Tag: SEGA

Retro Remake founder Taki Udon recently announced the SuperStation One, a gaming console designed with the PlayStation's aesthetics and built on an FPGA architecture. It boasts the ability to play PlayStation games, as well as titles from the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and SEGA Saturn platforms. The SuperStation One comes in gray, black, and translucent blue. It supports traditional VGA analog output, as well as AV, component, and HDMI outputs. For audio, it supports optical output or headphones via a 3.5mm headphone jack. The controller connects via USB-A. Retro Remake also offers the SuperDock expansion dock, providing four additional USB-A ports and allowing the use of optical discs. It has 64GB of built-in storage and supports expansion with an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD. Designed using the MiSTer open-source project based on FPGA architecture, the SuperStation One is compatible with PlayStation platform games and also supports games from the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and SEGA Saturn platforms, with no regional version restrictions. The SuperStation One will be priced at $179.99 and is expected to launch before the fourth quarter of this year. The Founder's Edition, priced at $149.99, is already sold out. Introducing the SuperStation One. An open-source PS1 FPGA gaming console that...

SEGA recently announced a new player account system, allowing players to connect with all SEGA and Atlus games and directly share game news, updates, and promotional information. This account system is free to apply for, and SEGA will offer additional rewards to encourage registration. For example, the first wave of rewards includes a downloadable special costume for Kazuma Kiryu in *Yakuza 8: The Pirates of Hawaii*, expected to launch in February and redeemable by all players who create a SEGA account before March 7th. While slower than other game companies, SEGA clearly wants to follow the development model of building a larger service experience through player accounts, allowing players to synchronize game progress, connect more game data, and even facilitate more player interactions. SEGA also revealed that it will provide more application services and functions through the player account system in the future, thereby increasing player engagement and interaction.

Following the announcement at The Game Awards 2024 that a completely new Virtua Fighter title, *New Virtua Fighter*, would be developed by Yakuza Studios, SEGA provided further details via a VF Direct 2024 livestream. *New Virtua Fighter* will be led by Riichiro Yamada, the producer behind titles such as *SEGA New Creative Club* and *Devil's Tribe*. He emphasized that the new game will focus on innovation and realism, aiming to be the most innovative fighting game ever made. While specific details are still unavailable, Yamada confirmed that characters like Akira Yuuki and Sarah Bryan, featured in the trailer and later introduced characters, will be presented with greater detail and realism. A brand-new fighting system will also be added, allowing players to become more immersed in the combat. Alongside the announcement of the new title, SEGA also announced *Virtua Fighting 5 REVO*, a Steam-exclusive version of *Virtua Fighting 5: Ultimate Showdown*, featuring adjustments and upgrades. These upgrades include tweaks to numerous moves and animations, the addition of new combos and attack effects, and a 30th-anniversary edition that will include many design elements from the game's development process. The balance and move updates will also be provided as a 2.0 version of the previously released *Virtua Fighting 5: Ultimate Showdown*, allowing more players to enjoy a fresh experience. SEGA also plans to host a global tournament for *Virtua Fighting 5 REVO*, scheduled for Spring 2025, and it will be one of the official titles at EVO Japan 2025, held at Tokyo Big Sight from May 9th to 11th. Furthermore, SEGA plans to reveal more information about the *Virtua Fighting* series at Frosty Faustings XVII 2025, held in Chicago from January 23rd to 26th next year. SEGA also announced the release of the Classic Edition of Virtua Frontier 2 for Xbox and PC, and the Collector's Edition of Virtua Frontier 5: Ultimate Showdown for PlayStation 4 and PC, which are expected to be available for pre-order starting today.

In an earlier interview with the UK website VGC, Justin Scarpone, Managing Executive Officer and Head of the Multimedia Business Division at SEGA, revealed that the company has already begun developing a new title in the Virtua Fighter series. ▲Virtua Fighter eSports, released in 2021, is an enhanced version of Virtua Fighter 5. Besides Virtua Fighter, Scarpone also revealed that SEGA is currently working on several classic game titles, including the previously announced Crazy Taxi, as well as remakes or new versions of classic games such as Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, and Shinobi. In addition to game content, SEGA also plans to invest in the production of anime and live-action films based on its games, thereby maximizing the revenue generated from game content. As for the upcoming new title, *Virtua Fighter*, it was first released in 1993 as an arcade game and became the world's first 3D fighting game, creating a realistic combat experience through 3D environments. ▲Released in 1993, *Virtua Fighter*, while its 3D technology differed significantly from today's designs, garnered considerable attention for its emphasis on 3D combat, a feature predominantly presented in 2D side-scrolling fighting games at the time. Furthermore, the martial arts used by the characters, such as Bajiquan, were meticulously researched, unlike most fighting games at the time which used 2D side-scrolling graphics. It also featured a variety of projectile attacks and emphasized close-quarters combat, incorporating blocking, counter-attacks, and lateral movement for dodging. Upon release, it attracted many players, leading to subsequent sequels and even an appearance on the esports scene. However, since the release of Virtua Frontier 5 in 2006, SEGA has mainly focused on porting the series to different game console platforms or releasing ported remakes. It is not yet possible to confirm whether the content announced for this project is the Virtua Frontier 6 that players are looking forward to.

SEGA's Yakuza Studio recently announced that it will be releasing a new action-adventure game, *Yakuza 8: Pirates of Hawaii*, on February 28, 2025, starring Goro Majima, a popular character from the *Yakuza* series. The game is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC (via Steam). *Yakuza 8: Pirates of Hawaii* continues the storyline of *Yakuza 7: Heroes Without a Name*, with Goro Majima as the protagonist. The producer is Masayoshi Yokoyama, Executive Director and Head of the Game Content and Services Division, and head of Yakuza Studio. The game's theme is "pirates," and with Goro Majima as the protagonist, it continues the fast-paced and visually stunning combat style of the *Yakuza* series, adding a new jumping skill for a different gameplay experience. The combat system allows players to switch between two fighting styles: "Mad Dog" and "Pirate." The former showcases Goro Majima's fighting style, known as "Shimano's Mad Dog," featuring unarmed attacks such as punches and kicks, as well as attacks using Majima's signature dagger. The "Pirate" style, introduced in the new title, allows for dual-wielding attacks or combat with pirate weapons such as firearms, ropes, and boomerangs. The game is set in Hawaii, where players can travel by boat to various islands, including Hawaii, Rich Island, and Crazy Landis. Players can explore various entertainment venues, challenge side stories, and even encounter pirates and gangsters. Features from previous installments, such as "Crazy Delivery," "Dress Up," and "Karaoke," will also appear in this title, along with a new "Minato Ward Girl" experience focused on finding true love.

Similar to the current trend of video games being adapted into movies or TV series, SEGA has partnered with Amazon's Prime Video to launch its original series, *Yakuza: Beyond the Game* (龍が如く～Beyond the Game～, Like a Dragon: Yakuza), and released a trailer during the recent San Diego Comic-Con. *Yakuza: Beyond the Game* is set in the fictional city of Kamurocho, the setting of the *Yakuza* series, and features the protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. It tells a completely new story through an original narrative, exploring content not previously presented in the games. The role of Kazuma Kiryu is played by Ryoma Takeuchi, known for his roles in *Shitamachi Rocket*, *The Girl Who Leapt Through Time*, and *Encounter in a World Where Time Stops*, while the director is Masaharu Take, who previously directed *The Naked Director* (AV Emperor). Following the release of the trailer, Amazon confirmed that *Yakuza: Beyond the Game* will be available on Prime Video on October 25th of this year. In conjunction with the upcoming release of *Yakuza: Beyond the Game*, SEGA has announced a bundle of *Yakuza* titles available at a discounted price through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Steam. This bundle includes three titles from the *Yakuza* series...

