Rumors are a great thing if you’re running a website and want more hits. Speculation always raises a lot of interest, especially when your subject matter is something really popular. This means however that sometimes, sites can just make things up in order to gain short-term benefits, meaning more hits. Let’s take a look at some of the more recent rumors there have been over the past few weeks and how they turned out, right after the jump…
Rumor: Sonic Generations might be coming to Wii U and PlayStation Vita
The first of the many rumors the site TSSZ has been doing with the help of a not further detailed or precised source at Sega, meaning they can pretty much throw anything our way with that one. To speculate that Sonic Generations, a multiplatform title, is going to come to other platforms that aren’t out yet, is a pretty save bet when it comes to rumors: From an economic perspective, it just makes sense. While I can definitely see a Vita version, especially since the 3DS version still has no official release date, the Wii U version has already been debunked. A safe bet it might be, but that doesn’t mean it’s true and you don’t need an internal, anonymous source in order to speculate on that one.
Rumor: Yakuza 5 maybe coming to PlayStation Vita
This is an odd one. So odd, I actually didn’t do a special post for it, because I thought it was a bit too far off the mark. Again, this one is coming from that anonymous source over at TSSZ and is only mentioned in a single sentence. This is why I file that rumor under F for ‘Flimsy as hell’. Yakuza 5 on the PlayStation Vita might sound awesome, but we don’t know a single thing about the game itself. Everything you say about the title at this moment is just blind speculation and to say that Sega is thinking about maybe putting it on platform X sounds like a bail out. If I were publishing or developing a game, I’d consider every platform at first and then pick the one that suits my need best at a later stage. Since Yakuza 5 isn’t in that stage yet, apparently, it’s very safe to say they leave their options open.
Rumor: New Bayonetta game in development, to be revealed at Tokyo Game Show
Another one from TSSZ, originating once again from the source of the other stories and probably Captain Obvious. I mean, it pretty much seems like a given to me that Bayonetta, also known as the only Platinum Games title that actually sold well, is getting a sequel. It didn’t materialize at TGS as TSSZ said, so the rumor is somewhat worthless as it doesn’t provide anything new or unexpected…
Rumor: Super Monkey Ball coming to PlayStation Vita
This is a funny one, since it’s a rumor brought to us by TSSZ after the fact that it was officially announced. Actually, let’s take a look at what TSSZ did there:
‘In fact, the source hinted to us long ago at a new Super Monkey Ball coming in some form. We never published that particular information on account of it being too vague at the time, ‘ [Source]
They shoehorned that statement into the Bayonetta story in order to give it a tiny bit more credibility. But in my opinion, saying that there will be a new Super Monkey Ball for a new console is on par with saying it will rain at some time in 2012. Also, funny how that rumor was too vague, yet the other vague rumors were totally OK to do a story on.
Rumor: Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown release will come with news for Virtua Fighter 6
Pretty much the most believable rumor for a while, this seems like a given to me. If Game A from a franchise does well, Game B will come. In terms of speculation, it’s a safe bet and nothing extraordinary.
Rumor: More Dreamcast and Sega Saturn re-releases on their way
Another given, retro releases prove to be popular and cheap to make. Judging from Sega’s tendency at the moment, Dreamcast and Saturn re-releases are in full swing, so naturally there will be more of them. Predicting that the sun will rise in the morning is only slightly less spectacular.
Rumor: Is Yakuza of the End coming to the West?
This one is actually quite substantial as it links to a filing and a logo for the game. While not 100% certain, it’s clearly one of the most realistic rumors we have seen in a while and it’s probably true.
RUMOR: Guardian Heroes coming to Xbox Live Arcade on September 21st!
It’s September 30th and I’m not playing Guardian Heroes on my Xbox 360. Enough said.
New rumors about Sonic Adventure on 3DS, new Storybook title!
This one is already debunked and really, I highly doubt Sega is going to revisit the Sonic Adventure sub-franchise. Why? Possibly because of Big the Cat. But seriously, this one probably stemmed from a translation error, which can easily happen.
Conclusion?
One of the first results you get on Google image for 'judge'...
While some rumors out there sound pretty sensible, I don’t think they stem from top-secret inside sources and more from guesswork. Good guesswork, based on the evaluation of the situation of a very specific company, but still guesswork. Calling it speculation won’t give you the much-needed hits though, so I guess using the word rumor is the way to go. Just be sceptical of ‘internal sources’, not only does it sound like a bad spy flick, but they are also a vehicle for wishful thinking.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on my internal source over at Sega to see what he’s got to say on that ongoing Dreamcast 2 and Shenmue 3 development…
I was actually kind of bummed about the lack of a Bayonetta announcement… Hopefully we see something after Anarchy Reigns happens!