A Close Look at SEGA & Parent Company CSK

2023-08-03SaturnDave2 Comments

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Alex Smith of They Create Worlds, a podcast focused on documenting the video game industry as a whole, has released a two-part series on SEGA and its parent conglomerate, CSK Corporation (Computer Service Kabushiki-Kaisha). The series offers a well-researched and nuanced look at Isao Okawa, the owner of CSK & subsidiary SEGA Enterprises and the ultimate downfall of SEGA during the Dreamcast era.

Part 1 covers the origin of CSK and major players involved, Okawa’s bold move to pivot CSK during uncertain times, the purchase of SEGA from Gulf and Western, the decade-long corporate transition from U.S. company to a traditional Japanese company, and SEGA becoming publicly traded in Japan.

D&D & Video Games 3E – They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 224 – D&D & Video Games 3E   In our final look at D&D & Video Games, we explore the early PC and mainframe computer scene, as well as the games created by fans of D&D. Various aspects of D&D were incorporated into these games, ranging from puzzles and light combat to full-on dungeon dives to claim treasure from the deepest levels. These games grew in popularity and led to others iterating on the aspects they enjoyed. Games on the PLATO system—such as Pedit5, D&D, and Orthanc—paved the way for reimagining these games on home computers, including the Apple II. This foundation led to the creation of seminal titles like Ultima and Wizardry, which would influence RPGs on PCs for over a decade. D&D has a long history of collaborating with different systems and ideas to create innovative forms of gaming, with the potential to continue transforming video games well into the future.   Livestream 2024 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahP86-2H8lc   Playing at the World – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3YokLZC The Elusive Shift – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3C8cHVq Game Wizards – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/48uCtzi   Colossal Cave Adventure: https://rickadams.org/adventure/ Play Zork Online: https://textadventures.co.uk/games/view/5zyoqrsugeopel3ffhz_vq/zork TCW 170 – A Rogue's Survival Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-rogue-s-survival-part-1/ TCW 171 – A Rogue's Survival Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-rogue-s-survival-part-2/ Pedit5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedit5 M199h: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2023/10/m199h-new-findings-both-solve-and.html Everything We Know About 1970s Mainframe RPGS We Can No Longer Play: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2021/06/brief-everything-we-know-about-1970s.html Orthanc (1975): https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/11/game-123-orthanc-1977.html D&D On PLATO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdPrzb534TY Revisiting The Dungeon (1975): https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2019/01/revisiting-dungeon-1975.html Telengard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqDnYIsa-po Play Telengard: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/telengard-6w Moria: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/11/game-121-moria-1975.html Play Moria (1988 DOS): https://www.myabandonware.com/game/moria-27f/play-27f Oubliette: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/10/game-12-oubliette-1977.html PLATO Oubliette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vUmkTi5D-k TCW 016 – Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and the Disciples: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/early-computer-game-platforms-the-trinity-and-the-disciples/ Play Beneath Apple Manor (DOS 1983): https://www.myabandonware.com/game/beneath-apple-manor-256 Beneath Apple Manor Walkthrough (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IB7j2KVFrY Dungeon Campaign: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/01/game-83-dungeon-campaign-1979.html Dungeon Campaign (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xY7bZJ1LOQ Dragon Maze (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7-PNdthkDw Dragon Maze Lets Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZnAmBAxgSo Starfleet Orion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfleet_Orion Temple of Apshai Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVcDIQbwtWc Temple of Apshai (Commodore Pet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3mcwLM-l5k Ultima (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqUe6Ohn2A Wizardry (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJhMpPnnXMo (Ethan) Temple of Apshai (TRS 80) – The Quest Log: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMtY5BxdM0 TCW 114 – The Wizards of Sir-Tech: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-wizards-of-sir-tech/ TCW 115 – The Return of the Sdraziw of Sir-Tech: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-return-of-the-sdraziw-of-sir-tech/ Escape (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nvh78Dqfkg Panorama Toh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4t6A9C31h0 TCW 157 – Final Fantasy's Tale: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/final-fantasy-s-tale/   New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1     Intro Music: Josh Woodward – Airplane Mode –  Music – "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RoleMusic – Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  1. D&D & Video Games 3E
  2. D&D & Video Games 2E
  3. D&D & Video Games 1E
  4. North to Hellgate London
  5. Diablo 2

Part 2 examines the circumstances leading to Okawa’s direct control as CEO of SEGA and the financial difficulties resulting from SEGA’s internal money lending, Okawa’s dream to make CSK and SEGA more network focused and his planned contingencies for potential failure.

