Sega has quite the track record: Outrun, Streets of Rage 2, Sonic 2, Daytona, and a myriad of other titles rank as some of the best video game-related product ever to appear in the history of gaming. The company, at its peak, fostered creativity and pure gaming fun that few of its rivals matched.
Unfortunately, Sega is equally known for making some of the most boneheaded business decisions in the history of video games. I need not repeat those grave missteps here; they are all too familiar. Sega, recently, has made strides in returning to glory with the releases of Bayonetta, Sonic 4, and Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing (not to mention the hype-filled Vanquish and Sonic Colors). These titles have given many long-time Sega fans the hope that the company is moving forward, and with that hope come the inevitable Dreamcast 2 rumors.
Although others have attempted to squash Dreamcast 2 rumors, Sega fans can still, well, dream. Sega may not be in a place to release a console on its own, but there is one company that can assist in the production on a Dreamcast 2 that would make the console a monster hit: Apple.
Steve Jobs and his band of merry technological madman would be the perfect partner for Sega. Cupertino has the gobs of cash and business savvy to serve as the financial backer for the hypothetical Sega Dreamcast 2. Sega would design the console in close collaboration with Apple, but would have free reign over its own titles. And naturally, there would be ample innovation-what else would you expect from two companies with rich industry-changing legacies? Here’s why an Apple-backed Dreamcast 2 would go over big, and elevate Sega from a very solid third-party company to a killer first-party company.
Apple Knows Digital Distribution
Apple revolutionized over-the-air digital delivery with the iPhone, iPod touch, iTunes Music Store, and Apps Store that has created a slew of inspired clones in the form of the Android Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, and others. Before Apple, mobile apps were virtually non-existent, and mobile video games were crude, simple titles that didn’t pack the quality of a game such as Street Fighter IV for iPhone. The Dreamcast 2, should it forgo a Blu-ray drive (or use it as a strong complement to a disc drive), could easily be the first mainstream video game console to substitute physical media for downloads via a resurrected SEGAnet. Due to its download-heavy nature, this system could very well have the lowest-priced game library in video gaming, depending on the scope of the individual titles.
Apple-Enhanced SEGAnet
SEGAnet was a revelation in 2000 when it allowed us to trade game files, battle one another, and tag team deadly enemies. A new SEGAnet could theoretically be PSN and XBLA taken to the next level with the inclusion of the App Store and iTunes Music/Movie Store. Here, content-hungry entertainment-seekers could purchase and download albums and films directly to the console. Once it’s there they could be synced to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or streamed to another Mac or PC running iTunes. Of course, gamers could use it to play games online (ideally, for free).
Apple Knows Design
The Dreamcast was a slick looking machine when it was released in 1999, save for that god-awful controller. The Dreamcast 2 would be a white system like the original, but with the slick, futuristic aesthetic that Apple applies to all its merchandise. Even better, the controller could have a built-in touchscreen–the modern take on the VMU–that will let you interact with on-screen items using intuitive taps and finger swipes.
Apple Knows How To Market Anything
Not many companies can convince consumers to purchase slightly upgraded products year over year, but that has been Apple’s M.O. with the iPhone. Even more astounding is the fact that many of Apple’s products carry premium prices, which means that Cupertino has enticed people to shell out heavy coin on an annual basis. How does this play into the Dreamcast 2? Sega could pack the Dreamcast 2 with a Blu-ray drive (should Sega go that route), a blazing fast quad-core CPU, and high-end video card from AMD or Nvidia that could wipe the floor with the competition–and people would be willing to plop down $600 for it after viewing a string of snarky commercials featuring Justin Long and Sonic.
Dreamcast 2 Could Be Stocked in the Apple Store
In 2006, it was reported that the Apple Store made more money per square foot than Best Buy and Tiffany’s; in other words, it’s a retail location cited as being one of the most profitable in the USA. Besides being the prime location for buying Apple products in the real world, it’s also one of the most enjoyable experiences around due in no small part to the helpful staff and excellent floor layouts that showcase Apple gear–everything is set up to move product. The Dreamcast 2 would fit perfectly into this scenario, especially if Apple has the console hooked up to a Cinema Display to showcase the latest Sonic 4 episode running on a big screen.
Once-Bitter Fans May Be Ready for a Dreamcast 2
It’s been over a decade since the rise of the original Dreamcast. Gamers that were burned by many of Sega’s post-Genesis hardware failings may find themselves with enough distance between then and now to give Sega a second chance. Time, as they say, heals wounds. But a dose of Apple cool may give the the house-that-Sonic-built the luster and shine that it needs to make a comeback, and reclaim its rightful status as an innovative console maker.
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Scott Steinberg is the CEO of video game consulting firm TechSavvy Global, and founder of GameExec magazine and Game Industry TV. Hailed as a top technology and video game expert by dozens of publications from USA Today to Forbes and NPR, he’s covered the field for 400+ outlets from Playboy to Rolling Stone. A frequent on-air analyst for networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, he’s also the author of Video Game Marketing and PR.
apple would not make a good partner as they would be greedy like Microsoft and want to have half off on price of things like Microsoft did with the original xbox
Got a few problems viewing the website in Chrome on the Mac, however I still appreciated your website!
You do realize that Apple attempted to make their own console back in the day right? It flopped because they used the exact same strategy with it as they use with their computers. The console was over priced and not as powerful as it’s competitors, and thus it was forgotten. That, and Sega isn’t the same Sega as it was back in the day. Ever since they were bought out by Sammy in 2004 they have not been the same.
Of coarse, a lot of time has gone by since apple has done this, and they have become more successful in marketing. But it seems like they only know how to market smaller gadgets, as Microsoft has still got them beat in the Computer market. If only they would greatly lower the price of their products, perhaps more people would buy their computers.