Sega Genesis Wumbo announced exclusively for North America and Sega Mega-Drive Micro announced exclusively for Japan (April Fools)

In a most bewildering twist, Sega have announced their next big vision for mini consoles, and I do mean big. They’re returning, once again, to the Sega Genesis well with the announcement of the Sega Genesis Wumbo for North America exclusively and the Sega Mega-Drive Micro for Japan exclusively. Nothing has been announced yet for Europe.

Both consoles are essentially the same thing as the two Genesis Mini consoles before them, but now with a new and unexpected gimmick. Japan’s Mega-Drive Micro will be half the size of the original Mega-Drive Mini. It will be so small, in fact, that it will come with a special, separate USB-C adapter for both HDMI out and power input, as the console will be too small to fit an HDMI port and a power port on it. North America’s Genesis Wumbo will be twice the size of an original Model 1 Genesis console (Not the Genesis Mini. The original Genesis console from 1989). Controllers will also follow suit, with the Mega-Drive Micro’s controller being half the size of an original controller while the Genesis Wumbo’s controller will be double the size.

Sega have not yet announced a release date for the two consoles, but they have announced a starting lineup of ten games. Have a look past the break to see what those games are, along with more information.

Sonic X Cream Advance announced as a remaster with new Cream the Rabbit content (April Fools)

In a surprise announcement, Sega has revealed that an HD remaster of Sonic Advance (2002), named Sonic X Cream Advance, is in development. Taking after last year’s Sonic X Shadow Generations, Sonic X Cream Advance brings back the original game made for the Game Boy Advance, the very first original Sonic game on a non-Sega platform following Sega’s exit from the console market. The game will be rebuilt from the ground up in up to 4K resolution on all platforms supporting it with rebuilt physics and new animated cutscenes, all very much in the style of Sonic Origins.

Cream the Rabbit, who would not be introduced until this original game’s sequel, will star in the game as a new 5th playable character with all new levels meant to be traversed exclusively by her and her reliable Chao companion Cheese. These portions of the game will also feature a brand new story written by Ian Flynn, in order to tie the previously non-canon Sonic Advance into the Sonic timeline officially. No story details other than that have been revealed so far.

For more info on this exciting news, check in after the break.

Sega has partnered with Steam to announce a new handheld-gaming PC: The Sega Teradeck (April Fools)

Ladies and gentlemen! It finally happened. Hell has frozen over, pigs are flying, dogs and cats live together, Half-Life 3 is coming out soon, and Sega are about to (technically) finally make their grand return to the console hardware market.

In a surprise announcement, Sega have announced a partnership with Steam (Not Valve, the company. Steam, the product.) which will see the two join forces in launching the successor to, not only the Sega Dreamcast, but the Steam Deck: a new handheld gaming PC. The Sega Teradeck, named after Sega and IBM’s old Mega-Drive compatible PC the Teradrive, will be a handheld PC capable of playing all the latest PC games. It runs on a new operating system called SegaOS, features its own curated store consisting exclusively of games made and/or published by Sega, and also features compatibility with Steam, allowing Steam users to bring over the vast majority of games they have purchased on the popular PC game storefront throughout the years.

With handheld gaming PCs on the rise following the popularity of existing handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally, as well as the innovative Nintendo Switch, many computer manufacturers are gearing up to enter this soon-to-be crowded market. Even Microsoft looks to be making one of their own to be part of the Xbox family. Sega will be making a bold step as a newcomer to this scene, but retro Sega fans the world over have reacted with nothing but excitement.

To learn more about the Sega Teradeck, come on down past the break.

Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast Tees Launch at Don Quijote

Alright, fellow Sega faithful! Dust off your VMUs and plug in those 6-button controllers, because Don Quijote is about to drop a pixel-perfect power-up for your wardrobe!

Yes, you heard right! Our beloved Sega consoles are getting the fashion treatment, courtesy of a collaboration with the legendary discount haven, Don Quijote. Get ready with three sleek, limited-edition black tees, each paying homage to the iconic Mega Drive (or Genesis), Saturn, and Dreamcast.

For a mere 2,199 yen (that’s roughly $14.61), you can snag these threads in sizes L and XL. Each shirt boasts a subtle chest logo, a bold back graphic, and—as if that wasn’t enough—a bonus sticker of the console’s logo to slap on your console, laptop, or wherever your Sega spirit takes you.

