Will Sega ever stop re-releasing their 16-bit software for the thousandth time and actually start leveraging the metric fuckton of IP they're just sitting on for new games?
Nah, who am I kidding?
Thing is they are still in the top 10 richest game companies list at $4.9 billion estimated net worth. They aint doin world changing stuff bu tthey definitely know how to draw in mass money it seems.
I'm with you though...I wish they could find a way to monetize all those delicious IP in todays market. Fact is the gaming market that once existed that allowed such experimentation and titles to flourish in profit simply does not exist now. AAA is bloated and its hard to stand out as AAA design requires cross market interest and elements of so many genres that many titles just blur into similarity with a checklist of the same stuff. Plus its all your eggs in one basket there. It either pulls in over the $100+ million to make or it could sink the studio that made it. Middleware dont really exist now as its crowded out of its markets by larger games. Small scale is hard to stand out in and free to play is hard to maintain monetized interest in.
Fact is Sega is like Capcom and Konami. All were specialists at arcade style game design, marketing and portfolios. They all did well with platformers and a few other specialized genres and over the years the exciting old school platforming, beat em ups, RPGs, and metroidvania stuff has fallen aside in the market as top draw genres. As such these companies have had to adapt. I don't expect they'll go backwards and try to revive an old genre with a new game that feels like older stuff anytime soon. Till someone has a new idea on game design for the older games I don't expect most old Sega franchises to have a chance at coming back with new titles.
Not unless retro gaming itself becomes a trend and starts moving hard numbers like mad. Me personally...I think they should invest in "makers" like Mario Maker. Sonic Maker, Streets of Rage...whatever. Sell dlc packs of gear/enemies/parts and release some stuff free or via playtime unlock with funbucks to monetize it and keep interests up. Probably the best shot we got right now of more of the old classic styles of play even if it'll lack a cohesive experience between players since we'd all be playing various stuff.