Tachikoma wrote:So, basically, they're assigning 'Gumi Inc.' to take care of distributing their mobile games in the foreign market i.e. everywhere that isn't Japan?
The question is, and this is legit as I know nothing about the mobile gaming market, are Gumi Inc an exceptional company? Will them being publishers of Sega's mobiles have that much of a consequence abroad? I've never heard of seen them.
Gumi,Inc is a Japanese social networking distributor that establishes server networks for select partners and publishers, what this means is not only with the partnership will SEGA be able to run more and larger mobile servers for its mainline Social Network titles like PSO2,Chain Chronicle and Sonic Dash just to name a few. The deal will allow SEGA to open and establish larger DNS servers overseas by using Desktops to run the networks on their own interface.
So, through Gumi,Inc, SEGA won't have to establish overseas Sega Networks,Ltd divisions for running all the large networks in each designated part of the world and also through Gumi,Inc, distribution of the games on Google Play and Android will be handled.
Sega is pretty much spent as a 3rd party company. Going mobile as well as
cutting all the way back on console game development has given them lots of opportunity to consider changing course as a company.(Its what they SHOULD DO.) SEGA is in excellent financial shape and DOES have alot of cash and money(indeed $7 billion:
http://quotes.morningstar.com/stock/sgamy/s?t=SGAMY) the problem is, SEGA just isn't cutting the mustard as a 3rd party brand, and they aren't seeing growth in it either. It can only help them to try other ventures and newer markets. A company with $7 billion in cash should spend that on trying to establish capital in markets that suit them well and in markets that are easier to profit in. Not on making overpriced Triple AAA 3rd party titles that would fail either way.
Though it, can't be confirmed or clarified Sega is apparently planning their own App service for downloading and playing mobile games.
Though so far, the only thing I've found in regards to what it might be called is this "Cathode" IP:
CATHODE
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game programs; computer game software; video game software; video game programs; video game discs and cartridges; computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones; computer software for software design, development and testing; game engine software for video game development and operation
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 79147094
Filing Date February 20, 2014
Current Basis 66A
Original Filing Basis 66A
Published for Opposition September 2, 2014
International Registration Number 1203388
Owner (APPLICANT) KABUSHIKI KAISHA SEGA; d/b/a SEGA CORPORATION CORPORATION JAPAN 1-2-12, Haneda Ohta-ku; Tokyo 144-8531 JAPAN
Priority Date August 26, 2013
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Than again, this sounds more like a specially licensed software development tool of some sorts.
We'll see soon, as soon as Sega starts publicly discussing more details on this deal.