If you were in charge of Sega, what would you do?

[Raban]

As 09/09/09 draws nearer and Sega fans prepare to feel the depression they once did when Sega officially tendered their resignation from the hardware market, I started thinking. If you were the president of Sega, what would you do with the company? Your answer doesn't have to be feasible on any level, just share whatever you would do to salvage what's left of what was once a powerhouse console developer.

I'll add my opinion after we get some posts in here.

[Third]

Release a Sonic game that actually doesn't suck. SEGA needs to treat their mascotte with a bit more respect.

[Raban]

Would you really go back and try to save Sonic?

I don't know, I would just let it die. Reintroduce and earlier franchise like Alex Kidd or Kid Chameleon, even Vectorman. It'd be awesome to see Sega release some kind of direct competitor to the PSP Go, like a DD-only handheld with equivalent storage capacity but add standard removable media like SD or mini-SD. And keep the system specs lower, something similar to the DS and specialize in strictly 2D games instead of trying to force 3D on to handhelds with practically no processing power.

If they did something like that it'd be hard to lose money on such a small investment, especially with a die-hard fanbase like Sega's.

[Eel O'Brian]

turn the lights off on my way out

[Human Snorenado]

Beat Yu Suzuki with a stick.  Stage a publicity stunt "related to Shenmue III" where instead of announcing the game, you publicly burn all of the work that had been done on the game until that point.  Chain the old school PS/SoA team to their desks until the produce worthy sequels.

And that's just the first day!

[archie4208]

File Chapter 11.

[Eel O'Brian]

also put that "SAAAAYY-GAAAHH!!!!" thing back on the title screen of every game

[Joe Molotov]

Sell it to EA.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

1) Make several inspiring but ultimately hollow statements using terms that have not yet been beaten into the ground.  Attempt to modernize the company by redesigning it in the Web 2.0 fashion that is all the rage these days (even Walmart did!) and announce a lot of software that capitalizes on web 2.0: bland, Lisa Kudrowesque quirkiness, thoroughly unambitious, but ultimately inoffensive.  I may need to hire Megan Murphy of Kawaii Not for this as she has nailed this vision almost perfectly.  If not, I'll see if I can hire Michael Cera.

2) Pimp out all the usable IPs and sell them off to the highest bidder.  Sonic will fetch a high amount and so would Virtua Fighter probably.  Intentionally crash the value of Shenmue rights by pricing it the same as a coupon: 1/20 of a cent.  Although through legalese, make it so I get a 20% commission off of each IP sold.

3) Determine if those Saturn source codes were actually lost or not.  If not, "accidentally" leak a few lesser known titles out.  Then start selling rights to the highest bidder.  

4) Push out a few Genesis compilations.  We haven't had enough of them yet.

5) Pressure enough executives to set me up with a golden parachute.

6) When Sega has no usable assets left, get my golden parachute.

I'm hoping the newfound indie reputation will smooth things over with the indie and nerd crowds, making it look like I was the victim in all of this.

[Great Rumbler]

Here's my to-do list:

-Release a new Phantasy Star that isn't an online RPG
-Trash the past 15 years of Sonic games and go back to the drawing board
-Skies of Arcadia 2
-Bring back Masato Nakamura and Hiroshi Miyauchi
-Streets of Rage 4 on the DS and/or XBLA, no 3D
-Guardian Heroes 2

[The Fake Shemp]

Kill myself.

[demi]

Sue NeoGAF

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

The only thing I want out of Sega is another Skies of Arcadia.......and release Power Drift on XBLA.

They can stick sonic up their butts.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

-Chromehounds 2 / Buy From Software

Oh yeah.  This too.

[Great Rumbler]

They won't create something true to the series' history and origin

For the past 15 years, neither has Sega. 

[AdmiralViscen]

Sonic Unleashed

[EmCeeGrammar]

Stop trying to add gimmicks to revered franchises that don't need them. Give Sonic to Nintendo so Tokyo EAD can work their magic. 

Otherwise, I have no idea how they can get back to making money.  The problem is they do occassionaly release a fun game but it fails to light up the charts.  A strong dd focus with their extensive label of properties could work.

