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Games Entertainment

Sega to Release New Dreamcast Bundle? 71

Posted by Zonk from the dead-console-walking dept.
Craig writes "Is Sega planning to release a new bundle for the supposed commercially dead Dreamcast Console? According to Many Dreamcast sites it will be bundled with a new commercial game and released sometime in February. Engadget has commentary and speculation." From the Engadget site: "... German gaming site Gamefront.de is claiming they're going to be re-releasing the frickin' Dreamcast bundled with Radilgy and some limited edition telephone card or something. But our wish come true from the Ghost of Hackable Consoles Past will probably be Japan-only though, distributed through Sega Direct for ¥10,000 (about $83 US) -- still, could this be the triumphant return of Sega hardware, even if only just nostalgia-gear?"
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Sega to Release New Dreamcast Bundle? More

Sega to Release New Dreamcast Bundle?

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  • Triumphant Return? (Score:5, Funny)

    by ThisIsForReal ( 897233 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @12:50PM (#14239276) Homepage
    Sounds like we're being a little loose with the word "triumphiant".
    • The word that got me was "nostalgia". Gaming nostalgia to me is Legend of Zelda on the SNES but I'm sure many here can recall hours of wasted youth on the Atari 2600 or during the arcade boom.

      The dreamcast was like 5 years ago? Nostalgia indeed. More like the last gasping breath of a tiny but vocal community dying to hang on despite any hope or sense of reason. I mean, the dreamcast was a fine console and died an early death, but for pete's sake, let it go. They must not have gotten the memo yet: SEGA KILLE
  • For that cheap, I'd buy it today. Really hope this turns out to be true; what I wouldn't give to be able to legally play Radiant Silvergun!

    • Re:$83 USD? (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ElleyKitten ( 715519 )
      Can't you still buy used dreamcasts in used game stores for $20?
      • Not where I live (Regina, Saskatchewan). Haven't seen a used DC in a coon's age. But I'd love to buy a new one with a warranty, esp. for so cheap.
        • I picked one up in Edmonton (where I live) for about $60. That seems to be the going rate unless you get lucky on eBay, but I've had bad enough luck there that I'm not fucking around with them.

        • Re:$83 USD? (Score:1, Troll)

          by drsquare ( 530038 )
          Haven't seen a used DC in a coon's age.

          Is this sort of language considered acceptable? This is Slashdot not a Ku Klux Klan meeting.

          http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=coo n [urbandictionary.com]
          • taken from your page:

            8. coon link send redefine 10 up, 13 down
            This word is often used as a racist term, but it does lave a legitimate meaning.
            An animal. See raccoon

            So yes, it does have some not so nice things associated with it. But in the context, I'd say the poster meant raccoon.

            BTW, your panties are all bunched up.
          • Everything's acceptable on slashdot. If I had a dollar for everytime someone called me a cunt here, well, I could at least buy a new dreamcast.
            • Cunt CuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCuntCunt
              CuntCuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCunt Cunt
              Cunt CuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCuntCunt
              CuntCuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCunt Cunt
              Cunt CuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCuntCunt
              CuntCuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCunt Cunt
              Cunt CuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCuntCunt
              CuntCuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCunt Cunt
              Cunt CuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCuntCunt
              CuntCuntCuntCunt CuntCuntCunt CuntCunt Cunt

              There you go. Now you can get a broadband adapter on ebay too. ;)

              (burn, baby, burn

          • Re:$83 USD? (Score:3, Informative)

            by Txiasaeia ( 581598 )
            I'm sincerely sorry if I offended you. I mean it. I tend to get all rustic when I talk about where I live (I'm originally from Vancouver), and meant "coon" as meaning a "raccoon" rather than a perjorative for a black person. The expression "a coon's age" is an idiom that refers to the mistaken belief that raccoons live for a long time [answers.com], and didn't even know that "coon" was a derrogatory term. Again, very sorry if I offended you; it was not intentional.
            • Dude... I wouldn't sweat it.

