cj_iwakura
Member
This thread is absolutely full of fascinating lore, but this was a recently interesting bit:
http://www.gaijinworks.com/interact...Storytime-Thread&p=97178&viewfull=1#post97178
Also, how Bernie Stolar made it his goal to kill the Saturn:
And he also almost did Shadowrun Sega CD:
The man should write a book on his experiences, ton of fascinating game history.
http://www.gaijinworks.com/interact...Storytime-Thread&p=97178&viewfull=1#post97178
vireland said:Yeah, I wanted to do Shining Force III (I still do, actually - all of them), but it wasn't going to happen. But this reminded me,(again) of one SEGA title that pissed me off - Phantasy Star IV. We stepped in to do that when SoA passed because they said was no market for it (total bull) and it wouldn't sell. But when they learned we got involved and were going to license it from SoJ.
SoA magically became interested again, but only so they could sell it for a ridiculous price to PROVE there was no market, rather than have us succeed with it and prove them wrong to SoJ. That $100 price had nothing to do with reality and everything to do with them trying to kill the title at launch with a price like 60% over the norm to prove a point. They failed. Even at $100, it sold out.
Also, how Bernie Stolar made it his goal to kill the Saturn:
Saturn was never going to WIN that generation here, but with ANYONE else, it could have made a respectable showing. You have to remember there were almost TWO YEARS of NOTHING because Bernie killed Saturn too early, trying to push the DC release up when that didn't happen. Two years of okay sales are much better than literally nothing. It was a dark time, and SEGA never really recovered, especially at retail that remained wary for the DC after what SEGA did to them for Saturn's launch and unexpected, abrupt end.
Stolar hated RPGs - he's the ONLY reason they were delayed on Sony before he was shown the door. I know this because I literally flew to Japan to try to get around his no-RPG edict for Sony and I was told that they couldn't help me, I had to go through SCEA. Fortunately, Bernie was shown the door and the rest is history for the golden era of RPGs on PS1.
From what I experienced, Bernie took his wrong-headed ideas to SEGA where he helped kill the company - at least for all practical purposes. SEGA we have now is a shadow of what it was, and lots of that is on him and his little toadie Gretchen.
And he also almost did Shadowrun Sega CD:
Haha, yes. I have a beta version gold disc of that somewhere that they sent me to evaluate. I think that was a situation like 3x3 Eyes and After Armageddon - games I wanted to do or was close to doing, but victims of timing. The opportunities came too late in the cycle.
The man should write a book on his experiences, ton of fascinating game history.