[bork]

-Fire just about all of Sonic Team.
-Bring back Yuji Naka to make a good Sonic game (if even possible).  Absolutely, positively NO shitty friends or stupid-ass story crap.  2.5D game play.
-Get AM2 on Virtua Fighter 6.  Fire whoever handles the music.  Get better customization and character design.  In fact, scrap the characters completely and go nuts with an amazing CAW system.
-Bring back the arcade racers in full force; they can do better than Sega Race USA or whatever it was called.
-Resurrect the Landstalker remake for PSP.
-Release Super GT/Scud Race an an XBLA/PSN game.
-Release Guardian Heroes as an XBLA/PSN game.
-Release Radiant Silvergun as an XBLA/PSN game.
-Make a new (actual) Phantasy Star game.
-Make a new Shinobi.  It will be a fast-paced 3D action game, with multiple playable characters.
-Make a new Streets Of Rage.  It will be 2D, but done SF4-style using stylized cel-shaded polygons.
-Make a new Golden Axe, more akin to the original and its arcade sequel.  Forget all the other crap that followed.  Lots of gore for violence-hungry westerners.
-Make a new Fighters' MegaMix for home consoles.
-Make a new Space Channel 5, that makes use of the Eyetoy/Natal/whatever.
-Start making NEW games to go along with all these sequels.
-Keep Shen Mue scrapped.  Change Yakuza's direction.
-Make a new Phantasy Star Online, but DON'T charge money to play online.

Beat Yu Suzuki with a stick.  Stage a publicity stunt "related to Shenmue III" where instead of announcing the game, you publicly burn all of the work that had been done on the game until that point.  Chain the old school PS/SoA team to their desks until the produce worthy sequels.

And that's just the first day!

I don't think he even works at Sega anymore...

[bork]

Wasn't SEGA working on a Next-Gen golden axe? Whatever happened to that?

It was made by a Western developer.  Came out last year and suxxored.  I and I think one or two others here bought it.  The game got unbearable by the third level and I sold it off.

[Don Flamenco]

2 chicks at the same time


oh wait, I wouldn't be a millionaire...

[Madrun Badrun]

spend all the companies money making Shenmue III.  Then make the money back from making shitty ass 3D sonic games. 

[Bocsius]

Sell the back catalog to Namco so they can put out Sega Museums once per generation. Lock the doors. Can the janitor.

[Madrun Badrun]

No, put the janitor in charge of making the new sonic games as he has experience in cleaning up shit.

[Human Snorenado]

No, put the janitor in charge of making the new sonic games as he has experience in cleaning up shit.

Wouldn't that more qualify him to be in charge of the next Shenmue?   

[demi]

[youtube=560,345]35Vsc2m0fZ0[/youtube]

I would hire this band to make the music for every game

[Madrun Badrun]

No, put the janitor in charge of making the new sonic games as he has experience in cleaning up shit.

Wouldn't that more qualify him to be in charge of the next Shenmue?   

I'm going to run you over in a fork lift.

[Human Snorenado]

I'll distract you with some sailors.

[Human Snorenado]

greeenlight Shenmue 3, release concept art and some renders, cancel it.

I... I love you.

[Madrun Badrun]

I'll distract you with some sailors.

Some day you'll wake up with the words "would you like to play a game of lucky hit?" whispered into your ear right before a green DVD case plunges into your ass.

[Great Rumbler]

[youtube=560,345]7JVjf3AqfZw[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]tM7q15s4zqM[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]RNNN_g8zlGU[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]NMrj1CSZjYs[/youtube]

Sega  :'(
Sonic  :'(

[cool breeze]

give Mikami a lot of money to support his next game.

[BlueTsunami]

Bring the Shining Force series back to where it worked the best

[Human Snorenado]

I'll distract you with some sailors.

Some day you'll wake up with the words "would you like to play a game of lucky hit?" whispered into your ear right before a green DVD case plunges into your ass.

What's most impressive about this post is the lack of spelling errors.

...but I don't sleep.  I wait.