              That guy showed himself to be more racist and ill-informed by pointing it out than you ever did by simply using an old colloquial expression. Shame on him - he's the one who should be backpedalling and excusing himself, unless he was making a really lame attempt at being funny.
    • That brings up a good question. It's old hardware, but you'd be willing to pay $83 for it.

      If Nintendo re-released the new NES (the one that doesn't break) would you pay $100 for it? Even if your cell phone has better tech in it, at this point? I might.
    • They're selling on eBay for $40 or $50 USD. And the one I saw the other day for $40 came with six games.

      The market is obviously already collapsed. Nobody wants the things, and they're selling on the cheap on eBay. I doubt many people will buy the console for so high above their market value.

  • US Market (Score:5, Funny)

    by robbway ( 200983 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:01PM (#14239378) Journal
    I realize the articles refer to a Japan release. Since the US Dreamcast used market is officially over in Gamestop/EB, this wouldn't be a very good item to buy in the US. Still, perhaps a Flashback-like device would be more appropriate. Hell, give it a cheap 10gb hard drive and make all games downloadable, then license it as a "Phantom."

  • ZombieCast! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Dr. Eggman ( 932300 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:03PM (#14239394)
    Raar! Must... crush... PS1...

  • Would love to see this. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by numbski ( 515011 ) * <[numbski] [at] [hksilver.net]> on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:04PM (#14239396) Homepage Journal
    I'd love to see the Dreamcast make a comeback. Sure, the hardware is last-gen (or soon to be anyway), but there was still some excellent work done for the system.

    This also bring up a side-note I've been wondering about for a few weeks now. Microsoft got away with bundling a pc as a game console, sold at a loss, and provided an sdk (which I've never seen) to developers, and developers had to pay for the rights to publish for the console. Seriously speaking, what kinds of barriers are there to entry for an open source sdk, and license out manufacturing rights, ie, instead of a single console manufacturer and huge licensing entity, develop a hardware platform design, license out the design, and leave the sdk open? Is it really impossible to compete? If you're giving away the SDK to developers, do they have any motivation to NOT do a port to your platform?
    • A group of people tried to make an open-source-friendly, Linux-based game console called the Indrema [howstuffworks.com]. They failed. [com.com]

      • Re:Would love to see this. (Score:4, Informative)

        by Sparr0 ( 451780 ) <sparr0@gmail.com> on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:21PM (#14239553) Homepage Journal
        A group of people DID make an open-source-friendly, Linux-based handheld game console called the GP2X [gbax.com], a successor to the GP32 [gbax.com]. It rocks. Two 200MHz CPUs (one acts as a 2D GPU), emulates pretty much everything up to SNES (and PSX very very slowly). 3.5" screen, 8 buttons and an 8-way dpad.
        • I got my GP2X about a week ago and I love it. DrMD is just about the greatest thing ever.
          • Yeah, I'm aware of the GP2X, however there's no SDK for it. There's a presumption that you already know how to code for the linux OS.

            I'm thinking more of a situation where you develeop an sdk and a hardware platform, and license each out, but not to one vendor but multiple, thus there's not need to lock everything down. Make a commodity gaming platform so to speak.

            Just a thought anyway. Marketing does become an issue. So you would need investment capital just for that.
            • There is a devkit [gp2x.org], and a massive amount of documentation both official and user-created. There is no "SDK" per se, as there is nothing proprietary to be explained. The entire concept of an SDK is moot on an open source platform. Every bit of the system is already completely documented, and has been since before this console was designed. You don't need a graphics or audio SDK, it uses SDL just like a few thousand other linux AND windows games.
              • And the best part is, since its open AND uses very popular standards, you can test your games on your DESKTOP during development. You could easily produce GP2X games without even owning the console. Map your keyboard to produce the same button events as the console buttons, put your monitor into the proper resolution, and boom, youre gaming.
            • I'm pretty much just repeating what Sparr0 said, but there is definitely an SDK. It uses the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL).

              Also, 3DO tried the "commodity gaming platform" thing and they failed miserably. With multiple companies selling essentially the same hardware that run the same software, there's nothing differentiating the different platforms, and anyone who breaks the spec to differentiate themselves could wind up incompatible with the software for the other platforms. You may as well just develop
            • I'm thinking more of a situation where you develeop an sdk and a hardware platform, and license each out, but not to one vendor but multiple, thus there's not need to lock everything down. Make a commodity gaming platform so to speak.

