Developers Want Cash To Support New Sega Console
Jan 28, 1998  (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 5, No. 18) -- Sega and the
entertainment software publishers who want to support its new console
may have to come up with substantial capital to lure developers who
wonder whether it can compete in an already-established market.  For
its part, Sega promises a "huge blow-out" marketing campaign, to start
later this year, hyping the new platform, codenamed "Dural." Sega will
commit resources to ensure Dural software sells, an official says. "We
know games are the most important part of the equation."
Some developers aren't sure Sega can successfully introduce its new
console next year as planned in a market already dominated by N64 and
PlayStation.  "Nintendo and Sony [SNE] are very, very strong," says
George Metos, president of developer Sculptured Software.  Sony sold
5m units of PSX since its launch in '95 and Nintendo 4.3m units of N64
since its roll-out about a year later, according to recent data.
"I think [Sega is] going to have to offer developers enticements,"
including an "attractive revenue split," says Mark Kaminky, executive
VP of developer Studio e.  Studio e is looking at whether to develop
for Dural and should make a decision within six months, he adds.  Sega
already offered developers one big incentive to support Dural by
making development for it easier, Kaminky and Metos agree, through its
partnership with Microsoft [MSFT], which should make the code to
develop on Dural Windows-compatible (MMW, Jan. 26).
But that may not be enough.  To make it feasible for Sculptured to
invest the time to develop for Dural, instead of one of the proven
consoles, a publisher would likely have to fund the title, Metos says.
Sculptured has been approached by several "top publishers," but he
declines to name them.  And it's not just a matter of paying for
development.  Sega will have to commit "significant marketing money"
to promote Dural titles and the developers who created them, says Mike
Wilson, founder of the new publishing venture Gathering of Developers
(g.o.d.), noting g.o.d. is in "early talks" to develop for Dural.
From:  Silicon Times Report / January 30, 1998 / No.1404
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