Nr.1 Sonic News Channel on youtube - Discussion and Opinions about restructuring
The new Sega CEO is the grandson of the Sega Sammy Holdings CEO Hajime Satomi which owns Sega, Atlus and Sammy Corp (pachinko/arcade). With the support from Hajime Satomi, this CEO Haruki Satomi have more free rein to restructure Sega OR sell it. https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/
Haruki Satomi left Japan to work at Sega West.
“As far as the Western market goes, we learned a lot from Atlus,” Satomi.
-SNIP-"Please note that occasional international travel will be required to attend and organize press, public and community events. You will be expected to coordinate the studio’s presence for the majority of these trips, ensuring flawless execution and a meaningful experience for all involved."
"Be our primary spokesperson, and lead studio-wide education around interacting with media
Liaise with Sega Europe’s PR and Marketing team to organize events, including press tours and trade shows"
Description posted on Relics own website, 2015
Casual Interview w/ Relic Entertainment - Necron Overlord, 10. mar. 2016 Forerunner for DoW3 Last stand?
Katherine Hairfield, Relic (joined 2 months ago)
Associate Community Manager (another hint Relic is making DoW3 MMO/"Last stand" MOBA)
Former Community Manager Whitebox Interactive/Warhammer 40,000: Dark Nexus Arena https://www.darknexusarena.com/ (Warhammer MOBA - cancelled) http://store.steampowered.com/app/408330
Jonathan Falkowski CEO And Founder of Whitebox Games, former Development Manager for EA (2 years)
This is old news, but now Sega is getting involved again with Microsoft IPs (Halo "poster child" for Spencer's Windows 10/Xbox) and potential new partnerships are something that can have far reaching consequences for several development studios. Sega got a massive library of IPs through a vast array of genres that MS might want to buy. Unlike SEGA, MS don't necessary need to profit from all their video games. But rather use "exclusive games" attracting gamers to play on the unified windows 10 platform + MS owned devices. 2016 Xbox One and PC Exclusive Games Lineup
Microsoft uses a lot of second/third party game development studios to compete with the Playstation and upcoming virtual reality. Ensemble Studios now-defunct was the first party studio for Age of Empires series + Halo Wars. 343 Industries oversee Halo properties after Bungie left. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Studios
This survey comes after Sega management frankly admitted that the company had somewhat lost its way.
"Sega in the '90s was known for its brand, but after that, we've lost trust, and we're left with nothing but reputation," Sega games CEO Haruki Satomi said last summer. "We'd like to win back the trust and become a brand once again."
Forum discussion: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1191961
You can help by filling out the new Sega survey and provide non-biased feedback.
Without constructive feedback from gamers, Sega is truly lost. This pandering to children is another problem that is killing Sega. That primary fan base who remembers Sonic from the 90s is no longer kids.
This Game Designer explains how Sonic can be saved:
SEGA Europe News & Background info SEGA Recap of PC Gamer and Inside SEGA Europe
At the very first frames (0:23) of the SEGA PC gamer recap, we see CM Kyle with COH fans Helpinghans, Luvnest, Stormless etc. Later interview with Kellie, CM for DoW2. Tails Channel visit SEGA Europe
SEGA Europe just launched a new campaign to hire new talent:
Alfonso Cubias, SEGA (joined January 2016)
Senior Marketing Manager
Former marketing manager for Atlus, Azubu, Digital Extremes http://www.azubu.tv/company-profile The Vancouver office is located less than 1 mile from Relic
Video with Alfonso Cubias, 2013 (intro 1:53)
Azubu is a global broadcast network, delivering premium live and on demand eSports action, programming, news and analysis.
A bit about me:
Senior generalist HR professional specializing in video games/technology.
Huge passion for technology, the entertainment industry, video games and setting up and managing commercial HR and recruitment processes/work practices that attract and retain top talent.
My biggest passion in HR is fostering a creative environment with high engagement, high productivity and low employee turnover. My job is to get the most out of our staff and ensure that everyone reaches their potential through a unique culture and using the best HR strategies and technologies.
