Dreamcast 2, 12-12-12

[Larry]

I'll wait for you to go clean out your pants and change your underwear after that involuntary bowl movement you just had from reading this headline and clicking to read the thread. Go ahead, go on, clean the mess up, I'll be right here waiting to turn your brain into shit with what I've got to lay on you.

First of all here is a link to all the info and proof you're going to want after reading this. http://dreamcast2.myblogsite.com/entry1.html#body

I've also included a little article that I wrote for you in the spoiler tag explaining some of the history behind this story that I think you might enjoy.

Spoiler

Many of us here were children of an age where the name SEGA ruled over all and it's mascot Sonic The Hedgehog took the 16 bit world by storm blazing past the comparably lethargic Mario in all markets. It may be hard for you to imagine, those of you who have only REALLY known the names Playstation 2-3, XBOX/360, Gamecube/Wii but it is true. At one time SEGA kind of became the kid who grew too big for it's own britches. They had taken over the video game world with the Genesis system and Sonic, Nintendo was reeling to stay in the market, and there were no other real competitors.

In an effort to keep surging past it's competition the SNES, SEGA released add-on hardware to the Genesis. As a result we got the Sega CD and 32X which were very expensive and never really provided much of a real boost in game play or graphics. Then came the debacle that was the Sega Saturn. Now I loved the Sega Saturn but it was a failed system in all aspects. It had 2 processing units and a very complex hardware design to utilize them that made developing the games very difficult for developers, which resulted in lackluster graphics and performance from many games that simply couldn't utilize all of it's power.

On top of that SEGA did not support the system very well from a marketing standpoint, expecting it's loyal fanbase to make it a success. This did a lot to hurt SEGA after the Sega CD and 32X had also caused them significant damage, and the success of the Sony Playstation which brought the best library of games, and moderate success of the N64 which had better graphics leading consumers to pick it over the Sega Saturn put SEGA in a death clutch. A few faulty years of flooding it's own market, poorly marketing and backing it's products, and losing money on their hardware as a result combined with the successes of their competitors knocked SEGA out of it's lead role and put them in a position to either sink or swim.

Then, lo and behold, on 9-9-99 the Sega Dreamcast was released here in America. The Dreamcast was truly a revolutionary system bringing the first on-line game play to gamers around the world ready to go out of the box, it had the best graphics we had seen to date, it was launched with an amazing library of games, brought in the iconic VMU(Video Memory Unit) that doubled as a small gaming device of it's own, and if you look at the controller you could say it was the inspiration for the original and current XBOX controller as well.

Dreamcast was brought to life with a whole new outlook in an attempt to correct the mistakes they had made in the past. In 2001 with stiff competition from Sony and it's PS2, SEGA had to make the difficult decision to close down it's hardware division and stick to only making games for other consoles. Many believed then that SEGA would never be heard from again in the area of consoles or hardware, but those beliefs may now be shattered as SEGA has been quietly laying the foundation to launch a new system rumored to be released THIS YEAR in time for Christmas on 12-12-12.

In the link I provided you can see the info and find the links to show you where SEGA has taken out patents and had them approved for a series of different things that all point in the direction of a new console being developed by the long defeated, beloved, and never forgotten former titan of the gaming industry. There are patents for new hardware technology named RingWide and RingEdge, as well as patents for new controllers/gaming pads, flash memory devices, as well as others to protect the name "Dreamcast".

Here's a choice quote from the link I provided that might also stir up some excitement.

SEGA also says that this new hardware is both incredibly simple to program and cuts production costs down 30%. Which means SEGA could be designing a development kit that may make it easier for developers to make games for and drop the rising development costs on games which could make the new machine quite competitive allowing the price of games for it to be $40 and $50 instead of $60 and $70.

Now that's always good to hear, cheaper games from lower development costs. This is especially nice to hear because it shows that SEGA is thinking smart about this, finding ways to make their product appeal over the others, the first being PRICE. Speaking of price, here's another choice quote from the link I provided.

The design of the system FGN can officially confirm was finalised in late 2008, its arcade variant goes by the name "RINGEDGE" the specifications of the system are as follows: the chosen CPU is the Intel Pentium E2160 Allendale 1.8GHz Dual-Core Processor, the GPU of choice is the Shader Model 4.0 compliant 9600GSO with 384 MB GDDR3 RAM, System memory measuring 1GB DDR2-800. Other features include an onboard HD audio DSP, 32GB SSD, DVD-9 Dual Layer, and WiFi connectivity.

