Is SEGA Forever a subscription game service for mobile?
It was just a few days ago that SEGA unveiled its new “Amazing SEGA” corporate identity to help guide its future, and it seems like the company Sonic built isn’t done with big changes.
We’ve learned that SEGA is close to launching a new initiative called “SEGA Forever,” and has already registered Facebook, Twitter and Reddit accounts. SEGA Forever appears to be a subscription-based video game service for mobile devices.
In the above video, YouTuber Shawn Long shows several images sent to him by a Twitter user named @BearKiddy of an iOS version of Comix Zone that was recently released in the Philippines. The main menu screen has two interesting options: “AD-FREE” and “SEGAzine.”
Upon clicking the “AD-FREE” button, you’re taken to a screen that explains the game has an ad-supported and ad-free versions. The ad-supported version only has cloud-save support, but the ad-free version supports cloud and saves with a purchase button that has the words “SEGA_FOREVER_BUY_FOR.” There’s also an asterisk that reads “SEGA games may be featured upon launch” for the SEGA Forever version.
According to BearKiddy, when he began playing Comix Zone, a pop-up screen appeared that asked if he wanted to subscribe to the SEGA Forever newsletter.
What’s more, BearKiddy told Long that he was initially sent a SEGA Forever survey by SEGA that listed games that could be coming to the service that included Virtua Cop, Panzer Dragoon and Sonic the Hedgehog. If true, this could potentially mark the first time SEGA Saturn games are available to play outside of the Saturn system.
In any case, we haven’t been able to verify this information yet, but we do know SEGA has some big plans for mobile in its future, and we hope to learn more information about what SEGA Forever will ultimately be.
Update
Someone on NeoGAF found the link to the survey, and you can take it here. Below are some of the most interesting screens from the survey.
I assumed “forever” either referred to buy-to-keep (instead of watching ads), or was just the name of their fan newsletter.
As a long time, sometimes dormant, sega fan boy since the Master System, I have accepted many things, including that Dreamcast 2 will never happen ;D, but that somehow, Sega will rekindle itself in reinvention through mobile gaming.
Not too impressed but if they do Saturn and arcade games then it’ll be of some interest.
Hopefully they’ll package these games for consoles/pc later on without any f2p non sense.
However a subscription to simply get offline saving seems a bit silly and while SEGA emulation has been alright officially as of late its still rather bare bones compared to using a proper emulator.
Oh well, at least its something I guess.
Fingers crossed its not just another Sega Genesis game repackage.
So sad…
lol people. saturn games have to built from the ground up. you saw it happen with the PS2 games that only sold in Japan
“If true, this could potentially mark the first time SEGA Saturn games are available to play outside of the Saturn system.”
NOPE. Years ago, there was a subscription-based service for PC that had Panzer Dragoon and Bug! It even had 32X’s Knuckles Chaotix.
It was called GameTap.
Panzer Dragoon and Bug! both had PC ports released, so GameTap were probably using those in this case
No. Those games had the Saturn boot up animation. They created a Saturn and 32x emulator. I believe the emulation was developed by the same devs that make the Neo Geo emulator for DotEmu (the publisher).
I would like an all in subscription / purchase that allows me to play Sega games and sync save data across PC / Xbone / Android etc.
Do that and fill it up with Master System, Mega Drive, Saturn and one day Dreamcast games when devices are powerful enough and I will love it.
If not I need to keep using emulators and keep my cash to myself.
mobile? Good (Bad) Start…
I suggested Sega exactly this on October 2015. It doesn’t mean they took my advice, but I’m glad they’re doing something I envisioned exactly the same 😀