Streets of Rage Not Included in Sonic Gems Collection

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All three of Sega's classic Streets of Rage beat 'em ups were scheduled to appear in the North American version of Sonic Gems Collection for the GameCube, as they will appear in the Japanese version of the game, however, today Sega of America issued a statement saying that they've decided to remove the games from the compilation.

Sega's reasoning for removing the games had been due to the fact that including a Streets of Rage game would not allow Sonic Gems Collection to receive a ESRB rating of "E for Everyone." It is now expected that the NA version of the game will receive different games in their place.


Here's Sega's statement:

While Streets of Rage will ship with Sonic Gems Collection in other markets, the more mature game does not conform to the E-rating of Sonic the Hedgehog games in North America.
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Does this mean that EUROPE and Japan will get "Streets of Rage" but NA wont!!! Smilie Sorry Americans finally Europe gets something extra mwuahahah Smilie!!!!!! Nothing has been confirmed about the European version but *fingers crossed* hopefully we get it here!!!

I see all these people insulting the Nintendo corporation because of the lack of mature content. Yet there is something about Nintendo (at least their games) that strikes a certain unadulterated feeling of joy!!!  Pokemon Y - 1048-9263-5562

I hope we do get it, and if not we get something just as good, otherwise i will feel a bit dissapointed...

Streets o Rage is the best Sega game. I might get this just for it. What kind of rating would it get though. You just walk along waving your pipe until the enemy falls over. Obviously it will warp kids' minds.

vvJokevv

It would be great if Streets of Rage was in the Europe/Australian versions. I can play all those excellent classics.

It wouldn't surprise me to see them in the UK edition, as the games never had a rating over here I don't think. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me if they were dropped over here too, because it means extra effort for them to have two seperate English language versions.

That's a bit of a bummer, but hopefully it will be in the European version!

Import then?

With the amount of Violence in America you may as well just go out and recreate your own real version... you don't need the gameSmilie


Game | Over
Focus*3

Nintendo_Maniac wrote:
Does this mean that EUROPE and Japan will get 'Streets of Rage' but NA wont!!! Smilie Sorry Americans finally Europe gets something extra mwuahahah Smilie!!!!!! Nothing has been confirmed about the European version but *fingers crossed* hopefully we get it here!!!

It is likly as a certain amount of the simpsons over in america has had aload of episodes removed due to so much sexual,langage content in it so instead they have alot less episodes compared to us.

Unlike Na we seem to understand it more and are more mature Smilie

But it is likly because of this

evil_flame wrote: It is likly as a certain amount of the simpsons over in america has had aload of episodes removed due to so much sexual,langage content in it so instead they have alot less episodes compared to us

I'm pretty sure that's totally false.

Mason said:

On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me if they were dropped over here too, because it means extra effort for them to have two seperate English language versions.

Including Streets Of Rage into the European release of Sonic Gems Collection would not mean 'extra effort' for an alteranate English language version. There will be two different English language versions of Sonic Gems Collection, with or without Streets Of Rage in the European release.

Europe is a completely different territory, with a different TV system (PAL/SECAM as opposed to America's NTSC), and obviously many different languages. Including or not including three games which have all already recieved full European releases (thereby not needing translation from Japanese anyway) will not increase or decrease any 'effort' needed on SEGA's part. It should be little more than a simple case of getting the European ROM for Streets Of Rage, and popping it onto the GameCube disc.

I think that we will see the proper version of Sonic Gems Collection. However, there is the risk that SEGA will see Europe as just another western market like America, and give us the same package as the USA, just to avoid confusion. Or Something. Which I doubt. SEGA are, traditionally, lovers of Europe. Europe has been very kind to SEGA over the years, and SEGA has been very kind in return.

SEGA knows (or should do) that Europe was the Megadrive's strongest territory through the entire 16-bit era (it really kicked the SNES's arse, over here). The Megadrive held a consistant 75% of the European market during it's entire duration. Streets Of Rage was one of the machine's flagship games, and is easily one of the most popular in Europe.

SEGA knows this, and knows that not giving Europe Streets Of Rage (seminal Megadrive game, in the mind of any European gamer you're likely to find) in a Megadrive 'Gems' collection of sorts, would go a long way to killing it's appeal. People will be like "Where's Streets Of Rage?!". People will not flock to the collection half as much without the 'Rage.

