Yakuza Online launches in Japan by the end of the year, per-registrations now open

Yakuza Online has finally gotten more details on the official website, including the ability to per-register to play the game early! If you didn’t know Yakuza Online will be a mobile service game that will be free-to-play on iOS, Android and PC. SEGA have also re-confirmed that it will be launching by the end of 2018 in Japan. But would you be interested to play it if it launches in the West?

SEGA wants as many people to per-register and the more people that register the more items users unlock:

  • 10,000 pre-registrations – 100 diamonds
  • 30,000 pre-registrations – One Upgrade Coin (Small), 100 diamonds )for a total of 200)
  • 50,000 pre-registrations – Five Ability Coins, 100 diamonds (for a total of 300)
  • 80,000 pre-registations – Stamina MAX, 100 diamonds (for a total of 400)
  • 100,000 pre-registrations – SSR Haruka Sawamura, 100 diamonds (for a total of 500)

Hit the jump to see more information on what the game will contain

SEGA Ages Sonic the Hedgehog and Thunder Force IV on Nintendo Switch delayed into September

If you guys didn’t know the SEGA Ages Nintendo Switch versions of Sonic the Hedgehog and Thunder Blade IV was suppose to come out sometime this month, but SEGA has now confirmed that they have been delayed into September. According to them it was because they wanted to further enhance the quality of the titles. But at the same time, SEGA also plans to release the SEGA Ages version of Phantasy Star in September. So, it seems that SEGA will be releasing three whole SEGA Ages releases in the month of September?

I have also been hearing rumors that SEGA Japan have been saying these will be released ‘world wide’, which is also a bit weird considering SEGA West hasn’t said a peep about them. Could these be the most poorly planned re-releases of all time? I mean, I’m sure they will be quality releases, but whoever is managing this whole thing needs to learn to nail release dates, they are still giving is a vague month without actual dates!

Shenmue I & II Remasters get first HD texture pack for PC

Wait, didn’t Shenmue I & II Remasters just come out? That isn’t stopping hard working fans from improving upon the release, at least on PC. If you didn’t know, the Shenmue I & II Remasters came out with the original textures from the Dreamcast, which I feel are fine but if you wanted updated textures then modder ‘Dragean’ has you covered! He is working on a HD Texture Pack for Shenmue I & II and the first version has been released!

The HD Texture Pack is set to recreate HD textures for environments and not just upscale the existing textures. The mod isn’t even close to being complete, I mean the Resident Evil 4 HD pack mod has been going on for years, so it could take quite awhile before this mod is completed.So far he has tweaked existing Yamanose textures, added street textures in Dobuita, added Yamanose tree leaves/shrubs/bush sprites, reworked road signs/grass textures, and added some patchy dirt/brick wall textures.  The HD Texture Pack requires Kaldien’s Special K mod (download), Ryo’s clothes HD textures from here, and HD texture pack for walls/doors (by hope3090) can be found here. Check out some of the screenshots to see the differences, see live comparisons over here!

[Via: DSOGaming]

SEGA Game Gear’s Sonic Chaos being re-imagined by fans, demo out now

Its incredible how talented and hardworking some of the Sonic the Hedgehog fans out there are. Not only does the franchise seem to get some sort of fan remake, re-imagining and other game type projects announced a few times a year; they are usually pretty well thought out! This time the fan team over at A+Start is aiming at re-imagining the 1993 SEGA Game Gear exclusive Sonic Chaos.

Even better? The team over at A+Start has released a full playable demo for you guys to try. You can download that right here.

Seeing the trailer, its quite obvious that the team is very influence by Sonic Mania and that is not a bad thing! As you know we love Sonic Mania. Are you guys going to give this fan re-imagining of Sonic Chaos a spin?

[Via: DSOGaming]

SEGA Franchises That Need A Smash Bros Ultimate Roster Spot

A few weeks ago we asked our twitter followers what SEGA franchises or characters deserve a roster spot in the upcoming Super Smash Bros Ultimate. While its cool that SEGA has great representation with Sonic the Hedgehog and Bayonetta, but what if they could squeeze in one more? What franchise should get in? Something more obscure? Something Iconic? In this video I go over the franchises you all asked for and give my two cents on each choice.

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.

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Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise Launch Edition comes with reversible Japanese art


Seems that SEGA is listening to its fan base, since a lot of people complained that SEGA changed the Japanese cover for the US release of Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise. If you didn’t know, the Japanese cover for the game was original artwork made by the Fist of the North Star mangaka Tesuo Hara.Now if you pre-order the game and get the launch edition you will get the ‘Destiny Tailisman Set’ bonus DLC, Deathcry decals and a reversible  cover featuring the awesome Japanese box art, but extended. Wow, did we luck out and get the best release of this game? I think so!

Pre-order Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise

SEGA News Bits: Retro-Bit SEGA Saturn & Genesis Controllers Price & Release Date Discussion

A few days ago during Gamescom 2018, Retro-Bit finally showed off its more finalized versions of its SEGA Saturn and SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive controllers that will be coming out by the end of the year. On this episode of SEGA News Bits we will go over the design changes, pricing and discuss our feelings on the upcoming controllers. Let us know what you guys think of the newly re-revealed Retro-Bit SEGA Saturn and SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive controller designs in the comments below! Check out more high resolution photos over at SEGA-Mag!

