Was the Xbox the Dreamcast's spiritual successor?

[Vicman]

According to Peter Moore it was:
http://spong.com/detail/editorial.asp?eid=10109296

Peter Moore: ...I was still at Sega at the time, I stood on stage at E3 2001 and gave my support to what was, if you will, the handing of the baton, of the dream, from Dreamcast to Xbox. Xbox was to take my dream of social gaming on a global scale onwards. At that time, when we made the decision about what needed to happen to Dreamcast as a piece of hardware, Microsoft was the first company to call. On January 31st, 2001, a sad day when I had to lay off 50 people from Sega America. A tragic day, stuff that stays with you.

So Microsoft was the first company to come to our support and I never forgot that.

SPOnG: There was a relationship there already from Dreamcast, wasn't there?

Peter Moore: Yes, there was the Windows CE relationship. They were evangelists from a development point of view but there was never a consumer relationship. There was a strong relationship. Okawa-san and Bill Gates had a good relationship in those days, so ATG came to Sega and said, 'We understand you are changing into a third-party company. How do we help you? So Microsoft came in and Sony, I believe, did not. And that has stuck with me as well.

SPOnG: Do you see the Xbox as a spiritual successor to the Dreamcast? It certainly set out to achieve a lot of the same things...

Peter Moore: Personally, yes. I always talk to Robbie about passing the baton. Dreamcast had the dream of online play though the big difference is Microsoft has the financial wherewithal to challenge the number one company at that time and to really take on the dream of online gaming and to bring global communities together."

All in all it's an interesting read on Xbox & Xbox 360, but that little tidbit referencing the Dreamcast brought a smile to my face as a portion of Sega's fans had felt this themselves. :)

[16bitter]

Yes, I believe that. Design-wise -- from the aesthetic similarites to Sega hardware to the forward-thinking features that nobody else bothered with out of the box as an internal standard (internet-play, hard disk, etc) -- the XBox very much feels like the Dreamcast's offspring. I believe ironically that Microsoft, the biggest company in this current war, has taken Sega's place in pushing the medium to new and better standards thus far.

Sega pushed online play as a standard since the Saturn. Yet Microsoft was the only company to pick up that ball and take Sega's dream of survival to the next level. Sony's still so lazy as to online play it's pathetic. And Nintendo's plan of attack is to get everything ass-backwards in ways usually reserved for a Supeman Bizarro comic.

[Mel]

I think the original intention was to do that, particularly with the sega sports line, jet set radio, and shenmue 2 on the xbox. However as time went by, I think sega moved towards nintendo's cube.

[Vicman]

How do you see that Mel? Sure Sega's family friendly games have found a home on the GC with Sonic, Bill Hatcher, Monkey Ball, and the like but some of Sega's other big names, as well as Sonic & Monkeyball, have found themselves either ported or exclusive to either the Xbox or the PS2. I think Sega just fully realized it's potential as a 3rd party and has put their games on all three systems pretty evenly.

Nonetheless the sentiment wasn't really on Sega's games, but on their dream with the DC and how the Xbox has realized that dream, thus forming a link as a spiritual successor. I.E. a successor, in spirit, to what Sega had created with the DC.

[Mel]

How do you see that Mel? Sure Sega's family friendly games have found a home on the GC with Sonic, Bill Hatcher, Monkey Ball, and the like but some of Sega's other big names, as well as Sonic & Monkeyball, have found themselves either ported or exclusive to either the Xbox or the PS2. I think Sega just fully realized it's potential as a 3rd party and has put their games on all three systems pretty evenly.

Nonetheless the sentiment wasn't really on Sega's games, but on their dream with the DC and how the Xbox has realized that dream, thus forming a link as a spiritual successor. I.E. a successor, in spirit, to what Sega had created with the DC.

I felt that in 2002 and 2003 there were more xbox exclusives, and in the past two years, there have been more gamecube exclusives. What's even more interesting, is that even though there have been other ports to the ps2, they never ported Phantasy Star online.

[Vicman]

The only Sega games to come out for the GC in 2004&5 so far have been Amazing Island, SMB 2-Pack, Puyo Pop Fever (DC/PS2 port), Samurai Jack(PS2 port), Virtua Quest (PS2 port), PSO1&2 Plus, & PSO3. The only exclusives for the GC being Amazing Island & PSO3 CARD Revolution in which both have been rated rather poor.

