SI Games purchased by SEGA?

[PilotMan]

Is this good, or is it?

From SI

You may hear stories overnight (UK time) that Sports Interactive have today been bought by Sega. These stories are true, and a full statement will follow at around 8.30am (UK time).

At this point, all I will say is that we are all very excited by this - the studio will continue as before, we are all staying, and look forward to the future immensely.

http://community.sigames.com/groupee...1/m/4902021512

[Galaril]

Oh no!

[ISiddiqui]

Uh oh..

[SirFozzie]

I saw this coming.. but Sega's been pretty good for them, and with FM Handheld, FMX360, and Fm2007 coming out, they have a good international market (as well as picking up america with OOTP2006)

[sovereignstar]

I can't remember what which of the six corporations Sega belongs to.

[Joe Canadian]

Booo....

... and yes I'm probably overreacting.

[Young Drachma]

Wow...

[digamma]

Congrats to Marc.

Though, with my lawyer hat on, I find it peculiar they were given the go ahead to make a post on a forum prior to the official press release coming out.

[Crapshoot]

Sega is the devil you know - always better than the devil you don't.

[Schmidty]

Death of SI. Sports sims won't make enough money to sustain themselves for Sega.

[Blade6119]

May SI rest in peace...

[Crapshoot]

Well, they were privately held, but SEGA had a 25% stake in them to begin with - I'd say this was pretty inevitable. The Collyer's brothers deserve whatever Sega is paying for the franchise.

[SirFozzie]

FM is a freaking cashcow in every nation but USA.

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

FM is a freaking cashcow in every nation but USA.

Wasnt it the best selling game in the world(or at least the CM versions?) Maybe im wrong, as i know sims gets that title, but i know the FM/CM makes a bucket load of money...

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

FM is a freaking cashcow in every nation but USA.

Link? Proof? Numbers in relation to other games?

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Blade6119

Wasnt it the best selling game in the world(or at least the CM versions?) Maybe im wrong, as i know sims gets that title, but i know the FM/CM makes a bucket load of money...

yup - from their website, SI is responsible for 5 of the top 20 best selling games of all time in Europe (or maybe the world)

[SirFozzie]

From a Fm2006 Release Thread... on another board

Football ManagerTM 2006 bettered the sales of the entire Top 50 Full Price PC Entertainment chart combined, over the last week, despite only being on sale for 2 of the 7 days.

Over 100,000 copies at full price within 48hrs.

Assuming that's $50 (it was higher most places IIRC), that's $5,000,000 on the first two days of release)

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

From a Fm2006 Release Thread... on another board

Football ManagerTM 2006 bettered the sales of the entire Top 50 Full Price PC Entertainment chart combined, over the last week, despite only being on sale for 2 of the 7 days.

Over 100,000 copies at full price within 48hrs.

Assuming that's $50 (it was higher most places IIRC), that's $5,000,000 on the first two days of release)

linky you got this info from?

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

From a Fm2006 Release Thread... on another board

Football ManagerTM 2006 bettered the sales of the entire Top 50 Full Price PC Entertainment chart combined, over the last week, despite only being on sale for 2 of the 7 days.

Over 100,000 copies at full price within 48hrs.

Assuming that's $50 (it was higher most places IIRC), that's $5,000,000 on the first two days of release)

That's cool, but I'd still like a link, not a messageboard poster's info. Also, I've never heard of this "Top 50 Full Price PC Entertainment" chart. Is it an international thing, or just a european/english thing? It makes a big difference.

[Antmeister]

Well I am truly interested to see what direction this game will take now. Will the games now be televised in 3D?

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

That's cool, but I'd still like a link, not a messageboard poster's info. Also, I've never heard of this "Top 50 Full Price PC Entertainment" chart. Is it an international thing, or just a european/english thing? It makes a big difference.

http://www.indiemagazine.co.uk/cgi-b...tion=4&id=3449

[SirFozzie]

Sega and Sports Interactive have scored a blinder with Football Manager 2006 (FM 2006), after the game sold more than 100,000 copies in its first weekend and stormed to the top of the PC charts.

The critically acclaimed sequel also placed second in the official All Formats Top 40 — just behind Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (which it out sold on PC) — and is now the second fastest selling PC title of all time in the UK, according to Chart-Track.

FM2006 exceeded its predecessor’s first weekend performance by 40,000 units and bettered sales of the entire PC chart (featuring 50 games) over the last week, despite only being on sale for two of the seven days.

“We’re obviously delighted with the sales in the UK over the first weekend,” said Miles Jacobson, MD of developer Sports Interactive (SI).

