Difference between revisions of "Bernie Stolar"

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m (in the bottom... the guy in the second photo (the guy at left) in front of a ''Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.'' "Deep Death" arcade cabinet is Brian Semler... the bad quality of the photo makes him look like a ghost... but is him...)
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'''Bernard "Bernie" Stolar''' was a former president of [[Sega of America]].
 
'''Bernard "Bernie" Stolar''' was a former president of [[Sega of America]].
  
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His career in the game industry started in 1980, when he and his friend Brian Douglas Semler, son of Bert Siegel{{magref|cb|1975-08-16|45}}{{ref|http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbD-cdxiRG0/VVA1hoiruNI/AAAAAAAAEG8/vounLj2tIpA/s1600/power%2B1978.PNG}} (Bertram Leroy Siegel{{fileref|Bert Siegel Letter to Charles Paul of Atari 1982-03-11.pdf|page=1}} Co-Founder of [[Segasa]]) and brother{{magref|cb|1974-10-19|91}}{{magref|cb|1981-01-24|48}} of [https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E03AQFYFC57rlvFyw/profile-displayphoto-shrink_200_200/0?e=1550707200&v=beta&t=gxKXwIq5CI3-KHRI5tzuFfN0HHxJzp62YmRRe7DpVEA Lawrence David Siegel]{{magref|cb|1980-08-30|50}} (former President of [[Atari]] and [[Black Pearl Software]] and COO of [[THQ]]) established{{ref|https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/bernie-stolar-jordan-freeman/}} ''Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.''{{ref|https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/20/at-68-bernie-stolar-is-still-running-ambitious-game-startups/}}{{magref|cb|1982-07-03|108}}, in [[wikipedia:Marina del Rey, California|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.
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His career in the game industry started in 1980, when he and his friend Brian Semler{{magref|cb|1980-11-15|38}} (Brian Douglas Semler), son of Bert Siegel{{magref|cb|1975-08-16|45}}{{ref|http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbD-cdxiRG0/VVA1hoiruNI/AAAAAAAAEG8/vounLj2tIpA/s1600/power%2B1978.PNG}} (Bertram Leroy Siegel{{fileref|Bert Siegel Letter to Charles Paul of Atari 1982-03-11.pdf|page=1}} Co-Founder of [[Segasa]]) and brother{{magref|cb|1974-10-19|91}}{{magref|cb|1981-01-24|48}} of [https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E03AQFYFC57rlvFyw/profile-displayphoto-shrink_200_200/0?e=1550707200&v=beta&t=gxKXwIq5CI3-KHRI5tzuFfN0HHxJzp62YmRRe7DpVEA Lawrence David Siegel]{{magref|cb|1980-08-30|50}} (former President of [[Atari]] and [[Black Pearl Software]] and COO of [[THQ]]) established{{ref|https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/bernie-stolar-jordan-freeman/}} ''Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.''{{ref|https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/20/at-68-bernie-stolar-is-still-running-ambitious-game-startups/}}{{magref|cb|1982-07-03|108}}, in [[wikipedia:Marina del Rey, California|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{{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}}.

Revision as of 16:33, 11 January 2019

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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 in the game industry started in 1980, when he and his friend Brian Semler[1] (Brian Douglas Semler), son of Bert Siegel[2][3] (Bertram Leroy Siegel[4] Co-Founder of Segasa) and brother[5][6] of Lawrence David Siegel[7] (former President of Atari and Black Pearl Software and COO of THQ) established[8] Pacific Novelty Manufacturing, Inc.[9][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


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:SonicsSchoolhouse PC US manual.pdf, page 16
  14. ↑ File:Daytonausacce sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  15. ↑ File:Virtuacop2 sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  16. ↑ File:Fightersmegamix sat us manual.pdf, page 42
  17. ↑ Die Hard Arcade (Saturn) US manual, page 18
  18. ↑ File:SegaRally PC US Manual.pdf, page 21
  19. ↑ File:S&KC US manual.pdf, page 14
  20. ↑ File:Manxtt sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  21. ↑ File:Skytarget sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  22. ↑ File:Amok sat us manual.pdf, page 23
  23. ↑ File:Wsb98 sat us manual.pdf, page 31
  24. ↑ File:Lastbronx sat us manual.pdf, page 26
  25. ↑ File:The Lost World Jurassic Park GG US Manual.pdf, page 13
  26. ↑ File:NFL 98 MD credits.pdf
  27. ↑ File:