January 31, 2001

9:01 AM

Sega bails on another piece of hardware. It looks like the dreamcast is dead. They are stopping production and reducing the price to clear the dreamcasts they have remaining in stock.
posted by bytecode (20 comments total)

I'm too lazy to search this out, but I heard a vague, unsubstantiated rumor the other day that the Xbox was going to run Dreamcast games. That seems vaguely fathomable, since MS played a small role in development of the Dreamcast (or at least there was something about WinCE on DC).

Maybe it was just a misheard twist on the actual news that Sega will be developing games for the Xbox, among other platforms?

Sega makes great games; I don't see any reason why they should restrict themselves to a money-losing console. There are plenty of other good platforms out there, and software is where the money is at anyway. (Well, licensing is the easiest way to make money in the video game market, but Sega has failed miserably with its last two hardware outings, so software seems a better bet for them).
posted by daveadams at 9:32 AM on January 31, 2001

Yeah, I'll happily play Sega games on my PS2.
posted by bytecode at 9:41 AM on January 31, 2001

Y'know, everyone talks about what great games they make, but my biggest problem with the Dreamcast (and the reason I've debated returning it since I bought it last month) is that I can't find any games that I "can't put down," like my good ol' Playstation offers. I've rented almost everything my local Blockbuster stocks (which isn't much), but I always end up playing Crazy Taxi. Thoughts?
posted by jpoulos at 9:49 AM on January 31, 2001

Microsoft publicly denied that Xbox would run Dreamcast games. The rumor was just wishful thinking.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:52 AM on January 31, 2001

mmmm...mindless japanese video games...portable.
As I am a loyal DC owner and player myself, I still have faith in my sega. They've provided us with MANY great games that I've enjoyed for my DC. I don't think they're letting us down, I think they're taking it to the next level.
posted by starduck at 9:53 AM on January 31, 2001

As I understand it, Dreamcast runs WinCE, believe it or not.

$150 for a DC and Shenmue is well worth it if you've got the funds.
posted by sudama at 10:19 AM on January 31, 2001

Jpoulos: Soul Caliber, Soul Caliber, Soul Caliber.

Sega didn't make it, but still.

For Sega games, how 'bout Jet Grind Radio? I love just watching that game, it's got such an arresting visual style.
posted by wiremommy at 10:22 AM on January 31, 2001

Soul Caliber, Jet Grind Radio, and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 are all great games that you won't put down. Shenmue is great but if it's not your thing, it's REALLY not your thing.
posted by cell divide at 10:28 AM on January 31, 2001

"posted by starduck at 9:53 AM PST on January 31
As I understand it, Dreamcast runs WinCE, believe it or not."

Not quite. Games can be developed for the DC using WinCE as a base. They can also use the DC without WinCE. The DC itself has no WinCE in it, it's all on the discs.
posted by CrayDrygu at 11:39 AM on January 31, 2001

Looney Tunes SPACE RACE is a great kart racer game for the Dreamcast. If you liked Mario Kart or Crash Team Racing, you'll like SPACE RACE. Aside from some lousy voice acting (after all, Mel Blanc is still dead), it's as close to playing a cartoon as I've experienced.
posted by crunchland at 12:13 PM on January 31, 2001

Whoops...how'd that "posted by..." stuff get into my post? Guess I need to work on those copy/pasting skills
posted by CrayDrygu at 1:36 PM on January 31, 2001

What happened to that card that allowed you to play Dreamcast games on your PC? I'd buy one of those, I love DC games. PS2 doesn't hold a candle to it.

Of course, I'd rather SNES over the both of them. Anyone have SNES games they want to get rid of, email me! [e-mail]
posted by jpate at 1:51 PM on January 31, 2001

Just thought I'd mention that my DC actually has a "Windows CE compatible" logo on the front of it. Dunno if anyone else has noticed.
posted by swank6 at 3:17 PM on January 31, 2001

Of course, I'd rather SNES over the both of them.