SEGA plans on shipping the system with two controllers, a motion sensing remote and one which looks similar to the Saturn 3D controller. One for casual gaming the other for non-casual. To top this off SEGA shall be using a stripped down version of Microsoft's Windows Embedded Standard 2009 for ease of development. This particular version differs from the standard version where only the DirectX functionality is included, the standard edition costs $90 per shipping device. As SEGA's version doesn't include the non gaming features SEGA has managed to get a hold of the OS for less than half of that cost. SEGA plans on launching the system in time for the holiday season of 2012 for no less than $200 and no more than $250.

Now that's juicy isn't it? Not just specs but a price as well that they are looking at. I will say now, though none of this is confirmed directly by SEGA and there have been no big news releases regarding any of this, the patents are out there, the moves are being made on SEGA's behalf, the more one analyzes it the more one has to conclude that by the end of this year we could be staring down the next SEGA console, possibly a Dreamcast 2, RingWide, RingEdge, or something else all together.

The point is, SEGA is likely coming back into the fray and the couldn't be doing it at a better time. Sony is scrapping their plans for a PS4 with all the losses they've taken on the PS3 and are instead trying to extend it's life and resting it's hopes on the PS Vita (Sony has lost billions on the PS3). Microsoft seems to be finishing up the next XBOX 3, and Nintendo is struggling to get support for the Wii U from developers. From what I have gathered Sega has plans to make it's games all digital content which would make it cheaper to develop the games and distribute them as well, so welcome to the future on that horizon as well. SEGA may very well be the first console developer to go fully online. I can't tell you how excited I am to hear all of this and to even play with the concept. With Sony and Nintendo struggling, XBOX moving forward the strongest in stride, it leaves the space wide open for SEGA to make a triumphant and historic comeback. Here's to the new year and hopes of seeing a new SEGA console before it is all over.

 

[Blade]

I really don't feel like pointing out the holes in the "proof" in that "article". I don't have the time nor the energy. But all the coulds and the mights and possiblys are proof that people are jumping the gun here without taking some time to think about other possibilities of those patents. As a game fan and a wrestling fan I know that dozens of patents are taken out each year that don't mean shit yet people still get worked up over what they'll be.

Not only is the article jumping the gun, it would just be flat out stupid for Sega to release a new console. Anyone with a shred of knowledge about the games industry would know it would be destined to fail.

Firstly, Sega are a shell of their former selves in many, many ways. They don't make games of much quality anymore. When Sonic Generations is the best game you've made in years, you know you're not a top developer anymore. Based on their last ten years of released, their first party games would not be enough to keep the console afloat. They're also not a household brand like they used to be. Sure, Sonic still has some selling power. But the name Sega is no longer synonymous with gaming. The public wouldn't care about a new Sega console.

Secondly, third party developers would be extremely reluctant to back a new Sega console, regardless of the developing costs. Every developer knows the story of Sega. How they screwed up and bombed in the late 90's and early 00's. They're a company known for spectacular self-destruction and no credible third party developers would leave the security of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft consoles for the unpredictability of Sega hardware. At least, not with exclusive titles, anyway.

Thirdly, Wii U is coming out next year. You don't have to be a market analyst to know that anything with the name Wii on it will sell like hot cakes. Sure, it doesn't look like Microsoft nor Sony will be releasing a new console next year, but that just means Nintendo's marketing strategy will be even more vigorous with the Wii U as they try to get as big a headstart as possible for the next generation of console wars. Come next Christmas, if there's a choice between a Wii U with a new, HD Smash Bros or Mario and a Sega console with a new Sonic, 9 people out of 10 will pick the Wii. Not to mention Sega would be crushed under Nintendo's advertising power when it comes to drawing in casual customers.

Fourth, Sega have a nice safe spot in the games industry today. They are making profits like they used to, but they make games for Microsoft, Sony and even Nintendo. Now, considering the bitterness of the Nintendo vs Sega rivalry and how many years it took for that relationship to become co-operative, why would Sega screw that all up? Why would they sever ties with Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft to make a console that would be a massive underdog and likely a failure? If Sega's new console fails and they have to go crawling back to their competitors again, their company image will be screwed.

And lastly, they're going to put together a console with those specs in time for Christmas when they haven't even made a dev console for it yet? Yeah, ok.

 

[TheGamea]

I dont see it, only bescuz I lived throught the sega era I QUIT my friggin job to play NFK2K on dreamcast only to watch it fail, not NFL2K and dreamcasy were awesssssssssssssssome but it still failed I have no idea why but it did...so...

I guess we will see at E3...

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

There's no way that this happening and if it does there is no way it returns to it's original successful state. They would have to create an online interface that would have to be free like PSN and be able to surpass the online capabilities of XBOX Live, and let's be honest here who would give away something like that for free?

 

[Loveless]

I'd love to see Sega's return to consoles and I'm certain it will happen one day but I think they'll have a very hard time getting back into the market. It's not just Nintendo that they have to compete with anymore but electronics giants Sony and Microsoft. Spending money to get back into the market and then crashing and burning against the competition would be disastrous and potentially bankrupting.
At the same time, the longer they leave it the weaker their brandname becomes. You've got an entire generation now who only know them as a game producer and it'll only get worse.