“The whole team has worked incredibly hard to ensure that FM2006’s gaming experience is as good as it can be and that so many people seem to be enjoying it makes us very proud.”

He added: "Thanks, as always, to the SI community for supporting us and our games once again, and to SEGA and retail for all of its support as well.”

Alan Pritchard, UK managing director of SEGA Europe, was equally thrilled with the game’s impressive performance.

He enthused: “To achieve a No. 2 All Formats chart position on Chart-Track at this time of year, on a single format release, is a great achievement.

“SI has again delivered a fantastic game; this has been backed by a great marketing campaign, with some fantastic support from UK retail.”

Xbox 360 and PSP versions of Football Manager 2006 are due to arrive in March

(now note, this is from England ONLY)

[jbmagic]

Sega didn't do a great job in marketing SI games in the US.

EHM and WWSM was very hard to find here in the united states in major stores liek Best Buy, circuit city, Fry's, etc

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

http://www.indiemagazine.co.uk/cgi-b...tion=4&id=3449

Thanks.

So it is just a UK thing. The numbers are nice for that one country, but it makes me wonder why that alone would convince Sega to purchase the company. I wonder if it has anything to do with the impending release of OOTP.

[SirFozzie]

well, remember, in just a couple weeks, SI gets two cracks at the console market, with the PSP and XBox360 versions, and if they sell as well there.. again, that's $5 Million just from ONE COUNTRY in 48 hours..

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

well, remember, in just a couple weeks, SI gets two cracks at the console market, with the PSP and XBox360 versions, and if they sell as well there.. again, that's $5 Million just from ONE COUNTRY in 48 hours..

True, but that one country is the one country with the most interest. There is no earthly way that it would sell that well anywhere else, particularly the US, especially after the opening days of availability.

Don't get me wrong, I want SI (and other text sims) to do very well, but I want them to build their own industry and stay realistic, so that so many wonderful games don't get watered-down or eliminated.

I just have a bad feeling.

[sabotai]

Maybe Marc could clue us in on the number that has sold, but I'd be extremely surprised if FM2006 did not sell more than 1,000,000 copies in Europe. And I'd be willing to bet that it cleared a million by a good long way.

EDIT: Looking over Chart-Track, FM2006 has been in the top 10 UK games sold every week since it was released in October.

[Glengoyne]

Congrats to Marc and all the rest.

I hope this works out.

If it doesn't, save that source code.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

Sega didn't do a great job in marketing SI games in the US.

EHM and WWSM was very hard to find here in the united states in major stores liek Best Buy, circuit city, Fry's, etc

Non-existent. Most would tell you it was "canceled" even weeks after it was released. Sega US stinks bad.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Congrats to Marc and all the rest.

I hope this works out.

If it doesn't, save that source code.

I realize the alue of capitalism and support it fully, however I can't help but feel this is the end of the line for the truely great sports sims we have grown to love from SI. Marc and the others are in a position in which they MUST support the buyout.(welcome to the world of PR) Ultimately...things WILL change. I can hardly believe for the better.

[PSUColonel]

Also...I now beleive we know the REAL answer as to why Duffy left the OOTP boards (and all SI boards) for the period of time he did.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by digamma

Congrats to Marc.

Though, with my lawyer hat on, I find it peculiar they were given the go ahead to make a post on a forum prior to the official press release coming out.

We had to wait until 12.30 at night because it was announced to the Japanese stock exchange at midnight.

(so yes its a true story)

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I realize the alue of capitalism and support it fully, however I can't help but feel this is the end of the line for the truely great sports sims we have grown to love from SI. Marc and the others are in a position in which they MUST support the buyout.(welcome to the world of PR) Ultimately...things WILL change. I can hardly believe for the better.

Don't stress on this side of things - the main thing we've ensured is that while SI is owned by Sega now it'll still effectively be run as it is currently.

It should help ensure we make even better games in the future imho.

[SirFozzie]

This is no different when they were under Eidos's thumb, really, but I bet Sega's run a LOT better then Eidos

[PSUColonel]

Lots of money to be made....no doubt, but I assume, SI will hae all future decisions when it comes to CM, EHM and OOTP. What I'm saying is this: it might llok like a rosey picture now, but it seems to me Sega will do what they want regardless. Not that they purposely would want the franchises to tank, but I just can't help but feel they have a very different way of doing business, and like most large corporations, there's a decent chance they won't see the forest from the trees. If I might as a member of SI, if the Colleyer bros. are out, who' in?, and why? I'll bet if someone else IS in charge (as I expect) they will almost certaintly havethier own ideas as to how things should be done....which would ultimately mean things won't be the same, and considering how well SI has done with it's customer base, I feel it may be (debate me on this if you like) reasonable to assume tings canonly change for the worse. It's simple math, when something hits such a high, it only has one way to go.

