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Sega Developing 'Several' Natal, Move Games, Predicts 'Attractive' Price
by Leigh Alexander [PC, Console/PC]
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March 18, 2010
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Sega is developing "several" Project Natal and PlayStation Move games planned for late 2010 and early 2011, says Mike Hayes, the company's European and North American head.
The publisher's placing a lot of faith behind the platform holders' push toward motion-controlled gaming; Hayes tells consumer site CVG Natal and Move "allow us to do things that are more about multi, party gaming."
"'In a way, it's a move away potentially from the core. That's what we're actually getting good at," he adds, citing the Mario & Sonic IP. "Microsoft and Sony are telling us that actually, we don't have to spend $20 million to get things consumers like, because you can approach things with games that are repetitive fun - easy to pick up and pass around."
"That's where we could either use old Sega IP or come up with new ideas," he says. "The challenge for both first parties is to make sure the installed base of these devices is as high as they've claimed it will be."
Hayes says Microsoft and Sony need to strategize correctly on hardware install bases. If they only achieve a 12.5 percent attach rate, "that's 2.5 million consumers for us to go after. If ten per cent of those buy our games, that's 250,000. How much money can you realistically spend on development for that audience?"
"But Microsoft and Sony are talking very big numbers. If they can achieve that, it will make these devices very viable," he says. "Could sales of Natal hit 50 per cent of those current installed base? We think the price point will be very attractive."
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This philosophy sounds very familiar...next thing you know, Microsoft and Sony are going to "tell developers" that graphics and horsepower are irrelevant to a game's success and overall enjoyability.
I wonder if Sega will attempt more motion based games ala Mad World now that they can go multi platform. That's the kind of thing I'd like to see, but it's looking less likely from these comments.