In the late ’80s to early ’90s, Sega seemed unstoppable. With the popularity of the 16-bit versions of Sega Genesis and Sonic the Hedgehog, Nintendo was no longer the undisputed king of the hill. While many are still divided over who won the console wars during the fourth generation of gaming consoles, Nintendo stayed in the hardware industry while Sega eventually became a third party.
During the 32-bit generation, Sega of Japan made disastrous decisions that helped cement the company’s decline in the hardware industry. This uncertainty undoubtedly led to the closure of several potentially great titles. As a result, Sega’s history includes some popular franchises that haven’t seen a new installment in years.
10/10 Chakan, the eternal man, was finally laid to rest
Based on the comic of the same name Chakan: The eternal man was a hard-hitting action-platformer based on the Sega Genesis. The game puts players in control of a warrior trying to break free from his immortality. Despite the game’s mixed reviews, it gained enough followers to commission a sequel, which never materialized.
While there has been speculation that artist Steve Ross would reuse elements of the titleLegacy of Cain: Blood Omen 2he and Jon Miller expressed their belief that the similarities were more due to Ross’ different style and similar themes.
9/10 Penn & Teller’s Smoke & Mirrors made a vanishing act
Much like the duo’s other efforts, Penn & Teller’s foray into the interactive medium was a subversive trek off the beaten track. Instead of a traditional game, smoke and mirrors was more of a collection of interactive hoaxes that featured full-motion video cutscenes from the aforementioned illusionists.
One of the most famous entries was a title called desert bus, which was created to ridicule the moral outrage of politicians and parent groups against video games. Unfortunately, publisher Absolute went bankrupt during the game’s completion, and no one else was interested in backing a game for the dying Sega CD peripheral.
8/10 Virtua Fighter defeats eternal champions in Sega’s ring
Eternal champions was Sega of America’s response to Midway Mortal Kombat, with over-the-top gore and a much more challenging difficulty curve. its reissue, challenge from the dark side, was released on the Sega CD to far more mixed reception, but apparently there was still demand for a sequel.
Unfortunately, Sega from Japan has decided that no future Eternal champion Titles would exploit that Virtua Fighter Series whose polygonal graphics and sophisticated combat turned heads in the industry. While it might have made sense to focus on one fighting franchise, it would have been nice to have both series coexist.
7/10 Corporate drama put an end to Sonic Chronicles
In one of the most bizarre collaborations sonic chronicles was an RPG for the Nintendo DS developed by Bioware. The game mixed elements of RPG tropes with certain staples of Sonic’s mechanics and a combat system reminiscent of Elite Beat Agents. While reviewers chose the soundtrack to feature some of the franchise’s worst tunes, the game was well-received.
A sequel was planned that would follow on from the game’s cliffhanger ending, but a variety of factors such as Sega’s costly suit with Archie writer Ken Panders and Bioware’s partnership with EA thwarted those plans.
6/10 Alpha Protocol received a burn notice
Sega had approached Fallout New Vegas Developer Obsidian with the prospect of creating an exclusive RPG franchise for the publisher. Of all the pitches Obsidian presented, Sega was most intrigued by their spy thriller idea. After Sega commissioned the title, however, it went through a turbulent development process due to wildly different visions and a lack of direction.
The resulting title would become polarizing Alpha Protocol. Despite the game’s mixed reception, Obsidian was interested in developing a sequel, but Sega was not interested. Even worse, the original game was eventually pulled from Steam stores in 2019.
5/10 The blue blur raced into the polygonal ceiling using Sonic X-Treme
Originally intended for the 32X under the title Sonic Mars, Sonic X Treme should be Sega Technical Institute’s second solo push with the blue drill. The game would have been a 2.5D affair, using a fisheye perspective to accommodate the pig’s speed. Unfortunately, one of the teams struggled to optimize the title for the Saturn hardware, leading to Sega of Japan President Hayao Nakayama demanding that the game be modeled after the game’s boss engine.
Unfortunately, the team was able to make some progress with the modified one nights engine, Yuji Naka demanded that they stop. The game was canceled shortly thereafter.
4/10 A new binary domain seemed discarded
Developed by the department responsible for the yakuza and monkey ball Franchise, binary domain was an interesting take on third-person shooters. One of the more unique aspects of the game was the consequence system, where the player’s actions and choices would determine how much the squad trusted them, and even the ending of the game.
binary domain received rave reviews from publications praising this unique mechanic while criticizing the voice command system and bullet sponge bosses. Unfortunately, the game sold poorly in North America. Despite producer Daisuke Sato’s interest in a sequel, the series appears destined for the scrap heap.
3/10 The Jet Set Radio revolution will not be televised or playable
After the financial failure of Future of Jet Set Radio, Sega received two different pitches for a follow-up. Then, in 2009, Kuju Entertainment, who also developed the grinding house-Style House of the Dead Overkillproposed a sequel for the Nintendo Wii that would bring back most of the original characters and a new gang called the Squabble Hawks.
Unfortunately this was rejected. Years later, Sony expressed interest in a new title at GDC 2017, prompting Dinosaur Games to pitch Sega. The pitch featured a state-of-the-art city and new models for Beat, Gum, and even Roboy from Future. Unfortunately, this was also rejected.
2/10 Dismal Sales condemned the Monolith horror franchise
Monolith’s first-person survival horror series was one of the first high-profile franchises on the Xbox 360. The games mixed elements of hand-to-hand combat, graphical adventure, and detective titles. the first game criminal originswas very well received and was considered one of the must-have launch titles for the 360.
The sequel placed more emphasis on action and refined some of the investigative mechanics at the crime scene. While Condemned 2: Bloodshot Receiving positive reviews, it was criticized for detracting from some of the mysteries and ambiguities of the first title. According to one of the game’s developers, it sold below Sega’s expectations, dashed their hopes for a possible sequel.
1/10 Unfortunately, Arcadia IP’s sky is grounded
Originally released for the Dreamcast, Sky of Arcadia was a JRPG that put players in control of Vyse and his crew of sky pirates as they explore the world and attempt to thwart the ambitions of the Valuan Empire. The gameplay was very reminiscent of another title in the genre with a greater emphasis on exploration.
Players could deviate from the main quest and sail for hidden treasure, accept bounties, and even do odd jobs for various vendors. Unfortunately, while the game was critically acclaimed, it didn’t live up to Sega’s financial numbers. A sequel was unfortunately canceled following dismal sales of the Gamecube port.