Hoaxbusters Update: DC 2 Prototype Labeled Fake on YouTube
Tristan Oliver | December 9, 2009
One Rough Lead, Leads to Disappointment
10:30PM ET UPDATE: With the help and research of our friend Jack Wallace and Sonic Paradise, we have one single lead into the origins of the image you see here. Unfortunately, it leads right to a dead end.
It’s a very strange lead right to the YouTube account “makeDREAMCASTtwo,” and a short, creepy video dated from late September of this year. The video is a compilation of images–including two somewhat fuzzier editions of what you see here–but it makes one thing clear. Without citing where the images came from, the video labels the purported prototype as a fake.
“I used a fake console image to get your attention,” says the in-video citation–again, not citing where it’s from. “I am sorry.”
The citation also urges video viewers to look up information on Sega’s RingEdge, which is bulkier than the image seen here.
If it’s fake, it doesn’t quite explain why there appear to be two differently lit editions of the same image in the video, aside from a Levels edit in Photoshop. It also doesn’t explain the IGN watermark on one, and the lack of one on the other.
You may remember that ex-Sega head Simon Jeffery dismissed the notion of Sega re-entering the hardware business in 2008. Jeffery has since left the company. In fact, he did so three months before the video cited above was produced. Again, as far as anyone can tell, the image can’t yet be dated past a few months old. Hm.
It is strange, but for the moment, it’s only real lead we have in relation to the story. So, the bottom line unless we get anything new…while there may remain faint hope that truth exists somewhere in the image (in that something exists, at least,) don’t hold your breath for Dreamcast’s second coming. It would be very nice to know where this image originated, though.
Our original story follows below.
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If it weren’t for the fact that we can’t immediately verify where or how this picture surfaced, this would almost certainly be a Hoaxbuster. But because a lot of it’s up in the air, we are left with a very blatant Rumor Alert–and fleeting thoughts as to whether Sega is about to reverse its software only stance.
The photo above has “Dreamcast 2″ clearly marked. It purports to be from Sega Sammy holdings, taken at an unknown time. It alleges to boast Blu-Ray capability and that classic Dreamcast swirl in a couple spots, but beyond that, you can’t deduce much out of it. There are a few bullet points below the image that note the photo shows a design prototype, and that this may have surfaced in some way earlier this year.
The photo was posted on a Brazilian website, and sent into us by Brazilian Hedgehog, one of our international readers. We showed this photo to one of our Hoaxbusters in the Sonic research community, who could not immediately identify the origin of the photo–at least to the point where it could automatically be labeled a hoax. Furthermore, that Hoaxbuster showed the discussion to a native speaker, but the discussion that ensues in Portuguese also does nothing to indicate a hoax.
But there are some things that hurt any credibility. Not shown in the photo above is a watermark for IGN.com. A simple search on IGN revealed no trace of the above image on the website. Further, the image on the linked thread was not originally hosted on IGN, but on Imageshack. We did get some rumblings that this may be some modification on a Playstation 3, but that too is only speculation.
Then there’s this: aside from possible brand recognition from veteran gamers (the Dreamcast WAS a big seller pre-PS2 domestically, after all), why choose the name Dreamcast 2? Sega, of course, has long denied an interest in returning to the hardware market, but given that the company has suffered loss after loss each quarter for a while now, one has to wonder if a revival hasn’t crossed the minds of a few Sega Sammy suits.
With your help, this story may or may not morph into a Hoaxbuster. If it doesn’t, prepare for a Sega fan renaissance. Can you help us identify some telling signs one way or the other? Be sure to leave a comment or send us a news tip–and most important, be sure to treat this as rumor. The full image–with watermark–is below.
Filed Under Gaming News, Hot Topics, Rumor Alert, Sega
Looks like somebody’s been playing with their DVD player…
SOTI (yes I CAN see your E-Mail addy), do you know something? Can you help us determine one way or the other?
-T
looks like a thinner 360 or a DVD player modded.
there are rumors of a new SEGA home console, but from what I’ve heard, it would be a variant of the Ringedge arcade system
Looks like a modified blu-ray/dvd player to me….still interesting though. I wonder how this’ll play out…
Obviously fake. I thought this was TSSZ News news site should not post half cocked rumors. You’ll taking this story back and looking like fools again in days.
