We all remember the great Sega genesis with great games like Sonic and Shinobi, which was then followed by the Saturn which improved the graphics and brought cool games like Nights and Clockwork Knight. In '99 Dreamcast was released, a great system and massive move by Sega, but it was short lived and ended up putting the company out of the hardware game, but mostly due to the popularity of the Playstation 2. Well that was the end of Sega Consoles era. Sega started concentrating on software for other major consoles and Arcade.
Now come to 2009. In February Sega approved the patent of 2 controller styles: one is like an updated Saturn controller the second is an updated Genesis controller. Along side a few other patents for USB flash cards and hard drives. In September, Sega is seen making moves into online gambling with the launch of an online casino and Poker. Rumors are flying about a possibility of two new Consoles for 2010/11. It most likely has the same technology they have been using in their Arcade games called Ring Hardware. The possible names for the consoles are RingEdge and RingWide; one being basic while the other is an advanced of the same model.
If any of this is true, Sega is going to have to make an advertisement campaign that we have never seen before. Fighting the PS3 alone is an uphill battle. On top of that! They are going to have to have features that the Wii and PS3 don't have. I know there are a lot of Dreamcast fans out there, I was one. I would love to see another console from Sega but it has to be on par, anything less will flop. I saw an interview on YouTube with the Sega America CEO and he denied the whole new console rumor. Stating "were strictly a software company" My question is, with all the patents filed this year alone who is the hardware for? The only other theory I can come up with is, Apple is going to hit the Gaming world with Sega patents. Again, this is all rumors and speculations. I have been scouring the internet for more but with no luck. Let's see what Sega brings in for the New Year.
Hey folks, Valkor here. I just wanted to jump in this article to add that I as well as JayDub and a few others would love nothing more than to see Sega return to the hardware game. Whenever I attend an event I defend with a passion that this is the perfect time for Sega to return to the game; the Xbox is plagued with problems, but they have a great online following. The PS3 is just now getting its legs, but Sony is pushing their machine as an everything machine, not so much a gaming machine, but it does play great games. Now Nintendo is giving the "casual" gamers their fill and is dominating the hardware market and, really, they have no competition. If Sega is returning to consoles then their main competitor is Nintendo and for them to create a casual gaming machine that brings us back to the days of the Genesis and even the Dreamcast would be awesome. Right now Sega reps have been adamant that they are not working on a new console and I will take them at their word… for now. But the RingEdge and the RingWide that Alacran mentions are for arcades not the home console. But there's no reason to think that they might be looking into the possibility of reentering the console market. Check out some sweet vids below and as always comments are welcomed.