ggx2ac and the mysterious case of the Sega trademark: Super Genesis 32

[ggx2ac]

Some of you might remember that I used to post threads of IPs getting trademarked which sometimes may have indicated a new IP or game series coming back, e.g. Hyenas regarding new Sega IP (which I found in 2020, I didn't make a thread about it but sent it to someone to post about it) and Ghosts n' Goblins regarding returning Capcom IP.

I stopped bothering to do that since most gaming outlets covered searching up IPs now and I'm not going to waste time doing it.

This is digging up an old thread I made in the past but I found it funny that word never spread about this. It's enough content for a bunch of Sega fans to gets a few thousand views out of a YouTube video.

So around 3.5 years later, I am now reposting this thread while cleaning up the structure to make it not as long to read.

Intro:

This is a thread about speculation of a particular Sega console that could've been released in the 90s had certain events not occur between Sega of America and Sega Co., Ltd.

Background History:

A few Sega console project codenames are required knowledge to understand.

Sega Jupiter:
https://segaretro.org/Sega_Jupiter

The Sega Jupiter is an unreleased console developed by Sega during the early 1990s. The Jupiter would have been a cartridge-based 32-bit console with similar (if not identical) specifications to the Sega Saturn. It is frequently confused with the Sega 32Xproject, codenamed "Mars".

Sega Neptune:
https://segaretro.org/Sega_Neptune

Sega Neptune was a two-in-one Sega Mega Drive and Sega 32X console announced by Sega but never released to the public. Some sources claim the intended name for the console in North America was Genesis 32X System.

Sega had admitted how expensive and problematic the 32X was, and so decided to make a combined version of the Mega Drive and 32X, which they felt was a better idea. However, by the time a prototype came out, the Sega Saturn was ready for release. Sega felt that gamers would now not be interested in the Sega Neptune, if it had been released, so the project was scrapped. Plans for the system supposedly included the ability to play Sega Mega-CD titles too.

Had the Neptune been released, it would have been available in late 1995[1] for $149.99 in the United States[2], rising to around $220 with a game[3], and £200 in the United Kingdom. The 32X version of Virtua Fighter was meant to debut alongside the system[4].

Trademarks:

I will be referencing trademarks for Sega Jupiter and Sega Neptune from Australian trademarks submitted by Sega since the the US trademark links from the USPTO I used seemed to be temporary hence not as useful.

- Sega Jupiter (filed 24th January 1994)
- Jupiter (filed 24th January 1994)
- Sega Neptune (filed 24th January 1994)
- Neptune (filed 24th January 1994)

The trademarks above show that these consoles existed at some point.

For historical context, here are the trademarks for the Sega Saturn:
- Sega Saturn (filed November 3rd 1993)
- Sega Saturn (filed November 3rd 1993)
- Sega Saturn (13th July 1994)
- Sega Saturn (13th July 1994)

The trademark from Sega I did not expect:

- Super Genesis 32 (filed 17th May 1994)
- Super Genesis 32 (filed 17th May 1994)

Now what is the Super Genesis 32? My speculation is that it was going to be the name used for Sega Neptune, this will be explained later.

It was not only trademarked in Australia but also in other countries which sums up to 11 in total: (Some of these links may no longer work...)
- Super Genesis 32 (France, 1994, July 5th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Italy, 1994, June 1st)
- Super Genesis 32 (Germany, 1994, May 26th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Denmark, 1994, May 30th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Israel, 1994, May 30th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Canada, no date listed)
- Super Genesis 32 (New Zealand, 1994, May 30th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Singapore, 1994, May 24th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Malaysia, 1994, June 8th)
- Super Genesis 32 (Brunei, 1994, June 22nd)

I checked US and Japan trademarks and you cannot find that name there. Please note: I don't think you'll find Sega Neptune, Sega Jupiter, Jupiter or Neptune trademarks on Japan's trademark database. But you can find trademarks like the Super 32X, Super 32XCD, Sega Titan, etc. (Super 32X is the Japanese name for the Sega 32X.)

