SEGA Dreamcast 2 to be PC and console hybrid?

[Phillyman]

There's a possibility of a new console coming from Sega. That sounds like a pipe dream and something far off from reality, but it's actually the truth. There's a project making a lot of headway called “Project Dream”, which is aimed at bringing a PC-style Dreamcast 2 console to the market.

According to The Gaming Ground, Patrick Lawsen, a member of the Sega Dreamcast 2 super group aimed at reviving the Dreamcast brand with the help of some Sega of Japan interns and independent OEM designers, has been making some serious progress with the project.

According to Lawson there's a lot of potential for a new Sega console, stating...

I’m truly excited about the Crowdfunded prospect for SEGA RingEdge Zero/RingWide Elite. […] If we can get just a million backers worldwide, our upcoming KS could be funded in record time and with SEGA licensing it could have it out on the market in less than a year!

[...] SEGA should be unveiling some new Arcade hardware at AOU in February [2016]. We have [sega of Japan] interns involved. They will present the ideas to SEGA of Japan next Quarter. SEGA will revive its old IPs.

What Lawsen and the rest of the group want to do is bring a competitively priced PC rig to the market that can run Sega's old and new games alike. The plan is that it will be a direct competitor to things like the Steam Machines or dedicated gaming rigs offered by companies like Cyberpower and Alienware.

The device will run an Intel Core i5 Haswell and will be designed to play Sega games right off the hard drive after being digitally installed. The point of the system will be to play old and new Sega titles on HDMI compatible devices with HD upscaling capabilities.

The whole point is to put Sega back into the running as a viable console competitor. The system will have a similar shell as the original Dreamcast but modified and updated for today's standards. A mock-up is what's in the main image of this article. The system will also have a wireless controller, just like the Xbox One and PS4 or the Wii U's Pro Controllers.

This all originally kicked off with a petition on Change.org from a certain Ben Plato from Melbourne, Australia, which managed to accrue more than 22,000 signatures for Sega to release a new Dreamcast that can play Sega's illustrious library of games. It picked up enough steam over the months that started attracting serious attention, and Lawsen and the rest of the group working to revive the Dreamcast 2 got involved and are now taking things directly to Sega of Japan. From there they plan to host the Kickstarter to get the hardware and designs finalized. The idea that a new console could be out by the end of 2016 almost sends chills down my spine.

At first it looked like a real long shot but with Lawsen and the rest of the group going directly to Sega of Japan and with so much support from the community wanting to see a new Dreamcast on the market, I'm curious to see how this will turn out.

[ctophil]

"Sega Dreamcast 2" It just rolls off your tongue, doesn't it? LOL. Seriously though, I think it's a super cool idea. I do hope this will become successful. I was an active Sega Saturn gamer back in the day. I even bought the Saturn before the PS1, N64, or any of those "popular" consoles of the day. I own every Sega Console since the Sega Master System and proud of it. So, I will definitely jump on board if the petition will get Sega rolling.

Keep us posted, Phillyman.

[DPsx7]

I'm interested too. Sega was a secondary console for me since I was more into Nin's style of games, but now it's easier to have multiple systems. Despite my backlog and already owning a PS4 and U, maybe I'll add a third or fourth console if this and that Coleco project turn into something good.

[Kain]

I see this something along the lines of the Neo Geo X that came out a few years back. The Market is run by Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Sega back in the day couldn't compete when Sony was just starting with the original Playstation, in the place where there was room for more companies and games were easy to make and sell, and were cheap, now AAA titles costing 100 million dollars or so to make. Some companies don't have the same recognition that they once had or have. Namco, Midway, Acclaim, Sierra, Konami, Square Enix(Soft) not the same and some of those have gone bankrupt. This is for the fans by the fans nothing more. Even launching this will require millions. Homebrew will more than likely be it's main support, original Dreamcast is still running strong thanks to Homebrew. Not sounding negative but that is the reality of the situation. Sega will more than likely give permission to use their name, their hardware, and so on and Ip's for porting and what not, but as far as being a 100 % Sega Of the 1990's with their hands on the hardware market i don't see it. Sega would be better off giving people some of their older Ip's back. A new Outrun, Panzer Dragoon, Jet Set Radio done well would be better. Wish the folks best of luck. But i'm not holding my breath.

http://www.amazon.com/NEOGEO-GOLD-Limited-Edition-Electronic-Games/dp/B00AASU8A4

[vice350z]

unfortunately a fake story.

[RobertDuncan]

Would love to buy one but unfortunately Sega doesn't seem to want to or intrested in going back into the console business but hey that's why they made kickstarter for these type of things.

[Data]

Rising up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

So many times it happens too fast
You trade your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

It's the eye of the tiger
It's the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all with the eye of the tiger

I gave up on the dream of Sega as a Set Top Box. I was told that back in 2001 that I should just be glad that they still make games. But since then I can only recall Sonic Generations being played from start to finish by me and now the Shenmue Remake in 2017-18. Sega died long ago along with arcades and Sega Sports. There isnt room for competition nowadays and certainly no room for 4 game consoles.

[CastleVanity]

See, if they made this back then, i would have bought it.

