Edge online has a great article about Segagaga. This title, released only in Japan, has gradually become notorious around the world as a stunning metacommentary on the end of Sega's era as a console manufacturer in a climactic battle with a rival company which is a thinly-disguised reference to Sony.  But more than being an expression of sour grapes, it is a reflection on the perilous intersection of high art and corporate commerce.  (It's also a significant work of fan service for Sega afficianados, featuring a notorious cameo appearance by Alex Kidd, who waxes philosophical on his fall from grace as Sega's mascot after the arrival of Sonic. Hey, Sega Superstars Tennis was pretty cool and all, but Segagaga expresses something on a deeper, funnier and brainier level.)

Often it’s as if Sega is using your character’s voice as a vehicle tovent its frustrations with the very industry it helped define. Oneparticular exchange illuminates and haunts in equal measure. “Games arenothing more than mere products!” exclaims a member of Sega’smanagement team. “You examine popular market trends, churn out nearlyidentical titles, and then you rake in the dough! Imitate ourcompetitor’s top-sellers: that’s the golden rule! Throw away youremotions and become a mindless machine. This is how you make successfulgames.”

“But I want to make totally innovative games that nobody has ever seen before,” your character pleads.

“Innovation? How foolish! Who will take responsibility if the game flops?”

“But if we do it your way, we’ll never attract new customers. Surely it’s worth giving a shot?”

“You know nothing about the business, boy! I’ll teach you the harsh reality of the corporate world!”

And where such commentary might so easily have sounded whiny and bittercoming from this company at this point in its history, the game’sexecution is so off-the-wall crazy, light-hearted and inventive that itserves only to make its creator all the more sympathetic and itslessons all the more striking.

But, while the game’s worth andsignificance is only too clear today, the very fact of its being issomething of a mystery. While SGGG’s release date coincided with theDreamcast’s death throes, the game’s development began a good whilebefore that, when Sega still had hope that things would work out. Whatsort of management would green light such thinly veiled commentary onits failures? We caught up with the game’s director, Tez (Zolger)Okano, to uncover the story behind Sega’s most extraordinary andunlikely game.

There is a lot of information about Segagaga out there through various fansites and homebrew translation teams, but this is the first time I've read an interview with its designer.