Sega considering Netflix-like game subscription service
Sega considering Netflix-like game subscription service
It's another sign the industry is moving away from owning games - some fear that means gamers having to "shell out more."
No Sega. Bad Sega. Don't make me get the spray bottle...
I would personally advise them not to, but Sega was never known as an astute business decision maker.
The more subscriptions people need to access the content they want, the more likely they are to pirate it instead.
Everyone is talking about "Netflix-like" and "Steam-like", while forgetting that Netflix and Steam grew big not because of their subscription plans, but because they were a single point to access all content.
So they want xbox game pass only without games and microsoft money? Great plan!
"We're doing Sega Channel again, but it'll work this time, goddamnit!"
- SEGA Execs., probably
The number of Sega games I'd want to play could he counted on one hand, and I was a Sega fanboy growing up (owned every system and handheld).
Which games would that be?
Keep in mind that Sega isn't just a developer, but also a publisher. They are relatively big in the strategy genre, for example, as publishers of the Company of Heroes, Dawn of War, Total War, Valkyria Chronicles and Endless Space series. They are also PlatinumGames' publisher, own Atlus, etc. pp.
This doesn't mean they are necessarily big enough to be able to successfully pull this off, but we'll see.
Basically, any of the $20 Sega Classic collections that came out, Phantasy Star Online, ...uh yeah, it's not really a stocked library.
I'd rather they not, but:
If game companies are going to do this, then they should just sell their content to Netflix or Microsoft and cash in on that licensing revenue while not having to do any of the work.
I do not understand why companies are choosing to make their own streaming services when they are just money pits that provide minimal benefit.
I do not understand why companies are choosing to make their own streaming services when they are just money pits that provide minimal benefit.
Because everyone thought they could save money by doing it themselves. It's rarely that easy.