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Bernie Stolar

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Bernie Stolar
Company(ies): Sega of America
Role(s): Executive

Bernard "Bernie" Stolar was a former president of Sega of America.

His career in the game industry started in 1980, when he and his friend Brian SemlerMore...[1] (Brian Douglas Semler), son of Bert SiegelMore...[2][3] (Bertram Leroy Siegel[4] Co-Founder of Segasa) and brotherMore...[5]More...[6] of Lawrence David SiegelMore...[7] (former President of Atari and Black Pearl Software and COO of THQ) established[8] Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.[9]More...[10], in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, a coin-op game company. He later went to Atari where he worked initially in the coin-op arcade division and eventually moved over to the home division being in charge of platforms like Atari Lynx. Before the US release of the PlayStation game console, Sony made Stolar the first president of SCEA and in charge of the PlayStation platform. Stolar ruled with an iron fist and forced some unpopular policies with regard to titles licensed including a "no-RPG" policy seeing as RPGs at the time were almost all 2D, didn't sell well in North America and in his opinion failed to show the power of the PlayStation in a positive light.

After the first holiday season in the US the PlayStation was a success selling well. Bernie was then offered the opportunity to leave Sony and take the helm at Sega of America managing the Sega Saturn. Stolar subsequently became Sega of America COO in March 1997[11] and president in March 1998[12].

Stolar is fondly remembered for his "Saturn is not our future" remark at E3 1997, not to mention his "There is no more Tekken." line during a TV interview (which followed after Namco confirmed supporting Sega's console starting with Soul Calibur). The Tekken line was also Stolar's stab against Sony and its next generation plans, although Namco confirmed later that the PlayStation 2 will be getting Tekken games exclusively.

Aside from that, there were insider reports that he actually went against his Japanese superiors by pricing the Dreamcast with a launch price of $199 (which he unveiled in a speech in early 1999, to standing ovation). Reportedly, Sega Japan wanted to price the DC at $249 in order to be very profitable right from the start. Prior to the Dreamcast's American launch in 1999, Stolar was fired and received a $5,000,000.00 severance package from Sega.

Production history

  • Sky Target (Saturn;
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    1997) — Special Thanks ToMedia:Skytarget sat us manual.pdf[13]
  • Manx TT Super Bike (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special Thanks ToMedia:Manxtt sat us manual.pdf[14]
  • Sega Touring Car Championship (Saturn;
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    1997) — Special Thanks
  • Cyber Troopers Virtual-On (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1996) — Thanks to (as Bernard Stolar)
  • Last Bronx (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special Thanks ToMedia:Lastbronx sat us manual.pdf[15]
  • Saturn Bomberman (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".
    1996) — Special ThanksMedia:Saturnbomberman sat us manual.pdf[16]
  • Die Hard Arcade (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Media:Dha sat us manual.pdf[17]
  • Dark Savior (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1996) — Speical ThanksMedia:Darksavior sat us manual.pdf[18]
  • NFL '97 (Saturn;
    1996) — Special ThanksMedia:Nfl97 sat us manual.pdf[19]
  • Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1996) — Special ThanksMedia:Daytonausacce sat us manual.pdf[20]
  • Enemy Zero (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1996) — Special Thanks toMedia:Enemyzero sat us manual.pdf[21]
  • Fighters Megamix (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1996) — Special Thanks ToMedia:Fightersmegamix sat us manual.pdf[22]
  • The House of the Dead (Saturn;
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    1998) — Special Thanks ToMedia:Thotd sat us manual.pdf[23]
  • NFL 98 (Mega Drive;
    1997) — Special Thanks
  • AMOK (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Amok sat us manual.pdf[24]
  • World Series Baseball '98 (Saturn) (Saturn;
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Wsb98 sat us manual.pdf[25]
  • Scorcher (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Scorcher sat us manual.pdf[26]
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Mega Drive) (Mega Drive;
    1997) — Sega Special Thanks to
  • NHL All-Star Hockey 98 (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".
    1997) — OtherMedia:Nhlallstar98 sat us manual.pdf[27]
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Saturn) (Saturn;
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    1997) — Special Thanks To
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Saturn) (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Lostworld sat us manual.pdf[28]
  • NBA Action 98 (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Nbaaction98 sat us manual.pdf[29] (as Bernard Stolar)
  • Steep Slope Sliders (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "x".
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Steepslopesliders sat us manual.pdf[30]
  • Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".Expression error: Unrecognized word "styl".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "�".
    1998) — Special Thanks
  • Sega Worldwide Soccer 98 (Saturn;
    1997) — Special ThanksMedia:Sws98 sat us manual.pdf[31]
  • NBA 2K (Dreamcast;
    Expression error: Unrecognized word "xxxx".Expression error: Unrecognized word "xxxx".
    1999) — Special Thanks - Sega of America


External references

References

  1. ↑ Cash Box, "November 15, 1980" (US; 1980-11-15), page 38
  2. ↑ Cash Box, "August 16, 1975" (US; 1975-08-16), page 45
  3. ↑ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbD-cdxiRG0/VVA1hoiruNI/AAAAAAAAEG8/vounLj2tIpA/s1600/power%2B1978.PNG
  4. ↑ File:Bert Siegel Letter to Charles Paul of Atari 1982-03-11.pdf, page 1
  5. ↑ Cash Box, "October 19, 1974" (US; 1974-10-19), page 91
  6. ↑ Cash Box, "January 24, 1981" (US; 1981-01-24), page 48
  7. ↑ Cash Box, "August 30, 1980" (US; 1980-08-30), page 50
  8. ↑ https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/bernie-stolar-jordan-freeman/
  9. ↑ https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/20/at-68-bernie-stolar-is-still-running-ambitious-game-startups/
  10. ↑ Cash Box, "July 3, 1982" (US; 1982-07-03), page 108
  11. ↑ Press release: 1997-03-17: Sega Promotes Bernie Stolar To COO
  12. ↑ Press release: 1998-03-24: Sega Promotes Stolar To President
  13. ↑ File:Skytarget sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  14. ↑ File:Manxtt sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  15. ↑ File:Lastbronx sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  16. ↑ File:Saturnbomberman sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  17. ↑ File:Dha sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  18. ↑ File:Darksavior sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  19. ↑ File:Nfl97 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  20. ↑ File:Daytonausacce sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  21. ↑ File:Enemyzero sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  22. ↑ File:Fightersmegamix sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  23. ↑ File:Thotd sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  24. ↑ File:Amok sat us manual.pdf, page 23
  25. ↑ File:Wsb98 sat us manual.pdf, page 31
  26. ↑ File:Scorcher sat us manual.pdf, page 27
  27. ↑ File:Nhlallstar98 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  28. ↑ File:Lostworld sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  29. ↑ File:Nbaaction98 sat us manual.pdf, page 28
  30. ↑ File:Steepslopesliders sat us manual.pdf, page 21
  31. ↑ File:Sws98 sat us manual.pdf, page 37


Presidents of Sega of America
David Rosen (19xx-198x) | Gene Lipkin (198x-198x) | Bruce Lowry (1986-1989) | Michael Katz (1989-1990) | Tom Kalinske (1990-1996) | Bernie Stolar (1998-1999) | Peter Moore (1999-2003) | Hideaki Irie (2003-2005) | Simon Jeffery (2005-2009) | Mike Hayes (2009-2012) | John Cheng (2012-)
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