[nutznboltz2003]

I think it would make more sense for this to be a Steam Box with the possibility of free download codes for Sega games on Steam. A new game console I just don't see being able to compete unless it is a very limited release or limited market release. I might have fond memories of the original Sega Mastersystem, but this just doesn't make sense.

[urko948]

Yeah this story has been circulating for years now with the same image. It's disappointing that there will probably never be a dreamcast 2 or a Sega console of any type ever again. Dreamcast was freaking sweet. Dreamcast magazine was awesome too with the demo discs.

[landamo]

While a Dreamcast 2 would be really nice I don't think Sega is in a position where it could release a console would be able to compete in the market place. The best they could do would be an official clone that lets you play all of there back catalog.

[MisterXiado]

The Xbox was essentially the Dreamcast 2. This thing is a sham.

[synth]

A new SEGA console would be awesome! I voted!

[Data]

I bought Dreamcast on Sepember 09 1999 and the cpu and graphics horsepower was literally a full generation over my Playstation. The launch title Ready to Rumble had high details in the face of the boxers. Compared to N64 and PS1 the graphics were a generation ahead. I was happy to own the Dreamcast. The Playstation had like 30 hz of horsepower and it's biggest bonus was the ability to play back full motion video when at the time it was versus Nintendo 64, In 2000 it was worth it to play NBA 2K, NFL2k, NHL 2K, Phantasy Star Online, Alien Front Online, Armada, Bang-O, Crazy Taxi, Shenmue, and many others. The system was only 199 American by mid 2000 and it was sad to watch my friend die to the hands of a new generation of punks who could only afford their divorced mothers gift of a Sony Playstation around 1998.

[fousekis]

When i had the money for a next gen console it was year 2000 and i had bought ps2 instead of DC.

[Data]

When i had the money for a next gen console it was year 2000 and i had bought ps2 instead of DC.

 

The best reason to buy a Playstation 2 was the integrated DVD player.  I remember in 1999 a guy said he wanted to sell his DVD player and buy a new one but it was $450.00.  DVD's were $40.00.

[Kain]

The best reason to buy a Playstation 2 was the integrated DVD player.  I remember in 1999 a guy said he wanted to sell his DVD player and buy a new one but it was $450.00.  DVD's were $40.00.

 

At the end of the day the PS2 had so many things going for it at that point in time that are unmatched in today's day in age. Compatible with the PS1 games, the accessories, and the killer library of games in the first year or so on the market. Not to mention PS1 games were still being made. All those things made the PS2 a system to have. You got Silent Hill 2,Gran Turismo 3, MGS 2, GTA III, Final Fantasy X, Max Payne, Rayman 2, ICO, Devil May Cry, Jak And Daxter, THPS 3 that variety in the first year or so is hard to come by on a single console. I remember still seeing FFVII and original MGS and other PS1 classics in store for sale for around 20 bucks in 2000-2001. If you skipped some of those you could enjoy them on the PS2. PS2 had everything going for it. Right console, right price and right time.

[Data]

I admit, the Playstation 2 had a tremendous following from loyal Playstation 1 owners as well as fallout from Nintendo and Sega owners of the 90's. 

I was always interested in the Xbox because of Halo and Shenmue 2.  In fact Microsoft co developed some of Dreamcasts Bios and operating system and after Sega folded, Microsoft took much of what they learned and built the powerful Xbox.

[Kain]

I admit, the Playstation 2 had a tremendous following from loyal Playstation 1 owners as well as fallout from Nintendo and Sega owners of the 90's. 

I was always interested in the Xbox because of Halo and Shenmue 2.  In fact Microsoft co developed some of Dreamcasts Bios and operating system and after Sega folded, Microsoft took much of what they learned and built the powerful Xbox.

 

Xbox also had a good launch, to this day i love Project Gotham Racing and Amped, Amped 2 hands down my favorite snowboarding game. In time the Xbox like gamecube had really solid titles. 2001 was a great gaming year when you look back on it. Lots of great titles and a great variety.

[lepkeleh]

Xbox also had a good launch, to this day i love Project Gotham Racing and Amped, Amped 2 hands down my favorite snowboarding game. In time the Xbox like gamecube had really solid titles. 2001 was a great gaming year when you look back on it. Lots of great titles and a great variety.

Xbox was the last gaming console that I enjoyed. It was like a successful Dreamcast and even a bit better with more amazing games and a fast working online platform.

[Data]

Sony grosly overhyped the PS2 in 2000.  They made it seem like it was going to be two or three times as graphically intensive as Dreamcast.

It turns out Sony lied and continue to do so.  PS2 has good polygon count, good cpu and frame buffer but as soon as you added textures, the system was brought to it's knees.  Dreamcast on the other hand had twice the video ram as well as being on par with Playstation 2 with overall polygon count.utilizing their powerful Naoimi to create a more arcadey feel to the system and games.  This was the last true console in my opinion and there will never be anything like it.  

Dreamcast died not because they couldn't make awesome original games but because of their failed past with Saturn, 32x and Sega CD.

They could not afford to give away a console, and that was what they were doing, with the inclusion of a DVD player.  It was just too expensive and ultimately Sega went chapter 11 restructuring.