What I think Bernie Stolar was hired to do (and did, because after he left Sega he wound up at the company I was working at and did the same thing) was to implement changes, drastic if necessary, to turn the company around. He wasn’t there to lead Sega to profitability, but to plug the gaping wounds. The Saturn was not Sega’s shining moment. Don’t get me wrong, I like the system (it’s even hooked up to my TV right now), but it didn’t make the financial eyes light up. After Stolar saw the Dreamcast on its way, he left since he had done what he came to do.
As for the Shining Force III scenarios, it all came down to money. It was Shining Force III Scenario 1 or Grandia for the Saturn. Either or. Someone made the call to translate SF3, even if it would only be the first of three parts. Bringing over all three scenarios was never an option. SoA didn’t have the money for that.
When I buy KOTOR 2 for my new PC in a few months, I shall remind myself of Mr Stolar’s belief that there never was, and never will be, a market for RPGs outside of Japan.
They sacked Bernie Stolar (eventually), didn’t they?[/quote]
They should never have hired him in the first place. After reading the great
Segabase on the history of Sega what comes across is that the Japanese
excecutives HAD to make a machine that conquered the world on their terms.
The megadrive/genesis worldwide success is attributed to Kalinske and the lowly SOA and when you think about it nothing from Sega has ever topped that success. There was no need to relase the DC when they did in Japan as it was Sega’s first console that got accepted by the japanese public in droves. But the big heads wanted to create a system that became a worldwide hit that the japanese management was responsible for.
This ultimately failed as we all know because the japanese management lacked what Tom Kalinske had in abundunce…instinct and knowing what the public wants.
When Stolar left Sega, last I remember he got hired at some toy company. I don’t remember if it was Fisher Price or what. That was back in '99 or '00, so no idea. I just recall someone mentioning it on rec.games.video.sega, heh. Don’t ask me how anyone came to find that out. shrug
If anything, go yell at Sega of Japan for our lack of scenarios 2 and 3 of Shining Force 3. To be honest, we’re lucky that we got Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force 3 Scenario 1 at all.[/quote]
Is planning a trip to go do that if anyone wants to come help
He went to Mattel. He’s no longer there by the way. Shortly after “turning around” Mattel’s interactive gaming division he once again left the company. Last I heard he had founded his own business venture. I don’t know what happened after that.
Do you guys actually think that these changes in management for SOA and SOE will have any affect on the quality/types of games developed in Japan?
Everyone here is a Sega fan because of the games that the Japanese teams used to create. How is a shift in the management at SOE/A going to change any of that?
Just as a bit of back-info: the former president/COO of SOA was a Japanese dude, and the person acting as CEO was at SOJ. For everyone here saying that this change is reflective of Sega’s obsession with the Japanese market, why is it that SOA now has a Western president? And Naoya Tsurumi has been running the show in SOE for years now, anyway.
It’s clear that Sammy has changed things in the manergial sense but game wise we have yet to see their effect on. When the games that were started under the new regime come out then we will see if it the best thing that happened to sega or the worst.
Last years E3 was so dissapointing on the Sega front and in general actaully. Hopefully Sega will actually have a big announcement other than them publishing the Matrix Online. I wouldn’t mind seeing some footage of Phantasy Star Universe.
I’m not so sure… that could be an “all I have to say is, well, wait for E3 because Sega’s new management and restructuring won’t have changed anything”. >:)
Ah, I assumed that was an optimistic smiley; with my track record of completely missing when you’re being sarcastic though Gehn, I probably should have known better. :anjou_non-sarcastic_neutral-good-natured:
I remember having a conversation with a forum member about sarcasm (I don’t remember exactly whom tho, I think it was Abadd actually).He claimed that I should add “sarcasm” when I wished to be sarcastic.
I told him that would simply ruin the whole point of beeing sarcastic.
E-sarcasm can be pretty missunderstood tho so I now include a smiley when I remember to.
[quote=“Abadd”]Actually, though, the changes in management on SOE/SOA’s side were self-induced. All the team/management changes on SOJ side, well, not so sure about.
And all I have to say is, well, wait for E3 :)[/quote]
From what I’ve been lead to understand the Sammy management are more hands on with their game departments than the old Sega management ever was and I know for sure that Sammy wanted to cut loose Visual Concepts.
The games shown at this year event shows started way before sammy took over So they should be what we should expect. When the games that have started being developed since sammy took control we can see if it has an effect on the type of games that they have made two years down the line.
E3 should(better) be good. I keep hearing that this will be Sega’s year so they better come up with some goods and not some stupid announcement that they’re making some movie tie in game that no one gives a damn about.
