Sega Competes With GameSpy Online

Sega Corp. launched an online service for game developers that would compete with GameSpy Industries in Irvine.

The Sega service provides developers with Web hosting, player matching and billing capabilities. As consoles acquire the ability to connect to the Internet, developers increasingly are building into their games online features such as finding opponents, competing in tournaments and downloading content.

Instead of handling the logistics of maintaining an online presence, developers have turned to companies such as GameSpy, a provider of online services for more than 200 computer and console games.

Sega, which invested close to $100 million to bring its now-discontinued Dreamcast online, retooled its network to help other developers bring their games for Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Co.’s GameCube online.