SEGA released a new FAQ regarding their Sega Classics collection, which includes games from SEGA's history, ranging from their Mega Drive / Genesis classics to some Dreamcast classics as well.

However, the news are not uplifting, as SEGA announced in their FAQ that they will be delisting games from their SEGA Classics catalogue from virtual storefronts. Here's the full list of 60+ titles that will be removed from Steam:

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle

Alien Soldier

Alien Storm

Altered Beast

Beyond Oasis

Bio-Hazard Battle

Bonanza Bros

Columns

Columns III

Comix Zone

Crack Down

Crazy Taxi

Decap Attack

Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine

Dreamcast Collection Bundle

Dynamite Headdy

Ecco Jr.

Ecco the Dolphin

Ecco: The Tides of Time

ESWAT: City Under Siege

Eternal Champions

Fatal Labyrinth

Flicky

Galaxy Force II

Gain Ground

Golden Axe

Golden Axe II

Golden Axe III

Gunstar Heroes

Jet Set Radio

Kid Chameleon

Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole

Light Crusader

Mega Drive and Genesis Classic Bundle

NiGHTS into Dreams

Phantasy Star II

Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium

Ristar

SEGA Bass Fishing

Shadow Dancer

Shining Force

Shining Force II

Shining in the Darkness

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic Spinball

Space Channel 5: Part 2

Space Harrier II

Streets of Rage

Streets of Rage 2

Streets of Rage 3

Super Thunder Blade

Sword of Vermilion

The Revenge of Shinobi

ToeJam & Earl

ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkoton

VectorMan

VectorMan 2

Virtua Fighter 2

Wonder Boy in Monster World

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair

Other consoles will also be impacted by this delisting, as Xbox will have around 12 games being delisted, and both PlayStation and Nintendo Switch will have SEGA Genesis Classics completely delisted from their storefronts.

SEGA will be delisting these selected games and bundles on December 6th at 11:59pm PST, making them unavailable for purchase once the deadline arrives. It's worth noting that SEGA did specify that those that have already purchased and own certain titles or bundles from this list will still be able to download and play said titles and those will remain in their libraries.

Source

 

[linuxares]

I see. So, are the shareholders to blame for this situation? In fact, I remember hearing something about this being made for the Switch, but I haven't heard about it since.

I just do a massive guess. Since they refuse to remove it even tho Denuvo cost a lot per month, like a LOT.

 

[JuanMena]

SEGA doing what Ninten-does?

Getting rid of stuff for re-releases?

 

[NinStar]

I should mention that the emulation of that collection is atrocious and outdated.

 

[BlusterBong]

I wonder how this is going to affect that one site they still have up when they celebrated thier 60th anniversary where you can get NiGHTS: into Dreams for basically free if you know how to if it's still up.

 

[cearp]

I still don't understand the reason for delisting games. Do they not want to have a public archive of their games or not?

I don't agree that things being locked behind a console game store, terms and conditions, user accounts, plus a PAYWALL, counts as a "public archive".

 

[K3Nv2]

If only ewaste products could run them

 

[jeremy2020]

I still don't understand the reason for delisting games. Do they not want to have a public archive of their games or not? Preservation through official means now officially sucks; I mean I can sorta get what Nintendo is doing with Switch online and such, but still...

I have no idea about this situation, but I've seen in the past where a 'strange' delisting decision is related to rights issues to things like music and the royalties involved.

 

[tech3475]

If only ewaste products could run them

In the case of the md games, you can just copy and paste the rooms without any tools, even ROM hacks.

I have no idea about this situation, but I've seen in the past where a 'strange' delisting decision is related to rights issues to things like music and the royalties involved.

Many of these games thought I'd expect Sega to own the rights though e.g. altered beast and the maker of the emulator says they do work for hire. I know at least one of JSR's composers said Sega owned the rights for at least the songs they wrote.

Overall I have a feeling something else is at play.

 

[Dark_Ansem]

SEGA online subscription incoming

 

[MikaDubbz]

Are they gonna be removing any games from the Switch Online app?

 

[Latiodile]

I should mention that the emulation of that collection is atrocious and outdated.

at least for the pc version of the collection you're given raw uncompressed roms that you can use on any emulator you want

 

[RedColoredStars]

I wonder how this is going to affect that one site they still have up when they celebrated thier 60th anniversary where you can get NiGHTS: into Dreams for basically free if you know how to if it's still up.

It doesn't work anymore.

 

[stanleyopar2000]

It's possible that they are working on a new collection with better features and more games, which could explain why they're doing this, as they have done with other games like Sonic Generations.
The reasoning should have been included in the FAQ, but they gave no indication as to why they are delisting them.

You misspelled overpriced with less games

 

[jeremy2020]

Many of these games thought I'd expect Sega to own the rights though e.g. altered beast and the maker of the emulator says they do work for hire. I know at least one of JSR's composers said Sega owned the rights for at least the songs they wrote.

Overall I have a feeling something else is at play.

I'm not sure what Sega was doing what is 10-15 years later with contracts necessarily is an indicator on all of these titles. It comes up in surprising ways. Crazy taxi for example had music that already had to replaced for the Steam version. The voice lines were also replaced. It's possible those contracts expired and they will renegotiate them and re-list it or offer a new collection. Music is also only one possible rights issue and who knows what sort of royalties are involved. Older games had a mess of stuff. Enix at one point held a contest for game designers and the 'prize' was taken from winner's future royalties as the game developer.

..but it's all just speculation.

 

[GengarsGhostlyGiggles]

so stupid, any game over 20 years old should go into public domain.

 

[tech3475]

I'm not sure what Sega was doing what is 10-15 years later with contracts necessarily is an indicator on all of these titles. It comes up in surprising ways. Crazy taxi for example had music that already had to replaced for the Steam version. The voice lines were also replaced. It's possible those contracts expired and they will renegotiate them and re-list it or offer a new collection. Music is also only one possible rights issue and who knows what sort of royalties are involved. Older games had a mess of stuff. Enix at one point held a contest for game designers and the 'prize' was taken from winner's future royalties as the game developer.

..but it's all just speculation.

Just seems weird that all these games are affected though at the same time, especially where different devs are involved.

so stupid, any game over 20 years old should go into public domain.

Or a compromise, make the game available or don't give a **** about piracy.

 

[RedColoredStars]

I just don't get why it's a big deal. It's not like a single one of these games is difficult to find for free, or like they cannot be easily emulated on a large number of devices.

 

[SylverReZ]

This is hugely disappointing from a company who used to be trusted by their loyal fanbase for many years, now they're following Nintendo's footsteps by destroying video game preservation forever.

 

[BlusterBong]

This is hugely disappointing from a company who used to be trusted by their loyal fanbase for many years, now they're following Nintendo's footsteps by destroying video game preservation forever.

The fact we're now relying on companies to care enough to do game preservation while nearly every attempt to do so independantly gets killed by people who don't know how to shut up and not bring attention to them when we used to be so good at keeping quiet and had so many options in terms of sites that preserved games for decades should be a reminder of the direction where we're going.

This is also your reminder that they only cared about the Sonic fanbase purely for PR reasons and very little else.

 

[dh3lix-pooch]

Glad we have "backups"