Sega Shiro battles and reveals Sega Hatan’s true identity in latest commercial

SEGA’s 60th Anniversary advertising campaign has been one of my favorites in recent memory with the SEGA Shiro adverts. The first one was alright, but the second add really added a lot of backstory by tying the new character nicely to the original Segata Sanshiro ads. Now above we have the third ad, this time having Sega Shiro facing off Sega Hatan (a play on words for SEGA Bankrupt) and reveals the true identity…

No plot spoiler but really liking the Star Wars lore vibes with this new series and loving every ad they have been releasing. Its cheesy, fun and full of little throwbacks to the old Segata Sanshiro ads. Here is a good quote from the ad:

“And forget about me already. I am the symbol of the old Sega… From now on, you must protect the new Sega.”

SEGA’s 60th Anniversary might really cement the idea of SEGA moving ‘forward’ especially if these ‘new revolutionary tech’ announcement is true.

SEGA ‘Revolutionary’ tech news won’t be them releasing & rebranding Xbox Series X console in Japan says ‘key opinion leader in China’


Famitsu has been teasing ‘Revolutionary’ SEGA news that should be coming out in a few days, we posted an article and video about the news with some speculation. One of the speculations we had in our video was that SEGA could be rebranding the Xbox Series X in Japan as a SEGA console and promote it themselves considering how bad Microsoft’s branding has been in the nation. It seems we weren’t the only people to bring it up that we got subtweet by @ZhugeEX on Twitter. We have at least confirmed that it would be this outlandish speculation, but don’t worry we have other outrages speculations in our full video.

A key opinion leader in China says they have seen the latest Famitsu issue and that they can confidently say that the news is not what has been rumored. (The rumor being that Microsoft would work with Sega to rebrand and launch Series X in Japan). Is something else.”

What could the news be? We will find out in a few days but it does seem some SEGAbits Discord users have brought up a good point about SEGA rebranding their logo with the ‘eye’ back in 2017, which teased ‘eye tracking technology’ that we never saw as a commercial product. People predicting this is what SEGA will show off, makes sense. But what do you think the big announcement will be? Let us know in the comments.

Hatsune Miku joining Space Channel 5 VR as DLC and Fan Art Contest

Morning Space Cats, the official Space Channel 5 VR website has officially announced that Hatsune Miku will be joining Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! as DLC in the “Space39 Miku Pack” which will be on sale on July 27, 2020.

A Fan Art contest called “I <3 SC5” is also being held on June 1st where contestants can submit illustrations, screenshots, craft works, cosplay photos related to Space Channel 5 VR for grand prizes. Click here for a chance to enter.

Check out screenshots to see Miku in action!

 

SEGA News Bits: Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Sequel Announced

A sequel to the Sonic the Hedgehog movie has been announced, and on this SEGA News Bits we discuss who is confirmed to return, the possible plot and our hopes for a sequel.

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‘TMNT of Rage – The Final Shell Shock’ the ultimate Streets of Rage TMNT rom hack arrives


The modding community for retro games is great and now we have a new project released by eskayelle which includes a final set of modes for the long modded ‘TMNT of Rage’ series. The game’s story has you playing an alternative universe where you have to take down Mr. X and the Syndicate as everyone’s favorite turtle brothers.

According to Romhacking.net the game features:

  • A throwback to the old 90’s arcade splash screens starts off your gaming experience.
  • A six sequence ending specific to this game, the first for any SoR2 hack out there, incorporates redesigned images from the classic TMNT II and III NES games. These images also put some artistic spins on the palettes / color schemes for a bit of extra fun.
  • Those bumbling buffoons, those moronic mutants, Rocksteady and Bebop, have now joined the Syndicate! Dumber than advertised, but stronger than ever, get ready to go toe to toe with them, Bebop making his first appearance in a Genesis / Mega Drive game.
  • An updated story in attract mode complements the new ending sequence.
  • A new title screen takes greater advantage of the Genesis / Mega Drive’s palette options.
  • Thanks to Yoni, gone are road apples in favor of a nice slice! Try not to smile the first time you hear Mikey calling out “Pizza Time!” as he grabs some grub.
  • With the additional Re-Shelled patch, play the game on a Terraonion MegaSD (or with any emulator that supports MD+ functionality) to enjoy that sweet soundtrack from eskayelle’s TMNT MD+ Remix. Grab that soundtrack here!

