*Sven@NextGen is on the stage.
*Sven@NextGen: We're going to wait a few mintues for Brad Hogan from Sega Sports
Moderator: Pepe says: "Hello Sven (I must now greet everyone)."
*Sven@NextGen: In the mean time
Gary@PC Gamer left the stage.
*Sven@NextGen: I'll do a little industry Q&A with peoiple while we wait
*Sven@NextGen: If you have an industry question... fire away
Moderator: I'll try to let you know a bit more in advance of when things are coming to a close
Moderator: Ingus says: "what do you do at NextGen Sven?"
Jeff@SaturnWorld is on the stage.
*Sven@NextGen: For those who don't know me, I'm the Editor and Webmaster of Next Generation Online. I also write the Joyriding column of Next Generation MAgazine
Moderator: Rudo says: "do you really believe that the upgrade will never happen for Saturn?"
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Yo! Just wait for Sega and Sega Sports to get here
*Sven@NextGen: I don't believe that Sega will ever put out an upgrade. The reasons for this are multiple
*Sven@NextGen: first is teh fragementation of userbases
Jeff@SaturnWorld: More than likely, no.
*Sven@NextGen: for people to develop for the upgrade, developers will have to seriously cut their potential sales
Moderator: Zapf says: "What's your favorite Saturn game? :)"
*Sven@NextGen: because only a fraction of those people with the system actually have the upgrade
Jeff@SaturnWorld: However, there may some other interesting addon developments (RAM Carts and the like)
*Sven@NextGen: second...
*Sven@NextGen: Sega already has a new system waiting in the wings
*Sven@NextGen: this would be another 32X debacle
*Sven@NextGen: if they release an upgrade on the heels of such a new system
*Sven@NextGen: Finally, sources close to Sega have indicated
*Sven@NextGen: that they had some difficulty
*Sven@NextGen: working out a design for a reasonable price
Moderator: ?Trunks says: "after seeing sonic jam i dont think there is need for an upgrade"
Moderator: Xaos™ says: "gary, have you played Atomic Bomberman yet? The demo was a piece of, well, crap, and didn't include 1/4 of the promissed features."
*Sven@NextGen: Finally, even if they did get an upgrade out
*Sven@NextGen: there is difficulty in geting third parties to develop for it
*Sven@NextGen: There are other reasons as well, but I'll hold those for futre Q&A sessions
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Long answer, ain't it?
*Sven@NextGen: Any more questions?
*Sven@NextGen: Tough question... but a good one...
*Sven@NextGen: it required a verbose answer :)
*Sven@NextGen: There are no questions in teh queue
*Sven@NextGen: if you are interested...
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Umm...Ummm...
*Sven@NextGen: ask away
Editors@N64.com is on the stage.
Editors@N64.com: Hi, folks.
Editors@N64.com: How goes it?
Moderator: Zapf says: "From what you've seen, what upcoming Saturn titles will play a large roll in the Saturn's future?"
*Sven@NextGen: Jeff you want that one?\
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Azel, Sonic Jam, Last Bronx, Dead or Alive
Jeff@SaturnWorld: NBA Action
*Sven@NextGen: I have played Atomic Bomberman...
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Sega Touring Car Championship
*Sven@NextGen: I do like it...
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Resident Evil
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Grandia
*Sven@NextGen: we've tested it onliine here and it;s quite fun with a bunch of sidewinder pads
Randy@UGP is on the stage.
Editors@N64.com: Sega's on the way?
Moderator: Andre says: "N64.com, I've heard that Dream may not come out until 1998, is this true?"
*Sven@NextGen: Ok...
Editors@N64.com: Andre: We have no official answer. Everyone we've questioned has either flatly denied anything about the title or told us something they shouldn't have and then pulled back.
*Sven@NextGen: our next guest is about to join us...
*Sven@NextGen: He is Brad Hogan from Sega Sports
*Sven@NextGen left the stage.
Randy@UGP left the stage.
Editors@N64.com left the stage.
Moderator: hold on one more sec all
Moderator: The Sega guys are on the way
Moderator: Phantom© says: "so how's it going jeff"
Moderator: Miyamoto and Yu Suzuki walk into a bar...
Saturn is on the stage.
Moderator: Pepe says: "Hello Saturn."
Moderator: Zapf says: "Hiya Saturn, welcome :)"
Jeff@SaturnWorld: This is Sega
Jeff@SaturnWorld: And welcome to the chat folks. Why don't you introduce yourselves
Moderator: Rudo says: "Brad, how is NBA Action 98 coming along? Is it significantly better than last year's NBA Action?"
Saturn: Hi, it's Brad Hogan (Sega Sports), Anne Moellering (Saturn marketing) and Mark Subotnick (Sega product specialist) signing in.
Jeff@SaturnWorld: And how is NBA Action?
Saturn: We have a new engine using motion capture technology. We've improved the level of graphic quality. New polygonal players and Chick Hearn is commentating. Should be awesome.
Moderator: I think they're fighting over who gets to type
Moderator: *Sven@NextGen says: "What new games are on the horizon for Sega Sports? Will we have more Worldwide Soccer? More Daytona?"
