Steve 3.2 said: Legend11 said: This probably sounds crazy but I always wondered why Microsoft didn't simply just buy Sega and branded the Xbox 360 as the Sega 360 in Japan. Just on name alone and having such a well respected developer making games exclusively for the system would have went a long way in helping the 360 in Japan. |
Sega would have been a much better purchase than Rare... ;) I was kind of surprised that Sammy ended up owning Sega in the end. It's definitely a crazy idea, but also quite intriguing. I'm not sure using the Sega name to brand the system would have been a good idea -- certainly not in the US where the name is mud when it comes to hardware. But if Sega games were exclusive to the 360, Microsoft would be in a much better position today in Japan. On the flip side though, I don't think having Sega make games exclusively for the 360 would be profitable. A lot of Sega's profits come from Nintendo titles. Heck, I'd love to see how much Rare makes on the games for the 360 versus the DS. |
I remember in the days that Sega announced they were going to discontinue the Dreamcast, there were a whole bunch of rumors that MS was going to buy Sega outright. The rumors only got bigger when Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Sega GT, and Panzer Dragoon all went exclusively to the XBox. That's when I remember hearing that MS put up an offer for Sega, but Sega refused to budge and be bought out. They believed they could be a platform agnostic 3rd party developer at the level of EA or Activision (and Ubisoft, but they weren't nearly as big in those days). In theory that sounded like a good feasible idea, but Sega's biggest problem wasn't solved with this new business strategy. They still were totally strapped for cash! They didn't have the capital to properly fund their studios and so there games dive-bombed in quality hurting their bottom-line even more. Finally, Sega started looking for companies to partner with or to get bought out by, but nobody worth a damn was willing to step up to the plate for a company that had fallen so far. MS was out and Sammy was in. Fast forward a few years and we still have a languishing Sega.
MS wasn't able to buy Sega because of a lack of trying, but because of classic Sega mismanagement that has plagued the company since the Sega 32X and Sega CD. I totally agree with Legend. Sega and MS should've partnered up so that they could brand their console the Sega Xbox. They had partnered with the DC when MS provided Window CE for the system. Even the Xbox controller was basically a DC controller. That partnership would've given MS instant credibility in the Japanese market (or at least slightly better PR in the East) and would've provided Sega with exactly what it needed: CASH. Sega would've been able to hold on to the developers that made the Dreamcast such a fun system, and they're games would've been backed with a proper marketing budget, unlike the DC.
I can tell you right now as a huge PS3 fan and Sony fan in general, I would be all over the Xbox if it got proper sequels to games like Shenmue and Skies of Arcadia. As much as I adore Sony for stuff like MGS, GT, ICO/Shadow of the Colossus, and FF, none of those games make my top 3 list; Skies and Shenmue do (as does Chrono Trigger). Oh, if only....
EDIT: If you wanna reply to my thoughts please go to this separate thread I created: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=5181
My Top 5:
Shadow of the Colossus, Metal Gear Solid 3, Shenmue, Skies of Arcadia, Chrono Trigger
My 2 nex-gen systems: PS3 and Wii
Prediction Aug '08: We see the PSP2 released fall '09. Graphically, it's basically the same as the current system. UMD drive ditched and replaced by 4-8gb on board flash memory. Other upgrades: 2nd analog nub, touchscreen, blutooth, motion sensor. Design: Flip-style or slider. Size: Think Iphone. Cost: $199. Will be profitable on day 1.