As for PSO the Xbox got PSO1&2 while the PS2 didn't get PSO but will be getting Phantasy Star Universe in early '06. Looking at that list above doesn't seem to support the view that Sega's been throwing GC more/exclusive games in the last 2 years seeing as how in the same time Sega's given the Xbox Iron Phoenix, Spikeout, Worms Forts, SMB Deluxe, Otogi 2, Outrun2, Headhunter Redemption, & Puyo Pop Fever.

As for the PS2 Sega's given them a ton of games in Japan and the USA including but not limited to Let's Make a Pro Baseball Team! 3, Sakura Taisen 5, Shining Force NEO, Worms Forts, SMB Deluxe, Sakura Taisen 3, Tenchu Fatal Shadows, Project Altered Beast, TotD, Chaos Field, Derby 4, Shining Tears, Sega Superstars, Blood Will Tell, Headhunter Redemption, Virtua Quest, J-League Pro Soccer '04, Samurai Jack, Astro Boy, & Puyo Pop Fever.

And these lists aren't even including the Sega AGES remakes, Sonic GEMS collections, Sega Sports titles, or the upcoming games for 2005 which include various Xbox 360 titles. I think it's pretty clear that Sega's been primarily supporting all 3 since 2003 and more so the PS2, then Xbox, and lastly the GC in order of their marketshare these last 2 years.

[Mel]

The only Sega games to come out for the GC in 2004&5 so far have been Amazing Island, SMB 2-Pack, Puyo Pop Fever (DC/PS2 port), Samurai Jack(PS2 port), Virtua Quest (PS2 port), PSO1&2 Plus, & PSO3. The only exclusives for the GC being Amazing Island & PSO3 CARD Revolution in which both have been rated rather poor.

As for PSO the Xbox got PSO1&2 while the PS2 didn't get PSO but will be getting Phantasy Star Universe in early '06. Looking at that list above doesn't seem to support the view that Sega's been throwing GC more/exclusive games in the last 2 years seeing as how in the same time Sega's given the Xbox Iron Phoenix, Spikeout, Worms Forts, SMB Deluxe, Otogi 2, Outrun2, Headhunter Redemption, & Puyo Pop Fever.

As for the PS2 Sega's given them a ton of games in Japan and the USA including but not limited to Let's Make a Pro Baseball Team! 3, Sakura Taisen 5, Shining Force NEO, Worms Forts, SMB Deluxe, Sakura Taisen 3, Tenchu Fatal Shadows, Project Altered Beast, TotD, Chaos Field, Derby 4, Shining Tears, Sega Superstars, Blood Will Tell, Headhunter Redemption, Virtua Quest, J-League Pro Soccer '04, Samurai Jack, Astro Boy, & Puyo Pop Fever.

And these lists aren't even including the Sega AGES remakes, Sonic GEMS collections, Sega Sports titles, or the upcoming games for 2005 which include various Xbox 360 titles. I think it's pretty clear that Sega's been primarily supporting all 3 since 2003 and more so the PS2, then Xbox, and lastly the GC in order of their marketshare these last 2 years.

Geez, I was going my shelf space, and what I saw in stores. Anyway, Heardhunter is made by sega? Sakura Taisen is made by sega? I thought it was made by a different company. You forgot the sonic adventure remakes for the GC. (though I think they're older than 2 years old now).

Geez I feel ignorant now. Are we getting a US release of Sakura taisen or what?

[Vicman]

I looked at games either published or developed by Sega begining 2004 till now that are currently out, elimnated what I knew to be Sega Ages, Sonic Gems, and Sports titles and compiled the list. I wasn't out to make you look bad Mel as your cool with me, but I didn't understand why you thought Sega was showing the GC so much love. If what you care about is mainly Sonic/family friendly titles I could see why but if not but things point otherwise.

Also Sega IMO hasn't internally developed many great games in the last couple of years as some of the better games in that list above were developed by other companies and published/funded by Sega, the lone star being Outrun2. For home consoles, at least, the last couple of years have been pretty bad for Sega.

[GeckoYamori]

I find it funny how all the Xbox-haters back in the day complained about it being so PC friendly (And they still do, probably) yet had no problems with the Dreamcast which was the same.

[janus]

Yeah, the hard drive is the best part of the XBOX! I'm glad I don't have to spend loads on memory cards.

[Vicman]

...and playing awesome games, like the one in your avatar, perfectly! :twisted:

[janus]

And you can rip music! (Although it's essentially useless unless you have Outrun 2.) I just hope they don't turn the XBox360 into a wannabe PlayStation. The only people opposed to cool PC features are those who like playing Splinter Cell on two discs (i.e. Gamecube fans).