[Madrun Badrun]

 

[Junpei the Tracer!]

I liked Sonic Unleashed. More of that, less Were-hog stuff though.

[EmCeeGrammar]

Stay the course.

Wtf, I didn't expect this response.  Are YOU buying sega all-stars racing?

[pilonv1]

Stay the course.

Sega Tennis was awesome, All Star Racing will be great

[The Sceneman]

Oh man I would do anything for Shenmue 3....

what would be awesome is an HD re-release of Shenmue 1 on 360 with achievements.

Or Skies of Arcadia, or any of their great, neglected back catalogue. How many times can they re-release Altered Beast?

[originalz]

The last thing I would want is for them to resurrect all their old franchises.  The magic is gone, most of those teams have long been disbanded and I wouldn't trust the current dev teams to make a good game with those classics.  All it will do is come out, only interest people out of nostalgia, sell poor due to the game not being very good, and sour the franchise name.  We saw what happened to Golden Axe already, along with other franchises getting similar treatment like Bionic Commando.  Hell, people were swearing for a new Nights game, how it would be so amazing!  It came out and no one cared, no one bought it, and it wasn't that good of a game.  Where were all your hardcore Sega fans who were begging for it then?

We shouldn't pressure Sega to look back, we should encourage them to look forward.  I think they're doing a good job now, focusing on new franchises like Yakuza and the Platinum games stuff.  They should make new games that the teams can do well, and build a new legacy from that.

[chronovore]

Seriously, it is unclear how the focus on promoting other people's IP (Iron Man, Hulk, The Golden Compass, etc.) especially not doing a good job of it, is expected to put them back on track. I'd be doing more stuff like MonkeyBall on iPhone, and starting other low-cost, potential high return iPhone and portable titles. Whatever of those IP take off, parlay them into larger offerings, claw my way back to having something of a brand.

Is the Japanese culture boom in the USA waning? I have trouble understanding why manga sold so well but none of the Yakuza series games have.

[Great Rumbler]

Manga and anime have pretty much rolled over and died in North America, from my understanding, Chrono.  Companies that rode the boom are closing left right and center now.

I think that was more to do with poor business practices and a refusal to change, than from a lack of interest in the product.

[Yeti]

Heavily hint that Shenmue 3 is in development.

Rerelease Shenmue 1 and 2 on the Wii, full priced each with "new play controls" consisting of a waggle minigame here or there.

Announce Shenmue 3 has been cancelled, blame poor sales of Wii Shenmues.

[tiesto]

Phantasy Star 5 (offline, traditional, turn-based)
Rez 2
Skies of Arcadia 2
Shining Force 3 parts 1-3 remade
Shining Force 4 (team up with Camelot)
2.5D Sonic, no shitty friends, minimal story
Panzer Dragoon Saga remade in HD
Daytona 3
Get Platinum to make Streets of Rage 4 with Koshiro soundtrack
Re-releasing more of their System-16 and Model 1/2/3 arcade games on collections

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Shenmue 3

[close]

[maxy]

Get some huge credit,buy an island full of naked blonds and disappear without a trace...games,who cares about that...zzzz

I am not kidding.

[demi]

Phantasy Star 5 (offline, traditional, turn-based)
Rez 2
Skies of Arcadia 2
Shining Force 3 parts 1-3 remade
Shining Force 4 (team up with Camelot)
2.5D Sonic, no shitty friends, minimal story
Panzer Dragoon Saga remade in HD
Daytona 3
Get Platinum to make Streets of Rage 4 with Koshiro soundtrack
Re-releasing more of their System-16 and Model 1/2/3 arcade games on collections

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Shenmue 3

[close]

And then sadly Sega went bankrupt

[JaySosa]

Give the greenlight for Shenmue 3 off course, bring Yakuza 3 to the USA and Europe, develop a real Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia and a new Shining Force.