How 'bout the best of both worlds: SNES on your DC. I don't know a lot about the program, but it sounds neat.
posted by Lirp at 5:49 PM on January 31, 2001

I've been a pretty hardcore gamer for a long while, but mostly on the PC. I've owned consoles over the years, too -- starting with an Atari 2600 (which I still have! Remember Dig Dug? Remember that incredibly stiff one-button joystick?), then an NES, SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, and N64.
Recently, I converted to the Macintosh faith, and have ceased buying games for my PC, which works out okay since it's pretty old anyway and some new, bleeding-edge stuff doesn't run that hot on it. Since my iBook handles my computer duties now, I decided to buy a new console to play games. About a month ago, I settled on and bought a Dreamcast.
I never cared for the original Playstation. As a computer gamer used to 3Dfx Voodoo graphic goodness, I took one look at the pixelated, wobbly PS1 graphics and stayed away. I got an N64 (for Goldeneye, which is superb, and for Beetle Adventure Racing, because I'm a VW enthusiast), and then pretty much got out of consoles.
When I recently decided on a Dreamcast, I compared it to the Playstation 2 and saw absolutely no advantage to the new Sony system. Let me see, two systems with comparable graphics, but one is $150, has *tons* of games that garnered great reviews, and is actually available, vs. a $300 system with a small launch lineup gathering below average to poor reviews, and isn't really available for purchase? Hmm, hard choice...
I bought a Dreamcast. I bought a couple of VMUs, and four games: Sega GT, Ferrari F355, Test Drive Le Mans (can you tell I'm a car guy?), and Shenmue. I have had more fun with the Dreamcast and those four games than with any console I've ever owned. The Dreamcast has produced some of the best games I've ever seen.
Now, the whole end of the Dreamcast thing. Somebody, I read somewhere, has said Sega screwed DC owners. How? How on Earth can you say such a thing? I'm already planning on buying NFL2k1, Crazy Taxi, and several more greats. Just because the Dreamcast won't be made anymore doesn't make mine any less functional. The games aren't made automatically bad because of it. Heck, I still play some old games on my PC, like Wing Commander (the original), 1942: The Pacific Air War, etc. They're still great, despite their age. I still enjoy little inexpensive shareware games, despite their simpler graphics (EV Override - an Elite-esque freeform 2D space adventure, and Reckless Drivin', a 2D smash-n-dash driving game, both for the Mac, come to mind). Years from now, my Dreamcast and games will still be great.
I don't regret my Dreamcast purchase at all. Consoles come and go - I bet there will be a day when the Playstation series will be dead. Sounds crazy, I know, but it would also have sounded crazy many moons ago if you said Nintendo would someday be a minor player, instead of the 300 pound gorilla.
It's also depressing to see people on various sites doing brainless console-pimping. "d00d, pLaYsTaT1On 2 RuL3Z yOu AzZ, i am l33t," blah blah blah bling bling bling blah. You sound like a fool. Great games are what matters. Who cares if it's on a Dreamcast, PS, N64, Atari 2600, Colecovision, or whatever?
posted by Spirit_VW at 6:19 PM on January 31, 2001

What has amazed me, since everyone is bringing up older systems, is the amount of emulation that can take place on your PC. With a few downloads (albeit possibly on the wrong side of the law), you can play most older games with ROM files and emulators.
posted by benjh at 6:58 PM on January 31, 2001

i have never played games on a dreamcast. i like my lil' playstation but i always thought if i ever got anything else it would be a dreamcast because their games look nifty. maybe now that they are gonna stop making them i will be able to get one cheap or second hand. it's a bit of a bummer though.
posted by endorwitch at 7:19 PM on January 31, 2001

Anybody heard what the future plans for network-based games will be?
posted by harmful at 8:11 PM on January 31, 2001

With a few downloads (albeit possibly on the wrong side of the law), you can play most older games with ROM files and emulators.

In my world, it's not really immoral to download ROMs of games that are no longer available on the market. If I want to play River Raid or Joust on 2600, any option I take wouldn't give Atari (or whoever currently owns the rights) any more money. I could go purchase a used 2600 and games, but Atari gets no richer. I don't even know if Atari (or their proxy) even tries to keep ROMS of long-gone games of the net. I'm pretty sure Nintendo does with NES games.
posted by daveadams at 10:35 AM on February 1, 2001

not immoral... just possibly illegal. (i always think there is a difference)

something immoral i might not do.... (i'm not admitting i download ROMs and play them all the time, mr fbi agent scouring for pirated content.)
posted by benjh at 6:06 PM on February 1, 2001