From the completely new "Sakura Wars" to "Shenmue I & II" and "Megadrami Mini (tentative)"! We bring you the report of SEGA Fan Meet-Up 2018, SEGA Fest 2018, which is full of new information!

SEGA Games held the new project presentation "SEGA Fan Meet-up 2018" at the "SEGA Fest 2018" event being held at Bellesalle Akihabara.

The presentation, titled "SEGA Fan Meet-up 2018," featured Harunori Satomi, Chairman and CEO of SEGA Holdings, Inc.

Mr. Satomi said, "This will be the second time that 'SEGA Fest' will be held, following the first one in November 2016. For the staff of the SEGA Group, whose mission is to 'continue to create inspiring experiences,' the most motivating thing for us is to see our fans happy and moved by the products and services we have been involved in. I hope that everyone in attendance and our staff will be able to enjoy and be moved together today.

I would like to announce four new projects today," he continued, and the first project, "SEGA AGES for Nintendo Switch," was announced. Mr. Satomi said, "As fans know, SEGA AGES is read from the left and SEGA AGES is read from the right. Fans know this, don't they?　If you're a fan of SEGA AGES, you know that when you read it from the left, it's SEGA AGES.

SEGA AGES for Nintendo Switch" is a project to revive SEGA's classic titles on the Nintendo Switch, one of the newest and most popular hardware platforms available today, The three titles announced this time are "Sonic the Hedgehog", "Thunder Force IV", and "Phantasy Star".

A total of more than 15 titles are planned for distribution in Japan, North America, and Europe starting in the summer of 2018. It was also revealed that M2, well-known for the "SEGA 3D Reprint Project," will be in charge of development, and that all titles will include additional elements. It will be more than just a port; it will be a nostalgic yet new title.


Next, Mr. Satomi mentioned the "Memorial Exhibition Corner" on the second floor of the venue.

In the Memorial Corner, the Mega Drive, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, and the Dreamcast, which also celebrated its 20th anniversary, are on display, along with their peripherals and packages of Sega's classic titles. The Dreamcast celebrates its 20th anniversary. And the Mega Drive celebrates its 30th anniversary. If you have a good instinct, you may have noticed that I've said this, but ...... or rather, Sankei Shimbun leaked it to me (audience laughed)," he said, inviting laughter and announcing the "Mega Drive Mini (tentative)".

Holding a sample of the "Mega Drive Mini (tentative)," Satomi said, "We hope to release it by the end of 2018. We plan to include titles that reflect the opinions of users, from those that dominated the video game industry to those that will make enthusiasts swoon, so that users can easily experience the excitement of those days. The third project is the "PSP" project, which is a new product that will be released in the near future.


The topic then turned to the third project. On the screen of the stage, the ranking video of the "Sega General Election: Revival Expectation Category" held at the last SegaFest was shown, which was decided by votes from Sega fans all over the world. The video showed the ranking of "Nights NiGHTS into Dreams...", "Panzer Dragoon", and "The Last Airbender". Shenmue," which ranked fourth in the "General Election" after "Panzer Dragoon" and "Virtua Fighter," will be released as "Shenmue I & II" for the PlayStation 4. Shenmue I & II" will include "Shenmue I: Yokosuka" and "Shenmue II," both of which were originally released for the Dreamcast, and are scheduled for release in 2018.


Mr. Satomi explained, "A new "Shenmue" game is also scheduled for release, but there has been a great demand from not only Japan, but also from the West and Asia to play the world's first open world game "Shenmue" on current platforms, so we decided to release "Shenmue I & II" this time. John Clark, EVP of Publishing, Sega Europe, who has been deeply involved in the "Shenmue I & II" project, then took the stage dressed as Ryo Basuki, Shenmue's main character, along with a woman interpreter dressed in a Shenghua costume.


Mr. Clark greeted the audience by saying, "I am very honored to be here to make this announcement in front of the "Shenmue" fans in Japan. He continued, "Shenmue" is regarded in the West as a title that symbolizes the spirit of challenge, and is by far the number one title that people want to see re-released. He continued, "In response to everyone's requests, we have carefully ported the classic world of the original version.

In response to a question from Mr. Satomi about how "Shenmue," which is set in Yokosuka and Hong Kong, is received in the West, he replied, "Shenmue" was released in Europe in 2000, and it was a groundbreaking game. There was no 'Grand Theft Auto' or 'The Elder Scrolls. Yokosuka was an unfamiliar world to us, but that was part of its exotic charm. II" has many fans who want to see it return as a Sega legend. At this moment, I think the applause around the world will never cease," he said.


The "SEGA General Election: Revival Expectations" ranking was again displayed on the stage screen, with only 3rd to 1st place remaining. 3rd place went to "Dennou Senki Virtual-On" and 2nd place to "Jet Set Radio.　A new version has recently been released. The satisfaction level of users who have played it is very high, but the sales have not reached the level I had hoped for, so please go to the store!


The winner of the first place was "Sakura Taisen". Mr. Satomi said, "I received everyone's passionate feelings. To answer your expectations, we are pleased to announce the winner here today. Please take a look at this page." The words "New Sakura Wars has begun" appeared on the screen. The "New Sakura Wars," for which Mr. Satomi is the executive producer, is a completely new work that inherits the DNA of the "Sakura Wars" series. It is set in Tokyo, the Imperial Capital of Japan in 1926, and will be rich in content on the latest platforms. Details will be revealed at a presentation to be held at a later date, so expect more information.


The "SEGA Fan Meet-up 2018" ended with a commemorative photo with visitors holding the "Sakura Taisen, Resurrection Towel" that was distributed to visitors.


At the "SEGA Fes 2018" venue, there was a "BIG UFO CATCHER," a super-big size UFO catcher where you become the arm and grab the prizes, and "Sonic the Hedgehog," "Puyo Puyo Dori," and "Bare Knuckle II: Requiem for a Deadly Battle" on a giant Mega Drive controller. The "Giant Mega Drive Controller" where you can play "Sonic the Hedgehog," "Puyo Puyo Dori," and "Bare Knuckle II: Requiem for a Deadly Battle" on a giant Mega Drive controller, and the "Mega Drive 30th Anniversary / Dreamcast 20th Anniversary Museum," which displays actual Mega Drive and Dreamcast machines, peripheral equipment, and various game software released by SEGA. The event area will include a "Megadrive 30th Anniversary / Dreamcast 20th Anniversary Museum," which will exhibit actual Mega Drive and Dreamcast machines, peripherals, and a variety of Sega game software.