SEGA UK inks deal with Bowplex


Bowplex is basically a bowling place in the UK, but also has arcade and other fluff around to make extra cash. The place has inked a exclusive deal to get ‘Sega Active Zone’ machines in their place of establishment.

“We’re really excited about the partnership with SEGA. It’s such a prominent brand within the industry and we’re thrilled to be associated with the company on this level. We work hard to push the boundaries of family entertainment and strive to be the first to introduce new concepts and we believe working with SEGA to introduce SEGA Active Zone is testament to that.” -Tracy Standish, Managing Director of Bowlplex

The project has £2 million in investments for ‘state-of-the-art equipment’. Sega Sports Active will feature sports games with iconic SEGA characters, such as Sonic. No other names where mentioned in the press release.

Hit the jump for that.

GAME details their Sonic Generations pre-order items


Gamestop has already showed what they are giving users away if they pre-order Sonic Generations from them, what about GAME? UK’s massive game retailer?

  • Casino Night’ Pinball Stage: Exclusive stage. Same one that US Gamestop will be giving users. Based off the level with the same name from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
  • Super Sonic Costume: Xbox 360 exclusive. Gives your avatar the iconic Super Sonic Costume.
  • Exclusive theme: Deck out your dashboard with awesome looking theme, created exclusively for this promotion.

Now all users know what they will get if they pre-order the game at either Gamestop or GAME. So what are you waiting for?

[Source: Sonic Stadium]

SEGA opens up a new UK studio, working on PSVita game

Only a month or so ago after revealing that SEGA were planning a major expansion for their British based developer The Creative Assembly, the publisher today announced a new studio being set up in Solihull in the West Midlands of England and that they’re developing a new game for the Playstation Vita. If that location sounds familiar to some of you, it will be because this was were the ill-fated SEGA Racing Studio was once based. Indeed SEGA’s Gary Dunn, VP of product development for SEGA West confirmed that some members of the original team will be working in this new studio. He also went on to confirm that prior to this announcement, the group SEGA retain had been working under the banner of SEGA Technology Group. For a more indepth report, check after the break were VG247 had an indepth interview with Gary Dunn.

SEGA: UK studios are ‘the bedrock of our business’

It’s no secret that Creative Assembly and Sports Interactive are successful studios, but they still seem to surprise SEGA.

“Our UK internal studios are probably the bedrock of our business. For the second year both Sports Interactive and Creative Assembly are outperforming their business plans from a profitability perspective. These guys are on top of the game, it’s a real testimony to the games they make.” – Gary Dunn, SEGA Europe VP of production

If only SEGA could emulate this and get a few good American developers under their belt. SEGA has said they will try to focus on improving SEGA America, we will have to see what they have planned.

[Source: GoNintendo]

Virtua Tennis 4 UK Launch Trailer

It’s the Virtua Tennis 4 UK launch trailer! This trailer focuses mostly on the PS3 version and its Move control scheme. However, rest assured that the game will also be available with the usual controller based scheme for PS3, Xbox 360 (with Kenect) and Wii.

Being developed by the original VT development team in Japan gives me high hopes for this game and with a £1 million marketing campaign it seems Sega do too!

Valkyria Chronicles anime DVD listed on UK retailer website


If you didn’t know, SEGA did an anime based on the characters from the first game of their Valkyria Chronicles franchise. So far the anime stayed in Japan, but it seems it might be coming out in the west, at least in the UK.

HMV listed the DVD on their webpage, with a cover that doesn’t look like the Japanese ones.  All the info isn’t there, I guess we will have to see. Hopefully it has a decent dub.

[Source: HMV Page]
[Thanks: Shadzter]

Sonic Colours not off to a good start in the UK

Sonic Colours came out on Novemeber 12th, this chart ended on the 13th, so its only accounting for first day of sales, so take them as you will. If you see the Wii only games chart, it came in at number 11, being outsold bygames like Mario Galaxy 2, The X Factor and Sims 3. The game is way lower in the all format charts, came in at number 36, two spots higher than Sonic Free Riders.

Hopefully it sparks more fire next week on the charts, since these are really just ‘one day sales’, it is hard for the title to chart high. But hey, at least Football Manager 11 is rocking those charts.

[Source: Chart-Track]

SEGA Amusements UK launching 6 new products


The guys over at Arcade Heroes have gotten the invite to test them out, we here at SEGAbits only got strange looks and pointing fingers. Games on the list are Grid, Let’s Go Island and Great American Road Trip.
What ‘Sonic Series’ and ‘New Sonic AllStars Addition Slideshow v2’ is, I don’t know. I guess we will find out sooner than later

Alpha Protocol charts in the UK

Alpha Protocol came out on the 28th, the charts ended on the 29th. So how did it do for one day sales? Rather alright actually.The 360 version came in at number 21 and the PS3 version charted at number 24. Not the best, the success of this title will be determine on how it does the upcoming weeks.

Football Manager 2010 is still charting, rather low at number 38. That is SEGA’s money maker as they say. UK loves football.

[Source: Chart-Track]

GamesAid bundles SEGA Superstars Tennis for charity

GamesAid is a UK games industry charity for chiildren and young people. To raise some money, they have decided to sell a ‘triple pack’ of 3 Playstation 3 titles. The pack comes out June 25th for the price of £29.99, all profits going to the charity.

“Not only does this triple pack raise money for our charities, it also raises awareness of GamesAid at consumer level. We now look forward to retail getting behind it and giving it the push it deserves.” – Andy Payne, Chairman of GamesAid

The pack comes with Tomb Raider: Underworld, SEGA Superstars Tennis (woot) and FUEL (boo!). Each title was donated by the publishers. What a nice thing to do, right?

[Source: AttackoftheFanboy]

Develop 100: SEGA comes in 6th in the UK

Look at that, SEGA has come in 6th place for the UK, in terms of revenue generated in retail. That is rather good, they even manage to beat Capcom. who’d have known, especially after heavy hitters like Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter 4.

Of course, most of SEGA’s success in the UK can be credited to Total War series and Football Manager. But who cares? Lets celebrate, they are only going to climb that top 10 list!

Hit the jump to see the top 100 list.

Gamer reclaims Space Harrier high score


Nick Hutt from Sutton, UK has taken back the high score for Space Harrier and has been verified by Twin Galaxies website. Really, I did not know the place existed, but then again I never tried to beat high scores myself. Score was submitted by Mr. Hutt on April 30th.

What was his score? 39,495,060. That is  quite a bit and enough to put him on the top once again. His top score was taken down last year by another UK gamer called Philip Campbell with 38,530,220. This puts him in second place.

Apprantly UK gamers have held the high score for Space Harrier since August 1985, when Matthew Preece set the record and his score (31,900,730) lasted all the way till 2005, when Hutt topped it.

[Via Examiner]