So if you read the bit about Sega Neptune earlier, it would have been a combined unit of the Sega Genesis with the Sega 32X. Super Genesis 32 definitely sounds like something that would fit that description. Now for those who have a keen eye for the history of Sega in the 90s, you had Sega Genesis in the US (and maybe other regions I forgot) but for the rest of the world it was the Sega Mega Drive. Why were 11 countries outside the US who had the Sega Mega Drive were suddenly going to have... The Sega Super Genesis 32?

The only thing I could think of was that Sega Super Genesis 32 was going to be handled Sega of America worldwide while Sega Co., Ltd was going to deal with selling the Sega Saturn, but again it's speculation and the reason for that speculation is below.

The following source was found courtesy of @SinCityAssassin

https://books.google.fr/books?id=DbFxAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=nakayama+discontinues+genesis&source=bl&ots=flvTKfvlqP&sig=ACfU3U2OyNzFLEk03L3xEjt6CUsZFvtFeQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjD5LqekdvgAhUUIjQIHcZ-CP0Q6AEwAHoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=nakayama discontinues genesis&f=true

I'm quoting pages 96-97 from "Service Games: The Rise and Fall of Sega" which is in the link above to read for yourself.

To summarise from it:
- Tom Kalinske (Former CEO of Sega of America) expected Sega Genesis to still have two to three more years on the market back in 1994.
- Hayao Nakayama (Former CEO of Sega Enterprises) decided to cancel Genesis support in 1995 which was attributed to the narrow-minded corporate culture at Sega in Japan to focus on the Sega Saturn regardless of anything else.
- Kalinske predicted correctly that 16-bit consoles would remain strong in the market but due to the cancellation of Genesis support, Nintendo was the one to reap all the rewards.

There's a lot more info in that two pages to read to see what caused so much friction between Sega of America and Sega Co., Ltd.
_____

So with that, my roundup of speculation is:

There were trademarks for Sega Jupiter and Sega Neptune. Sega Jupiter would be scrapped in favour of the Sega Saturn which was going from using cartridges to discs.

Sega Neptune was heavily rumoured to be a Sega Genesis combined with the Sega 32X.

A few months later from the above Jupiter/Neptune trademarks being filed, trademark filings occurred in 11 countries for the name: Super Genesis 32.

Sega of America were planning to continue support for the Genesis until 1996.

Hayao Nakayama, CEO of Sega Enterprises cancels all support of Genesis in 1995 to go full steam ahead with Sega Saturn.

And the rest is history.

We already knew the Sega Neptune was a cancelled project. This speculation is for showing that had the Sega Neptune been released, it would have been called the Super Genesis 32 but who knows what would have changed.

----

Apologies to those who were hoping that something new was found that would solve this mystery but the fact was I had to bring this thread up again since it is so funny that the only reference to Super Genesis 32 you can find online would be of my old thread which meant it never spurred any discussion in other places.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

The Neptune idea remains one of the most absolute unhinged market grasps to bandage a gaping wound.

 

[P.Scoop]

The story of Sega's internal in the late '90s remain one of my favorite inside video game history due to how much clash there is between the two regions. It's very fascinating to learn.

 

[Welfare]

A super Genesis that combined it, CD, and 32x into one console would've been insanely risky given how the market rapidly changed soon after the Saturn launched.

It may have sold for a year or two but I can't see how it wouldn't piss off the Japanese side if it ended up eating into the Saturn's potential sales.

Sega's hardware priorities were all over the place in the mid 90's trying to improve on the Genesis.

 

[P.Scoop]

A super Genesis that combined it, CD, and 32x into one console would've been insanely risky given how the market rapidly changed soon after the Saturn launched.

It may have sold for a year or two but I can't see how it wouldn't piss off the Japanese side if it ended up eating into the Saturn's potential sales.

Sega's hardware priorities were all over the place in the mid 90's trying to improve on the Genesis.

They really were. Genesis gave them the big chance to grow and stay big but unfortunately a lot of things prevent them to capitalize the success of the Genesis in the west.

Lack of clear foucs on their goal was pretty much exposed best when Nintendo made a commercial for Donkey Kong Country. Where it takes a jab at Sega's hardware lineup. It's a pretty low-key jab commercial lol.