Tot onze grote verbazing werd het internet gisteren stampvol met geruchten geplaatst. Geruchten over Sega, die volgens veel nieuwsbronnen stoppen met het produceren van de Dreamcast en verder door het leven gaan als gamesontwikkelaar voor Sony's PlayStation2 en Nintendo's Gameboy Advance. De Dreamcast is dus dood, althans dat zijn de geruchten.Sega To Stop Making Dreamcast; Supply Games To Rivals
Sega Corp. has decided to cease production of the Dreamcast game console by the end of March, and concentrate its resources on the development and marketing of home game software, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun learned Tuesday.
In fiscal 2000, Sega is expected to bleed red ink on a consolidated net basis for a fourth straight year. The company aims to reverse its fortunes by halting production of the Dreamcast console, its main source of lo es. Since its debut, the Dreamcast's cumulative global shipments have totaled around 6 million units -- far below Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s PlayStation2, whose shipments reached more than 6.3 million units within 10 months.
Beginning in fiscal 2001, the company will no longer accept new orders for the Dreamcast, instead only a embling units from parts in inventory. In fiscal 2001, Sega will continue to market the console, but expects to halt sales once its inventory is exhausted. Sega will continue to develop and market software for the Dreamcast, and anticipates selling about 100 titles for the unit in fiscal 2001.
Sega's home game busine , which encompa es both consoles and software, generates some 40% of its consolidated revenue. The company will now step up its efforts in the highly profitable field of game software, intending to have its home game busine specialize in that area.
Sega aims to supply titles to rival game console manufacturers Nintendo Co. and Sony Computer Entertainment as well as through such media as mobile phones and the Internet.
Sega is already working on developing games for the PlayStation2, for which it will likely supply at least five titles. The company is also slated to produce about two titles for Nintendo's portable Game Boy Advance console, due out at the end of March.
De reden omdat we dit niet gisteren hebben geplaatst is simpel, de geruchten waren toen in een nogal vroeg stadium. Toen we dan ook vanochtend rondkeken op het net voor nieuwere informatie, kwamen we een bericht van CNN tegen:
"Despite several published reports, Sega of America Inc. denied Tuesday that it will be ceasing production of its Dreamcast video game console, adding that suggestions the company would produce software for its competitors were also misleading.
A statement from Charles Bellfield, Sega of America's vice president of marketing and communications, said while the company has a policy of not commenting on rumors, it "has not made any statement regarding ceasing manufacturing of Dreamcast or development of other video game platforms.
"Sega of America stated today that the company globally reaffirms its commitment to Dreamcast," the statement reads. "In fact, Sega has more than 100 games worldwide coming out for the platform next year." "
Nu worden de geruchten weer ontkent, maar wat is er nu waar? En wat wordt de toekomst van Sega? In diverse nieuwsgroepen kwamen we al tegen dat Sega de chip die in de Dreamcast verwerkt is, voortaan in verschillende DVD spelers wil plaatsen, dit kost ze dus lang niet zoveel productie kosten. Ook dit zijn geruchten.
Gisteren kwamen we ook al het nieuws van Sega tegen, dat zij gaan ontwikkelen voor de PlayStation2, allemaal geruchten. Of ze waar zijn weten we niet, maar we houden jullie op de hoogte. We verwachten zelf dat Sega binnenkort een officiële aankondiging doet, Dreamcast dood of niet? Laten we hopen van niet.