Lost Media and Cancelled Sega Games

[classicgamer74]

 

Hello, this is Smitty.  I got to create this week's video and it's about lost media and called Sega games.  Since I am a big Sega fan, and I got the chance to make the video, it was pretty obvious what I was going to do it about.  What are some cancelled games that you'd like to see found?  Besides the ones on this video I mean.  Check it out and let me know what you think.  No pro-Nintendo comments please. 

[Zap!]

Phantasy Star IV: The Return Of Alis

[classicgamer74]

Thanks for mentioning this.  I'll discuss it more in a follow-up episode. 

[Zap!]

5 hours ago, classicgamer74 said:

Thanks for mentioning this.  I'll discuss it more in a follow-up episode. 

I will be looking forward to it, as the original Phantasy Star IV is largely forgotten almost never mentioned. BTW, I ordered your book on Amazon.

[classicgamer74]

I appreciate that. Thank you. Let me know what you think of it. 

I've never played that series. I'm going to check it out. 

[Tanooki]

Wing Commander II for Super Famicom/SNES -- 100% completed, then lost to time as it wasn't published since the publisher chickened out due to a 1995 date.

[classicgamer74]

Hmmm.  I always thought that the Wing Commander game was really successful.  Maybe they got scared because Dragon's Lair for the SNES wasn't a smashing success.  Maybe not, but who knows...

[classicgamer74]

I'll give you both credit when I make that episode.  Thanks!  

[Tanooki]

Wing Commander is a hugely successful franchise, and the conversion of the original and expansion pack was handled very well on SNES, plays solidly nice, just a stupid password system.

 

I'm going to give you the best resource for the lost WC2 that exists, these guys are rabid franchise fans and dug all they could dig on this one, but they're also not the types who float in prototype/hunting circles either, especially in Japan where this still should be hiding still most likely.

https://www.wcnews.com/wcpedia/Wing_Commander_II:_Vengeance_of_the_Kilrathi_(SNES)

[jhd]

 

From a business perspective, who loses when a completed game is cancelled? Just the publisher? Does the developer still get paid?

 

I realise that it all depends on the specific contract, but I am curious about the general industry practice.

 

[classicgamer74]

That's a good question. Several famous programmers do hang out here from time to time, so I would ask one of them.  I think it might depend on their contracts and/or the company. Regardless, everyone loses. 

[Tanooki]

From my understanding, both.  Both is directed at paid or not paid as far as the developer goes.  It would go by the contract, or if the publisher folded and couldn't pay.  The contract may say you get payment when the game goes gold, and since it didn't, the developer loses, and if the publisher goes bankrupt, same thing, they lose, if they can't find another backer.  But a developer just as easily could setup a contract with payment milestones for various alpha, beta, etc moments of progression with a final pay out at the end.  In that case if it's done and buried, they lose years of their lives on shit no one will sadly ever pay to enjoy, probably forever, but they got compensated for their lost work.  There just is no easy answer.