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.

SEGA News Bits: Shenmue III Release Date Trailer Discussion

Shenmue III has a release date and a new trailer, and on this SEGA News Bits Barry and George discuss their reactions to seeing the trailer, what characters they spotted and how likely it will be that the game will keep its release date.

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.

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Team Sonic Racing debuts Rooftop Run inspired track at Gamescom 2018

SEGA has revealed a new track from the upcoming Team Sonic Racing from Sumo Digital. The track, titled Market Street, is based on Rooftop Run from Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations. From what we’ve heard, the track features a remix of Rooftop Run theme song, and according to Twitter user SonicWindBlue the track Ice Mountain features a remix of the Holaska music from Sonic Unleashed. Also, it seems that the framerate is stable, which is an improvement from the E3 demo. Check out a gallery of screens from Market Street after the break, and don’t forget to pre-order the game!

Pre-order Team Sonic Racing today!
PlayStation 4 | Xbox One | Nintendo Switch

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SEGA Ages Phantasy Star hits Nintendo Switch in Japan on September 2018

SEGA has now provided the details for their upcoming SEGA Ages Phantasy Star release on the Nintendo Switch. They have confirmed that the game is set to launch in Japan in September 2018, so next month and will cost ¥925 ($8 USD).

Some of the new features for this release include:

  • Accessibility options.
  • Alter difficulty making the game easier
  • Original hiragana text option (from the Phantasy Star Collection‘s SEGA Saturn version) is included.
  • FM Sound Unit Music player with 19 tracks.
  • Auto-mapping option when entering dungeons.
  • Monster Codex: once you fight a monster you will keep a record of it including its name, sprite and other useful information.
  • Pause menu lets you see items, abilities, equipment and other options.

Hit the jump to see screenshots of the new features in the upcoming game.

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New Shenmue III trailer reveals release date and returning characters

Just in time for the start of Gamescom 2018 and the release day of Shenmue I & II comes a new trailer for the upcoming Shenmue III. The big news is that we have a release date! The game is set to release to the PlayStation 4 and PC on August 27, 2019. What more, the announcement trailer gives us a look at the game and it looks much improved from previous videos, with facial animations and the reveal that Lan Di will appear in the game! While most probably assumed he would appear, it’s great to get confirmation and from the look of things he won’t have a helicopter to escape on this time. Also spotted is Ryo’s buddy Wuying Ren from Shenmue II.

What do you think of the new trailer and release date? Sound off in the comments below!

SEGAbits forums get streamlined with new board categories

Whoa! Talk about exciting news! Long before the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Discord, the SEGAbits forums were the backbone of the community. Since 2010, the forums were where the SEGAbits community clicked over to when game announcements hit or company news broke. As the years went on the forum community grew and grew… and then shrunk thanks to the advent of social media and chat applications like Skype and Discord. Still, we are proud of the dedicated community that have stuck with the forums and love the work from users like Berto who continues to do a stellar job maintaining yearly topics collecting every SEGA, ATLUS and indie games planned for release.

In an effort to streamline the forums and make them easier to use in the current climate of the internet, we have decided to merge our Classic SEGA, Modern SEGA and Non-SEGA Gaming boards into one General Gaming Discussion board. We have also kept Everything Else as the go-to board for any non-gaming discussion. We do hope our forum users like the changes, and any suggestions can be shared in our feedback board.

Want to join the forums, or just lurk around? Visit the SEGAbits forums today! Hey, it’s not like SEGA is bringing their forums back anytime soon.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom release date announced, new trailer showcases cinematics and gameplay

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom has come a long way! Back in early 2016 we interviewed Fabien Demeulenaere, Director of Game Atelier, on our Swingin’ Report Show Podcast, and now the game has seen a huge overhaul with enhanced graphics, animated cinematics and more! The latest news is a release date, with the game set to launch on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on November 6th, 2018. The physical launch edition of the game will include a full color 24 page instruction booklet and two sticker sheets. Those attending Gamescom can play the Switch version at the Nintendo booth in Hall 9.1.

Pre-Order the Launch Edition of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom:
Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4 | Xbox One

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Retro-Bit reveals first wave of officially licensed SEGA controllers

Back in January, the company Retro-Bit revealed a lineup of officially licensed SEGA controllers for the Genesis/Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast. Now, they’re ready to reveal what they are calling the first wave. The full lineup, seen after the break, includes Genesis, Mega Drive and Saturn controllers. Absent are the Dreamcast controllers, leading me to think that the VMU might be the reason they have not been revealed yet. I can’t imagine a VMU saving out over wireless, but I’m sure they’ll figure it out.

In the meantime, the first wave gives SEGA fans original port, USB and wireless Bluetooth controllers. Genesis/Mega Drive will be black in all versions, and there will be a clear blue version for original port and USB. The Saturn will be available in black for all versions, and a slate grey version will also be available for the original port and USB versions. No sign of the white pad, which is a shame as I know several white Saturn owners who would love to get their hands on a second pad at a fair price. Fingers crossed we see that in a second wave.