Is SEGA Planning a Sony PSP Killer? (Debunked)

News Type: Event — Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:02 PM EDT

technology, gaming, sony, nintendo, psp, ds, console, rumor, portable, sega, videogame, sketch, aprilfools

Concept sketch of possible SEGA portable gaming console

I came across an article from French gaming site Inpact Virtuel, which claims that SEGA is preparing a portable console (codenamed the "SEGA Hedgehog") to be displayed at the usual gaming trade-shows next year, complete with the purported concept sketch at right.

Disclosure: Before I was an Xbox fanboy, I was, in fact, a SEGA fanboy.

Scoop: French gaming website Inpact Virtuel. Translated article: http://tinyurl.com/zgeft

The device looks essentially something like a DreamCast controller with a Nintendo DS-like lid, and a Sony PSP screen. In other words, if this concept sketch is anything close to the real-deal, this portable gaming console could well bring the best aspects of the competition's devices into one device.

Specs/Details:

Processor: 566MHz Samsung CPU
Graphics: 128-bit NVidia graphic accelerator Memory: 128MB of RAM
Screen: 1 cm LCD with 640 x 360 resolution

Controller: Analog joystick, four buttons, two triggers, plus a laptop-like tactile mouse pad with three buttons.

Inputs: Games to be cartridge-based. Contains a USB port, Compact Flash, and SD Card reader.

Media: Vague. Possibility of DivX format support.

Backward compatibility: Master System, Saturn, and DreamCast games.

The hardware sounds promising as well: A 566 MHz CPU sounds as capable as Sony's dual-core 333 MHz (capped at 222 MHz) processor. With no apparent mention of on-board storage, the console will likely have to rely on USB flash drives and CF or SD cards. This should not be a problem, since 2 GB storage cards can be found in the neighborhood of $50 today, and by the time anything like this could be launched, should be practically worthless.

As for media capabilities, the scoop makes little mention, except that SEGA is apparently considering the possibility of DivX format support. The thought of loading a USB flash drive with several of (ahem, legally purchased) DVD movies ripped to DivX format sounds far more appealing than buying a movie in UMD format.

With an integrated USB port, Compact Flash reader, and SD Card reader, SEGA must be planning some level of media-reading functionality for this gaming console. Off the top of my head, I can imagine one sticking a digital camera's SD or CF card into the device and using it to view photographs, or sticking an SD card or USB flash drive full of MP3s and using it as a music player.

Of course, it is equally possible that all of this is hearsay, or that the device will never actually make it to market. If that is the case, then it is obviously to the detriment of portable gaming fans, because this sounds like a very exciting device.

Update: Some of the folks commenting on this post found that, alas, this is indeed a leftover April Fools joke.

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{"commentId":95849,"authorDomain":"KevinR"}

KevinR

Wow. Just, Wow.

{"commentId":95849,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"KevinR"}

1 vote

#1 - Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:52 PM EDT

{"commentId":95987,"authorDomain":"rappo"}

Alec Ananian

This could be interesting... the Game Gear was pretty ahead for its time, I wonder if SEGA has still got that knack.

{"commentId":95987,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"rappo"}

3 votes

#2 - Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:19 PM EDT

{"commentId":96003,"authorDomain":"theblabb"}

Zippy

It would be nice if Sega returned to the console scene. They've been beaten and battered, but they can probably strike a comeback with a product like this.

{"commentId":96003,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"theblabb"}

1 vote

#3 - Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:33 PM EDT

{"commentId":96059,"authorDomain":"mattlovett"}

Matt Lovett

If this came out, I would most definitely buy it, unless it costs more than the PSP. I was thinking about the PSP, but I just love SEGA's games. In response to Zippy, I completely agree.

{"commentId":96059,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"mattlovett"}

1 vote

#4 - Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:07 PM EDT

{"commentId":96077,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

That is one seriously ugly contraption. It looks like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. Also the pointy curves make it very not pocket friendly. (Incidentally, the specs listed above say it has a 1cm screen. That's a whole new breed of high-definition).

Also, there already is a PSP killer--the Nintendo DS. It's already finished off the PSP in Japan. The DS and PSP are currently both doing about as well as each other in the US, but I expect that to change when the DS Lite finally makes it over here.

{"commentId":96077,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

1 vote

#5 - Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":96101,"authorDomain":"MissDev"}

Miss Dev

Join the 16-bit revolution man! I miss my Sonic the Hedgehog!

