What the devil is SEGA up to? Well, it seems like what it's up to is preparing enormous support for the forthcoming Xbox 360 console. It’s well known that despite its purely Western lineage, the current Xbox is known by some as the ‘new Dreamcast’: it has four control ports, Microsoft architecture and out-of-the-box online capabilities. It has also been the stage for some impressive SEGA exclusives from day one; from Panzer Dragoon Orta to Outrun 2.
It’s not such a surprise, then, that nearly every day we hear new reports of SEGA preparations for the release of Microsoft’s second machine at the end of this year. Earlier in the week an American magazine published the rumour that forthcoming, long-awaited MMORPG Phantasy Star Universe may in fact be coming to 360. It was previously understood that the sequel to the Dreamcast favourite would be coming to PS2 and PC in spring of next year. Phantasy Star titles this generation have appeared on a spread of platforms; PC, Xbox and Gamecube.
More solid SEGA information comes in the form an official announcement that the Japanese house will be working closely with a western developer to bring a ‘vintage title’ to the 360. The developer in question is US-based Secret Level, of Star Wars Jedi Jetfighter fame, but what the game will be is anyone’s guess. Keen fans desperate for a conclusion to jump to might remember those grainy E3 images of some of SEGA’s best known franchises running on Xbox 360: Virtua Fighter, Afterburner, House of the Dead and, of course, Sonic. Of these four, taking into account that it’s been shelved the longest and Secret Level’s jetfighter pedigree, we’d think that Afterburner would be the most likely.
Let's not forget that the Japan-wooing Xbox conference takes place this month, and what better way to win Tokyo hearts than with strong support from one of their best-loved companies? More next-gen SEGA news as it breaks.
It’s not such a surprise, then, that nearly every day we hear new reports of SEGA preparations for the release of Microsoft’s second machine at the end of this year. Earlier in the week an American magazine published the rumour that forthcoming, long-awaited MMORPG Phantasy Star Universe may in fact be coming to 360. It was previously understood that the sequel to the Dreamcast favourite would be coming to PS2 and PC in spring of next year. Phantasy Star titles this generation have appeared on a spread of platforms; PC, Xbox and Gamecube.
More solid SEGA information comes in the form an official announcement that the Japanese house will be working closely with a western developer to bring a ‘vintage title’ to the 360. The developer in question is US-based Secret Level, of Star Wars Jedi Jetfighter fame, but what the game will be is anyone’s guess. Keen fans desperate for a conclusion to jump to might remember those grainy E3 images of some of SEGA’s best known franchises running on Xbox 360: Virtua Fighter, Afterburner, House of the Dead and, of course, Sonic. Of these four, taking into account that it’s been shelved the longest and Secret Level’s jetfighter pedigree, we’d think that Afterburner would be the most likely.
Let's not forget that the Japan-wooing Xbox conference takes place this month, and what better way to win Tokyo hearts than with strong support from one of their best-loved companies? More next-gen SEGA news as it breaks.
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Comments
Vin 8 Jul 2005 11:39
1/9
The new dreamcast?
A comment, no doubt made by angst 'tendo fans.
A comment, no doubt made by angst 'tendo fans.
kid_77 8 Jul 2005 11:53
2/9
I bet ol' billy is just DYING to have another DC on his hands!
Seriously, what a pointless comparison.
As for some updated SEGA classics? I just hope they do a better job than PS2 Altered Beast... by all accounts a complete waste of IP.
Seriously, what a pointless comparison.
As for some updated SEGA classics? I just hope they do a better job than PS2 Altered Beast... by all accounts a complete waste of IP.
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The_Moss 8 Jul 2005 12:21
3/9
Altered Beast on PS2 is totally faithful to the original.
They both suck.
They both suck.
Joji 8 Jul 2005 12:53
4/9
If remaking a classic I'd reckon it'd be out of either Nights, Rad Mobile, Eswat, Super Thunderblade, Super Monaco or Alien Storm. All these are yet to be updated.
config 8 Jul 2005 13:13
5/9
Always loved Power Drift myself, though without the innovative sprite-based 3D it'd just be another fish in the sea of street racers.
fluffstardx 8 Jul 2005 13:17
6/9
Hoping for Thunderblade... if they've done flying games it's that, Afterburner or NiGHTS. I'd prefer the latter to be pure Sonic Team again, though, so hopefully the two former.
TwoADay 8 Jul 2005 13:44
7/9
I don't know if this IP is technically Capcom or Sega (I think it MAY be capcom though - The credits copyright capcom, and sega for "reprogramming")
But bring back Forgotten Worlds. Simplistic? yes. Great Mindless fun? definately.
But bring back Forgotten Worlds. Simplistic? yes. Great Mindless fun? definately.
NiktheGreek 8 Jul 2005 14:50
8/9
Of course, as much as Secret Level has going for it to suggest that it's doing Afterburner, just as much can go against it.
The trailer also showed a new House of the Dead game, which has just come off location test in Japan as House of the Dead 4 despite looking less complete than Afterburner at E3. Like House of the Dead and Virtua Fighter, Afterburner is predominantly an arcade property and Secret Level has no experience that I'm aware of in this market. Also, it has been stated by Sega that Secret Level is creating the game for Xbox 360 and PS3.
We don't even know what technology was behind those demos, with it being just as likely to be an Xbox 360 or equivalent arcade board as it is the next generation of Sega's PowerVR-based arcade boards.
Linking Secret Level to Afterburner seems a bit like adding two and two to make five, at this point.
The trailer also showed a new House of the Dead game, which has just come off location test in Japan as House of the Dead 4 despite looking less complete than Afterburner at E3. Like House of the Dead and Virtua Fighter, Afterburner is predominantly an arcade property and Secret Level has no experience that I'm aware of in this market. Also, it has been stated by Sega that Secret Level is creating the game for Xbox 360 and PS3.
We don't even know what technology was behind those demos, with it being just as likely to be an Xbox 360 or equivalent arcade board as it is the next generation of Sega's PowerVR-based arcade boards.
Linking Secret Level to Afterburner seems a bit like adding two and two to make five, at this point.
LUPOS 9 Jul 2005 14:11
9/9
NiktheGreek wrote:
We don't even know what technology was behind those demos, with it being just as likely to be an Xbox 360 or equivalent arcade board as it is the next generation of Sega's PowerVR-based arcade boards.
when the lady demoing the sega presentation moved the camera in real time it looked liek she was holding a 360 controller... may not have been, hard to tell from where i was sitting but the color was definitley that fo the nextbox.
________