Have Sega got two new consoles in the pipeline?

Sega's new arcade boards, the RingEdge and RingWide.

Yesterday I reported Sega's apparent plans to release a new casual console next year, as announced on an unknown blog. The article outlining Sega's plans was Part 1 of a series, with Part 2 still to follow.

The blog, FGNOnline, also has a forum. The administrator has said today in one of the threads that Part 2 will be up next week with an announcement based on Sega's RingWide arcade architecture.

With a new console announced based on the RingEdge hardware, the next article will announce a new handheld based on the RingWide hardware. This means Sega could be releasing two consoles next year, both around the Holiday Season.

Here is what was said on the forum:

"Part 1 = World exclusive details on a SEGA SAMMY consumer home system based on the RINGEDGE architecture.

Part 2 = World exclusive details on a SEGA SAMMY consumer portable based on the RINGWIDE architecture.

Part 2 should be up sometime next week."

The article outlining Sega's new consoles has been open to much speculation as to its authenticity. Many of the hardware facts are completely true, but it is unknown whether Sega really are going to produce consoles based on their Ring arcade boards.

The article mentioned a "Game Gear 2" was in the works at one point, so this could be a continuation of that project. Nothing has been said about possible features yet, such as a touch-screen. Details are to be expected next week.

The name "Zach Morris" has been tied to a "new Sega console" hoax from 2004, posted on a website called "Real Games Players". This is what was said:

"Hajime Satomi Interested In "home Hardware" (7th June 2004)

Today I have some earth shattering news

A close colleague of RGP who has connection with people within Sega of Japan has informed us that Hajime Satomi the Chairman/CEO of Sega Sammy has "serious" intentions towards the "home console market front".

It has been said that Satomi has some "serious serious plans" for "rapid expansion" into businesses which would lead to an "explosion of income".

Our informant tells us that Satomi is watching the current hardware scene with a "Hawks Eye"

Our colleague continues-

"A major factor in deciding whether to release the soon to be unvieled Naomi 3 arcade board based console would be on what Microsoft and Nintendo are up to"

Apparantly Satomi-san believes their chance will come if Nintendo and Microsoft team up, so that Sega can slip in as the third entrant.

This is all the news which is available at this moment in time.

Stay tuned...

Industry Insider - Insider scoops EIC"

This makes these announcements even more unlikely - Real Games Players had multiple Sega-based hoaxes in 2004:

"New Sega titles revealed! (Exclusive)

Today, we can exclusively reveal to you the games Sega will showcase to the world for the very first time on the 29th.

Here they are!

Shenmue III (XBox)

Panzer Dragoon Saga II (Xbox)

Crazy Taxi 4 (Xbox/PS2/GC)

Super Monkey Ball 3 (Xbox/PS2/GC)

OutRun 2 (Xbox/PS2/PSP)

Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned (Xbox/PSP worldwide) - PS2 Japan only

Shinobi 2 (PS2)

Spikeout X-treme (XBox/PS2)

Sega Superstars (PS2/XBox/GC)

Sonic the Hedgehog No Ones (PS2/XBox/PSP/NDS)

Sega Superstars will be a sequel to Fighters Megamix. Outrun 2 will have a total of 12 cars compared to the arcade versions 8 and will support online play. Crazy Taxi 4's launch will coincide with the release of the movie. Sonic No Ones will consist of Sonic1, 2, 3, & Knuckles, CD, Spinball, and the new Advance 3. Both Shenmue III and Panzer Dragoon Saga 2 will be funded and published by MS as 2nd party titles.

Sega's conference will take place on the 29th of April, where all these games will be shown for the very first time.

-- Zach Morris

editor-in-chief"

FGNOnline was quick to deny that this was the same Zach Morris, however:

"We directed this post to the attention of Mr Morris, who stated that he has no knowledge of freewebs.com/realgamesplayer and that particular Zach Morris is not he.

FGNOnline is Mr Morris's very first online portal.

Hopefully that has clarified any misconceptions you may of had."

As I said before, I'll wait for further information about these articles. Are they real, or just an elaborate hoax? I'll be sure to read the second part of the article when it is published next week.

[Source: FGNOnline Forums]