Difference between revisions of "Bernie Stolar"

From Sega Retro

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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{{intref|Press release: 1997-03-17: Sega Promotes Bernie Stolar To COO}} and president in March 1998{{intref|Press release: 1998-03-24: Sega Promotes Stolar To President}}.
 
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{{intref|Press release: 1997-03-17: Sega Promotes Bernie Stolar To COO}} and president in March 1998{{intref|Press release: 1998-03-24: Sega Promotes Stolar To President}}.
  
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.  
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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.
 
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.
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{{ProductionHistory|Bernie Stolar|Bernard Stolar}}
 
{{ProductionHistory|Bernie Stolar|Bernard Stolar}}
}}
 
 
  
 
* ''[[Sega Worldwide Soccer 97]]'' (1996) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Sega Worldwide Soccer 97]]'' (1996) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (1997) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' (1997) — Special Thanks
 
* [[Quake]] (1997) — Special Thanks
 
* [[Quake]] (1997) — Special Thanks
* ''[[NBA Action 98]]'' (1997) — Special Thanks
 
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '98 (Saturn)|World Series Baseball '98]]'' (Saturn Version) (1997) — Special Thanks
 
*''[[World Series Baseball '98 (Saturn)|World Series Baseball '98]]'' (Saturn Version) (1997) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Sega PC Smash Pack|Sega Smash Pack]] (PC Version)'' (1998) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Sega PC Smash Pack|Sega Smash Pack]] (PC Version)'' (1998) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' (1998) — Executive Management
 
* ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' (1998) — Executive Management
 
* ''[[NFL 2K]]'' (1999) — Special Thanks
 
* ''[[NFL 2K]]'' (1999) — Special Thanks
 +
}}
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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<references />
 
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{{clear}}
 
 
{{SoAPresidents}}
 
{{SoAPresidents}}

Revision as of 13:04, 8 December 2018

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

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

His career started at 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[1] and president in March 1998[2].

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


References

  1. Press release: 1997-03-17: Sega Promotes Bernie Stolar To COO
  2. Press release: 1998-03-24: Sega Promotes Stolar To President
  3. File:Saturnbomberman sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  4. File:Darksavior sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  5. File:SonicsSchoolhouse PC US manual.pdf, page 16
  6. File:Nfl97 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  7. File:Daytonausacce sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  8. File:Fightersmegamix sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  9. Die Hard Arcade (Saturn) US manual, page 18
  10. File:SegaRally PC US Manual.pdf, page 21
  11. File:S&KC US manual.pdf, page 14
  12. File:Manxtt sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  13. File:Skytarget sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  14. File:Amok sat us manual.pdf, page 23
  15. File:Wsb98 sat us manual.pdf, page 31
  16. File:Lastbronx sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  17. File:Scorcher sat us manual.pdf, page 27
  18. File:The Lost World Jurassic Park GG US Manual.pdf, page 13
  19. File:NFL 98 MD credits.pdf
  20. File:Steepslopesliders sat us manual.pdf, page 21
  21. File:Lost World Saturn credits.pdf
  22. File:Lostworld sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  23. File:Nbaaction98 sat us manual.pdf, page 28
  24. File:Nhlallstar98 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  25. File:Stcc sat us manual.pdf, page 39
  26. File:Quake sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  27. File:Sonic R Saturn credits.pdf
  28. File:LastBronx PC US Manual.pdf, page 34
  29. File:STCC PC US Manual.pdf, page 37
  30. File:Sws98 sat us manual.pdf, page 37
  31. File:Thotd sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  32. File:SegaSmashPack PC US DigitalManual.pdf, page 3
  33. 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)