But here’s the kicker: these are Don Quijote exclusives! So, if you’re planning a pilgrimage to Japan, set your GPS for your nearest Donki and be there bright and early. These treasures drop sequentially from March 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM JST, and they won’t stick around forever.

Let’s recap:

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance getting physical release by Limited Run Games


Limited Run Games has partnered with SEGA to produce physical editions of the highly anticipated SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles. Limited Run Games has stated that pre-order details and collector’s edition information will be announced shortly.

SEGA’s official announcement confirms Limited Run Games as the exclusive distributor of the physical release (so it seems, at least in America). This exclusivity has raised concerns among consumers due to Limited Run Games’ historically long fulfillment times. Some customers are still awaiting shipments of the Sonic x Shadow Generations Collector’s Edition, which began pre-orders in October of the previous year.

Pac-Man Makes His Way To Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble as DLC & 2.20 Update Details!

Today, SEGA announced that Bandai Namco’s very own mascot, Pac-Man, will be appearing as a DLC character in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the PAC-MAN series in this collaboration.

As part of the addition, players will see in-game bananas transformed into PAC-MAN’s iconic pellets, a bunch of bananas will turn into cherry, and the golden bananas will turn into a power pellet! A new 2.20 Update for the game is also live with an additional new stage, Floral Ring, for the Robot Smash battle mode, alongside additional adjustments and bug fixes, all at no added cost. Pac-Man is available now as DLC for only $4.99.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is available now on the Nintendo Switch alongside a free playable demo on the Nintendo eShop!

SEGA Releases Three New Shadow-Exclusive Levels and Content for Sonic Dream Team

Today, SEGA released the latest update for Sonic Dream Team – the 3D Sonic the Hedgehog action-platformer, playable exclusively on Apple Arcade, Apple’s game subscription service that offers unlimited access to an evolving collection of more than 200 incredibly fun games. This update adds three new Shadow-exclusive levels to Adventure mode. These stages introduce a special mission that challenges the player to traverse a larger level, pathfinding back and forth whilst destroying nodes of nightmarish corruption spreading throughout the Dreamworld.

To learn more about the update, check the next section of the article!

SEGA Announces Virtua Fighter Open Championship

Today, SEGA has officially announced that the first official “Virtua Fighter Open Championship” tournament is underway which was teased last year during the VF Direct.

Focusing on “Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.” , tournament qualifiers will be held globally in four regions: North America, Europe, Japan and Asia (excluding Japan).

Players who win their regional qualifiers will earn a spot in the Grand Finals where the winner will take home a grand prize of $100,000! The first qualifer tournament will be held at COMBO BREAKER in Chicago on May 23-25, 2025. In the meantime, check out the official Virtua Fighter discord server and practice with other players before the tournament.

First Look At DC x Sonic the Hedgehog Cover Art & Pages Revealed

Today, DC and SEGA of America revealed cover art and an interior preview of their upcoming comic book series that teams up DC’s Justice League with the Sonic the Hedgehog universe!

In DC x Sonic the Hedgehog by writer Ian Flynn and artist Adam Bryce Thomas, the Justice League will meet Sonic and friends to kick off an all-new, five-issue comic book series. The new series features an unprecedented crossover event where the Justice League and Team Sonic must unite to save their worlds from a major threat.

DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #1 by Flynn, Thomas, and colorist Matt Herms will publish on March 19, 2025, with a cover by Pablo M. Collar and a variant cover by Ethan Young. Here is a sneak peek look at the covers and pages from DC x Sonic the Hedgehog issue #1!

 

SEGA Crowned Metacritic’s Publisher of the Year 2024

In 2024, SEGA delivered an impressive lineup of games, solidifying its position as a powerhouse in the gaming industry. The year began with the highly acclaimed releases of Persona 3 Reload and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the latter of which expanded the Yakuza franchise by taking its beloved characters to new international settings. Over the summer, SEGA continued its winning streak with the multiplatform release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengence, which had previously been exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. However, the crown jewel of Sega’s year was Metaphor: ReFantazio, a brand-new IP from Atlus that garnered widespread praise and multiple awards for its innovative story and gameplay. These successes not only showcased Sega’s ability to reinvent its franchises but also its commitment to delivering fresh, high-quality experiences. Not surprising, SEGA has announced they will be focusing more on these two properties