{"commentId":96101,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"MissDev"}

2 votes

#6 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:21 AM EDT

{"commentId":96182,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}

Adam Hobson

The PSP is pretty much already dead. It never did take off as Sony had hoped. Well at least not yet, the future may change things.

There is no way that proof of concept is correct, it would be far too top heavy.

SEGA is not going to get back into the hardware wars. The market is basically at its saturation point already, and I wonder if a portable system alone could survive without a console system for fans to have company loyalty, to port games back and forth to and so on.

SEGA is doing just fine as a software company. There is little economic sense for them to change their current market.

{"commentId":96182,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}

1 vote

#7 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:09 AM EDT

{"commentId":96183,"authorDomain":"kurticusmaximus"}

KurticusMaximus

No way, no how.

It makes absolutely no sense for Sega to jump back into hardware. They're doing great at software, and they'd get creamed if they tried this. The DS and PSP are both great, and they're both great at different aspects of gaming. This thing would bring nothing to the table, other than hideousness and the inability to be carried in a pocket. It lacks the interesting possibilities of the dual screens, and it couldn't surpass the PSP's graphics. Sure, it might be cheaper, but cheaper isn't enough.

Besides, I'm pretty sure this would be on more tech sites if it were anywhere close to possible. Something like this doesn't get revealed on Newsvine.

{"commentId":96183,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"kurticusmaximus"}

#8 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:16 AM EDT

{"commentId":96185,"authorDomain":"scr"}

scr

If they do it I hope their marketing strategy will be better than what they had for the Dreamcast. At least in Europe they miserably failed to promote a great product.

{"commentId":96185,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"scr"}

#9 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:16 AM EDT

{"commentId":96229,"authorDomain":"reverie"}

reverie

Debunked as an April Fools joke.

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/13/sega-handheld-an-april-fools-gag/

{"commentId":96229,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"reverie"}

3 votes

#10 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:23 AM EDT

{"commentId":96238,"authorDomain":"rappo"}

Alec Ananian

Bah! Oh well...

{"commentId":96238,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"rappo"}

1 vote

#10.1 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:47 AM EDT

{"commentId":96276,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

Even if it "weren't" debunked, aiming to be a PSP killer isn't aiming all that high.

If it were attempting to be a Gameboy Advance or Nintendo DS killer... that would be a story.

The title of this post would have you believe that they were aiming to take out a kitten rather than a lion... which just isn't all the difficult.

Also, it was a pretty easy to refute April Fools joke, IMHO...

Sega was never very good at maintaining a console, even if they did put out some good ones. (The Dreamcast was pretty great.) I don't think they'll ever get back into that market and I was going to post a comment to that effect -before- I read your comment that this had already been officially debunked.

{"commentId":96276,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"brianford"}

2 votes

#10.2 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":96422,"authorDomain":"freonchill"}

freonchill

i doubt that sega, even though they make a ton of games for the other consoles these days, have enough money to 'throw away' on a risky endeaver like this, especially after their last console crashed.

{"commentId":96422,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"freonchill"}

#11 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":96454,"authorDomain":"thura"}

Thura

Judging from all the claims by competitors about coming up with an iPOD killer for the last 2 years, I will believe it when I see it.

It is always easy to claim that someone is coming up with a (insert a popular product) killer. Much harder in reality to do so. Anyway SEGA has got to "fix" their console first before they start getting into mobile game devices. There is already a GBA - and depending on who you talk to, the PSP killer is already out there.

However as a consumer having more choices is always welcome.

{"commentId":96454,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"thura"}

#12 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":96547,"authorDomain":"kdave"}

David Kellaway

I'm sure I remember the statement by Sega announcing that they were withdrawing from the hardware market in order to focus on publishing video games for other platforms... :-)

{"commentId":96547,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"kdave"}

#13 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:55 PM EDT

{"commentId":96564,"authorDomain":"charliepage"}

charliepage

Sounds interesting but I doubt it.

{"commentId":96564,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"charliepage"}

#14 - Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:07 PM EDT

{"commentId":97432,"authorDomain":"asurroca"}

asurroca

I believe it's time I changed the title to this post then!

At least it is very comforting to know that Joystiq was fooled by this "lost" April Fools joke as well!

{"commentId":97432,"threadId":"7581","contentId":"165822","authorDomain":"asurroca"}

#15 - Sat Apr 15, 2006 7:58 PM EDT

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