Press release: 2001-01-31: Sega to focus on content strengths to become the world's leading publisher of interactive entertainment

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega Europe

NEWS RELEASE

31st January 2001

Sega Enterprises Ltd

EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 HOURS 31.1.01

Sega to focus on content strengths to become the world's leading publisher of interactive entertainment
Sega Europe today announced it would restructure the company to focus solely on videogame content, an area that has been Sega's biggest strength for more than 40 years. Sega will unveil a two-pronged approach, becoming a platform-neutral third party videogame publisher for game consoles and providing the powerful Dreamcast chip-set technology to a range of devices, including the PACE Micro Technologies set-top box. By embracing technologies such as Java, Sega will also be taking advantage of different publishing channels and will deliver Sega games to Palm handheld computers and Motorola cellular phones. With this new strategy, Sega will be significantly broadening its market of consumer purchasers, while dramatically expanding its revenue possibilities.

"Sega has always been an industry innovator," said Kazutoshi Miyake, Sega Europe's Chief Operating Officer. "Our new strategy will allow us to put our software content across a variety of platforms, keeping Sega at the forefront of gaming."

The first Sega games to be available on other game consoles this year will include Space Channel 5 for PlayStation 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog Advance for Game Boy Advance. Sega is also currently analysing other videogame consoles and will make further announcements regarding partnerships shortly. Sega plans to ship more than 100 games for Dreamcast worldwide, 30 for other videogame consoles and a number of games for other Internet devices by March 2002.

To support Dreamcast consumers, many of the Dreamcast games shipping in Europe will include best-selling franchises, such as Sonic Adventure 2 and Crazy Taxi 2, among others. Dreamcast gamers can also enjoy the current library of more than 200 games including hits such as Shenmue, which sold more than 300,000 copies in just three months and Metropolis Street Racer, described as "one of the finest racers ever released on any format".

"We have a lot of quality titles due out over the next year, including stunning titles such as Phantasy Star Online, Headhunter and Black & White. There is plenty of good gaming to look forward to on Dreamcast," continued Mr Miyake.

Sega has more than 40 years of experience in developing videogame content, with thousands of Sega developers worldwide creating quality games. With a greatly expanded installed base provided by other videogame consoles, combined with the world's best development talent and renowned game creators - including Yu Suzuki (creator of the Shenmue and the Virtua Fighter series), Yuji Naka (creator of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Samba de Amigo and the Phantasy Star Online series) and Tetsuya Mizuguchi (creator of Space Channel 5 and the Sega Rally series) - Sega is well positioned to surpass companies such as Nintendo and Sony in terms of worldwide software sales.

Sega will leverage its powerful Dreamcast technology and other technologies such as Java to further the objective of putting Sega games virtually everywhere. To that end, Sega has announced strategic partnerships with Palm, a pioneer in the field of mobile and wireless Internet solutions and a leading provider of handheld computers, and another with Pace, a UK-based set-top box company. Under the deal with Palm, Sega will provide both on and offline games for Palm and Palm wireless PDAs. Sega has licensed the Dreamcast technology to Pace, which is creating a set-top box that will play Dreamcast games. The set-top box will have a hard drive and Internet connectivity. Additionally, Sega also announced late last year that the company would bring Java-based games to Motorola phones during 2001.