Articles By Bumper

OK, we have more business news regarding Sega right here from FGN:

Japanese Internet investor Softbank has started a joint venture with Sega to distribute games through high-speed Internet networks.

The new company, Xsido Corp, will offer to Internet service providers (ISPs) game titles as well as a device that makes the software available to users irrespective of the specifications of their PC or game console.

"We are betting on growth in demand for online contents with broadband services via ADSL fast Internet access becoming more popular," said Xsido's marketing director, Hitoshi Kaneko.

Sounds very odd... I guess we may find out more soon...

Source: FGN Online

FGN has the following news on the capabilities of this new Link-Up thing with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and Sonic Advance:

The titles can exchange data between them which can be played separately. The core idea is based around the artificial life form - 'Chao', who can be brought up and transferred between the two games. They change both appearance and personality in accordance with the way they are bought up. A demonstration of the link-up capabilities is planned for the Tokyo Game Show 2001 Autumn.

Hmmm...

Source: FGN Online

Interesting news from Gaming Age:

Today, Sega of Japan and Bandai announced that Sega will begin bringing titles to the Wonderswan Color. The first title to hit Bandai's little handheld, will be a port of the arcade and Genesis classic, Golden Axe. Sega will be allowing Bandai to handle development of the game, but they will still play a part in it.

Source: Gaming Age

Sonic Team has released a page for the PC Version of Phastasy Star Online. It has screens and info, and you may check it out here, as long as you can translate Japanese for the info.

Source: SwirlVision

Great news for PC Sega fans:

Sega announced today that they will be porting Phantasy Star Online to the PC. It will hit PCs in Japan by the end of this year, and probably the US as well, since it supports 7 languages. The 2 new languages it supports are Chinese and Korean.

Source: SwirlVision

Ladies and gentlemen, as I type this, surely you know of the grave tragedy that happened in New York City and Washington today. If not, the short of it is that two planes crashed into the World Trade Centre today in NYC, and the Pentagon in Washington in a terrorist attack. The towers collasped, in which tens of thousands work every day, and west wing of the Pentagon is destroyed. On behalf of the entire HQ staff, we'd like to express our condolences and sorrow for what has happened today, and offer our thoughts and prayers for the families, and the victims.

I found a lot of Sega Sports related news today, so I figured I'd just do it all in one posting.

First off, let's start with the offical announcement from the Sega Sports Summit that Sega Sports has announced the expansion of it's franchise to other platforms, to reflect the company's non-platform specific position.

"The launch of multiple Sega Sports titles across all four platforms is a testament to Sega's immersive content and winning gameplay," said Peter Moore, president and COO, Sega of America. "We've seen overwhelming support for our evolution from a hardware maker to a third party publisher, and this acceptance by all platforms puts us clearly on the path to becoming the leading publisher in the industry. We are committed to making that goal a reality."

"Every Sega Sports title is developed with a passion for building groundbreaking videogames, which translates into a gaming experience that is unparalleled," said Greg Thomas, president, Visual Concepts, a member of the Sega group. "To be able to bring that same experience to more gamers is a developer's dream come true."

The complete Sega Sports roster of next generation titles includes (in order of launch):

* "Sega Sports(tm) World Series? Baseball 2K2" with Boston Red Sox? Pitcher Pedro Martinez (Sega Dreamcast* - launched in August 2001)

* "Sega Sports(tm) NCAA? College Football 2K2" with Heisman* Trophy Finalist Drew Brees (Sega Dreamcast* - launched in August 2001)

* "Sega Sports(tm) NFL 2K2" with Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Randy Moss (Sega Dreamcast*, PlayStation*2, Xbox*)

* "Sega Sports(tm) NBA 2K2" with Philadelphia 76ers Guard Allen Iverson (Sega Dreamcast*, PlayStation*2, Xbox*, NINTENDO GAMECUBE*)

* "Sega Sports(tm) Tennis 2K2" with Venus Williams and Serena Williams (Sega Dreamcast*, PlayStation*2)

* "Sega Sports(tm) NHL? 2K2" with Colorado Avalanche* Center and 2001 Stanley Cup* winner Chris Drury (Sega Dreamcast*)