              And this [wikipedia.org] has also been attempted [wikipedia.org].

    • > Is it really impossible to compete? If you're giving away the SDK to developers, do they have
      > any motivation to NOT do a port to your platform?

      Who's going to market/distribute it? There's a difference between releasing something to the market and competing with the big boys. I mean, you can pick up a Cybiko device for something like £5 and start coding for that, if you like. Or just develop for Linux. No-one's stopping you from writing Amiga games. But you'd need the relative security of
    • If you're giving away the SDK to developers, do they have any motivation to NOT do a port to your platform?
      Yeah. It costs a lot of money to port a big game. The price of the SDK doesn't even register.

      Any other questions?
    • develop a hardware platform design, license out the design, and leave the sdk open?

      It happened in the 90s, and it was called 3D0. Unfortunately, it was crap.

  • Wrong currency conversion (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:04PM (#14239397)
    EDIT: Thanks to Yakumo for correcting the misinformation regarding the price. Gamefront.de lists it at 10.000 Yen, but it's 15.800 Yen (approx. 112 Euro/ $133)! It's still a nice price in my opinion.

    Can someone tell me if this is really worth it? For that price I could buy a Gamecube or a GameBoy. For less than $20 more, I could get PS2 [amazon.com]. Granted, these are not bundles, but these systems have more games available. The PS2 can run linux. What sets the Dreamcast apart from it?

    This isn't meant to sound as a troll; I've simply never looked into the Dreamcast as a possible system and would like to know if it's really worth it.

    • The PS2 can run linux. What sets the Dreamcast apart from it?

      Um, the Dreamcast can run Linux too? Seriously, the DC is great for the homebrew and modding community. You don't have to mod the system, just burn a CD-R bootloader (or self-booting CDR) and play your game. There are even some emulators available for it.

  • Handheld? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by mrgreen4242 ( 759594 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:05PM (#14239402)
    If anything I'd suspect (and hope) they are releasing it with a new form-factor based on some sort of DreamCast-on-a-chip. I'm not sure how big DC games were (those were some sort of goofy CDs weren't they? like 1.2gbs or something?), but it would be really cool to see them re-release it as a portable system or an all-in-one unit with some kind of online/downloadable game sales. Maybe a handheld that uses mini-dvds? Then they could sell you all the games you've already bought again, ala PSP!

    With all the players who have tried in the portable market the last couple years (Zodiac, GamePark, Gizmodo, Sony, Nokia) it wouldn't suprise me if Sega decided to throw their hat into the ring, and handheld DreamCast might just suceed where most of the rest have failed.

  • would be if they could get someone to setup servers for the dreamcast's online games I used to come home after high school and play Phantasy Star Online and UT every day.

  • full circle (Score:4, Funny)

    by EddieBurkett ( 614927 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:07PM (#14239426)
    Doesn't this mean that the Dreamcast was the first and last console released for the current (pre-360) generation?

  • me too (Score:4, Interesting)

    by enrico_suave ( 179651 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:11PM (#14239466) Homepage
    I'd definitely buy one if there was a domestic re-release.

    My Samba Da Amigo morracas are lonely since my dreamcast drive started to give up the ghost...

    e.
    • If this new Dreamcast can still play "backups", I'd drop a few bucks on one just in case my current one kicks. Add in a broadband adapter (since they're such a pain to find for the original DC) and you couldn't keep me from buying one. And while they're at it, can they release a new Saturn, too?

  • Someone at Sega... (Score:4, Funny)

    by drxray ( 839725 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:29PM (#14239627) Homepage
    ...saw this advert for the xbox 360 [ukresistance.co.uk].

  • Outsell the Xbox 360 (Score:4, Interesting)

    by wickedj ( 652189 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @01:29PM (#14239629) Homepage
    What would be hilarious is if this bundle (if true) outsells the Xbox 360 in Japan. That said, I would love for the Dreamcast to come back. It was a highly underrated system. Many of the games were top notch and the graphics are still decent, almost Gamecube quality. One of my favorite games is available for that system, Ikaruga (it's now available on GC).
  • ...then make some sort of crude media center software for it. If it could play shoutcast streams(either local or over the net) + broadband adaptor, hey you have a new use for it.