You can also check out the post by eskayelle here talking about what he changed and added.

Paramount Pictures announces Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Sequel in the works

According to Variety, Paramount Pictures and SEGA Sammy announced that the sequel to the Sonic the Hedgehog Movie is in the works with Jeff Fowler returning, and Pat Casey and Josh Miller writing the script. Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher and Toru Nakahara are also producing the movie, while Hajime Satomi, Haruki Satomi and Tim Miller are executive producing.

So far we know that Tails made a cameo appearance during the post-credits scene and in an interview with Jim Carrey on a sequel, he would be interested in portraying Dr. Robotnik once again as there is “so much room” to explore with the character. What would you like to see unfold in the sequel? Let us know in the comments below.

 

SEGA News Bits: Revolutionary SEGA News Teased – Analysis & Speculation

Some “revolutionary” tech news pertaining to SEGA is set to hit next week, and on this SEGA News Bits we discuss what exactly the news could be. SEGA turns 60 on June 3rd, and just a day later Famitsu magazine will be printing the news. Could it be new hardware? A SEGA streaming service? A Microsoft partnership? We will soon find out! In the meantime, let’s speculate!

If you want to support this type of content, you can check out our Patreon!

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a thumbs up so it shows up on more like-minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

 

Japanese tech journalist teases “revolutionary” SEGA news in June 4th Famitsu magazine

In a YouTube live stream, Japanese tech journalist Zenji Nishikawa has teased what he calls a “huge scoop” for the June 4th issue of Japan’s Famitsu magazine. He calls the news “revolutionary” and claims it is on the level of Wired’s PlayStation 5 article. What more, it will “rile up the games industry”. Nishikawa says he interviewed a company executive and technical staff, and later let slip that the company in question was SEGA.

Nishikawa has said it is NOT Dreamcast 2. With SEGA’s 60th anniversary on June 3rd, it does line up with the June 4th issue release. We will have more news soon on this big announcement! What could it be? Speculate in the comments below.

[Source: Gematsu]

Don’t Forget: Phantasy Star Online 2 releases to Windows 10 PC in North America

Phantasy Star Online 2 has been available on the Xbox One for a few months in North America, but very soon the game will also be hitting Windows 10 PC. How soon? The release date is set for May 27 at around 5 AM PDT, after scheduled server maintenance, and you can download the game today, May 26, at 11 PM PDT.

The game will feature crossplay with Xbox One players, so there will already be a sizable community already enjoying the game. Want more? Phantasy Star Online 2 is a Play Anywhere title that features cross-platform play and progress. Xbox One players can keep their progress on Windows 10 PCs by accessing the game using the same Microsoft Live ID used to play on Xbox One.

There are a number of special events and item giveaways planned, so check out the PSO2 blog for all the details on how to obtain the goodies. See you online!

Wayô Records releasing Grandia Memorial soundtrack on CD, Vinyl and Music Box; including ‘Saturn Marble Green’ Edition


It looks like Wayô Records has added another fan favorite JRPG soundtrack to their arsenal, Grandia. Last time we covered their limited release of the Skies of Arcadia soundtrack. Just like their pervious release, there will be a few limited edition versions including the really cool ‘Saturn Marble Green’ Edition which has the green marble look of the ‘SEGA Saturn’ release of Grandia. Problem? Its only limited to 500 units!

