Sega to Bring Sega Sports 2K2 and 2K3 Titles to Xbox; "Crazy
Taxi Next" and "House of The Dead 3" Join Other 2002 Sega Games Already in
Development for Xbox
LOS ANGELES May 16, 2001 Building on its recent alliance with Sega
Entertainment Inc., which will premiere 11 games for the Microsoft® Xbox
video game system, Microsoft Corp. today announced that Sega is creating Xbox versions of
its top-selling Sega Sports 2K2 franchise, as well as "Crazy Taxi
Next" (working title) and "House of the Dead 3." The games will ship
in the Xbox 2001 launch window in North America. Microsoft also announced that Sega plans
to develop titles in its Sega Sports 2K3 franchise for the Xbox broadband online game
service, which will launch summer of 2002. The alliance ensures that future Sega games for
Xbox will take advantage of the broadband Ethernet connection and hard disk built into
every Xbox system.
"Sega games will be awesome on Xbox this fall, and once the Xbox broadband online
gaming service turns on in 2002, our 2K3 sports lineup will deliver some of the most
powerful gaming experiences ever," said Peter Moore, president and COO at Sega of
America. "Xbox gives our developers a great deal of flexibility to develop games and
gameplay that has never been played before."
"Gamers should be really excited about what Segas talented game artists are
creating on Xbox, now and in the future," said J Allard, general manager of the Xbox
platform at Microsoft. "Segas creative artists are imagining scenarios for the
Xbox online service that will set new standards for what gamers should expect in video
games."
The news was made in advance of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2001,
one of the worlds largest annual games industry trade shows.
The current list of Sega games to be shipped for Xbox in 2001 includes the following:
- "Crazy Taxi Next" (working title).
Pedestrians will need to watch
out when the "Crazy Taxi" franchise hits Xbox.
- "House of the Dead 3."
The horror has returned. Players will need
every ounce of their reflexes and marksmanship skills if they hope to survive.
- "JSRF Jet Set Radio Future" (working title).
Players should
get ready for a cutting-edge soundtrack, a groundbreaking artistic look and insane new
tricks. Its all about extreme skating, extreme action and extreme style.
- "Sega GT 2002."
This adrenaline-filled car-racing game features
amazingly real vehicles and graphics.
- "Panzer Dragoon" (working title).
Xbox owners will be the first to return
to the stunning world of "Panzer Dragoon." They can take flight once again to
explore the lush beauty, fierce technology and mysterious dragon-breeding culture of one
Segas most sought-after franchises.
- "Sega Sports NFL 2K2."
The substance, realism and competition of
"Sega Sports NFL 2K2" charges onto the powerful Xbox.
- "Sega Sports NBA 2K2."
Touted as the best basketball game released
last year, "NBA 2K2" makes its debut on Xbox and is sure to rise to the top of
the basketball ranks.
Sega Sports games that will ship in 2002 and take advantage of the Xbox broadband
online gaming service include "Sega Sports NBA 2K3," "Sega
Sports NFL 2K3," "Sega Sports World Series®
Baseball 2K3" and "Sega Sports NCAA College Football 2K3."