SEGA’s stellar year culminated in it being named Metacritic’s Publisher of the Year, a title it has now won multiple times in the past. Metacritic calculates this award by averaging each publisher’s game scores and factoring in the ratio of positive to negative reviews. With a total of 325.5 points, SEGA surged from 9th place in 2023 to claim the top spot in 2024. This victory marks another milestone in Sega’s history, as it previously won the award in 2020, thanks to hits like Persona 5 Royal and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Capcom, the 2023 winner, came close to repeating its success with 323 points, while Microsoft also made significant strides, climbing to 9th place with 301 points. Sega’s 2024 triumph underscores its consistent ability to produce critically acclaimed games and reaffirms its legacy as one of the industry’s most respected publishers.

 

SEGA’s New Focus: Why Sonic, Yakuza, and Atlus Are Top Priorities

SEGA-Sammy’s latest fanicial report made one thing clear: The company will be focusing on what they consider its holy trinity which is Atlus JRPGs, Yakuza aka Like a Dragon titles and of course Sonic the Hedgehog brand. The wild thing is, SEGA is actually more focused on Japanese title more than ever because a decade a go Like a Dragon wasn’t considered a big pillar for SEGA; but seems to have released the Total War franchise on SEGA’s top three list. SEGA Europe’s issues are definitely something to talk about in its own post.

Let’s look at what this new focus could mean:

The House of the Dead 2: Remake DEMO Now Available To Play During Steam Next Fest!

Steam Next Fest has officially launched with a playable demo of THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2: Remake from Mega Pixel Studio S.A. and Forever Entertainment. THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2: Remake is a remake of the second entry in the well-known and popular arcade rail-shooter series by SEGA. Take on the lone role of a secret agent as James or Gary, or team up in co-op mode to neutralize the dangerous undead monsters standing in your way.

The demo includes:

• First level of the game
• Co-op mode
• Remastered music (with the classic soundtrack also available in the game)
• Modern graphics
• Gameplay faithful to the original game

Give this demo a shot and let us know what your impressions are!

NetEase to Close Nagoshi Studio Amid Major Cuts


Nearly three years have passed since Toshihiro Nagoshi departed SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio to establish his own venture, Nagoshi Studio, under NetEase. Unfortunately, reports indicate the studio may not see its debut project come to fruition. According to Bloomberg, Nagoshi Studio is among the casualties of NetEase’s recent restructuring, facing closure.

While the studio will be granted time to finalize its current projects, but will not receive further time, funding or marketing support. This severely limits the game’s prospects for widespread release and promotion.

Speculation now turns to Toshihiro Nagoshi’s future. His departure from SEGA was reportedly fueled by dissatisfaction with a demotion and disagreements over company expenditures. Regardless, Nagoshi’s reputation remains strong within the Japanese gaming industry. It would not be surprising if other publishers are already expressing interest in his services. Who would that be?

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Out Now; New Game Plus and English VO Available with Day-1 Patch

Aye ye land lubbers! We would like to inform you all that SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has officially launched the latest spin-off in the Like a Dragon series and one of 2025’s most anticipated games, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows and Steam (PC).

In addition to the launch, a new “Day One” patch is available for the game with New Game Plus, which allows players to start the game from the beginning, carrying money, fame, and the abilities of Majima and the crew from the completed story save data (story progression will be reset). English and Chinese voice over in addition to other technical adjustments are also included in the patch.

Don’t miss out and be sure to get yer hands on Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii today on these platforms.

Available Now on Amazon

Standard Edition: PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X

Collector’s Edition: PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X

Windows & PC: Steam

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Demo Available Now On PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam

During yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play, SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio announced a demo for the highly anticipated Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam, and it’s now available to play!

Players eager to get a taste of the action in the over-the-top, modern-day pirate adventure as ex-yakuza Goro Majima can access the demo and enjoy it for as long as they like. In the demo they’re able to explore a slice of the massive Honolulu map and kick arrrss with Majima’s Sea Dog & Mad Dog fighting styles, then head to the secret criminal haven of Madlantis to test their might in real-time ship & deck battles in the Pirates’ Coliseum naval arena.

Immerse yourself in thrilling action with furious combat and get a peek at some of the content available in the full game that also includes open-sea adventure, ship customization, crew building, an epic story and more!

Pre-Order on Amazon

Standard Edition: PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X

Collector’s Edition: PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X

Windows & PC: Steam