[April Fools!] SEGA's Back (In Black... and White... and Red)!

[elcravo]

Me too. I'd like to read the article but it's gone

 

[Foxi4]

Where is the OP? I did not get a chance to read the joke story :/

Me too. I'd like to read the article but it's gone

Your wish shall be granted! I present to you for your delectation, the Dreamcast 2:

Spoiler

​

A true warrior needs to know when to surrender, retreat and recuperate, and there was no better warrior than Segata Sanshiro... and once well-rested, the warrior rises to once more face his foes, stronger than ever before.

This information has been in our Press Box since before GDC, but due to a legally binding agreement, we were expressly forbidden from sharing the latest and hottest news from the console scene before the end of the GDC conference. Well, GDC is over, so we contacted SEGA Ltd. regarding the Press Kit we've received earlier this month... and we got the confirmation we needed to properly announce this new and exciting product. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the dreams of gamers from all across the globe live on, arranging themselves into SEGA's latest and greatest console yet - the Dreamcast 2.

We don't have the final specs sheet yet, however what we do have is pretty exciting indeed. The Dreamcast 2 (this may or may not be the final name of the system), much like two of its competitors, is based on the x86_64 architecture, however instead of AMD, the company went for an Intel and GeForce combo, much like in their latest arcade boards. What's also interesting is that the CPU and the GPU do not use a unified memory system like the PS4 and Xbox One - Sega chose to split the memory between them to maximize throughput to each of the components. The system is planned to be fully backwards-compatible with all RingWide, RingEdge and Nu software and is a derrivative of SEGA's upcoming arcade board, the Nu². Here's what we know for now, however the final specifications are subject to change:

• CPU: Intel Core i5 (custom derrivative) 3.30 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-12800)
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce 700-series based, 8 GB GDDR5 memory (Direct3D 11.1/OpenGL 4.3, supposedly DirectX 12-ready)
• Sound: 5.1 channel HD Audio
• Connectors: HDMI Out, Proprietary Serial Port, Optical Out, 4× USB 3.0 (two on the front for controllers, two at the back for external storage)
• Networking: Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, Online service supported by Sega ALL.NET
• Storage: HDD 500 GB
• OS: Microsoft Windows Embedded 8 (custom derrivative, functionality cut down to serve games first and foremost)
• Media: BluRay, USB storage, SD-SDXC

Here's the kicker - this set will be available at a shockingly low price of $559 and is already said to deliver substantially more firepower than the PS4 or the XBox One. How are they planning to keep the price this low? Don't ask me - chances are that they want to sell the system at a loss and make money on the games, of which there are plenty even now.

The decision to create this system was made after the surprising success of their latest arcade boards. Apparently the demand for a system capable of delivering SEGA-style arcade experiences was on the rise and the company chose to strike while the iron's still hot. It is currently unknown whether the system will reach western markets, however seeing that the price point we received was in USD, chances are that it will. Release date? Holiday season 2014! Yep, Santa's gonna have a very heavy bag this year!

Excited? I sure as hell am! Never stopped Dreaming. Discuss!


Source (GBATemp.net Press Inbox)

This was followed by short updates - one about three announced colour schemes...

Spoiler

...and two about an upcoming companion device which was a Tegra K1-equipped handheld console capable of back-and-forth streaming to and from the Dreamcast 2 with 1GB RAM and 1GB VRAM...

Spoiler

But the text for those has been lost in time because I did a silly and removed it from the front page without backing it up. That said, the updates were short paragraphs and weren't anything exciting - you can get the gist of'em by going through the thread. The videos were naturally fresh re-ups (the Game Gear 2 one slightly clipped to conceal the fact that it's a fake), but they've been removed.

 

[elcravo]

Haha, thank you that was awesome! To bad it's not for real though. I would love to get my hands on a new SEGA home console.

 

[Foxi4]

Haha, thank you that was awesome! To bad it's not for real though. I would love to get my hands on a new SEGA home console.

You and me both.

 

[Bladexdsl]

i'll be glad when this day is over

 

[calmwaters]

I chose a reveal time I deemed fit with this in mind.

Keep this in mind for next year: never reveal something that is a joke. A joke is like a flower; you've got to plant it and let it grow. Let somebody else who doesn't like plants squash it.