Specialties: Workforce culture, employee engagement, change management, performance management, reward & recognition, hard and soft benefits, employee relations, employer branding and recruitment.
Sole recruiter for ILM’s new London office, working within our global operations team, I managed the day-to-day internal recruitment for all the studio’s hires, including artists, software engineers, production/senior management and also any administrative support staff. During my tenure at ILM I hired staff for the following shows: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Spectre and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
PewDiePie big fan of Alien Isolation with 13 gameplay walkthrough videos. 42 Million YouTube Subscribers. Over 7.088.146 likes on facebook. The 30 Most Influential People on the Internet. Making over $7 million every year. PewDiePie is the king of YouTube. http://time.com/3732203/the-30-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/
Sega gave up Alien Isolation 2 for the Halo IP. Halo's lore is great and MS clearly want to use that expanding to new game genres.
Tim Heaton, Creative Assembly's studio director, says much the same thing when we meet a few hours later. Microsoft approached Sega about Creative Assembly working on a Halo Wars game, and Sega allowed the conversation to take place. He calls it a "natural fit" - Microsoft benefiting from the studio's experience and "credibility," Creative Assembly getting the chance to flex its creative muscle with a brand the size of Halo.
-SNIP-
With Halo Wars, the risk of the AAA console market will be Microsoft's to bear, and Sega will have, "a team to make an action-RTS for console," when it's over.
While talking to IGN Phil Spencer was discussing the Xbox One and all of the news that has been released around the console and PC. One thing he brought up in the discussion was Halo 2 as an example of games he’s looking forward to:
“Spencer feels “really good about our core games,” and cited Halo Wars 2 as something he’s particularly interested in. “I love that we have Halo Wars 2 coming this year, I really think strategy is an underserved category on consoles. I love the first Halo Wars, I love the team we’re working with, this time, Creative Assembly is great.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary SXSW Panel - Tails' Channel LIVE (moderating the panel is Aaron Webber)
Old news, CA Community Coordinators that have shown interest in COH2 CA_Dogbert (James Given) Community Coordinator/ESL Caster for TW: ARENA https://twitter.com/ca_dogbert?lang=da
A big fan of COH and former pro-gamer
Over 3 years ago CA_Dogbert/Team Dignitas said this about COH2 eSport;
“Company of Heroes, amazing if it comes back and it got any eSports potential. I’ll literally live on that game.”
Go to youtube at 30:30 to hear CA_Dogbert positive comments on COH2s DarrenTotalWar, Community Coordinator for Creative posting COH guides and reviews on youtube
-----------------
If Sega is sold to MS this is not necessary a bad thing as they seems interested in Relic/CA strategy game development. Close Combat (former MS IP), MechCommander (MS owned IP) and Bungie with Myth were the 90s forerunners for Real-time tactics that later evolved into the Total War series, Ground Control, Men of War, Wargame and World in Conflict. Several Relic games are also inspired by the RTT genre as RTT/RTS hybrids.
Balance may be the key, but they cant stop producing new content. It's a business, they can't balance for free at this point. A game that 3 yrs old is no longer really making any revenue off sales. They rely on DLC/Skins,etc to make any sort of cash flow...
If anything SEGA needs to throw them a bone so they can hire a proper balancing team otherwise they're going to run into all the same problems with Coh3, Dawn of War 3.. or any RTS game they develop in the future.
New DLC commanders for one oversaturated market? What possibly could go wrong?
Ok sure, try to reinvent the wheel and ignore the highly successful monetization schemes used by CS GO, DOTA, LoL, Hearthstone, Heroes of the storm. Just pretend these games don't even exist.
Brilliant plan!
SEGA+EA have become cancer in the gaming industry because they use money grabbing DLC that affects gameplay on top of a full priced game. Valve+Riot have learned their lessons to avoid that by implementing new monetization schemes that don't affect gameplay.
