Sega Will Make Games for Nintendo

Sega’s back. After jettisoning its financially disastrous Dreamcast game console, Sega Corp. is plotting its return as a software company by teaming up with its former archrival, Nintendo Co.

In a deal to be announced today, Sega will make 10 games for Nintendo’s upcoming Gamecube console, including a title that will feature Sega’s mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog.

The significance is symbolic. Sonic is the creation of Yuji Naka, a Sega game designer whose rivalry with Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto is legendary in Japan. Miyamoto is responsible for Nintendo’s Mario-based games.

“With this announcement, we are effectively saying we have made the transition into becoming a platform-agnostic games company,” said Charles Bellfield, vice president of corporate communications for Sega. “It’s a rather humbling opportunity for us.”

Sega is making 28 games for three consoles: It is designing 11 games for Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox and seven games for Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 2, plus the 10 games for the Gamecube.

The company also plans to release 20 new games this year for the Dreamcast console, which Sega stopped manufacturing March 31.

Among the games Sega will develop for the Gamecube is “Phantasy Star Online,” which will be available before March 2002. Although the Gamecube will not have a built-in modem for online games, it does have an expansion bay that can accommodate a plug-in modem. Nintendo, however, has not said whether it plans to sell a modem for the Gamecube.

Bellfield said Sega will continue to make games for the more than 3 million Dreamcast consoles currently in the market.