[Fouts]

So sayeth Chicken Little.

[PSUColonel]

well, I don't doubt SI would love for the tradition to continue, but the fact is, they've now gotten thier pay day, and there not be too much they can do in the future IF in fact things do change.

[DaddyTorgo]

i have faith this is a good thing. as someone else said, it mirrors when they were under the thumb of Eidos, only Sega is much better run that Eidos I dare to believe. And as Marc said they have ensured that SI will still be run the same. I think you all are forgetting that this happened once before recently (with the Eidos split) and there was just as much doom-and-gloom. I really am not worried, if Marc says that future game quality won't be affected then future game quality won't be affected.

SI has never steered wrong before, never lied to consumers, so until they do they have my trust.

And I have my copy of FM2006 on cd just in case it does go wrong

[sovereignstar]

I'm gonna need some ice here. My head hurts.

[Marc Vaughan]

If I might as a member of SI, if the Colleyer bros. are out, who' in?, and why? I'll bet if someone else IS in charge (as I expect) they will almost certaintly havethier own ideas as to how things should be done....

Everyone is sticking around and from a development perspective nothing at all is changing ...

It's simple math, when something hits such a high, it only has one way to go.

Personally I think we're far from hitting our highest note - there are still a lot of achievements for us to aim for imho ...

[Coder]

Now correct me if I'm wrong, Marc, but this isn't like the Eidos/SI split. During that era, Eidos simply held the publishing rights, while SI was still an independent company.

In this case, Sega has bought SI, not just extended the current publishing deal. Correct?

[AlexB]

If as it has been said the deal allows SI to carry on as before, congrats to all - especially all those who I imagine are in a drunken haze somewhere in Hawaii right now

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Death of SI. Sports sims won't make enough money to sustain themselves for Sega.

Jesus, just because SI isn't a NASDAQ company in the US, it's not worth buying

From the press release: 1.5million copies of FM2005 & FM2006 were sold worldwide - they're numbers not be sniffed at.

Not absolutely everything is based around the US you know

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=15831

[ice4277]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Not absolutely everything is based around the US you know

Really?

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Coder

Now correct me if I'm wrong, Marc, but this isn't like the Eidos/SI split. During that era, Eidos simply held the publishing rights, while SI was still an independent company.

In this case, Sega has bought SI, not just extended the current publishing deal. Correct?

It is different, Eidos were just publishers whereas as you indicated Sega are purchasing the company.

From a 'practical' point of view though it doesn't change anything really as the company is remaining 'as is' from a development point of view, ie. all the staff here are remaining the same and I'm still the one who'll get shouted at if things go wrong

[Apathetic Lurker]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

Sega didn't do a great job in marketing SI games in the US.

EHM and WWSM was very hard to find here in the united states in major stores liek Best Buy, circuit city, Fry's, etc

Very very true... I couldn't find a copy of the latest EHM in Buffalo(region with BIG hockey emphasis with Sabre and Leaf fans) I finally found it in Abilene TX of all places when I was down there for vacation last summer.
Then When I got back I finally found (1)ONE copy at a Gamestop at Boulevard Mall even though the semi-skilled monkey there said they had it de-listed AND they didn't have any copies as I was standing in front of him sticking his one copy into his face!

The GS in TX had 5 copies!

Ridiculous!

[Apathetic Lurker]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Don't stress on this side of things - the main thing we've ensured is that while SI is owned by Sega now it'll still effectively be run as it is currently.

It should help ensure we make even better games in the future imho.

I sure hope so

I'd hate to see your line of games dumbed down

Anybody up for a game of US Football Manager 2009 : the Backyard Soccer Edition?

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

From a 'practical' point of view though it doesn't change anything really as the company is remaining 'as is' from a development point of view, ie. all the staff here are remaining the same and I'm still the one who'll get shouted at if things go wrong

Now you got me on board. If you're still there to absorb the shouting, we're in business

Seriously, congratulations are in order. I'm sure that the SI people are bright enough that they've accounted for most of everything that could go wrong with that kind of takeover. As Marc as implied, I'd actually believe that this move could simply mean better things from SI in the future.

FM

[SackAttack]

Sega seems to be on a spree lately:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6147040.html

[Shaun Sullivan]

I think this is great news for our entire genre!

Go SI! And congrats to guys like Marc, who helped build the place.

Shaun

[Franklinnoble]

Does this mean I'll be able to get a copy of FM for my Genesis console?