We had joy, we had fun, that's all that really matters - you can't keep the jig up for too long or there's gonna be hard feelings.

No, not we: you. But you wouldn't refer to yourself as you, but "I". So, I had joy, I had fun, that's all that really matters... ...and listen: a joke is eventually killed. There is no need for the perpetrator to kill it; it signifies a slight chance that the perpetrator was secretly afraid: revealing it made him feel better. (or her, or... it) Get the people hopping mad and hope they stay that way, that's my motto (enter the saga of the exes, but with a twist). I'd be flattered if you took up a similar motto.

 

[Foxi4]

Can't please everyone, can I? I guess we just have a different opinion on the matter. There always comes a time when you have to come clean and a time when a joke stops being funny and starts being annoying, it's as simple as that. You may not agree with this philosophy, but as one wise man said, "that's like, your opinion, man". Can't have a huge fake news story on the front page forever - the Gateway 3.0 thread is gone as well. Besides, I wanted to credit the original animator instead of claiming this is the real deal forever - there is only so much leeway Fair Use gives and I'd hate to take attention off his fantastic work.

 

[Vengenceonu]

You and me both.

Dammit Foxi, what the hell have I told you about spreading your Sega Pipe Dream(cast)s.
Sega is dead, right next to the an empty plot that's reserved for the OUYA.

 

[XDel]

Oh wow, I can't wait! Though why wouldn't they just call it the Dreamcast 2 instead of the April Fools?!

 

[EyeZ]

All things considered, the thread got 2773 page views in what, a couple hours? That's only +/- 900 less than the Gateway 2.1 announcement since Sunday, I'd say that the Temp is thirsty for some SEGA.

No, actually, the Temp couldn't believe what they were reading, as in, Foxi wouldn't try this on the 1st April...would he

This just confirms my thoughts that the Temp is in dire need of a April Fool's Day Content Manager, a cushy job, as the person in this position only needs to rustle up something once a year.

 

[Attila13]

No, actually, the Temp couldn't believe what they were reading, as in, Foxi wouldn't try this on the 1st April...would he

This just confirms my thoughts that the Temp is in dire need of a April Fool's Day Content Manager, a cushy job, as the person in this position only needs to rustle up something once a year.

I'd totally accept that!

 

[codezer0]

I for one was firmly in the camp of "wish it was real".

I still say the worst one that got me was the infamous EGM spoof in their magazine about Akuma being an unlockable character in Resident Evil 2. Unlike other magazines like GamePro that reserve all their April Fools' into a dedicated spoof section they dub LamePro, the rag formerly known as EGM interspersed this nugget of a prank in between their regular coverage, furrthering the illusion that it was legit. I only found out much, much later that it in fact was nothing more than a prank... and that hurt. Especially considering the particularly convincing screenshots they posted with it.

 

[gamefan5]

Best joke done so far on this site belongs to Ryukouki for his fake GW 3.0 announcement.

 

[Foxi4]

Best joke done so far on this site belongs to Ryukouki for his fake GW 3.0 announcement.

If you think that one was good, you should've seen the ones I was warned for.

...that was a long time ago.

 

[gamefan5]

If you think that one was good, you should've seen the ones I was warned for.

...that was a long time ago.

LOL, takes me back. U did make mean jokes, that I recall LOL.

 

[Duo8]

...and two about an upcoming companion device which was a Tegra K1-equipped handheld console capable of back-and-forth streaming to and from the Dreamcast 2 with 1GB RAM and 1GB VRAM...

Spoiler

Smashing the Vita? Not that impressive.

 

[pwsincd]

not even remotely funny .. you need to think outside the box a touch , saying theres a new console out on a gaming site isnt funny. Its to be expected on Apr 1st ... so so obviously fake and the front page admission is embarrassing.

 

[Ryukouki]

Perhaps you would prefer my alternative then. If you saw what I pulled, you'll look at this thread with fondness.

 

[Duo8]

Perhaps you would prefer my alternative then. If you saw what I pulled, you'll look at this thread with fondness.

What was it?

 

[Vengenceonu]

What was it?

He Made a flight from Malaysia going to China Disappear somewhere over Austrailia waters then made the family's search until April 1st for the bodies... April Fools indeed.