D&D & Video Games 3E – They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 224 – D&D & Video Games 3E   In our final look at D&D & Video Games, we explore the early PC and mainframe computer scene, as well as the games created by fans of D&D. Various aspects of D&D were incorporated into these games, ranging from puzzles and light combat to full-on dungeon dives to claim treasure from the deepest levels. These games grew in popularity and led to others iterating on the aspects they enjoyed. Games on the PLATO system—such as Pedit5, D&D, and Orthanc—paved the way for reimagining these games on home computers, including the Apple II. This foundation led to the creation of seminal titles like Ultima and Wizardry, which would influence RPGs on PCs for over a decade. D&D has a long history of collaborating with different systems and ideas to create innovative forms of gaming, with the potential to continue transforming video games well into the future.   Livestream 2024 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahP86-2H8lc   Playing at the World – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3YokLZC The Elusive Shift – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3C8cHVq Game Wizards – Jon Peterson (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/48uCtzi   Colossal Cave Adventure: https://rickadams.org/adventure/ Play Zork Online: https://textadventures.co.uk/games/view/5zyoqrsugeopel3ffhz_vq/zork TCW 170 – A Rogue's Survival Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-rogue-s-survival-part-1/ TCW 171 – A Rogue's Survival Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-rogue-s-survival-part-2/ Pedit5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedit5 M199h: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2023/10/m199h-new-findings-both-solve-and.html Everything We Know About 1970s Mainframe RPGS We Can No Longer Play: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2021/06/brief-everything-we-know-about-1970s.html Orthanc (1975): https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/11/game-123-orthanc-1977.html D&D On PLATO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdPrzb534TY Revisiting The Dungeon (1975): https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2019/01/revisiting-dungeon-1975.html Telengard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqDnYIsa-po Play Telengard: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/telengard-6w Moria: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/11/game-121-moria-1975.html Play Moria (1988 DOS): https://www.myabandonware.com/game/moria-27f/play-27f Oubliette: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/10/game-12-oubliette-1977.html PLATO Oubliette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vUmkTi5D-k TCW 016 – Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and the Disciples: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/early-computer-game-platforms-the-trinity-and-the-disciples/ Play Beneath Apple Manor (DOS 1983): https://www.myabandonware.com/game/beneath-apple-manor-256 Beneath Apple Manor Walkthrough (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IB7j2KVFrY Dungeon Campaign: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2013/01/game-83-dungeon-campaign-1979.html Dungeon Campaign (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xY7bZJ1LOQ Dragon Maze (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7-PNdthkDw Dragon Maze Lets Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZnAmBAxgSo Starfleet Orion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfleet_Orion Temple of Apshai Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVcDIQbwtWc Temple of Apshai (Commodore Pet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3mcwLM-l5k Ultima (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqUe6Ohn2A Wizardry (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJhMpPnnXMo (Ethan) Temple of Apshai (TRS 80) – The Quest Log: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMtY5BxdM0 TCW 114 – The Wizards of Sir-Tech: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-wizards-of-sir-tech/ TCW 115 – The Return of the Sdraziw of Sir-Tech: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-return-of-the-sdraziw-of-sir-tech/ Escape (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nvh78Dqfkg Panorama Toh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4t6A9C31h0 TCW 157 – Final Fantasy's Tale: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/final-fantasy-s-tale/   New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1     Intro Music: Josh Woodward – Airplane Mode –  Music – "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RoleMusic – Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  1. D&D & Video Games 3E
  2. D&D & Video Games 2E
  3. D&D & Video Games 1E
  4. North to Hellgate London
  5. Diablo 2

With Okawa’s passing in 2001, CSK shifted in a financial services direction, and ended up selling their stake in SEGA to Sammy, who then used this leverage to completely buy out SEGA a year later.

Alexander Smith is a reference librarian with a background in history, research, and law who has been delving into the history of the video game industry for over ten years. He has played a crucial role in the preservation of certain documents and artifacts in early video game history and has conducted over 100 oral history interviews with key executives in the evolution of the industry. Currently, he co-hosts a bi-monthly podcast dedicated to the history of the industry (also called “They Create Worlds”) and serves as a researcher and consultant for the Video Game Pioneers Archive oral history project of the Smithsonian Institution.

Smith claims his information is derived from “rare primary sources” including little-studied trade publications, personal papers collections, and oral history interviews with designers and executives, many of whom have never told their stories before.

About the author

SaturnDave

A massive Saturn fan since Christmas '96, Dave is enthusiastic about growing the community and spreading Saturn love and knowledge to fans old and new. Co-founding the SEGA SATURN, SHIRO! podcast back in 2017 and creating the SHIRO! SHOW in 2020, he seeks to create interesting and engaging Saturn-related content for the community. Dave's interests circle around game preservation, and he is a huge fan of game magazines and developer interviews.
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