Games - Sega

	Games - Sega

Sega (セガ) is an international video game software and hardware developing company, and a former home computer and console manufacturer. The company has had success in both arcades and the home console market, but in early 2001, they left the consumer console business and began concentrating on software development for multiple platforms.

Sega's main offices, as well as the main offices of its domestic division, Sega of Japan, are located in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. Sega's North American division, Sega of America, is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. It had moved from Redwood City, California in 1999. Sega's European division, Sega of Europe, is headquartered in the Chiswick area of London, England, United Kingdom. The North American division is partially owned by Viacom.

History

1940-1988

Sega was originally founded in 1940 as Standard Games (later Service Games) in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Martin Bromely, Irving Bromberg, and James Humpert to provide coin-operated amusements for American servicemen on military bases. Bromely suggested that the company move to Tokyo, Japan in 1951 and in May 1952 "SErvice GAmes of Japan" was registered.

In 1954, another American businessman David Rosen fell in love with Tokyo and established his own company, Rosen Enterprises, Inc., in Japan to export art. When the company imported coin-operated instant photo booths, it stumbled on a surprise hit: The booths were very popular in Japan. Business was booming, and Rosen Enterprises expanded by importing coin-operated electro-mechanical games.

Rosen Enterprises and Service Games merged in 1965 to become Sega Enterprises. Within a year, the new company released a submarine-simulator game called "Periscope" that became a smash-hit worldwide.

In 1969, Gulf and Western Industries purchased Sega, and Rosen was allowed to remain CEO of the Sega division. Under Rosen's leadership, Sega continued to grow and prosper. In the videogame arcades, Sega was known for producing Frogger and creating Zaxxon. Sega's revenues would hit $214 million by 1982 and in 1983, Sega would release their first video game console; the SG-1000 and also the first laserdisc game.

In the same year, Sega was hit hard by the video game crash. Hemorrhaging money, Gulf & Western sold the U.S. assets of Sega to Bally Manufacturing Corporation. The Japanese assets of Sega were purchased for $38 million by a group of investors led by Rosen and Hayao Nakayama, a Japanese businessman who owned a distribution company that had been acquired by Rosen in 1979. Nakayama became the new CEO of Sega, and Rosen became head of its subsidiary in the United States.

In 1984, the multi-billion dollar Japanese conglomerate CSK bought Sega, and renamed it to Sega Enterprises Ltd., headquarted it in Japan, and two years later, shares of its stock were being traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. David Rosen's friend, Isao Okawa, the chairman of CSK, became chairman of Sega. In 1986, Sega of America was established to take advantage of the expanding video game market in the United States. Sega would also release the first Alex Kidd game, who would be their mascot until 1991.

1989-2001

With the introduction of the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1989, Sega launched itself internationally as the second largest vendor of consumer video game products, behind their main rival, Nintendo. 1990 marked a change in Sega's market focus, changing to an older audience. The 1st generation of games would mostly feature already successful arcade ports such as Golden Axe and Altered Beast. In addition Sega would use the reallocated Sega Master System rights from Tonka to help expand the size of game library. By reviving 8-bit titles, Sega was providing ready-to-go budget titles sold at half the price of regular Genesis games. The Power Base Converter allowed existing Sega Master System owners to keep their library of games for the 16-bit era. Other additions include a 1st party magazine called Sega Visions.

To carry the momentum to the 2nd generation of games, Sega launched a direct anti-Nintendo campaign with slogans such as "Genesis does what Nintendon't". Sega also rebranded themselves with a new mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. This shift led to a wider success for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and would eventually propel Sega to 65% of the market in North America. However, Sega's share of the market would plummet in 1994 to 35% after Nintendo released key franchise titles for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System such as Donkey Kong Country and Super Metroid, as well as bad public reaction in Sega's eventual business decisions.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Sega ]

Games - Sega

History

1940-1988

1989-2001

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