Now, for the press release that brings news that Sega Sports has revealed further details on their advertising campaign:

NEW YORK - Sega Sports Summit - (September 6, 2001) - A monumental day in video gaming is approaching! The Sega Sports* games that were so revolutionary on Sega Dreamcast* will now be unleashed onto other next generation platforms. Sega Sports, the brand that continues to set new standards in sports gaming, announced today further details surrounding the $20 million marketing campaign for the Sega Sports brand. As the company nears opening season for the fall launch of the 2K2 series sports games, including the highly anticipated and top-selling "Sega Sports* NFL 2K2" for the PlayStation?2 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, Sega Dreamcast* and the Xbox(tm) video game system from Microsoft?, Sega Sports is armed with an arsenal of strategic marketing elements that will effectively convey the Sega Sports key message. Very soon, Sega Sports fans will see the brand everywhere through marketing efforts including an expansive print and broadcast advertising campaign, promotions with key retailers, launch of a new website exclusively for Sega Sports and consumer promotions at major sporting events. This strategic marketing onslaught will ensure that consumers nationwide will know that Sega Sports is the leading brand in sports gaming.

The marketing campaign for Sega Sports is aimed to hit the nerve of sports gaming enthusiasts and sports fans alike. Building upon the strength of this 10 year-old brand that started with favorites such as "Joe Montana Football*" in the days of Sega Genesis*, Sega Sports is continuing to break the barriers in sports gaming with unparalleled authenticity. Key to Sega Sports is a truly emotional element devoid in other sports gaming brands. Bringing new levels of competition to sports gameplay with features such as online gameplay, the Sega Sports 2K2 line-up will attract sports gamers who like to kick ass and brag about it.

"Sega Sports is a brand that has set the benchmark for quality sports gaming for more than a decade. Now, we are ready to take our quality titles to the next level as a platform agnostic third party publisher of great sports games," said Chris Gilbert, executive vice president of marketing, Sega of America. "When we say Sega Sports will bring 'all key sports to all key platforms,' we want consumers to know there is a choice. And once they get a taste of what Sega Sports delivers, there will be no turning back."

Advertising, Promotions and Events
Created by Leagas Delaney, San Francisco, Sega Sports will debut three new and compelling brand television spots that will raise awareness of the Sega Sports' brand essence and titles, while emphasizing the company's foray into multiplatform development. Launching during the first Monday Night Football game on September 17, and running throughout the fourth quarter on many national networks, the two Sega Sports "brand anthem" television spots and the "Sega Sports NFL 2K2" spot will convey to consumers the depth of emotion that goes into playing Sega Sports' reality-infused games. The Sega Sports television brand ad will be followed up by numerous Sega Sports title spots, in addition to a hard-hitting print campaign that will run in all publications key to reaching the Sega Sports consumer and beyond.

Additionally, Sega Sports will take over the airwaves with a number of radio spots and product give-aways. With an aggressive media buy, Sega Sports will be everywhere.

Key to the marketing program for Sega Sports are promotional opportunities with mass-market vehicles. Sega Sports is continuing to secure large-scale consumer promotions to raise awareness of the brand and the Sega Sports titles. A number of Sega Sports promotions are lined up with key retailers, professional sports teams, radio stations nationwide, and many more. In addition, Sega Sports will have sponsorships at a number of key events this year, including the SuperBowl and will conduct an aggressive sampling campaign at a number of high-trafficked locations.

Finally, the press release that announces that Sega Sports will become the title sponsor for the Las Vegas Bowl:

NEW YORK - Sega Sports Summit - (September 6, 2001) - One of the biggest bowl games is now getting one of the biggest names in sports video gaming. Sega Sports(, the brand that continues to set new standards in sports gaming, today announced that they will be teaming up with the Las Vegas Bowl as the title sponsor for the bowl game which will be held on Christmas Day. Dubbed the "Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl," this sponsorship puts Sega Sports in the same category as other renowned bowl sponsors such as Nokia and Tostitos(. This sponsorship is all part of an aggressive new Sega Sports brand marketing campaign that is aimed to target gaming enthusiasts and sports fans alike.