Or maybe what Yeti said..gaming forums would never be the same 

[tiesto]

Phantasy Star 5 (offline, traditional, turn-based)
Rez 2
Skies of Arcadia 2
Shining Force 3 parts 1-3 remade
Shining Force 4 (team up with Camelot)
2.5D Sonic, no shitty friends, minimal story
Panzer Dragoon Saga remade in HD
Daytona 3
Get Platinum to make Streets of Rage 4 with Koshiro soundtrack
Re-releasing more of their System-16 and Model 1/2/3 arcade games on collections

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Shenmue 3

[close]

And then sadly Sega went bankrupt

Who says I was looking to make money off the endeavor?

[pilonv1]

Shenmue 1+2 Wii would sell like crazy.

doubtful

[Human Snorenado]

Shenmue 1+2 Wii would sell like crazy. Of course it won't ever be announced cause... it's Sega we are talking about.

No.  No they would not.  You know how I know this?  Shenmue 1+2 sold like shit the first time they came out.  You know why?  THEY ARE BAD, BAD GAMES.

[Don Flamenco]

agreed.  they wouldn't get a pass from critics this time and I don't think the viral effect would work in their favor. 

[BlueTsunami]

I'm playing the original Shining Force right now

[Bebpo]

I'd have them make profitable arcade games; fighting, driving, flying, gun action, beat'em up, etc... and then do home ports with added content and lower price points ($30 Wii, $40 X360/PS3).

NO MORE OUTSOURCING; Everything done by AM2/3/5/etc...
Keep Sonic Team on making shitty but cheap and highly profitable Sonic milking games to add extra revenue into the company.

Kill the Yakuza series and instead have Nagoshi do something similar that has global appeal and might sell more than 10 copies in the US.

Take a few arty risks here and there like Valkyria Chronicles, Shenmues, Jet Set Radios, Panzer Dragoons, rpgs just to keep up good faith with the gaming community and possibly have an occasional success.  Don't pour tons of money into any of them; keep them low-mid budget.

In the end, company makes profit; shitty sonic games continue to for that fanbase; arcade titles and arty titles continue for the hardcore fanbase.  Sega remains an important name in Japanese arcades and worldwide consoles.

[JaySosa]

Kill the Yakuza series and instead have Nagoshi do something similar that has global appeal and might sell more than 10 copies in the US.

Why should they kill the only franchise (besides Virtua Tennis maybe) thats making a lot of money(in japan that is)?

And if this idiots knew anything about marketing, Yakuza would atleast sell respectable overseas. Hell I didn't know anything about Yakuza 1 or saw any adds and just bought it because it was cheap and had an awesome cover. Same with games like "Blood will tell" brilliant game with a hollywood worthy storyline, gameplay loosely based on teh extremely popular God of War and 99% of gamers don't know nothing about it. If it wasn't for a post on GAF I would neither.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

"Hey, we're still good at making arcade light gun games, aren't we?"
"We sure are boss."
"Well, why don't we make some nifty console ports of those like we used to."
"Hey, this new boss of ours seems to know what he's doing.
"Also, we're gonna track down the guy who was responsible for Super Monkey Ball Adventure and break his fingers."
"Well, that's tough but fair."
"And why the fuck haven't we brought out Thunder Force VI out of Japan?  It doesn't even need any localization."
"That was the same dude who wanted to shit up Monkey Ball."
"Okay, fingers first, then the knees and groin, don't stop till he admits to planning 9/11, ya got that?"

[ferrarimanf355]

Dissolve Sonic Team, and fire everybody there.

After that, well, you guys know what I'd do next. New Daytona USA! 
[youtube=560,345]HXu0pBOEUM8[/youtube]

[ferrarimanf355]

Bebpo, what about Sumo Digital? They do good stuff.

[Bebpo]

Bebpo, what about Sumo Digital? They do good stuff.

True.  They'd be good for handling arcade ports.

[Oblivion]

From what I'm reading here, most of you would go from having Sega make shitty games that sell 12 copies to making good games that sell 12 copies.

Though I would bring back Hirozaku Yasahura to work on Sonic instead of tripe like Uncharted.

[demi]

<Oblivion> LIEK COLLABORATE AND MAKE A ZELDA

[Oblivion]

<Oblivion> LIEK COLLABORATE AND MAKE A ZELDA