 

[Mayonnaise Warrior]

It would be a big surprise if this was to happen, but don't get your hopes up. It seems like every year a rumor spreads that a Dreamcast 2 will come out and I don't see it. SEGA is doing just find making software at the moment.

 

[riahc3]

I agree with is a hoax

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

There is absolutely zero chance of this happening. Not this year, not next year, not ever.

Sega, or any other company would be out of their mind to try and drop into the "console race." I'll even go as far as to say that after the Wii U, Nintendo will take a page out of Sega's book and stop making consoles and just focus on software, but that's a topic for another thread.

Rumors are picking up regarding the next generation of Xbox & PlayStation, and I believe they won't even be announced this year. If Sega was working on a Dreamcast 2 to be released this year, we would be drowning in rumors, facts and probably even pictures of prototypes of the newest console, which clearly isn't the case. In fact, the only place I've ever heard ANYTHING regarding this was in this very thread.

If Sega wants to try and reclaim a piece of the console pie, then all the power to them. I'm not interested in it, and I can't imagine that there would be enough interest from people for it to be a success.

 

[Trill Co$by]

There is absolutely zero chance of this happening. Not this year, not next year, not ever.

This year, no. Next year, maybe. Ever, it could happen and the chances are there. Sega, regardless of what people want to believe, is still a big time company and people still play their old Sega Genesis consoles. It would be easy for Sega to send out mass number of polls and find out what classic Sega gamers and modern day gamers would love to see added to a new console.

Sega, or any other company would be out of their mind to try and drop into the "console race." I'll even go as far as to say that after the Wii U, Nintendo will take a page out of Sega's book and stop making consoles and just focus on software, but that's a topic for another thread.

It's never too late to enter the race. Playstation and Xbox both came in long after Nintendo & Sega began their war, and even those two consoles didn't start the initial gaming race. OnLive has somewhat entered the fray as well by streaming the games through a small console, which has become one of my favorite ways to game out currently.

If Sega wants to re-enter, I would say that they have a solid chance of doing so. They've still got the Sonic name, and can easily make that an exclusive game title along with the ability to buy other exclusive titles. They can easily add in a Blu-Ray/DVD player to up their console abilities and as for the Online feature, it's never impossible for them to sign on with AOL or some other internet provider and gain someone who can connect their players for Online gaming.

As for Nintendo, and after the huge success of the Wii, I highly doubt that they'll be leaving the fray anytime soon. They've never been ones to back out of gaming, and for the longest time, they've been the brand best associated WITH gaming. Nintendo's a family fun console that still has a lot of power behind it. Nintendo's here to stay.

Rumors are picking up regarding the next generation of Xbox & PlayStation, and I believe they won't even be announced this year. If Sega was working on a Dreamcast 2 to be released this year, we would be drowning in rumors, facts and probably even pictures of prototypes of the newest console, which clearly isn't the case. In fact, the only place I've ever heard ANYTHING regarding this was in this very thread.

Is that prototype enough for you?

Of course Sony and Microsoft won't mention anything about their new console yet. They're still making money off of PS3 and 360, and they've got at least three months to think of pitch line ideas before E3 comes around. It would be stupid for Sony or Microsoft to even let it slip that a new consoles in the works because it would just let the other console know that they have to find something that can compete with the next console.

If Sega wants to try and reclaim a piece of the console pie, then all the power to them. I'm not interested in it, and I can't imagine that there would be enough interest from people for it to be a success.

I'm sure the interest would definitely be there. For starters, Sega has some very great titles to their name that can take them a pretty long ways. They can easily score some big time titles like GTA and Soul Caliber to up some more interest, as well as pulling in some third party exclusives to further the buzz. If Sega wanted to get back into the fold, I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard of a deal for them to do.

The most important thing they'd have to overcome would be to re-establish themselves with today's gamers and avoid the same mistakes they made last time by putting out console after console with little to no major updates. If they can do that, then they can get back into the fight with a hard Mayweather punch.

 

[xoxo French Kiss xoxo]

What was the last good game SEGA released? I can't remember one that's come out in the past 3, hell maybe 5 years. I highly doubt they would try and reenter the console race at this point.

Microsoft is killing it, Sony is doing well and Nintendo is well fuck I don't honestly see how Nintendo is still afloat at this point. Not to mention that Valve is consider making a "console" style computer video game box http://kotaku.com/5890339/whatever-a-steam-box-means-to-video-games-only-valve-knows-for-sure

If SEGA is smart they would sign on with one of the big three and make money where they can, because getting back in the console race would spell certain doom for them.