now Nintendo is in a big drop (even in quality, even if I do enjoy most of their games you can tell they aren't high budget, just highly polished). I could mention Sony, who is a Japanese company leading the console race, but their console success is mostly due to their games being developed in the West. So, there ya go.

The point being, you guys say 'SEGA isn't what they used to be', my point is that Japanese gaming isn't what it used to be, not just SEGA.

[Mariano]

Why are you guys comparing SEGA with EA?...god hate this kind of things you know?

[Aki-at]

Why are you guys comparing SEGA with EA?...god hate this kind of things you know?

Well it started with what is SEGA style and I/Trippled  pointed out there is no SEGA style, since the company is so diverse. I think it was TimmiT who said they aren't that diverse anymore and Ryan retorted they are far more diverse than the likes of EA.

Most people who are comparing them to EA is doing so favourable I felt too.

[Trippled]

SEGA doesn't actually put out that many arcade games anymore though. In fact, during the recent restructuring a lot of the people who were fired were in the arcade division.

We dont know what kind of amusement related people were fired. Dont think its people in game development. They still 966 people in the arcade division too. 967 at Sega Games. Overall its slightly under 2000.