Sega Sammy to Donate $2M+; Webber, Sonic 4 Winners Return Home; iOS Titles Discounted; More
There is more new, relevant community information related to the Japan disaster this evening. First, the parent company of Sega, Sega Sammy Holdings, has pledged ¥200 million to relief efforts; this according to Andriasang. That is the equivalent of more than $2.4 million in US dollars. As reported earlier, operations at the mothership have been temporarily suspended, while Sega’s big title for the week, Yakuza of the End, has seen its release indefinitely postponed. Sega Sammy stock closed down more than 12 percent domestically on the pink sheets today to $4.61 a share.
Second, Kevin Eva and Sonic Wrecks have confirmed that Sega of America community manager Aaron Webber is back in the United States from Japan. That presumably means the Sonic 4 contest winners are in tow with him, so it’s believed all are safe. Webber and company were stranded for a couple extra days from the effects of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Third, a report on Sonic Stadium indicates Sega has cut the prices on its Sonic mobile offerings within the iOS line of Apple Devices, including iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The proceeds from all sales of those titles through the end of the week will be donated to Red Cross disaster relief. As of this article’s publication, Sonic 1 mobile stands at $1.99, Sonic 2 is retailing for $2.99, and Sonic 4: Episode I is retailing for $3.99.
The fourth item is not so good news. On Saturday, we confirmed Yu Suzuki was safe in the aftermath of the Japan disaster, but we had trouble determining whether he was displaced or not. An article on SegaBits.com affords a better translation: According to the website, Mr. Suzuki lost touch with his mother, a native of the badly damaged Iwate prefecture. Interestingly enough, Mr. Suzuki erased the Tweets cited from the weekend, so we’re not sure what exactly is going on, and we don’t want to speculate one way or the other given the magnitude of the situation.
All eyes remain on those distressed reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plants. Another hydrogen explosion occurred there Monday at reactor #3. Efforts continue to cool those reactors with seawater, but multiple reports indicate at least a partial meltdown may have occurred at the plant. Low levels of radiation have been detected as far away as 100 miles offshore.
Finally, we direct your attention to the deviantART page of Sonic scener SEGAMew, who drew the artwork you see in our graphic above. Titled HOPE, it was created to mark the outpouring of support in the wake of such tragedy. We could not fit the entire work within our space dimensions, but on the website you can download a wallpaper sized copy of it.
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Wow thats a lot of heavy news, people are gonna need time to recover. Sega you stop and do what you gotta do. Inspiring picture done by SEGAmew, with the wave of water behind sonic and all.
Keep doing what you’re doing Tristan. Sonic is yhe last thing on everyone’s minds right now. We can wait. We will be rewarded for our patience, i just know it. But right now. just know all of here are behind you.
^ Agreed.
Man, I hate hearing about this sorta stuff. Well, I hope everything works out… =/
The unwarranted self importance is so damn thick in here. I find it digusting and I can’t find the proper words to describe it at the moment
Tristan I commend you for your continuing coverage of this major event. How some see these reports as irrelevant is shamefully ignorant of them. Especially if the whereabouts of top-tier Sonic reps and major Sega games/events are on indefinite hold, this is not so “Beyond Blue” as they may think.
Very good reporting on your doing here Tristian, and good job SEGA at doing the right thing and coming to aid those impacted in Japan. I just purchased Sonic Spinball iOS to support those efforts, and like some of the others that have commented here, I do think that the recovery is more important than games right now.
Sonic year back!
Thanks for keeping us updated. It’s a good thing you’re doing; I’d rather hear that people are safe than a game announcement.
I guess attaching that Creative Commons license to the art (something I never do) came in handy afterall
Hope there’s some light at the end of this tunnel. It’s depressing everytime I come to work (I’m in the US Navy) and see sad stories about the affect people on TV.
Wait, why just the on iOS?. Why not on all the consoles? I shouldn’t need an apple device to support Japan Sonic style.
Lovin’ that picture BTW. <3
SEGAMew@ your picture truly is touching and with the story by Tristan I feel almost teary-eyed about the experience.
Tristan@: I do hope for the best for all the troubled people overseas. As well as the stability of the Nuclear plants.
The sega will donate 100% of their earnings this week for Japan
the forum member of sega “darkfailure” dedicated some of his time and created a another Wallpaer to publicize this action of Sega
please see that =) http://forums.sega.com/showthread.php?342090-Sonic-4-Custom-Wallpapers&p=6533346#post6533346