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Sega going back to their roots of a multiformat games producer has seemed to have a funny effect on the games market. We seem to be caught in some sort of temporal time flux that would have even Dr Who confounded.
News first hit that Sega were looking for distributors for their console games. Sony saw the possibilities and soon jumped in to take over the distribution of Sega's great titles on the PS2. Meanwhile, conversions are being handled by Acclaim, who were a big rival of Sega in the 80's.
Next up, Infrogrames, in a fit of retro-gaming brainstorming, have decided to take up the name of Atari on their new games, meaning that we will soon be seeing the Atari logo heading up the games shelves across the country. Not only this, but guess who is scheduled for distributing the Sega games on other formats later this year? Yes, that's right, Infrogrames.
Sega games on all consoles? Atari branding on some of their titles? What next? I'm sure before long someone will raise companies like Gremlin Graphics and Rare will change their name back to Ultimate, to compete with the newly aquired Imagine label...hey, maybe Sinclair will rise from it's festered grave like a homesick zombie and create a superconsole to beat all the others?
We can but dream in this crazy mixed up world that is gaming 2001.
News first hit that Sega were looking for distributors for their console games. Sony saw the possibilities and soon jumped in to take over the distribution of Sega's great titles on the PS2. Meanwhile, conversions are being handled by Acclaim, who were a big rival of Sega in the 80's.
Next up, Infrogrames, in a fit of retro-gaming brainstorming, have decided to take up the name of Atari on their new games, meaning that we will soon be seeing the Atari logo heading up the games shelves across the country. Not only this, but guess who is scheduled for distributing the Sega games on other formats later this year? Yes, that's right, Infrogrames.
Sega games on all consoles? Atari branding on some of their titles? What next? I'm sure before long someone will raise companies like Gremlin Graphics and Rare will change their name back to Ultimate, to compete with the newly aquired Imagine label...hey, maybe Sinclair will rise from it's festered grave like a homesick zombie and create a superconsole to beat all the others?
We can but dream in this crazy mixed up world that is gaming 2001.
I read about that!
Perhaps even Rainbird Software would rise again...
No. The bald headed one is known as Votta.
Oh yes, just you wait! The bald headed one known as Mr Clive will return....and he'll bring all his friends....
Just wait, we'll all be back to playing sports games on dedicated machines. Cue the Binatone console revival!!! Some people have called the current state in consoles a 'Revolution' and as we all know, this implies that what goes around comes around.
Imagine. Now they produced some quality games titles in their time (mostly arcade conversions); Arkanoid, Game Over, Hyper Sports, Yie Ar Kung Fu, Mikie. Gremlin Graphics did do Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, the Monty Mole series and more importantly they had the Gauntlet I and II licence.
Thinking about the older software houses brings up an interesting premise to add to you point pb;
In the days of C64, Spectrum and Amstrad companies produced software across the board, there was none of the 'safe bet for Sony only' type of thing going on. Consoles have their franchise games that people identify with, particularly Nintendo with the jealously guarded Mario/Pokemon money spinners.
But looky here, some Sony related titles are now making/have made there way to the PC, Sega have gone back to a multi-software developer as you say and we are treated the popular titles onto the PS2 as we speak. Could Nintendo do the unthinkable and allow a Plumber to creep the boards of another system???
Hypothesis of course, bit of a business blunder I should think. But it would be interesting as a concerned party to see what would happen if The console heavyweights slugged it out like that, stripped down to the hardware for 12 rounds of uncut action. What would it do for the market though? Would the unbridled competition be good for the gamer?
Ask yourself this;
Where are Commodore, Sinclair and Amstrad now??
Imagine. Now they produced some quality games titles in their time (mostly arcade conversions); Arkanoid, Game Over, Hyper Sports, Yie Ar Kung Fu, Mikie. Gremlin Graphics did do Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, the Monty Mole series and more importantly they had the Gauntlet I and II licence.
Thinking about the older software houses brings up an interesting premise to add to you point pb;
In the days of C64, Spectrum and Amstrad companies produced software across the board, there was none of the 'safe bet for Sony only' type of thing going on. Consoles have their franchise games that people identify with, particularly Nintendo with the jealously guarded Mario/Pokemon money spinners.
But looky here, some Sony related titles are now making/have made there way to the PC, Sega have gone back to a multi-software developer as you say and we are treated the popular titles onto the PS2 as we speak. Could Nintendo do the unthinkable and allow a Plumber to creep the boards of another system???
Hypothesis of course, bit of a business blunder I should think. But it would be interesting as a concerned party to see what would happen if The console heavyweights slugged it out like that, stripped down to the hardware for 12 rounds of uncut action. What would it do for the market though? Would the unbridled competition be good for the gamer?
Ask yourself this;
Where are Commodore, Sinclair and Amstrad now??
Gremlin were an excellent company, they released the Lotus series on the Amiga if i remember rightly...
Sega going back to their roots of a multiformat games producer has seemed to have a funny effect on the games market. We seem to be caught in some sort of temporal time flux that would have even Dr Who confounded.
News first hit that Sega were looking for distributors for their console games. Sony saw the possibilities and soon jumped in to take over the distribution of Sega's great titles on the PS2. Meanwhile, conversions are being handled by Acclaim, who were a big rival of Sega in the 80's.
Next up, Infrogrames, in a fit of retro-gaming brainstorming, have decided to take up the name of Atari on their new games, meaning that we will soon be seeing the Atari logo heading up the games shelves across the country. Not only this, but guess who is scheduled for distributing the Sega games on other formats later this year? Yes, that's right, Infrogrames.
Sega games on all consoles? Atari branding on some of their titles? What next? I'm sure before long someone will raise companies like Gremlin Graphics and Rare will change their name back to Ultimate, to compete with the newly aquired Imagine label...hey, maybe Sinclair will rise from it's festered grave like a homesick zombie and create a superconsole to beat all the others?
We can but dream in this crazy mixed up world that is gaming 2001.
News first hit that Sega were looking for distributors for their console games. Sony saw the possibilities and soon jumped in to take over the distribution of Sega's great titles on the PS2. Meanwhile, conversions are being handled by Acclaim, who were a big rival of Sega in the 80's.
Next up, Infrogrames, in a fit of retro-gaming brainstorming, have decided to take up the name of Atari on their new games, meaning that we will soon be seeing the Atari logo heading up the games shelves across the country. Not only this, but guess who is scheduled for distributing the Sega games on other formats later this year? Yes, that's right, Infrogrames.
Sega games on all consoles? Atari branding on some of their titles? What next? I'm sure before long someone will raise companies like Gremlin Graphics and Rare will change their name back to Ultimate, to compete with the newly aquired Imagine label...hey, maybe Sinclair will rise from it's festered grave like a homesick zombie and create a superconsole to beat all the others?
We can but dream in this crazy mixed up world that is gaming 2001.