Sega Vision portable console coming in 2009?

PALGN Rumour | Or is it more iPod than PSP?

Register Hardware reported earlier today that Sega is planning to release their own rival to the PSP next year, dubbed the 'Sega Vision'. According to the report, the unit will contain a TV tuner and camera, and will be able to play games, MP4 videos and music. It will also feature an eBook reader and voice recorder. They also claim that the unit will be launched in the UK next year, with a few working models already sitting in a central London arcade.

However, Unofficial RPG Site is reporting that they have contacted Sega, who have confirmed the device's existence, but also disproved the notion that it is a 'PSP rival'. According to the statement Sega gave, "The Vision is primarily an MP4 video player with some basic games functionality, and not a new handheld gaming machine." Unofficial RPG Site also reports that the unit can only play Java games, much like mobile phones, although this information can also be garnered from a short teaser animation which is floating around the internet.

No detailed technical specifications have been released for the Sega Vision so far, but for the moment it seems that Sega's long-awaited re-entry into the games market may still be far away.

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28 Comments

DrTim

3 years ago

Oh cool. A new Game Gear! Sweet.

AllSchoolGamer

3 years ago

Fan-friggin-tastic!
About time they got back into the console market, even if it is only a handheld

timmay33

3 years ago

Honestly, if Sega released a console in the next few years I think it would do really well. Strong fan base, plus the fact that its been the same 3 console giants for like 6 years.

I hope its gonna be more than just a media player with ability to play java games, come on Sega.

The Genius

3 years ago

The market is already saturated with great handheld devices that even some awesome devices are not doing well in sales due to the extreme competition.

The Zune is a great MP3 player but its being killed in sales by ipods because Apple practically own the MP3 market.

As awesome as the PSP is, its overall sales are nowhere near the DS.

And are Sega forgetting that the GameBoy practically killed the Game Gear?

Verdict : This new Sega handheld will most likely fail in sales.

DancesInUnderwear

3 years ago

Lets shorten this up a little:

The console is made by Sega.

Verdict : This new Sega handheld will most likely fail in sales.

plazma

3 years ago

Yeah, it will fail in sales, but if it plays more than just java games and isn't massively expensive i might get my hands on one. My current ipod is looking a litle tired, and my phone isn't all that great in terms of multimedia standards.

Tom101007

3 years ago

i think its the portable tv thats the best thing its got going for it, thats what makes it different. I might get one, but then again i do want a DSi...

TheAnswer

3 years ago

While I admire Sega trying to get back into the business, I don't think this will be the success they were hoping for especially if the unit is only going to play java based games. Good luck to them though.

Benza

3 years ago

Sega have killed any goodwill they had by **** sonic.

SloughFeg

3 years ago

Damn, the headline for this article had me thinking Sega were actually going to release a new gaming console. Too bad it's just a portable media device. What's next for Sega, blu-ray players and mobile phones?

mikezilla2

3 years ago

SloughFeg wrote

it said portable right in the title

rufati

3 years ago

People seem to be forgetting that a long time ago, Sega and Nintendo were the 2 biggest names in console gaming. So if they actually put some thought into this, it could do well.

However, like Benza pointed out, they've ruined Sonic consistently for the past 10 years and it's hard to be optimistic about this.

Gamesta

3 years ago

I think I might have to keep my ears and eyes on this thing.

JD-Ferel

3 years ago

I want one already.
That said; yes Sega did effectively shoot themselves in the foot. How? Marketing! it was horrendously bad and badly planned. I recall seeing an advert for Shenmue and Sonic Adventure for the DC...and what time was it?? 1am in the morning, and it was on ABC.
Personally I don't think the hardware was so bad; again just badly marketed.
Heck I'd be happy to just have Sonic 1,2 3 & Knux available on it

SloughFeg

3 years ago

mikezilla2 wrote

SloughFeg wrote

it said portable right in the title

Yes I saw that, my problem was with the use of the word "console" which implies that it would be a handheld gaming device rather than a portable video/media player.
Not much point splitting hairs over article headlines though, It's interesting that Sega are launching any kind of hardware even if it isn't a dedicated gaming machine, although if those reports about the games being only Java based are true it's a bit of a disappointment.

notsofat

3 years ago

DancesInUnderwear wrote

The console is made by Sega.

Verdict : This new Sega handheld will most likely fail in sales.

maybe we should find out more about the device than this tiny photo and a few details before we discount sega entirely.

with a committed approach (think episodic sonic titles maybe) and proper ereader software, the fact that this is a portable tv could give it a pretty competitive edge

that said it will have a hard time beating my new ipod touch...

Duckula

3 years ago

JD-Ferel wrote

The ABC doesn't have any advertising, it never has.

Benza

3 years ago

notsofat wrote

maybe we should find out more about the device than this tiny photo and a few details before we discount sega entirely.

If sega had done anything to give me confidence in the company in the past 10 years maybe.

They haven't, the greatest thing they've done was getting another company to do the Sonic RPG.

This is comming from a die hard Sega fanboy back in the day.

rankodour

3 years ago

I'll buy one if the price is right. Knowing Sega, they will probably stuff up SOMEWHERE, and release the thing for $400 and wonder why it ain't selling.

Black Wolf

3 years ago

Ages ago, Sega once said that they vowed never to release another console after the Dreamcast failed to lift sales.

JD-Ferel

3 years ago

Darunia wrote

The ABC doesn't have any advertising, it never has.

You may be right about that; it may have been SBS. But my point is, it wasn't their consoles that had the big problems (yeah the Saturn wasn't the most capable machine) but in general how they dealt with their consoles.

3mt

3 years ago

I need some Virtual On action, now. Ahh...that was the game of the day...
If that handheld can play that, it's a must buy.

plazma

3 years ago

Black Wolf wrote

Ages ago, Sega once said that they vowed never to release another console after the Dreamcast failed to lift sales.

This isn't really a gaming console. Just a portable multimedia device, with TV which is pretty good, i havent seen any other devices out there with portable TV.

Wedley

3 years ago

plazma wrote

This isn't really a gaming console. Just a portable multimedia device, with TV which is pretty good, i havent seen any other devices out there with portable TV.

My guess would be it's because the reception would usually suck arse.

Can't see this applying too well in Australia. Everywhere I've ever lived in Victoria, I've had to have a massive aerial on my house to get even a halfway decent picture. Might be different in the UK, who knows.

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