Sumo D hints at future Sega games

[ROJM]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010- ... -edge-game

OutRun and Virtua Tennis developer Sumo Digital is working on a "bleeding edge" game for a "big hardware company", Eurogamer has learned.

The Sheffield studio's big project is "probably a year and a half" from release, but it's got unannounced games in the works for SEGA that are due out next year and in 2012.

"I would say if you've been a Sumo fan, if you like the products that we do, then you're not going to be disappointed in the future," James North-Hearn, CEO of Sumo parent company Foundation 9 Entertainment told Eurogamer.

"What do I mean by that? What I mean is, the kind of products you would expect Sumo to produce are the products they're working on now.

"If you look at the kind of products Sumo has done in the past, arcadey, handheld, racing, we're still there. We're doing some great work. They're doing one project that's very bleeding edge, that's probably a year and a half still from market, but when it comes out people will appreciate it's very different - that's being sponsored by a big hardware company.

"So we're working on some stuff that's a way out. But we continue to work very closely with SEGA and we hope to have some more products coming out with SEGA. We've got some stuff due out in 2011 and some in 2012. One hopes people will recognise them as very SEGA and Sumo-type products."

Sumo is perhaps best known for its work on the OutRun arcade racing series for Japanese publisher SEGA.

It developed downloadable game OutRun Online Arcade for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, Outrun 2 for the Xbox, Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast and Outrun 2SP for the PlayStation 2.

More recently it released Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Formula 1 2009, the PSP version of Split/Second: Velocity and Virtua Tennis 2009.

Unfortunately for OutRun fans, Sumo is not working on a new game in the iconic series.

"We're not working on another OutRun game," North-Hearn confirmed. "That's the truth. I think it's a pity because I bloody love it. Maybe there will be another OutRun, I've got no idea. At the moment we're not currently involved in another OutRun product, but there may or may not be one somewhere else in Japan.

"The stuff we're currently doing, most of it is new titles. I think it's already been announced that we're going to do some more Doctor Who downloads – interesting exercise."

But of course Sumo is making a racing game?

"Yes. Yes, we are working on racing products, for sure."

For SEGA?

"I'm not saying who for. I said for sure."

Take from it what you will.

[Suzuki Yu]

my guess :
- VT4 (360 port) - early 2011
- SaSASR 2 - early 2012

[ROJM]

Or it could be olympic themed.

[Sharky]

Awesome... Would really hope for at least one of them to be Sega Racing 2.
(With more characters so people shut up about it.)

Really, really enjoyed Sega Racing for what it was.
Could do with a fleashed out battle mode too, which felt a bit tacked on.

Would also REALLY like some kind of Powerstone influinced simple party fighter... Would go down well for me and my friends.


Btw, a bit busy... Anyone that posts on the front page... HINT HINT!

[Sharky]

Or it could be olympic themed.

Kind of hope not... I know the official game is being made by Creative Assembly.

[crackdude]

Sega Rally and Daytona USA pop to mind.

But I would like something new and fresh!

"big hardware company" makes me think of Wii exclusives.
                                                            or maybe a Wii successor?

Why am I thinking this?

[TimmiT]

Hold on, Sumo is doing the PSP port of Split/Second? First time I heard of this.

[Sega Uranus]

Would also REALLY like some kind of Powerstone influinced simple party fighter... Would go down well for me and my friends.

While I think SUMO are a really talented lot, I would be incredibly worried if they were to make something like this. First off they mentioned how their animation budget is limited, even for a very basic fighting game they would have to cut a lot of levels and characters, potentially a lot of gimmicks too. Not to mention how they have never done a game like that before... It would be completely out of their league unless they had a much larger budget I think.

Personally I hope they just keep on keepin' on. I liked Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing a lot for what it was. I have a lot of pretty major complaints, but it can pretty much be summed up with "Slow down with the Sonic crap", "Slow down with the Sonic Riders crap", "Slow down with the Sonic Heroes crap", "Slow down with the Sonic Team crap" and "Seriously do not put Billy Hatcher in anything ever again". I also did not like the announcer.  :oops:

I think that if they did a direct followup to SARS though that we would see a lot more focus on the characters due to how... Vocal everyone was about that. I personally am hoping for a better assortment of levels and art styles between those levels. Also, seriously need a Heart Attack Mode. I have no idea why they did not do that.

Or for whatever else they are making... I think they are really good with racing, but would like them to have less stunts and such in them. I would like just a really nice racing game with a lot of content. If they are doing another SEGA crossover game on a specific genre I hope they do not completely ignore the company's history with that genre, also.

[Suzuki Yu]

Or it could be olympic themed.

i don't think so , it's been confirmed that CA is working on one .

[Kori-Maru]

Now I'm too SUPER happy about this. I don't mind them making another racing game. If they decide to make another ASR game, they need to try to

- Have some classic Sega characters and maybe some obscure ones.
- Less Sonic Team characters (have no problem with them that much, but other familiar Sega mascots needs to be represented)
- More diversity on tracks (I mean we would all really love to see a Daytona USA Track and maybe the fictional Virtual City.)
- Back to characters, I would personally love to see Sakura Shinguji if they could reach with WoW and Red for permission with her very own Kobu kart and yes I am very infatuated with Sakura Taisen cuz I have the entire anime series on my laptop and I can't believe I won something from that Sega Europe had about ASR2.

Anyway if they plan to make a fighting game, I hope they do turn it into value Power Stone 2 like game as Sharky stated. Just as long that it isn't like a two button game.

And another thing, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi is a better singer than BJ, no offense Mistah J. So let him sing the main theme for the next game.

[Sharky]

Kori, why do we not see you so often anymore?

Don't be a stranger!

[Kori-Maru]

Kori, why do we not see you so often anymore?

Don't be a stranger!

I've been busy with college which starts in two days and I've been getting all the achievements on Sonic Adventure DX. Also went to a anime convention where Lisa Ortiz was at and I made her say some random that me and friend be saying all the time. I'll post the video later on.

Anyway about the game. All-Stars Racing was a good game and all and I understand that Sumo D had a small amount of budget, but it could have been better.

[ROJM]

Okay let's use a bit of logic. Who has the Sega superstars franchise at the moment? Now how did Sega Superstars started life as? Who has a similar add on? Now the new or one of the new olympic games will be hands free. Of course this is pure speculation.

[CosmicCastaway]

A fighting game would be fun to see, but I'm also up for another SASASR game.

[Grant360]

Personally I hope SEGA gives Sumo the Hedgehog engine for 360 and PS3 and allows them to convert Sonic Colours to the 360. The game is looking awesome but I want it in HD!

Not sure how I feel about SASASR 2. I loved the first one. Didnt really notice the major floors apart from the 'elastic band' effect and some pointlss powerups. But like Mario Kart, they only do 1 iteration per console. Unless it really took it to the max with outrun and shenmue levels, maybe the likes of toejame and earl in there and a Daytona car etc.

A Daytona for Live or a Sonic & Sega fighting game would be good. VT4 for 360 is also a no brainer as they did VT3.