Mike Hayes

SEGA’s top priority is the American market

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Mike Hayes says that if they need to go in, buy some studios, it will do that. He says that he wants the SEGA brand to hold as much value as it does in Europe.

“What I need to do is find games that are more appropriate for the American territory. That is very much where the focus for the company is going to be, whether that is in acquisition or working with developers on commissions to create more product for the American market. Where those brands may be less successful in the US is where we have a bigger task in pulling Sega back to the position it was. We want Sega in the US to be in as good a position as it is in Europe. …We’re never complacent. We’re happy with our position in Europe, but I need to be able to build the American business quite aggressively over the next three to five years.” – Mike Hayes, President of SEGA West

It all sounds exciting, but what studio in America should they buy out and games should they release?

[via Go Nintendo]

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SEGA working on ‘hardcore’ Kinect games

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Mike Hayes believes that we will be seeing hardcore titles for Kinect next year, saying its impossible to make a game for the hardcore in a year.

“My guess is when we’re at E3 next year, more of the features of Kinect will be in use by developers. I think you’ll find more clever and sophisticated applications then. It is a reasonably complicated piece of kit, therefore it’s going to take us longer to use all of those aspects in a game. We’re not going to be able to develop something [for the hardcore] in under a year, which is frankly what we’ve had.” –  Mike Hayes

SEGA said they are not going to copy Wii games  when it comes to making new Kinect games. The team making this ‘hardcore’ Kinect title? Members from SEGA Racing studio that still work at SEGA. When can we expect the title? Late 2011, early 2012. That is a long wait…

[Source: CVG]

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SEGA: 3DS shows Nintendo’s brilliance

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Possibly the best new piece of hardware shown at E3 this year, is getting praise by SEGA West President Mike Hayes. He is even talking about mature audiences.

“With the quality of the device they’ve got it’s possible they can expand their audience into an older, broader audience. It was interesting to see games like Saint’s Row on the device. If we could bring, let’s say, a House of the Dead or an Aliens title, if the audience for 3DS is much broader it could give us much more scope in that market, and that’s as exciting as well as Mario & Sonic and Monkey Ball games. The 3DS is Nintendo through and through, this is Nintendo’s brilliance. They’re almost in their own technological world, doing their own thing. Whilst 3D TV is quite an amazing technology advancement, and many companies will get into that, Nintendo will now create this huge business with their own unique piece of technology that very few if any, will be able to copy. That’s Nintendo over and over again, it’s fantastic. For us as a third-party it’s a great leg up in terms of the portable business.” – Mike Hayes

I expect the 3DS to be more successful than the DS just because I agree with Mike Hayes, the appeal is more broader compared to the original DS.

[Source: GoNintendo]

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SEGA thinks EA’s online pass is ‘very clever’

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Mike Hayes has said that SEGA is looking at EA’s stance against used games, charging people that buy the game used a fee to play their games online.

“It is a very clever idea and is something we are certainly taking a look at”

Personally I think the system needs a way to transfer the license online before I get behind the idea. I don’t mind ‘Gamestop’ shoppers having to buy the license, but if I give my copy to a friend, I’m not cool with that. Personally I like EA’s own ’10 dollar project’ more, giving early buyers free DLC.

[Source: MCVUK]

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1up talks to Mike Hayes about recent changes

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SEGA has been restructuring its Western branch, adding more emphsis on digital content and letting go of workers. 1up now sat down with Mike Hayes to ask him some questions.

Hayes has confirmed that digital content will not slow down disc based releases, disc based releases are doing well and that firings will not effect release times for games.

Read the full interview here, now pray that we get some awesome arcade games ported over to XBLA/PSN like After Burner Climax!

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SEGA fires 73 workers, expanding digital content

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SEGA has let go of 73 of its employees today, all part of their business reorganization as they move on focusing on social and digital games. 36 of the employees are from SEGA’s San Francisco branch and 37 from London. SEGA of America is said to be working exclusively on downloadable content int their newly formed digital division, while SEGA of Europe will act as the administrative hub, also handle console and PC games.

“In recent years, digital platforms have taken an increasing share of video gaming revenues and we believe this growth is set to continue, SEGA has already enjoyed commercial success within this new and exciting gaming medium and it is now the company’s intention to fully embrace change and set a strategy not only to maximize revenues within the digital space but, through innovation and quality, take up a leadership position.”

Mike Hayes says this is just Chapter 2 in SEGA’s continued evolution from being a hardware manufacturer.

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Mike Hayes Interview, A Sega fans Pillow talk!

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I really cannot sing Mike Hayes praises enough, not only did he transform Sega Europe from one man with a screw driver into one of the best divisions of Sega, but now hes taken over the whole of Sega West and he is saying all of the right words in this latest interview with CVG!

Do yourself a massive favour and check out the first half of this interview, It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to any Sega fans face. The second half of the interview will be out tomorrow.

Check out part one of the interview right HERE!

Hit the jump for some choice quotes.

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