SEGA's acquisition of Finnish game company Rovio, announced in April of this year, has now been officially completed. SEGA acquired approximately 93.6% of Rovio's shares, with the actual transaction amount being approximately US$7.76 million. As SEGA President Harunori Satomi previously stated, the acquisition of Rovio Entertainment Oyj will ensure SEGA's development capabilities in the mobile game market, while also attracting more player support through games such as Angry Birds. On the other hand, as SEGA begins to expand its content assets beyond games, it is expected to leverage Rovio's Angry Birds series to expand into film, television series, or licensed themed merchandise and stores. However, whether new Angry Birds games will be released subsequently, or whether products will be launched that combine with SEGA's existing content assets, remains uncertain. However, after generating considerable profits from the Angry Birds series of games and its derivative animations and films, Rovio hasn't released any particularly memorable titles since. Even subsequent Angry Birds games haven't achieved the same level of popularity as the original games. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether SEGA will change this situation after acquiring Rovio.

Following its announcement last November of GAME DOSI, a one-stop Web 3.0 blockchain game platform, LINE NEXT, a subsidiary of LINE, recently announced a collaboration with SEGA in Japan. The collaboration will leverage SEGA's game assets to create Web 3.0 blockchain games. While details of the games to be released have not yet been announced, it is confirmed that they will be distributed through the GAME DOSI platform. GAME DOSI, launched last year, primarily utilizes LINE's blockchain technology to simplify the process of creating blockchain games for developers. It emphasizes the ability to create engaging and entertaining game content using a series of resources, without the hassle of decentralization or the complexities of crypto assets. GAME DOSI also emphasizes an intuitive and user-friendly interface, boasting a simplified entry point for acquiring and trading in-game items. Furthermore, it provides a convenient solution for game developers to design Web 3.0 games using blockchain technology and build interactive communities.

In response to recent testimony from Microsoft facing charges from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which revealed plans to acquire SEGA, SEGA Vice President and COO Shūfumi Utsumi emphasized that the company would not be sold. Prior to this, Microsoft had internally indicated it was considering acquiring SEGA, hoping to leverage SEGA's assets in developing and publishing series such as *Sonic the Hedgehog*, *Yakuza*, and *Persona* to expand the appeal of Xbox Game Pass content and gain more opportunities in the Asian market. Utsumi's response stressed that SEGA would not be sold, but did not address whether Microsoft had made an acquisition offer to SEGA, only stating that the two companies maintain a good cooperative relationship. Besides SEGA, internal documents presented in the testimony also indicated that Square Enix was another target for Microsoft's acquisition plans, but no further action was taken.

Update: The documents also reveal that Microsoft had planned to acquire Square Enix, similarly to boost Xbox Game Pass. In documents filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission alleging that Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard violated market monopoly regulations, it was shown that Microsoft internally proposed acquiring Japanese game developer SEGA. The documents show that Xbox head Phil Spencer wrote to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood, suggesting that Microsoft acquire SEGA. This internal letter was sent in November 2020. Phil Spencer believed that SEGA's game portfolio was popular in global markets and would help drive the growth of Xbox Game Pass. Since SEGA owns well-known titles such as *Sonic the Hedgehog* and *Yakuza*, which are popular not only in Asia but also in Europe and America, Phil Spencer expected that acquiring SEGA would increase the richness of Xbox games and meet the gaming needs of players in various global markets. However, Microsoft did not subsequently make any moves to acquire SEGA. Instead, it acquired ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda, and acquired Activision Blizzard for $678 billion. Prior to this, Microsoft had also considered acquiring Nintendo, and had planned to acquire Bungie, the developer of games like "Halo" and "Destiny" (later acquired by Sony), IO Interactive, the developer of the "Assassin's Creed" series, and Zynga, the developer of many smaller games (acquired by Take-Two Interactive). These were all on Microsoft's list of potential acquisition targets.