SEGA Enters China Market for Online Game Business + Shenmue.
- Thread starter j^aws
- Start date
BTW, Shenmue-online ... 8)
Evil_Cloud
Veteran
Yeah, this is a fitting approach of those developing markets that Japanese publishers so desperately need to tap. Piracy is rampant there, so subscription based gaming helps to ensure the revenue. Massively multiplayer titles are a large part of their gaming culture. The PC is the predominant platform. Also, getting help from native developers should help to make a better suited product.
This new business initiative creates the need for content, giving an opportunity to projects like Shenmue that might not otherwise have gotten further approval.
This new business initiative creates the need for content, giving an opportunity to projects like Shenmue that might not otherwise have gotten further approval.
Evil_Cloud,
That site is slooooooooooooowwwwwww....must be getting a trillion hits!
...will try later....
Sega can get a head start there without the distraction of next gen...build a large online community there, then transfer the IPs over to next gen to keep the momentum going. And as you mention without the piracy concerns...just hope they're decent MMO games...maybe there's hope for a decent Matrix online!
That site is slooooooooooooowwwwwww....must be getting a trillion hits!
...will try later....Lazy8s said:
Sega can get a head start there without the distraction of next gen...build a large online community there, then transfer the IPs over to next gen to keep the momentum going. And as you mention without the piracy concerns...just hope they're decent MMO games...maybe there's hope for a decent Matrix online!
Evil_Cloud
Veteran
This is the 'teaser trailer'
http://shenmue.t2cn.com/shenmue.zip
Apparantly this is pre-retail footage from Shenmue 1 & 2, but scenes differ from the final builds. Still waiting for a movie from Shenmue Online though.
http://shenmue.t2cn.com/shenmue.zip
Apparantly this is pre-retail footage from Shenmue 1 & 2, but scenes differ from the final builds. Still waiting for a movie from Shenmue Online though.
Evil_Cloud
Veteran
jvd said:
China and South-Korea have millions of MMORPG subscribers, so here's someone hoping the game will rake in enough cash to fund Shenmue 3 and Shenmue 4.
Megadrive1988
Veteran
I want Super Monaco GP, ThunderBlade, Galaxy Force II, Super Hang On, Turbo OutRun and OutRunners in Shenmue Online Arcades!
nondescript
Regular
I`m a little sceptical. Sure, China`s and South Korea`s online gaming markets are booming, but it`s already a pretty crowded field.
I can`t speak about the South Korean market (maybe a few South Korean B3Ders can comment on their market), but as for the markets I`m familiar with, HK/Taiwan/China, the market is already overcrowded. Many online RPGs feature similar gameplay, and are generally undifferentiated, so the companies basically compete on price - the subscription costs have been driven down to almost break even. Only a few, like Lineage I/II, have enough brand cachet to keep a price premium. The unique gameplay features of those few successful games are then aggressively copied by everyone else. The subscriber turnover among casual gamers is quite high, since the client software is practically given away for free. (Two bucks for a shrink-wrapped CD and 10 free hours sold in the same rack as chewing gum in 7-Eleven)
Sega, with a strong collection of innovative games, has a good chance of success in this market, but it`s not going to be a walk in the park. Sega doesn`t have the same brand recognition in China that it does in the US, so it doesn`t enter the field with any birthright - it`s gonna have to earn it.
I can`t speak about the South Korean market (maybe a few South Korean B3Ders can comment on their market), but as for the markets I`m familiar with, HK/Taiwan/China, the market is already overcrowded. Many online RPGs feature similar gameplay, and are generally undifferentiated, so the companies basically compete on price - the subscription costs have been driven down to almost break even. Only a few, like Lineage I/II, have enough brand cachet to keep a price premium. The unique gameplay features of those few successful games are then aggressively copied by everyone else. The subscriber turnover among casual gamers is quite high, since the client software is practically given away for free. (Two bucks for a shrink-wrapped CD and 10 free hours sold in the same rack as chewing gum in 7-Eleven)
Sega, with a strong collection of innovative games, has a good chance of success in this market, but it`s not going to be a walk in the park. Sega doesn`t have the same brand recognition in China that it does in the US, so it doesn`t enter the field with any birthright - it`s gonna have to earn it.
Evil_Cloud
Veteran
passerby said:
Ever watched Project Berkley footage?
It has something to do with the mirrors. ^^
Do you mean revenue or profit? A lot can depend on development and operating costs, and forecasted subscriber revenue. It took SOE almost 5 years to start making a profit (and that's with a pretty well off subscriber base)... Then there's the question of how much you can charge a Chinese user base and how much that offsets the development costs in Japan...
Well, the Internet population in China (released by official Chinese source) is 87 Million the last time I read about it. The people are really crazy playing online games, net games are simply very hot there.
They sell all kinds of point cards at a relatively cheap price, and there are professional players that put the special items on auction to make some real money.
Although the competition is fierce there, I expect a game as famous as Shenmue will be pretty popular and can be competitive if SEGA doesn't make major mistakes.
They sell all kinds of point cards at a relatively cheap price, and there are professional players that put the special items on auction to make some real money.
Although the competition is fierce there, I expect a game as famous as Shenmue will be pretty popular and can be competitive if SEGA doesn't make major mistakes.
overclocked
Veteran
Of topic but what was the BIG news Sega announced during E3, can´t remember?
Megadrive1988
Veteran
supposedly, Sega's major announcement was Matrix Online. pathetic.
but as far as I am concerned, the major announcement was Phantasy Star Universe. with the possibility (officially) that PSU might be both PSO2 and PSV.
but as far as I am concerned, the major announcement was Phantasy Star Universe. with the possibility (officially) that PSU might be both PSO2 and PSV.
