JKKDARK
March 6th, 2008, 14:44
via Spong (http://news.spong.com/article/14949/SEGA_We_are_Not_for_Sale?cb=834)
SEGA is celebrating five million global sales of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - we would assume that Nintendo's quite chuffed as well.
Obviously, with the political situation in China being what it is, and athletes being barred from commenting, neither the fat plumber nor the Blue Blur were available to comment.
However, slipped into the Reuters report on the celebrations was an interview with former Electronic Arts marketing legend and current chief executive of Sega Sammy Holdings (America), Simon Jeffrey. Aside from pointing out that, “I don't think we believed in our wildest dreams that it would sell 5 million units in just three months" - which is refreshing, Simon also touched on the new world of consolidation.
With EA bidding for Take-Two, and Vivendi and Activision welcoming the ActiBlizzard marriage, everybody would now appear to be prey or hunter. Not SEGA though, apparently.
“That's not an area we want to play in right now. We have no interest in being acquired, we are very happy with our position right now", said Jeffrey.
As Reuters points out, "Sega ranks as the sixth-biggest game publisher in the United States by revenue, according to market research firm NPD." So, it's intriguing that SEGA should position itself as prey rather than predator in the consolidation killing zone.
Still, Mario and Sonic do make a lovely couple...
SEGA is celebrating five million global sales of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - we would assume that Nintendo's quite chuffed as well.
Obviously, with the political situation in China being what it is, and athletes being barred from commenting, neither the fat plumber nor the Blue Blur were available to comment.
However, slipped into the Reuters report on the celebrations was an interview with former Electronic Arts marketing legend and current chief executive of Sega Sammy Holdings (America), Simon Jeffrey. Aside from pointing out that, “I don't think we believed in our wildest dreams that it would sell 5 million units in just three months" - which is refreshing, Simon also touched on the new world of consolidation.
With EA bidding for Take-Two, and Vivendi and Activision welcoming the ActiBlizzard marriage, everybody would now appear to be prey or hunter. Not SEGA though, apparently.
“That's not an area we want to play in right now. We have no interest in being acquired, we are very happy with our position right now", said Jeffrey.
As Reuters points out, "Sega ranks as the sixth-biggest game publisher in the United States by revenue, according to market research firm NPD." So, it's intriguing that SEGA should position itself as prey rather than predator in the consolidation killing zone.
Still, Mario and Sonic do make a lovely couple...