Bernie Stolar

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Bernard Stolar
Date of birth: 1946-10-09[1]
Date of death: 2022-06-22[2][3][1] (age 75)
Employment history:
Sega of America (?? – 1999)
Mattel Interactive (2000 – )
Role(s): Executive, Spokesperson

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Bernard "Bernie" Stolar was an American businessman and former Sega of America President, Chief Operating Officer, and corporate spokesperson.

History

His career in the game industry started in 1980, when he and his friend Brian Semler[4][5] (Brian Douglas Semler), son of Bert Siegel[6][7][8] Co-Founder of Segasa and stepbrother[9][10] of Lawrence David Siegel[11] former President of Atari and Black Pearl Software and COO of THQ, established[12] Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.[13][14][3], 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[15] and president in March 1998[16].

Stolar is famously 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

  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks[17]
  • (; 1996) — Speical Thanks[18]
  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks[19]
  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks[20]
  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks[21]
  • (; 1996) — Thanks to (as Bernard Stolar)
  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks to[22]
  • (; 1996) — Special Thanks To[23]
  • (; 1997)[24]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[25]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[26]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks To[27]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks To[28]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[29]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[30]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks To[31]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[32]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks to[33]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks
  • (; 1997) — Sega Special Thanks to
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[34]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[35]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks To[36]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[37]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[38] (as Bernard Stolar)
  • (; 1997) — Other[39]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[40]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[41] (as Bernard Stolar)
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[42]
  • (; 1998) — Special Thanks
  • (; 1998) — Special Thanks[43]
  • (; 1998) — Special Thanks[44]
  • (; 1997) — Special Thanks[45]
  • (; 1998) — Special Thanks To[46]
  • (; 1999) — Special Thanks
  • (; 1999) — Special Thanks[47]
  • (; 1999) — Special Thanks - Sega of America[48]
  • (; 1999) — Special Thanks - Sega of America

Photographs

Main article: Photos of Bernie Stolar

External references

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2022/06/27/atari-sony-and-sega-legend-bernie-stolar-dies-aged-75/?sh=5a887e272129 (Wayback Machine: 2022-08-24 01:12)
  2. ↑ https://venturebeat.com/2022/06/25/gaming-legend-bernie-stolar-passes-away/ (Wayback Machine: 2022-06-26 06:24)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bernie-stolar-former-sega-of-america-president-and-scea-founder-has-died-aged-75/ (Wayback Machine: 2022-06-26 10:20)
  4. ↑ Cash Box, "November 15, 1980" (US; 1980-11-15), page 38
  5. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-obituary-for-brian/59790093/ (archive.today)
  6. ↑ Cash Box, "August 16, 1975" (US; 1975-08-16), page 45
  7. ↑ File:Power 1978.PNG
  8. ↑ File:Bert Siegel Letter to Charles Paul of Atari 1982-03-11.pdf, page 1
  9. ↑ Cash Box, "October 19, 1974" (US; 1974-10-19), page 91
  10. ↑ Cash Box, "January 24, 1981" (US; 1981-01-24), page 48
  11. ↑ Cash Box, "August 30, 1980" (US; 1980-08-30), page 50
  12. ↑ https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/bernie-stolar-jordan-freeman/ (Wayback Machine: 2022-06-26 15:17)
  13. ↑ https://venturebeat.com/games/at-68-bernie-stolar-is-still-running-ambitious-game-startups/view-all/ (archive.today)
  14. ↑ Cash Box, "July 3, 1982" (US; 1982-07-03), page 108
  15. ↑ Press release: 1997-03-17: Sega Promotes Bernie Stolar To COO
  16. ↑ Press release: 1998-03-24: Sega Promotes Stolar To President
  17. ↑ File:Saturnbomberman sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  18. ↑ File:Darksavior sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  19. ↑ File:SonicsSchoolhouse PC US manual.pdf, page 16
  20. ↑ File:Nfl97 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  21. ↑ File:Daytonausacce sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  22. ↑ File:Enemyzero sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  23. ↑ File:Fightersmegamix sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  24. ↑ Die Hard Arcade (Saturn) US manual, page 18
  25. ↑ File:SegaRally PC US Manual.pdf, page 21
  26. ↑ File:S&KC US manual.pdf, page 14
  27. ↑ File:Manxtt sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  28. ↑ File:Skytarget sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  29. ↑ File:Amok sat us manual.pdf, page 23
  30. ↑ File:Wsb98 sat us manual.pdf, page 31
  31. ↑ File:Lastbronx sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  32. ↑ File:Scorcher sat us manual.pdf, page 27
  33. ↑ File:The Lost World Jurassic Park GG US Manual.pdf, page 13
  34. ↑ File:NFL 98 MD credits.pdf
  35. ↑ File:Steepslopesliders sat us manual.pdf, page 21
  36. ↑ File:Lost World Saturn credits.pdf
  37. ↑ File:Lostworld sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  38. ↑ File:Nbaaction98 sat us manual.pdf, page 28
  39. ↑ File:Nhlallstar98 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  40. ↑ File:Stcc sat us manual.pdf, page 39
  41. ↑ File:Quake sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  42. ↑ File:Sonic R Saturn credits.pdf
  43. ↑ File:STCC PC US Manual.pdf, page 37
  44. ↑ File:LastBronx PC US Manual.pdf, page 34
  45. ↑ File:Sws98 sat us manual.pdf, page 37
  46. ↑ File:Thotd sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  47. ↑ File:SegaSmashPack PC US DigitalManual.pdf, page 3
  48. ↑ File:NFL2K DC US Manual.pdf, page 22


Presidents of Sega Enterprises USA
Gene Lipkin (1985-1986) | Ned DeWitt | Tom Petit (1988-1994) | Alan Stone (1994-1996) | Howell Ivy (1996-2004) |

Co-president: David Rosen (1985-1996)

Presidents of Sega of America
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 (2012-2018) | Ian Curran (2018)

Co-president: David Rosen (1986-1996)

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