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.

Hasbro Interactive – They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 265 – Hasbro Interactive   Hasbro began as a family business selling textile remnants and pencil boxes before expanding into school supplies, children’s art products, and toys. Innovations such as Mr. Potato Head established the company as a toy maker, while G.I. Joe became a major success before the Vietnam War damaged its popularity and left Hasbro in a precarious position. The company avoided Atari’s early console market during this period, only to return to prominence in the 1980s through G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Transformers, and the acquisition of Milton Bradley. Later, Hasbro’s purchase of Tonka brought Tom Dusenberry into the company. His enthusiasm for video games and belief in the potential of Windows 95 led to the formation of Hasbro Interactive, beginning with a successful adaptation of Monopoly developed by Westwood Studios. The division expanded through games such as Frogger, whose appearance on Seinfeld came after the show’s producers sought Dusenberry’s permission. He agreed so Hasbro could ensure stores were heavily stocked with the game when the episode aired. Dusenberry also secured the games.com domain as Hasbro Interactive prepared to launch an internet portal. The company then moved through a rapid series of acquisitions, including Atari Corporation, MicroProse, Avalon Hill, and Wizards of the Coast. Hasbro Interactive became the third-largest game publisher by 1998, but growing concern over retail returns, a downturn in Hasbro’s toy business, and changing priorities within the company ultimately led to its sale to Infogrames as the dot-com bubble burst.   TNG – It is Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6k_9qZtzjY Mr. Potato Head (1960s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICGrjmJouWA The Story of G.I. Joe 1945 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0XDlHb8w2U The Story of G.I Joe Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWN0eEgYnuc 1960's G.I. Joe Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X382bCvVvo&list=PLfajEMFGfE5iOrphlddDTxw4o7wIgWha6 G.I. Joe Marvel Comics Animation Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXY8BMXDKSA G.I.Joe A Real American Hero (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccctePkN7w4 TCW 133 – Rolling Dice With the Parker Brothers: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW133-rolling-dice-with-the-parker-brothers G.I. Joe Cobra Strike (Atari 2600): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrCuBJDPy8Y TCW 262 – Vectrex: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW262-vectrex Why the world went nuts for Windows 95: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ol8ZSE-PEk Monopoly (Windows 95): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN8bFQwNQuU Risk (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfQI0FxGegk Frogger (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqL6uqfvtt8 Frogger (Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGoivXOUA-0 Hasbro Interactive Frogger TV News Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqDRkhmP_8 Seinfeld – The Frogger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etwHVarNgI Centipede (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab-F_fCJXiE TCW 192 – Microprose Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW192-microprose-part-1 TCW 193 – Microprose Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW193-microprose-part-2 TCW 050 – Civilizing Sid Meier: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW050-civilizing-sid-meier PacMan – Adventures in Time (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1mSc1tEA4 Q*Bert (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XvceGQ02mA Roller Coaster Tycoon (PC/Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPSSsU8SXcE Furby Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWcBbf0Eng TCW 064 – Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW064-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1 TCW 065 – The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW065-the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2   New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book: 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. Hasbro Interactive
  2. Knights of the Old Republic
  3. Howell Ivy
  4. Vectrex
  5. Starfox

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.

Hasbro Interactive – They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 265 – Hasbro Interactive   Hasbro began as a family business selling textile remnants and pencil boxes before expanding into school supplies, children’s art products, and toys. Innovations such as Mr. Potato Head established the company as a toy maker, while G.I. Joe became a major success before the Vietnam War damaged its popularity and left Hasbro in a precarious position. The company avoided Atari’s early console market during this period, only to return to prominence in the 1980s through G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Transformers, and the acquisition of Milton Bradley. Later, Hasbro’s purchase of Tonka brought Tom Dusenberry into the company. His enthusiasm for video games and belief in the potential of Windows 95 led to the formation of Hasbro Interactive, beginning with a successful adaptation of Monopoly developed by Westwood Studios. The division expanded through games such as Frogger, whose appearance on Seinfeld came after the show’s producers sought Dusenberry’s permission. He agreed so Hasbro could ensure stores were heavily stocked with the game when the episode aired. Dusenberry also secured the games.com domain as Hasbro Interactive prepared to launch an internet portal. The company then moved through a rapid series of acquisitions, including Atari Corporation, MicroProse, Avalon Hill, and Wizards of the Coast. Hasbro Interactive became the third-largest game publisher by 1998, but growing concern over retail returns, a downturn in Hasbro’s toy business, and changing priorities within the company ultimately led to its sale to Infogrames as the dot-com bubble burst.   TNG – It is Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6k_9qZtzjY Mr. Potato Head (1960s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICGrjmJouWA The Story of G.I. Joe 1945 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0XDlHb8w2U The Story of G.I Joe Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWN0eEgYnuc 1960's G.I. Joe Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X382bCvVvo&list=PLfajEMFGfE5iOrphlddDTxw4o7wIgWha6 G.I. Joe Marvel Comics Animation Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXY8BMXDKSA G.I.Joe A Real American Hero (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccctePkN7w4 TCW 133 – Rolling Dice With the Parker Brothers: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW133-rolling-dice-with-the-parker-brothers G.I. Joe Cobra Strike (Atari 2600): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrCuBJDPy8Y TCW 262 – Vectrex: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW262-vectrex Why the world went nuts for Windows 95: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ol8ZSE-PEk Monopoly (Windows 95): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN8bFQwNQuU Risk (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfQI0FxGegk Frogger (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqL6uqfvtt8 Frogger (Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGoivXOUA-0 Hasbro Interactive Frogger TV News Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqDRkhmP_8 Seinfeld – The Frogger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etwHVarNgI Centipede (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab-F_fCJXiE TCW 192 – Microprose Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW192-microprose-part-1 TCW 193 – Microprose Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW193-microprose-part-2 TCW 050 – Civilizing Sid Meier: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW050-civilizing-sid-meier PacMan – Adventures in Time (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1mSc1tEA4 Q*Bert (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XvceGQ02mA Roller Coaster Tycoon (PC/Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPSSsU8SXcE Furby Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWcBbf0Eng TCW 064 – Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW064-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1 TCW 065 – The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW065-the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2   New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book: 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. Hasbro Interactive
  2. Knights of the Old Republic
  3. Howell Ivy
  4. Vectrex
  5. Starfox

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.

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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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