Weekend reading: Eggman a lame boss?


I read a ton of stuff online, mostly video game related articles and I never post my favorites. I will try to start highlighting some intresting stuff I read on the internet.

What interesting posts have you guys read around the interwebs?

Swingin’ Report Show #6: Post E3 Special


Welcome to the 6th SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show. This is our Post E3 Special, where we talk about all things that happen at E3, including new SEGA news and rumors.

[audio:http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Segabits-Swingin-Report-Show-6.mp3]
[RSS] – [Direct Download]

I know I promised I would get the iTunes feed up again, I have decided to submit a new one. I will update this post when I get the OK e-mail from iTunes.

More info on Sonicon 2010


I have never been to Sonicon, but they have lined up more “Sonic related guests”, like voice actors from the Sonic X series. They will even have Jason Anthony Griffith, the guy that voices Sonic now.

They will also have a live performance by Alsdead, some Japanese band that has male members that look like girls. Not my type of stuff. Unlike Summer of Sonic event that is free this year, this one you have to pay to get in.

I won’t be going, but if any of you guy, make sure to send us some pictures!

Marza looking for an original story

So you think your a writer? You know have a chance to get one of your stories made into a CGI film, by none other than the guys that did “Night of the Werehog”.

Exciting? Click here to see all the rules and how to apply!

[Thanks: Suzuki Yu]

K’On After School Live hits Japan in September


SEGA picked up the license to the anime K’On and is making a music game similar to Project Diva, only this one is about a band. The game will be titled “K’On After School Live” and will feature a ad-hoc more where each person will be able to control someone from the band; allowing you all to “rock out.”

Assuming you know someone that is into this sort of game! The game is coming out on September 30th and will cost 6,090 yen ($67).

[Source: Siliconera]

SEGA Sammy Visual Entertainment changes name, new project


(One of the first images for the pilot)

SEGA Sammy Visual Entertainment has announced that they are changing their name to “Marza Animation Planet“. So “Marza” is not the name of the new title they are working on, but actually the name of their studio now.

Marza Animation Planet have just completed a pilot for Toei, their pilot is a CGI adaptation of the Space Pirate Captain Harlock manga. The pilot was directed by Shinji Aramaki (Apple Seed), characters designed by Yutaka Minowa (Ninja Scroll) and written by Harutoshi Fukui (Mobile Suit Gundam UC).

More details will be announced about the pilot in this week’s Tokyo International Anime Fair.

[Thanks: Liam & F-D_M via E-mail]

VF5: Final Showdown to support Twitter


I thought SEGA was going to be the only company to totally ignore Twitter integration, I was wrong. If there is any game I would would ‘freely promote’ to my followers, its Virtua Fighter.

Users that are playing the arcade version will be able to link their Twitter accounts to their VF.net accounts via PC or cellphone. You will be able to follow players on twitter, without needing to leave the arcade.

Rumor: SEGA survey askes if you want a Sonic Prequel


These images are going around the internet about a ‘survey’ for Sonic fans. They want fan feedback to ‘improve’ Sonic games. They ask fans what games they like the most, if they like classic Sonic or the new design and if you would like a prequel to Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis/Mega Drive).

We e-mailed SEGA if the survey was real, if they answer us we will update the post.

[Source: GoNintendo]

SEGA’s top priority is the American market


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]

Conduit 2 interview with Jeremiah Cauthorn


Nuckles87 had a one on one interview with weapons programmer Jeremiah Cauthorn on The Conduit 2.

What can you tell us about the changes in multiplayer?

We’ve added all new levels. We’ve also added six new weapons with an alt-fire mode on each weapon such as the TCP launcher. You can also lay out proxy mines so when people walk by them, they explode. You can also tag people with them. We support 12 player online multiplayer and local splitscreen with 2-4 player multiplayer. We’ve been working closely with Nintendo so we have this new rival system. So if you meet someone in a match you can click their name and add them to your rivals list.

Yuji Naka is happy with new Sonic games

The guys from Destructoid have recently posted a interview with Yuji Naka, asking him what he thinks of Sonic’s current games and if he got to play them..

“Yes, I’ve played them a bit. I’m happy to see that Sonic is still growing after my departure. All the people that worked under me are still continuing the legacy of Sonic, and I’m glad to see that as well.

Realize that next year Sonic will be 20 years old. I look at it this way: 20 years of age is old enough to go out on your own, not relying on your father anymore. In that way, it’s good to take a step back and see what Sonic does from now.”

It is sad to see Yuji Naka not having any interest in doing a 20th anniversary game and ‘moving on’ from the franchise. What do you guys think?

SEGA working on ‘hardcore’ Kinect games


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]