Here are the versions you can buy:

But if you are a big spender and all these versions are too cheap, you can get the ultimate ‘Grandia Music Box’:

“This collectible Grandia Music Box, arranged by Noriyuki Iwadare himself is an unique artifact of pure nostalgia that will revive your adventurer memories from the Edge of the World!”

This Grandia Music Box will put you back 252,00 € tax incl.(USD: 274.60). Of course Wayô Records has world wide shipping.

SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC releasing internationally on May 28th

Get ready shmup fanatics, as the classic Thunder Force is back again with the arcade version of Thunder Force III, Thunder Force AC, with this SEGA AGES release. SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC will be available on the Nintendo Switch eShop, for $7.99 and equivalent, in all regions.

In Thunder Force AC, you take on the role of piloting the FIRE LEO-03 “Styx” through 5 different planets and eventually the ORN headquarters, blasting anything that gets in your way with an assortment of weapons that have different properties. While similar to Thunder Force III, there are several differences to still make this a worthwhile playthrough, including audio improvement due to the SEGA System C2 hardware, and rearrangements of enemy and weapon layouts. SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC will also come with several additions, such as the ability to play as four different ships, including the ship Fire LEO-04 “Rynex” from Thunder Force IV, and a Kids Mode for novices who want to play the game without getting a weapon deduction punish from dying.

[Source: Official Website / Twitter]

Limited Run Games adds Streets of Rage 4 soundtrack CD to existing orders

There has been a bit of a kerfuffle going on with the physical release of Streets of Rage 4. We haven’t been covering it, but with a recent update from Limited Run Games I thought it was worth writing about. In March, Limited Run Games announced physical editions of Streets of Rage 4 for North America (with international shipping) in standard, classic and limited collector’s editions. Shortly after the pre-order window closed, Merge Games announced they too would have a North American physical release of the game, at a lower price with its own exclusive bonus items and releasing earlier than the Limited Run Games releases.

SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC releasing on May 14th in Japan

We have a release date for SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC. You can  travel across different planets and fight against the ORN Empire this upcoming May 14th, from the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop for ¥999.

SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC is an arcade remix of the game Thunder Force III. While the general structuring is similar to the original game, there are several differences for this new arcade iteration to mix things up for veteran players, such as enemy and weapon placements being tweaked, some levels being overhauled, and the lack of a stage select. This SEGA AGES iteration also includes extra features, including the ability to play as four different ships with their own properties, and a Kids Mode meant for less experienced players where the player doesn’t lose their weapons upon death.

[Source: Official Website]

Yakuza: Like a Dragon announced as Xbox Series X launch title, also coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC

Announced today, via an Inside Xbox stream, was that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be releasing to Xbox Series X as a launch title as well as to Xbox One X, Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Steam and PlayStation 4. The seventh in the mainline Yakuza series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a new entry point in the series featuring new RPG-like gameplay styles and a new protagonist. It was also announced today that the game will see a physical Day One Edition, and listings have started to appear at various retailers, however pricing, a release date and content of the Day One edition will be revealed at a later date.

Also announced is that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery, allowing players to buy the game once and play it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X with cross-save functionality. We’ll share more details as we learn more!

PRE-ORDER

PlayStation 4 | Xbox One | Xbox Series X

Steam Database leak suggests Yakuza: Like a Dragon is coming to Steam


Steam Database, a tool that tracks down applications and packages on Steam has picked up a recent update for an application of Yakuza: Like a Dragon (aka Yakuza 7), the latest installment in the Yakuza series as of this writing. While it is unusual for Yakuza 6 to still not be available on Steam, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is possibly next in line since it has key differences that separate it from past installments. Mainly because it focuses on a new character Ichiban Kasuga and adapts a turn based battle style inspired by the Dragon Quest games (which funnily enough is referenced in-game).

However, SEGA has not officially announced anything about Yakuza: Like a Dragon coming to Steam at this time, and there is no page officially uploaded. It’s also unknown what features the game will support with a PC release, but it will likely support higher resolutions and frame rates, similar to past Yakuza games released on Steam.