[Mel]

I looked at games either published or developed by Sega begining 2004 till now that are currently out, elimnated what I knew to be Sega Ages, Sonic Gems, and Sports titles and compiled the list. I wasn't out to make you look bad Mel as your cool with me, but I didn't understand why you thought Sega was showing the GC so much love. If what you care about is mainly Sonic/family friendly titles I could see why but if not but things point otherwise.

Also Sega IMO hasn't internally developed many great games in the last couple of years as some of the better games in that list above were developed by other companies and published/funded by Sega, the lone star being Outrun2. For home consoles, at least, the last couple of years have been pretty bad for Sega.

I'm not offended, just behaving clownish =)

I thought the GC got so much love probably because of the type of games I tend to play. For the most part I'm not really into M titled games. Realism and violence are dull to me. I prefer cartoons hence why i was more of street fighter kid than a mortal kombat kid.

Anyone know if PSO is still being supported on xbox?

[Mel]

And you can rip music! (Although it's essentially useless unless you have Outrun 2.) I just hope they don't turn the XBox360 into a wannabe PlayStation. The only people opposed to cool PC features are those who like playing Splinter Cell on two discs (i.e. Gamecube fans).

Thats harsh.

I like the cube better than th eother two. I already have a pc with a Radeon card on it, and it plays mp3's (wow big deal) so whats so special about having your tv and dvd player do it?

My cheap $30 dvd player also plays mp3's. And disc swapping on a game isn't that big of a deal either.

I just don' tlike the idea of paying an extra 100-200 on a game console because it has a ton of extra features I frankly can care less about.

Oh, and the CD player ont he psone is still better because it has the trippy screensaver. you would think they could do that on a new gen system...

[Vicman]

Mel, quit the hating. A trippy screensaver is easily found on the Xbox when playing music by pressing x then y while the music plays, and if you play music through Xbox Media Center you can enjoy various ultra trippy visualizations including 3000 new "milkdrop" presets. http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/

Plus the Xbox 360 will have trippy visualizations so badass via Neon - virtual light synthesizer, that they'll almost be games onto themselves similar to Rez. The industry legend Jeff Minter (http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/index.php) himself is doing the project and it will be in every Xbox 360 from the get go.
Here's a cool interview on what it's all about. (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2005/07/05/jeff_minter_vs_xbox_360_how_microsoft_bought_the_l ight_synth_vision.html)

Lastly, not caring about playing great games, whether it's on any platform, sucks hard IMO. Missing out on Panzer Dragoon Orta, Outrun2, Otogi 1&2, Ninja Gaiden, Halo1&2, and a ton of other games on the Xbox is your choice, but you're missing out because you wanna pigeon-hole them as "mature".

Just like how I wouldn't wanna miss out the Gamecube's great games, or the PS2's or any other console/handheld/or pc IMO so should others who truly love games and gaming. And since you've said you're a budget conscious gamer looking for a good deal then baggin on the Xbox when it's a great platform for not only modern but retro gaming since you can play cd's, isos, & roms of:
PSX
N64/SNES/NES/GBA/GBC/GB/Virtualboy
Sega Genesis/CD/32X/Master System/Game Gear/Mark1
Turbo Graphx/CD/Super CD
Atari 26/52/7800/ST/Lynx
MSX1&2
Amiga
Coleco/Intellivision
NEO GEO CD/AES
CPS1&2
MAME
and Classic PC games like Sam & Max,Grim Fandango, or Secret of Monkey Island via ScummMX, and who knows what else I've forgotten to list then refusing to spend $100-150 for such an experience at such a low initial cost seems short sighted to me unless the person is just really tight on money.

I may not like Sony, and to a lesser extent Nintendo, but that doesn't mean I'm going to deny myself the joy of playing great games on their consoles/handhelds. Hate the company all you want but love the games...LOVE THE GAMES! :D

[Vicman]

P.S. you're also missing out on Psychonauts, ToeJam & Earl 3, Blinx 1&2, Tork, and Voodoo Vince. Fun cartoonish platformers either exclusive to the Xbox or only ported from the Xbox to the PS2.

Let alone Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, & Ratchet & Clank. 3 great platforming series only on the PS2. Anyways I should shut up now, gaming's just too good to limit yourself.

[janus]

Thats harsh.

Yeah, I suppose it is. I used to have a GameCube and to be honest I liked it, but the features on the XBox just make life easier, even if they aren't exactly special. XBox live, though, is special.