Live data from Hacker News

Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

forever.sega.com

211–220 of 262 posts

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ads are insane. Want to save your progress (even in games with built in save mechanics in the original cart)? You have to watch an ad. Want to progress to the next level? Watch an ad. Want to progress past an in-level save point? Watch an ad. It completely removes the player from the game and makes it tedious to play. I mean, I guess I'm happy they are releasing these at all, but they need to come up with a bette…

Am I reading the discussion wrong or do they offer you a two-dollar no-ads option? Because for that price it seems like a no-brainer.

Until I see reports that it truly is "no ads" in the purchased version, I'll hold off. I've been burned too many times by the "pay full price to remove ads" only to get more ads.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nintendo is clearly motivated by something other than profit. They release the NES Classic Mini, a license to print money if there ever was one, and it's impossible to buy one without hammering Walmart's private APIs with a script. Then, after a little over one season, they cancel the product entirely. Perhaps Nintendo feeds on nostalgia brainwaves or something.

Rumor is that the NES Mini was just a way to burn through left over hardware stock.

"I think we could have done a better job communicating that was gonna be a limited run," Scibetta told Ars. "It was supposed to be for that holiday. We extended it actually because demand was so much, then we stopped producing it."

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/06/nintendo-switch-short...

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that Nintendo doesn't offer the vast majority of their back catalog in any shape or form.

Nintendo is clearly motivated by something other than profit. They release the NES Classic Mini, a license to print money if there ever was one, and it's impossible to buy one without hammering Walmart's private APIs with a script. Then, after a little over one season, they cancel the product entirely. Perhaps Nintendo feeds on nostalgia brainwaves or something.

I've started to think that Nintendo's goal is survival, not profit. This is different than most American companies, and perhaps most companies in general. Profit and survival are, of course, related, but different things. First, I mean survival as-is, not just survival as a legal entity. So that means not laying off employees to survive. When the goal is survival, the risk-reward calculations may be different when you've got enough profit. It may mean not exploiting a cash-cow as aggressively as possible because after a certain point, the risk of over-extending yourself becomes non-trivial, and the extra profit is just racking up the score.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#214
post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you pay a subscription for access to the old games? Ad revenue is recurring and is probably more attractive to Sega (vs. a one time purchase fee).

No, but I wouldnt be opposed to spending 20-40 for a good game either.

The issue is that once they have your money, what is their motivation to offer updates to the game when new iOS versions come out?

This is no different from every other phone manufacturer but Apple. They have no reason to support older phones because it doesn't make them money. It does benefit Apple because they get recurring revenue from the App Store.

You might be willing to pay 20-40 bucks for a game, but the vast majority of users aren't.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They slow trickle out games and franchise reboots to drive console sales based on Nostalgia. That tactic seems to be working for the time being...

It seems a little backwards though right? Imagine if they offered a Netflix-style service (or akin to PlayStation Plus). They could grant access to their back catalog for something like $10/mo, and roll out segments of the back catalog over time to promote it. Then use nostalgia-based franchise reboots and new IP (lol, but occasionally something like Splatoon catches on) to push new console sales and then slowly phas…

Will that work for the next 30 years? We know the nintendo model has worked over the last 30.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is important for parents to note. Teach your child about computing on a RaspPi where they'll actually learn real computing and not a walled device with a download button. I know they're convenient at a restaurant...etc, but they rigidly enforce instant gratification without much learning involved. I guess though it isn't super different than a Nintendo if taken with moderation, but I'd argue most of the games ar…

We're in a thread talking about old consoles. It's easy to forget that the majority of games on any console were awful shovelware (I'm sure many of us have the experience of booting up an old, fondly remembered game only to slowly realize it's crap).

The few games I still like to play from my Atari 5200 days are Missile Command, Gyruss, Frogger, and Pac Man. All of them have been ported/updated but they are still fun in their original incarnation under emulation.

From my Sega Genesis days: Streets of Rage, all of the Sonic games, and the Mortal Kombat series are still pretty fun.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#217

I'm holding out for Dreamcast games, since it's one of the few Sega systems I didn't own (and at one point I did own the Master System, Genesis, Sega CD, Game Gear, Nomad, Saturn) and there are games for the DC I would really like to play. Too bad Sega can't/won't get their third-party licensees to release stuff through this program.

Crazy Taxi is already out and it's surprisingly good.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're in a thread talking about old consoles. It's easy to forget that the majority of games on any console were awful shovelware (I'm sure many of us have the experience of booting up an old, fondly remembered game only to slowly realize it's crap).

This has actually never happened to me. I replay the games I played as a kid about every two years and they are always great. The game I reply the most are Kid Chameleon for Sega 16bit and Wonderboy in Dragon's trap for Sega 8-bit. I might look into this but I cannot stand ads and I'm inapt at using mobile phones, so probably not.

All games I remember good still are, my MAJOR gripe is that post 1995 most games got standardized as to what left/right clicks are for and how movement control is performed (wasd+shift/space) so going to play game before or around that timeline with those clunky ux is a major mental drain

i.e. Fragile Allegiances, Magic Carpet, Shogun Total War are all enticing but I cannot play without getting frustrated.

Honorable mention to Master of Magic, which is completely workable.

Mobile wise since Dwarf Fortress got a mobile skin I couldn't be happier.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that Nintendo doesn't offer the vast majority of their back catalog in any shape or form.

Nintendo is clearly motivated by something other than profit. They release the NES Classic Mini, a license to print money if there ever was one, and it's impossible to buy one without hammering Walmart's private APIs with a script. Then, after a little over one season, they cancel the product entirely. Perhaps Nintendo feeds on nostalgia brainwaves or something.

Maybe, like, wanting to make something good and be proud of it.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another alternative is buy him a Nintendo handheld instead of an iPad. No ads, no dodgy content, quality games.

what if you dont like Nintendo games ?

There are tons of 3rd party games for the 3DS. If you can't find games you want to play on it, then you're not looking.
Post reply on HN