Saturn: The sports line up this year is:
Moderator: Fight Fight Fight :)
Saturn: World Series Baseball 98, Manx TT, NBA Action, WW Soccer, NHL Hockey and Touring Car. Some of these are coming to the PC as well, including Daytona.
Moderator: Eiksirf says: "How dependant is Sega on their arcade business right now?"
Saturn: Our arcade business has always been the driving engine of our business. We're giving people a new way to play arcade games in the home with Net Link arcade games starting to ship late June.
Moderator: Ingus says: "Mark: what does the "Sega product specialist" do?"
Saturn: I'm the man!
Moderator: Editors@N64.com says: "Mark: Why has there been no response to Sony and Nintendo's recent price drops? Do you feel that Sega is an a position to set the price standards in the videogame market?"
Saturn: Our strategy is more long-term, focusing on great games and great value pricing/promotions. Saturn, with three free games, is still less expensive than Sony or Nintendo if you were to buy three of their games.
Moderator: type faster and shorter...
Saturn: ok
Moderator: ?Trunks says: "is there going to be a nights 2? or an upgrade?"
Saturn: We'll let Naka tell you next time he's in the U.S.
Moderator: Editors@N64.com says: "What's the deal with Sonic 3D?"
Saturn: what is Sonic 3D?
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Sonic 3D was supposed to be Sonic X-Treme or the new Project Sonic
Saturn: We have two new Sonic games coming this year: Sonic Jam, with a cool new 3D museum area, and an entirely new Sonic racing game.
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Tell us about the Sonic racing game!
Moderator: Eiksirf says: "A sonic racing game?! Is this along the lines of Mario kart?"
Moderator: Zapf says: "What will the Sonic racing game be like (what platform(s), made by who, etc?)"
Saturn: Can't say much now, will show first playable at E3, but early indications are that it will rock.
Moderator: Andre says: "What is the latest word on Vectorman 3 and the Vectorman CGi movie?"
Moderator: right on... one more reason to go to E3
Saturn: There are no plan currently to release Vectorman3 or the Vectorman CGi movie.
Moderator: Zapf says: "Considering SquareSoft's popularity among the RPG genre, has SEGA ever tried/is SEGA trying to get a SquareSoft product in development for Saturn?"
Saturn: We
Moderator: ...
Jeff@SaturnWorld: They're busy fighting over the keyboard, I suppose
Moderator: are still fighting over the keyboard? ;)
Moderator: ?Trunks says: "we means yes i think"
Saturn: We're always open having the best new games from third parties on Saturn. On another note, look for Shining the Holy Ark in July.
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Oui?
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Tell us more about Shining
Saturn: It's our first true RPG following on the huge success of the shining series. It's got great graphics, real-time fight sequences and 80 hours plus gameplay.
Moderator: Rudo says: "Are you guys going to pick up Grandia from GameArts for American release?"
Jeff@SaturnWorld: For all y'all, Shining's in the office, and I've put in over 27 hours into it
Saturn: It's under consideration. It would be a killer title on Saturn
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Now is leaning to a yes?
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Leaning to the yes side?
Saturn: don't understand the question
Moderator: Randy@UGP says: "When will we see Sega Touring Car for the Saturn in the US?"
Moderator: Zapf says: "What will the Sega/Bandai merger mean for gamers in the US?"
Moderator: Editors@N64.com says: "Do you have any plans to release a cost effecient package (with no games included) to compete with Nintendo and Sony's cheaper prices. Not everyone can afford the $50 extra, afterall."
Moderator: five minutes left, guys... last call for questions
Saturn: The Bandai/Sega merger will mean more great games for a broad range of our gamers. It adds to our creative pool. We have no plans to drop the price on the core pack Saturn.
Moderator: and remember... next up is Working Designs
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Why not? It seems that several vendors have already dropped prices to $150
Moderator: oopsman says: "hey where is phantasy star for the saturn?????"
Saturn: We are still selling at the same rate that we were selling prior to Sony's and Nintendo's price drop. The free games more than covers the $50 difference.
Moderator: Pepe says: "What is the deal with Panzer RPG, I assume it not to be out to combat FFVII, but, when will it be out, and what info do you have about it? (Hello all you palacers out there)"
Saturn: Panzer RPG is an action RPG. It's totally different from Final Fantasy VII.
Moderator: Just one or two more questions everyone
Moderator: Eiksirf says: "You got bandia...so WE WANT VOLTRON! heheh"
Moderator: Gamemaster says: "Will VF3 be released or not? Simple Yes or NO."
Saturn: We're on it!
Jeff@SaturnWorld: YES!
Moderator: woo hoo!!! VOLTRON
Moderator: you heard it first at IGN
Jeff@SaturnWorld: We're going to have to close up now. Victor's at the gate. Thanks again, Mark, Dan, Brad, and Anne
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Hope to have you back soon!
Saturn: Let's do it again soon.
Jeff@SaturnWorld: Everybody, give the folks a hand!
Randy@UGP is on the stage.
Saturn left the stage.

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