    Heck, do some hardware work, redesign the controller, have some centralized servers for games, and you would be a step ahead of the Phantom!

  • You know... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Guppy06 ( 410832 ) on Monday December 12, 2005 @02:41PM (#14240249)
    Miyamoto is still dropping hints that there's one more new big feature for the Revolution, and Sega execs have been quoted as saying that they're looking into the Revolution playing SMS/Genesis games as well as NES/SNES/N64.

    What if the Revolution played Dreamcast games?

    (How's that for outlandish rumor-mongering?)
    • If that's the Revolution's big secret, then Nintendo has won the battle of the consoles this round. It's one thing to be backwards compatable with your own hardware and emulate software from days past, but to be compatable with software written for a former competitor is simply awesome.
    • That is outlandish, because the 500MB flash memory in the Rev isn't even big enough to hold a DC game. Or at least not many of them anyway.
      • Nothing to prevent it from reading the discs, as it will with GCN discs.

        In general though, I already know it won't happen because
        1. Unless you come up with some way to retroactively tell the difference, if it can run legitimate Dreamcast discs, it can read CD-Rs.
        2. Some Dreamcast games were written for WinCE, which means emulation or having to shell out $$$ for a license
        • 1. Unless you come up with some way to retroactively tell the difference, if it can run legitimate Dreamcast discs, it can read CD-Rs.

          It's trivially easy to detect recordable media in hardware.

          2. Some Dreamcast games were written for WinCE, which means emulation or having to shell out $$$ for a license

          Hardly any games used WinCE. Regardless, it's not like the Dreamcast has WinCE embedded so licensing is not an issue. The GD-ROM is a ready to run game, built with WinCE or not.

    • All Ur emul8rz R BL0ng 2 teh Rev0lu5hun
    • Oooooh ~ a godbox of gaming. It would have to play my pirated japanese Jet Set Radio though.
      • "It would have to play my pirated"

        Congratulations: you helped kill the Dreamcast. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have this Slashdot submission to begin with.
  • Sell the Dreamcast with 20 of its top games hard coded in it for about $20 and put it in a smaller redesigned system that makes it easier to connect to a home theater without being a permanent fixture.

    Wait a minute, isn't that what they are doing with all those Atari/Activision retro joysticks that run on a couple of AA bateries and embed 20 classic games in a joystick that simply plugs into your aux video?

    . . . Yeah, I don't see the point either.

  • $83? Too much! (Score:2, Informative)

    by mixrecords ( 931018 )
    About a year ago EB Games was blowing out all their Dreamcasts. I picked one up for $20 in mint condition along with about 10 games; cost about $40 total. They also sell 15 games for $50 here: http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/groups/15games50bucks/d reamcast.asp [ebgames.com] although most of them aren't the greatest.

  • Guarded opinion (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Linuxbeak ( 938043 )
    Yikes. I don't think that Sega would be wise to reenter the market at this point.

    The original Dreamcast was a commendable effort to keep Sega in the game console market, and to this day it still holds a cult following of gamers. It featured new technology and could have been an excellent platform for gamers. However, the introduction fo the XBox and the Nintento Gamecube more or less shut the door on Sega.

    I'm curious not to what Sega can produce; instead, I'm curious to see if they can manage to outma
    • You do understand the Dreamcast is as good as the PS2 right? SEGA's main problem was that they didn't put any crap on the system to stop pirating, which is also ironicly why the dreamcast has such a cult following.

      If they re-release it at a cheap price fanboys will buy one and people who arn't too keen on consoles because they're so expensive could pick up a dreamcast dirt cheap and a handful of second hand games for less then it takes for the kids to goto the cinema.

      This is a pretty spiffy idea.. I'd like
  • I bought a Japanese one before the US launch and then a US one later. They both still work and my son plays DC daily. Samba de Amigo is still the best party game ever. I've seen them used at Gamestop for $20 and you don't need a modchip to run homebrew/games.

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