if you ran.....(Atari, Sega, 3DO)

[ATARI800XLfan]

It's 1984, and you have just acquired Atari Corp in a chaotic split from Warner. How do you return the video game giant to profitability, and create sustainability into the 21st century?

Firstly I would rehire most of the original technical people and programmers. I would release the Atari 7800 no later then 1985, add the Pokey sound chip to the Atari 7800, slowly cut back on the Atari 2600 and 8-bit line, put a bit more time into the ST family. Build better relationships with publishers and spend more on marketing.
Went with the Atari 7800, until 1990. Released a Handheld in 1989 but had it based on the cheaper Atari 7800, work on the Atari Lynx and made it into a console for 1990, possibly different CPU and a improved version of the math and graphics processors. Work on and released the Panther around the time of the Saturn and PS1, had it use only CD's. After that not sure.

What company would you guys save, I think another one would be SEGA, as they really did not make to many mistakes.

EDIT: I would also have bought the arcade division of Atari.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Problem with 7800 was the lack of cutting edge software. Nintendo and Sega had games like Phantasy Star and Dragon Warrior released on their systems while Atari was still cranking out reiterations of Galaga and Joust. It's pretty easy to see why the system flopped, it was stuck in the past game-wise.

Maybe the Jaguar would have survived had it been released 2-3 years later as a stand-alone CD system. Again, its success would have relied on what games were released.

[ATARI800XLfan]

Problem with 7800 was the lack of cutting edge software. Nintendo and Sega had games like Phantasy Star and Dragon Warrior released on their systems while Atari was still cranking out reiterations of Galaga and Joust. It's pretty easy to see why the system flopped, it was stuck in the past game-wise.

Maybe the Jaguar would have survived had it been released 2-3 years later as a stand-alone CD system. Again, its success would have relied on what games were released.

but if they had released it before or at the same time as the NES then developers would have had a choice and maybe nintendo would have never been able to get developers locked, which would also have helped the SMS.

[o.pwuaioc]

If I were Panasonic, I just would not have released the 3DO without confirmation on a slew of great games by top developers for the system's release. New systems just can't compete. That's how Sony got big with the PS1 - took away Capcom and Square.

[benderx]

Did you build a time machine out of a Delorean!

[ATARI800XLfan]

Did you build a time machine out of a Delorean!

Yes, took it for its first test today.

[Breetai]

If I were Panasonic, I just would not have released the 3DO without confirmation on a slew of great games by top developers for the system's release. New systems just can't compete. That's how Sony got big with the PS1 - took away Capcom and Square.

But... Panasonic did not "own" 3DO. They just had a license from the 3DO company to produce it, as did Goldstar/LG, Sanyo, AT&T (who never did get a console to stores) and I don't know who else.

[o.pwuaioc]

If I were Panasonic, I just would not have released the 3DO without confirmation on a slew of great games by top developers for the system's release. New systems just can't compete. That's how Sony got big with the PS1 - took away Capcom and Square.

But... Panasonic did not "own" 3DO. They just had a license from the 3DO company to produce it, as did Goldstar/LG, Sanyo, AT&T (who never did get a console to stores) and I don't know who else.

That really doesn't change anything. As Panasonic, Goldstar, Sanyo, or AT&T, I wouldn't have released it. Or gotten a license to release it without better confirmation for good games by good developers.

[Anayo]

If I ran Sega I would not release the Sega 32X. I would more aggressively/competitively market the Sega Saturn and endeavor to get good games from Japan into the US and Europe. I would include a DVD drive in the Dreamcast which can play DVD movies.

And while I'm abusing time travel I would also invest in Internet stocks and sell them all before the dot com bubble bursts. I'd do something similar with the housing bubble of the 2000's.

[ATARI800XLfan]

If I ran Sega I would not release the Sega 32X. I would more aggressively/competitively market the Sega Saturn and endeavor to get good games from Japan into the US and Europe. I would include a DVD drive in the Dreamcast which can play DVD movies.

And while I'm abusing time travel I would also invest in Internet stocks and sell them all before the dot com bubble bursts. I'd do something similar with the housing bubble of the 2000's.

If it were me I would also not release the 32X. Second I would not release the saturn early, make it more 3D and 2D, have one CPU, make it easier to program for, Launch all titles in all regions regardless if they were made by a more Japanese company. Possible mess with the Dremcast but I think if Sony had not made such a splash with the PS1 the Dremcast would have been fine. I mean the Gamecube did not have DVD and it did alright, maybe make a DVD add on later then include it with the Dreamcast in the price after the PS2 came out.