Sega restructuring in US, Europe

[Lyric]

This...may be prudent considering a lot of people are hoping for a US release of PSO2. Sega is re-thinking their western business strategy evidently, and cancelling a few games (unnamed as of yet) stateside. This could possibly impact phantasy star releases in the future.

http://m.ign.com/articles/1221993

[CelestialBlade]

Certainly foreboding; we'll just have to wait and see. Fortunately the article states that they want to focus on digitally distributed content, which is what PSO2 has become, so there's no reason to begin condemning anything. I'm not sure just how much localization can cost a company, but at least distribution and packaging won't be potential financial losses for a region 1 release.

[Ithildin]

Yeah I read that earlier. It is worrying. Let's just hope They still think they can make money from a Western PSO-2 release.

[Rizen]

I'm pretty sure they know they can have some success with PSO2 here seeing that there is demand for it over here. The major problem with SEGA in the US is that they do not advertise their best games other than Sonic. I'm sure if more people saw gameplay of PSO2 after it's release, a new player base would show up.

[CelestialBlade]

I'm pretty sure they know they can have some success with PSO2 here seeing that there is demand for it over here. The major problem with SEGA in the US is that they do not advertise their best games other than Sonic. I'm sure if more people saw gameplay of PSO2 after it's release, a new player base would show up.

I think the other side of it is how western gamers, on average, have different expectations and desires from video games now. It's certainly changed a lot since PSO. Western gamers are more into 3D action combat and shooters, prefer storylines more akin to a CYOA book, require impressive graphics and effects, desire an open sandbox world, and enjoy a more mature art style. I think PSO2 hits on a lot of these, fortunately. I think the DMC-like combat of the Hunter class is attractive to western gamers, as is the more engrossing TPS and FPS Ranger combat. The art style has grown and the graphics certainly aren't bad. It has potential to succeed here, far more than PSU and its derivatives did, but you're right in that it needs a small amount of advertising to get attention. And I think you really have to market the features above.

[EvilMag]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468412

Guess this explains why PSO2 is gonna be F2P with a Cash Shop.

[Griffin]

There you have it.

[BIG OLAF]

"Aliens" is one of the franchises that's expected to post solid earnings? Hahaha.

[Zarode]

Guess this explains why PSO2 is gonna be F2P with a Cash Shop.

There are more reasons to that then this, I'm sure.

I hope that Rhythm Thief still comes out on the 3DS. I have that on preorder. Seems like it is complete, though, so I don't see why it won't. I need my Space Channel 5 fix.

Also, hate to say it, but too bad so sad really. Producers and publishers need to remember that we aren't in the golden age of games anymore. People want quality games at a cheaper price point. Nobody is willing to jump ship to a sixty USD game anymore if its new and/or uninspired. Or Call of Doodoo.

[Akaimizu]

And this is why Advertising is extremely important. Funny how their main *sellers* tend to be just the very games they advertise for. Yeah, it might cost you a million or so yen; but it'll save you from a "billions of yen" loss.

Still, it definitely explains why their support has gone down quite a bit. I think the biggest difference between Sega and Nintendo, is that one of them knows how to properly maintain and reinvigorate all of their big franchises instead of backing just one horse and not doing much of anything for the rest.

If the cycle continues, all that will be left is all those fans, who cry out for why Sega sleeps on their favorite series, (who they didn't listen to) simply saying, "I told you so."

Why do I have the feeling that we may be looking at a future "mobile" company? Seems to be the new big place companies run to in order to gain revenue using the smallest development costs. (Used to be PC)