Dramcast should have retreated to Europe

[Psycho Fox]

Well why not the SMS retreated to Europe and thrived so why did Sega pull the plug totaly on the Dreamcast when it could have retreated to Europe.

[Sandro]

I think this was something that Sega had wanted to do for a while. I mean, after the bomb that was Sega Saturn and with Dreamcast not doing terribly well, Sega probably just felt that it was time to move on.

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by Sandro885
I think this was something that Sega had wanted to do for a while. I mean, after the bomb that was Sega Saturn and with Dreamcast not doing terribly well, Sega probably just felt that it was time to move on. Yhea but the SMS was able to survive in a mostly europe only enviorment till the end of the 16-bit era and people in Japan in North America was able to import SMS games from Europe. Dreamcast like the SMS was popular in Europe it could have held the 3rd or if they tried hard 2nd spot. Is Sega could hold onto 2nd or 3rd place in Europe till the end of the generation then they want to release another machine it would go much farther.

[Sandro]

I don't think a third or even second place in sales would be enough to convince Sega to make another machine. Sega couldn't pass up the chance to sell another system, if they would've made one, in Japan and North America; after all, that's where the biggest sales in video games are.

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by Sandro885
I don't think a third or even second place in sales would be enough to convince Sega to make another machine. Sega couldn't pass up the chance to sell another system, if they would've made one, in Japan and North America; after all, that's where the biggest sales in video games are. It was enough for Sega to make the Genny after SMS's survival in Europe and Sega's horrible SG-1000,SC-3000 and SF-7000 totaly bombed in all markets and Sega still came out with the SMS. Not too mention they could do what they did during the SMS days and port to all machines including their own.

[meatwad945]

Originally posted by Psycho Fox
Well why not the SMS retreated to Europe and thrived so why did Sega pull the plug totaly on the Dreamcast when it could have retreated to Europe.


simply put segas hardware has always been good but never sold but they make the best games. so they decided to just make games because they will get mo'money this way.

they had huge plans for the dreamcast if it got big example if you have one flip it upside down and look there are 4 holes for expansion purposes

[Sandro]

It was enough for Sega to make the Genny after SMS's survival in Europe and Sega's horrible SG-1000,SC-3000 and SF-7000 totaly bombed in all markets and Sega still came out with the SMS.

This was how many years ago? The market is quite bigger now and Japan and North America are opportunities that Sega just can't pass up. This alone is probably the reason they switched to being a third-party game developer, just for money reasons. Apparently to them, it was more profitable to make games rather than entire systems. I can't really blame them; can you?

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by Sandro885
This was how many years ago? The market is quite bigger now and Japan and North America are opportunities that Sega just can't pass up. This alone is probably the reason they switched to being a third-party game developer, just for money reasons. Apparently to them, it was more profitable to make games rather than entire systems. I can't really blame them; can you? Well SMS was in '85 aginst the NES and the other where before the videogame crash. There is no reason why Sega can't be a third party while supporting a system of their own.

[SilverKnight]

Originally posted by Psycho Fox
Well SMS was in '85 aginst the NES and the other where before the videogame crash. There is no reason why Sega can't be a third party while supporting a system of their own. Oh yes, my friend, there is a very good reason.

MONEY.

More importantly, the lack of it.

Let me make an analogy. It's not a very good analogy, but hopefully it will suffice. Let's say there's a lemon tree growing in your yard. A big, huge lemon tree. Being the money-wise person you are, you decide to pick those lemons and make a lemonade stand, selling each cup for 25 cents.

Now, there are other lemonade stands, each of which are doing far better than yours. After all the time it takes to pick those lemons, make the lemonade and get it ready, the other three have already sold five dollars worth. Sure, people buy yours, which is just as good as the others, but you keep lagging behind in the cashflow area.

Now, what would be more profitable? Closing up shop and then selling your lemons to the other three stands for 25 cents a piece, which saves you the time of making the lemonade and getting it ready to sell and allows you to spend all your time just picking the lemons and selling them to your clients, or continue struggling with your lemonade stand, knowing that they'll always turn up more money than you.

This analogy is better known as, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Sega probably figured they couldn't be able to beat them in profits, so might as well try and get a piece of the pie. Works for me; I still get sweet Sega games.

Hope that answers your question.

[Sandro]

That's actually a very good analogy, SilverKnight. Yes, it's all about the money. Sega would rather stay alive in some respect rather than crashing and burning entirely.

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by Sandro
That's actually a very good analogy, SilverKnight. Yes, it's all about the money. Sega would rather stay alive in some respect rather than crashing and burning entirely. I think Sega totaly lost its "were doing our own thing" attitude that put them on the map in the first place. They were the only company on the planet that was pushing a video game system during the video game crash. They even started work on the SG-1000 II during the crash. They even abandoned their foothold in the computer industry (that wasn't bad for a start and at the time experts though computers would replace the video game system ;) ) to push foward in video game systems during a time when no one was making any money on them and even Atari was trowing in the towel. They would have dominated the industry too if Nintendo didn't beat them to the punch.

If Sega just stuck to what was profitable and didn't take huge risks there would be no SMS, no Genny, no saturn no Dreamcast since the only hardware Sega would be making now would be arcade boards. You got to remeber it took Sega took from '81 till the 90's before they got their investments back. Sega's old way of doing things might have made stock holders mad but was great for gamers :cool: