<p>This week, I read the paperback version of Blake J. Harris’ <i>Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation</i>. </p><p>While the main focus of the book is on Tom Kalinske during his tenure at the head of Sega of America, the book also takes a look at certain key events which helped shape this generation: from the long-lasting effects of Nintendo’s efforts to resurrect the North American video game industry almost single-handedly after the great crash of 1983 (be it on competitors, third-party developers, various retailers, and even the Seattle Mariners) to the ongoing tension at the heart of Sega’s internal divide between its Japanese and U.S. offices; and from the added public scrutiny which spurred the creation of the ESRB to the mistakes made by both Sega and Nintendo when each opted to ultimately spurn an alliance with a certain other Japanese company. </p><p>I wonder what happened with those guys… </p><p>There are two live-action projects in the works based on this book, though I’m not sure how much confidence I’d have in how well either or both of those works may turn out. </p><p>There’s another book I’d be curious to look into – Sam Pettus’ <i>Service Games: the Rise and Fall of SEGA (Enhanced Edition)</i>. I mention the Enhanced Edition in particular, since it apparently corrects a number of issues which were reportedly in the original printing, as well as adding more detail on Sega’s operations in Europe. </p><p>Has anyone here read either book – and if so, what are your thoughts on either (or both) of them? </p>

<figure class="article-thumb tright show-info-icon" style="width: 180px"> <figcaption> </figcaption></figure>I wasn't sure where else to put this, since it may not technically count as "news" - but anyway: <p>IFI have been posting a series of #NepInNippon updates ffrom Japan - including a meet-up at Super Potato between Nep and Sega Saturn "Shiro". (A hint at things to come, perhaps?) </p><p>So, for anyone who isn't following these updates already, I thought it might be worth mentioning them here. </p>

<p>Anyone ever notice that in the Neptunia games the element system changes from time to time. Take the first Neptunia game. The element system was Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. In mk2 the Water element was changed to Ice. In Victory, the Earth element was changed to Lightning. In Re;Birth1, the Wind element was changed to, stupidly enough, Water and in Re;Birth2 The elemt system is Fire, Lightning, Wind and replacing Ice with Water. What will they do for Re;birth3? </p>