Sonication forwarded me this news. *whistles* THAT’S a HOT console.
Whether Sega/Sammy will return to the console business, I don’t know. Maybe not yet or perhaps for limited releases. But if they do confirm it, well, I’m standing right behind them.
I wonder, though: If the rumor is confirmed and Sega does plan to return to the console business, will this console be in this generation or the next one?
P.S.: I am treating it as a rumor, even if what I’m writing may not indicate it.
@JQP
That’s why they have the HOAXBUSTERS Section. Any hint of SEGA?Sonic-related stuff I’m sure attention is needed
Like my pal, Dark Qiviut above me, I am treating this as a rumor. However, due to some reasons, including that this looks more like a DVD player than a gaming console, I am taking bets that this will actually be revealed as a fake.
I’m betting all my Mobians on this being an absolutely elaborate hoax. Or, if not, a let-down, kinda like the SEGA Vision.
Hmm, interesting. I understand TSSZ’s reservations in labeling it a hoax, as it is really well done, but really, SEGA is FAR from being in a good position for this kind of venture.
Looks kinda sexy though…and very real.
I see this as a hoax. I came across this old IGN article. http://dreamcast.ign.com/articles/711/711721p1.html. The console itself could be real but I don’t see Sega pulling off another console. I just don’t see Sega having the urge of being back at the console business at all.
what if its a blu-ray/dvd player that can play dreamcast games?
Hello console hotness if this is real I wonder how much it would cost…
Do some of you guys seriously think SEGA is willing to take this step, from how they’re doing financially currently? Console development is not cheap, especially if the console fails. SEGA knows this more than anyone.
Of course, since I don’t work for SEGA, I can’t say this is definitely fake, but … the chances are slim to none at this point, from my perspective. My bets are false, but, we’ll see.
This is a hoax. Sega going back into consoles? They’ve already decided their fate when they cancelled the awesomeness called the Dreamcast in 2002.
At this point, we have one label of a hoax. However, that’s on a YouTube video, which had to have gotten the pic from somewhere. I cannot trace the photo’s origin, however.
At this point, I agree–prolly not real, in the sense that we’re not gonna get another Sega console to the market (didn’t I label here twice to treat this as rumor?) Aside from that…it’s certainly creepy.
-T
May I have that? My grandmother needs a new DVD player. ;P JK
I wish people would stop doing this, but I do thinks it’s very funny when people believe it.
@self
Do thinks?
I I meant “but I do THINK”, not thinks.
I sound like Jar Jar Binks.
Anyone with half a brain knows that Sega will NEVER make another legit x-box/ps3 competing console. Which is why its so stupid that this was even posted in the first place.
JDP: If you think we’re all that stupid than why are you here? We can’t say with 100% certianty that Sega will never manufacture another major gaming console again. Unless of course, you come from the future.
Serpx: Although you make a valid point, It doesin’t explain why they desided to form VE Animation.. Creating a Film is also very costly and risky.
As for my personal opinion, I love the sleekness of the console seen in the photo, but I have a hard time beleaving this is actually true. For example, This ‘Prototype’ Has 5 or so labels on the top blue LCD panel. In the past, all of sega’s consoles had been designed To be very simple. It also has blue-Ray, a fairly expencive
Route to follow, expesualy if your trying to gain and have an income.
(Tristian: oh my, looks like my message got split in two. Could you merge the two comments? Thanks.)
Dreamcast 2 play game the Japanese for next generation.
Fake or not that thing looks sexy. But then i love flashy lights and shit like that.
what fake come on people stop showing fake things people gets angery at it.
I hope this is true, I would never ask nothig in my life if Sega come back to the bussines, so we would have Microsoft Xbox 360 , Sony Playstation, nintendo will die (they said that they will retire from the console busines, and Sega with DreamCast to rule the market and the WORLD muahahha BEAUTIFULL
If nothing else, I doubt a console would have those “Blu-Ray” stickers on the front.
However, that would be a sweet looking console.
that thing would be the shit.
[...] discussed: Sega’s lack of desire to return to the console market, which now completely puts this out to [...]
Hey I can give you some more details on the image if you like.
Well, I’d like to see the blue-ray/dvd player unmoded just so my hopes don’t stay up.