Personal, as a semi-retired MMO trader I would be happy to invest 1000$ in COH2 tradable collector items using a monetization scheme as CS GO and Dota2. I'm not even rich and if there were 500 more MMO traders like me that 500.000$ easy for eSport without any new commanders shit. How much does it cost to balance rare collector items? Zero.
It's like the marketing team behind COH2 don't want to make money, just piss off the potential fan base that could carry this game financial without messing with the actual gameplay.
I have MMO friends that help run big alliances (https://gate.eveonline.com/Profile/Niffer%20Mac) and this controversy with making "microtransactions/money grabbing DLC" from core content is like watching 5+ years old MMO discussions. All of this shit have been discussed before in great detail by many experienced MMO players including highly popular SC2 2014 streamers such as Destiny. https://blog.destiny.gg/starcraft-2-legacy-into-the-void/
Quote from Destiny, Favorite StarCraft II Individual Streamer in 2014
1st Place: Destiny http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/18313046/and-the-winners-are-%E2%80%A6-3-18-2015
-SNIP-
No one knew 4 years ago what the e-sports landscape would look like today. A large number of people and organizations dumped money into the StarCraft 2 bubble that we saw burst in late 2012/early 2013 (remember NASL, IPL, MLG, Ministry of Win, Slayers, GameOn.org, etc…etc…?) with no idea of what the future would bring. Looking at things now, though, it’s very clear to see what will work and what won’t work. Blizzard doesn’t have to “guess” at which monetization scheme for LotV would be effective, there are plenty of successful examples that have had time to grow on the market already. At this point, Blizzard could simply copy another monetization model from another successful title. There’s no point in trying to reinvent the wheel here.
To further this point, look at another thing all of these games have in common – their developers are able to monetize content past the initial sale of the game. In DotA 2/LoL’s case, they don’t even require an initial sale to generate revenue. Skins, hats, and new characters all generate revenue for these companies which allows them to justify the development time they put into the game. And all of these monetization schemes bring greater content to the players. Players are motivated to play more in a way that generates more revenue for the developer. This relationship is so important to the success of these other leading titles.
For the love of gaming get informed and stop trying to reinvent the wheel. All these pseudo-intellectuals that keep talking about new commanders on this forum can go where the sun don't shine.
Go play one AAA MMO/large multiplayer game and try managing, at least, one 50+ player sized guild/clan for over a year. Do that and maybe you should have something to say about DLC and monetization schemes. Forum and real life experience don't count bro only in-game + guild experience. By the end of the day, it's the multiplayer community that decides what DLC will sell or not. No amount of wishful thinking will change it except maybe deceptive marketing ploys such as the TW: Warhammer preorder scandal.
Yo Relic, if in the future you want to make another competitive RTS/MOBA game then learn from Starcraft 2 / Dota 2 / CSGO / LOL : Don't release DLC that will affect the gameplay like the commanders shit.
Learn from CS:GO/ Dota 2 please: I have spend more then 1200$ on their game and guess what? Those fancy shit only affect the look, not the fucking gameplay. That's how you get the money and still make customers happy!
Brits still got OP units?
Axis desperation spread and psychologically traumatized soldiers flock to nearby Relic medical facilities. Axis refugees desperate for food and water are taking to the streets. Potential epidemic diseases imminent. Relic sends Kyle on a diplomatic mission to solve this OPNess.
We're on the search for Senior Programmers who are excited to code in the following disciplines: AI, Engine & Optimization, Build, Gameplay, Rendering, Tools and UI.
If so, our Programmer openings on an exciting unannounced title might be the perfect fit for you!
IMHO, start with COH1 and this is coming from a COH2 vet with 5000h.
Starting with COH2 could give you a bad first impression with the DLC commander paywall. COH2 MP is great but the DLC system is really messed up for new players.
Denmark
SturmTigerCobra
DonnieChan
Inane EliteVideoGameMasturbater
SturmTigerCobra
Relic Entertainment
