Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

[CaptainZombie]

Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February
Dreamcast dies, Sega fans commit Seppuku.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/756/756682p1.html

Few modern-retro systems have quite as enthusiastic and hopeful legion of fans as the Dreamcast. The last console Sega ever made was a solid and innovative system, the first to feature an integrated modem and internet support. Its mid-console-cycle launch sixteen months before the PlayStation 2 made it the most powerful console available when it was new, but it was unable to survive the onslaught of Sony's console when push came to shove in March 2000. Nevertheless, while the Dreamcast was going strong it was host to a number of games that easily hold their own today, like Power Stone, NFL 2K, and Marvel vs. Capcom.

Though Sega ceased production of the console in March 2001, rumors of a re-launch or sequel console have continued to find traction among the hopeful on the internet despite repeated denials by Sega. A variety of games have continued to trickle out of Japan, and an active pirate/homebrew community have kept the system alive for years after its early demise.

Today, however, Sega has put the final nail in the Dreamcast coffin, announcing that production of GD-ROM, the proprietary disc format used by the Dreamcast and Dreamcast-based NAOMI arcade board, will cease in February 2007. With no more official releases possible after the end of GD-ROM production, the Dreamcast will have reached its final end. February 1st will be a sad day, which we shall commemorate by ritualistically slaughtering a PS2, nefarious console of Dreamcast snuffing that it is.

[forensicd]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

I will never forget going to a movie, and seeing an advertisement for the upcoming dreamcast. They showed nfl 2k, and my jaw dropped. It was such a great system, and sega is such an amazing company, its a shame that its getting pushed out of the business.

[Dondadda]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

DC was very solid, but the PS2 is the greatest game console of all time.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

DC was very solid, but the PS2 is the greatest game console of all time.

After the NES, IMO

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

I will never forget going to a movie, and seeing an advertisement for the upcoming dreamcast. They showed nfl 2k, and my jaw dropped. It was such a great system, and sega is such an amazing company, its a shame that its getting pushed out of the business.

Agreed, but Sega did themselves no favors. With the exception of the last 2 years of Sega sports....the marketing was nearly non-existant.

Which was made even worse b/c Sony was plastered everywhere.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

DC was very solid, but the PS2 is the greatest game console of all time.

Why because it had a huge library of lack-luster games? DC was against the grain, and far ahead of its time. They pioneered online console gaming, lit a fire under EA's pants and raised the bar when it comes to innovation.

Sure, the PS2 had longevity, but the Dreamcast had depth like no other.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

Why because it had a huge library of lack-luster games? DC was against the grain, and far ahead of its time. They pioneered online console gaming, lit a fire under EA's pants and raised the bar when it comes to innovation.

Sure, the PS2 had longevity, but the Dreamcast had depth like no other.

Co-sign. The DC library of games was second to none.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

Co-sign. The DC library of games was second to none.

DC was the best.

[bkfount]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

I'm as big a DC fan as anyone, even at one point having 75% of the games in my collection, but most of the games were trash. It had maybe like 20 great titles that I could honestly see people wanting to play today. It was also very heavy on niche games and arcade games. The following it has had has a lot to do with nostalgia.

But if you honestly look at it, the ps2 library smashes the hell out of anything the dreamcast has to offer.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

I'm as big a DC fan as anyone, even at one point having 75% of the games in my collection, but most of the games were trash. It had maybe like 20 great titles that I could honestly see people wanting to play today. It was also very heavy on niche games and arcade games. The following it has had has a lot to do with nostalgia.

But if you honestly look at it, the ps2 library smashes the hell out of anything the dreamcast has to offer.

Sure it does, one of the largest Publishers ever (EA) didn't show up on the DC. The PS2 also had other exclusives that just beatdown the DC. I wouldn't argue that. With more development on the PS2, I'm sure there's going to be more better games to choose from.

For me, when I look at what they tried to accomplish and where their vision was, they were ahead of the game. When I look at how I game today, I'd have to say the Dreamcast paved the way for what we see in these next-gen consoles.

In terms of sales and huge library of games, the PS2 is tough to beat, even when put up against next-gen consoles. But, in terms of uniqueness and originality, I'd say the Dreamcast is on another level.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

Sure it does, one of the largest Publishers ever (EA) didn't show up on the DC. The PS2 also had other exclusives that just beatdown the DC. I wouldn't argue that. With more development on the PS2, I'm sure there's going to be more better games to choose from.

For me, when I look at what they tried to accomplish and where their vision was, they were ahead of the game. When I look at how I game today, I'd have to say the Dreamcast paved the way for what we see in these next-gen consoles.

In terms of sales and huge library of games, the PS2 is tough to beat, even when put up against next-gen consoles. But, in terms of uniqueness and originality, I'd say the Dreamcast is on another level.

But the DC brought something unique to gaming that no console had before and when it officially was done with, no other console developer ever tried to take some of those ideas to the next level. Until, Nintendo decided to release the Wii which to me could be something as special as the DC if given original games and not rehashes or ports w/new controls.

[Cebby]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

February 1st will be a sad day, which we shall commemorate by ritualistically slaughtering a PS2, nefarious console of Dreamcast snuffing that it is.

Sega killed themselves. Blaming the PS2 for the DC failing is like blaming Marilyn Manson and Eminem for Columbine.

[daflyboys]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

Sega killed themselves. Blaming the PS2 for the DC failing is like blaming Marilyn Manson and Eminem for Columbine.

You need to work on your analogies. Comparing one of the ugliest recent tragedies to what happened to a game system is outright ignorant. And mentioning those two morons only adds insult to injury.

[faster]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

The DC is really what started the "nextgen" hysteria for many of us. Seeing commercials and videos for NFL2K was jaw-dropping. You throw titles like Shenmue, Phantasy Star Online, Soul Caliber, NBA2K and that console really gave us some phenomenal titles. The excitement that console's launch brought to the gaming world hadn't been seen before. I remember the lines at midnight and that hadn't been done before (at least I don't remember it for the PS1).

In so many our minds the DC was the first real nextgen system. The system that finally upped the ante and made us really want to upgrade NOW. The PS put us into a 3D world, but it was still a raw, unrefined world, where the DC finally put the beauty into it.

I miss my DC, but I miss the way it made me feel when it was around. I still feel excited about opening every single game, but not like I did then.

[jmood88]

Re: Sega to Cease GD-Rom Production in February

Man I loved my dreamcast. I remember spending my own $50 buying nfl 2k when I was in fourth grade and staying up until 4 or 5 in the morning playing it and eating pizza. It really was ahead of it's time.