The Las Vegas Bowl presents numerous opportunities for Sega Sports to reach its core audience. As the title sponsor of the Las Vegas Bowl, Sega Sports will be incorporated into the official bowl logo and receive on-site exposure via signage, program advertising, VIP/hospitality packages and other in-game promotional elements. Sega Sports will also receive television inventory and be recognized as the title sponsor on ABC's telecast of the Las Vegas Bowl.

Last year's Las Vegas Bowl was played before a record crowd of 29,112 and a national television audience on ESPN 2. The game was the second highest rated bowl game in the network's history. Recently, the bowl signed a multi-year agreement with ABC Sports to televise the game.

"With the strong television ratings and captive audience that this bowl has enjoyed in the past, the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl will allow us to speak directly to thousands of our sports gaming consumers," said Chris Gilbert, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Sega of America. "This, along with many other elements of our marketing mix, will help the Sega Sports message 'be everywhere' during our industry's biggest selling season - the fourth quarter and early Q1."

"We are delighted to announce the partnership with Sega Sports. Every year we search for ways to elevate the stature of the Las Vegas Bowl, and this sponsorship is an important component in our growth," said Tina Kunzer-Murphy, Las Vegas Bowl executive director. "Partnering with such a recognizable and dynamic property as Sega Sports will add a new dimension to the Las Vegas Bowl for the next two years."

"We are pleased to have Sega Sports as the title of the Las Vegas Bowl and join us in our mutual commitment to bring this event the national exposure we believe it deserves," said Chuck Gerber, executive vice president and general manager of ESPN Regional.

ABC Sports will air the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl live from Sam Boyd Stadium at 12:30 p.m. PST on Monday, Dec.25, 2001. This game will match the fifth selection from the Pac-10 Conference against the second selection from the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

For more information on the Las Vegas Bowl, visit the official website at www.lvbowl.com. To learn more about Sega Sports, visit www.segasports.com.

Whew... there you go. All the Sega Sports news you can handle for a day.

Source: SwirlVision

The following is from FGN:

Sega has revealed its aim to grab a 15 percent share of the consumer game software market in Japan and the U.S. in the 2003/04 business year.

"Our goal is to become the world's largest game software provider," Chief Operating Officer Tetsu Kayama told Reuters.

Sega aims to sell 35 million units of game software globally in 2003/04 -- 15 million in the States, 10 million in Japan and 10 million in Europe.

15% in two years... should be fun...

Source: FGN Online

In order to help focus on their new stance on software, Sega has its marketing teams into two divisions:

...Sega is expanding its marketing organization into two focused divisions -- Sports and Entertainment properties.

The company has announced the addition of former Namco member Mike Fischer to the Sega marketing team. As group director of product marketing for the Entertainment division, Fischer will be responsible for managing all strategic and outbound marketing efforts for all of Sega's character-based, action, adventure, role-playing, fighting, driving and puzzle games.

"Sega is making a major commitment to our marketing efforts in North America by expanding our marketing organization and brining in professionals with the expertise to succeed in the competitive video game industry," said Peter Moore, president and chief operating officer, Sega of America. "Fischer has the strength, depth and experience to oversee all of our Entertainment products and he will be a critical member of our team as we transition our company into the leading publisher of interactive entertainment."

Sega also announced a new position for Charles Bellfield. Formerly vice president of corporate and marketing communications for Sega, he will now serve as vice president of business strategy and corporate affairs, responsible for corporate communications, strategic planning and the management of investor relations with Sega Corporation in Japan.

This should help get Sega's titles more into the mainstream knowledge.

Source: FGN Online

Planetweb has released an updated version of the Dreamcast Web Browser, which now adds Instant Messaging and Broadbad Support to it's list of capabilities.

"Planetweb is proud to continue our support for Dreamcast fans by delivering an updated browser including broadband support and the latest in Internet technology," said Ken Soohoo, president and CEO of Planetweb. "We maintain a long-standing relationship with Sega and will continue to provide the latest and most advanced features to the Dreamcast community."

The new browser can be purchased directly on the net from Planetweb.

Source: FGN Online