It's explainable in America, as the Genesis (US name for the Megadrive) had a very poor showing in that territory, where it failed to tempt gamers away from their NES's, and then faded into obscurity once the SNES came along and dominated the American market. US gamers or far less likely to care about the 'Rage being missing (or even know what it is, in some of the younger or more casual gamers). Therefore, this move from SEGA is just an attempt at giving the collection maximum opportunity to sell in America. Anyone will be able to buy it, now.

In Europe, the inclusion of Streets Of Rage will make the collection fly off shelves. Even casual gamers in Europe have heard of Streets Of Rage. It was a major part of our childhood (if you where a child through the 90's)! Megadrive's where in most households up and down the country, and across Europe. In our territory, they needn't worry about a rating denting sales (it will not carry a BBFC rating, only the meaningless PEGI guidance rating). And even if it did, the mere fact that Streets Of Rage would feature would make people buy the game regardless.

I've gone on way too big of a rant there, sorry Mason. You get my point, however- There is nothing stopping SEGA including Streets Of Rage into our 'Gems (ie; 'Rage will not earn it a BBFC rating), and there is every reason for including it. SEGA pretty much have to include Streets Of Rage 1 through 3 on the PAL version of Sonic Gems Collection, and I'm pretty certain that they will Smilie

EDIT: Corrected slight grammer errors.

[ Edited by Oni-Ninja on 2005/7/8 4:06 ]

You're right about the effort, of course it would only take a little extra, but will they really bother to sort out different stuff for Europe? Besides, it's a Sonic collection, not a Mega Drive one - I don't think people who haven't been keeping track of it on the Internet are going to mind either way, for all they know Streets Of Rage would never have been planned for it. Magazines also haven't reported SoR being in the European edition.

I hope you're right about it being included; I was lobbying for it before it was even announced to be on the Japanese edition, so I hope it appears in Europe as well, even if it doesn't turn up in the USA.

I'm not saying that the casual gamers are expecting it. I'm fully aware that they probably don't even know about Sonic Gems Collection. What I'm saying is this;

Sonic Gems Collection without Streets Of Rage would probably have rather average sales, in a territory who already went out in their hordes and fell inb love with Sonic Mega Collection. Sonic Gems COllection with Streets Of Rage would likely shoot straight to the top spot on the chart, and stay there for some time.

Everyone had a Streets Of Rage game if they were a kid in Europe in the 90's. Everyone. I certainly can't think of anyone my age (the age where people start to have disposable money, also) who hasn't played Streets Of Rage, and doesn't regard it as an absolute classic. It's one of those games that's regarded as part of gaming heretige by my generation, in this country (and the rest of Europe). Your average kid with a games console in england in the early/mid 90's A: His games console was almost certainly a Megadrive, and B: He almost certainly had at least one Streets of Rage game for it.

SEGA know all of that, and if they have any business sense (questionable!), and any sense of satisfying their given audience (not questionable), then they have to include Streets Of Rage. And as I detailed in my last post, there's nothing like rating certificates getting in the way, as the 'Rage will not earn Sonic Gems Collection any kind of rating that has any weight under law. It may get one of those 12+ PEGI ratings, but they are only for guidance. Anyone will still be able to purchase the collection.

In short, they will include Streets Of Rage in our 'Gems. Because they have to Smilie

[ Edited by Oni-Ninja on 2005/7/8 4:27 ]

The_cackling_idiot wrote: Streets o Rage is the best Sega game. I might get this just for it. What kind of rating would it get though. You just walk along waving your pipe until the enemy falls over. Obviously it will warp kids' minds.

PG 13? Geese, no parents wouldn't actually buy their kid a PG 13 game anyway. M I can understand, but PG? If it shows up in Europe it shows up in Aus. Whoop.

Anyway, I really do hope it makes it onto the collection, 'Tis without a doubt one of the best Sega games...

Hell if they drop SOR i will be dissapointed but i totaly love the game vectorman so it wont matter much to me. But ne way the thing is that they are saying that SOR it is too violent but a guess GTA is a meant for kids who watch barney cause we all know there is no violence in gta right?






Juice!!!!

I'm a little bit surprised about them dropping it from the NA listings but they wouldn't drop it from Europe's. If they put in all three they'll probably use the european released games as opposed to the Japanese versions.

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