Does Sega Have Secret Plans To Release A New Home Console?

[RadarScope1]

Here is the definitive answer to the OP's question.

NO

(Sorry)

[Weekend_Warrior]

So what's Sega doing putting patents down on game controllers, hard drives, and memory cards for then? Surely, that's not for arcade games

Controller: http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/7488254.html

I mean, look at THIS image! http://www.patentgenius.com/image/7488254-14.html

And another: http://www.patentgenius.com/image/7488254-11.html


Memory Card: http://www.patentgenius.com/subpage.php ... rch=Search

Item shot: http://www.patentgenius.com/image/7556197-15.html

[elvis]

So what's Sega doing putting patents down on game controllers, hard drives, and memory cards for then?

Because that's what big companies do. Go look at the number of patents Microsoft has on stuff they never release. Ditto for Nintendo and Sony (outside of gaming, check out IBM - the kings of patent applications!).

All the stuff you link to there seems pretty trivial, to be honest. Old style controllers (they look very much like the old Saturn "3D" controller). The memory cards and controllers could well be for their new online service too.

I wouldn't go basing massive speculation on a handful of low-end accessories with another console coming out. If anything we may see more retro stuff from Sega (see their recent online activities and portable console), but I'd eat my hat if they brought out new/next-gen hardware any time soon.

I mean, look at THIS image! http://www.patentgenius.com/image/7488254-14.html

$10 says we'll see a "Sega Saturn ultimate collection" on PS3/Xbox360, and that's the controller that gets released with it.

You heard it here first, folks.

[Weekend_Warrior]

So what's Sega doing putting patents down on game controllers, hard drives, and memory cards for then?

Because that's what big companies do. Go look at the number of patents Microsoft has on stuff they never release. Ditto for Nintendo and Sony (outside of gaming, check out IBM - the kings of patent applications!).

Ok. But you're forgetting that Sega are supposedly no longer in the home hardware market!

Kinda makes a difference, doesn't it?

[Weekend_Warrior]

I mean, look at THIS image! http://www.patentgenius.com/image/7488254-14.html

$10 says we'll see a "Sega Saturn ultimate collection" on PS3/Xbox360, and that's the controller that gets released with it.

You heard it here first, folks.

So what would be the point of future expansion on the controller, genius?

[elvis]

So what would be the point of future expansion on the controller, genius?

You mean the added joystick (arcade games) and batterly / "photo emitter / detector" combo (wireless)? Pretty self explanatory if you ask me.

Or just the fact that every console and controller ever made has an "expansion port", whether it got utilised or not (future-proofing 101).

But honestly, keep going with the speculation. Clearly you are convinced that a rehash of a controller design from almost 15 years ago is confirmation that there's a hidden console around the corner. More power to you. Let me know when you find the patent for the Sega Blast Processor.

Ok. But you're forgetting that Sega are supposedly no longer in the home hardware market!

Kinda makes a difference, doesn't it?

No, it doesn't.

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 90&start=0

Look, see Sega selling more Saturn-like control pads. Marketing promotion to cash in on retro enthusiets? Yes. Hidden console around the corner? No.

[benderx]

I did see these machines months ago and they pretty powerful sucker gaming machines. The problem is price would be to high to sell, so maybe 2010 or 2011 announcement. Here is a pic of Ring edge and RingWind. Yes, Sega is still making prototype (arcade) hardware, but not console form yet.

[elvis]

Yes, Sega is still making prototype (arcade) hardware, but not console form yet.

I think you're applying a liberal dash of artistic license there. It's a PC running Linux. I wouldn't call that "making hardware".

Sure, manufacturers don't make consoles head to toe like they used to. The PS3 is a Cell processor (co-designed by IBM, Toshiba and Sony), on an Asus motherboard running an Nvidia graphics chip. The difference being all components are slightly customised to the needs of Sony, and not "off the shelf" stuff.

SEGA's arcade hardware can quite literally be upgraded with commodity gear from your local PC store. Slap a new x86 CPU in, a new ATI video card, or a few sticks of RAM and the system will run fine.

What that does it makes it cheap for arcade operators to buy SEGA's arcade hardware and re-use it for other projects (very important in that industry, especially in the last few years). With the licensing costs of arcade titles, the cost of a single commercial game license far outweighs the cost of hardware, so SEGA providing their own hardware is a moot point.

On the home hardware front, once again it makes no sense for Sega to go through all the dramas of the home console hardware market, and in the process destroy 3/4 of their sales by pissing off the three major console platform makers.

It's some pretty simple corporate economics in action. I certainly love SEGA (my first home game system was the SEGA SC-3000H, and I've owned everything they've made since), but I'm not going to let the fanboy inside me overtake common sense.

[Weekend_Warrior]

Yes, Sega is still making prototype (arcade) hardware, but not console form yet.

On the home hardware front, once again it makes no sense for Sega to go through all the dramas of the home console hardware market, and in the process destroy 3/4 of their sales by pissing off the three major console platform makers.

It's some pretty simple corporate economics in action. I certainly love SEGA (my first home game system was the SEGA SC-3000H, and I've owned everything they've made since), but I'm not going to let the fanboy inside me overtake common sense.

Hey, business is business. Nintendo dropped the merger with Sony to design the cd add-on for the SNES that eventually became the PlayStation. Sony then went on to finalize the product and sold it at a major profit and started a whole new gaming franchise. You really think Sony gives a rat's ass if it pissed Nintendo or anyone else off?

Business is business, everyone's in it to make money.

[Weekend_Warrior]

I'm quite surprised by the negativity and pessimism on this board.

Ok. So if Sega designed a great and easy-developing platform to work with.. what makes you guys think that Sega couldn't get quality third-party support?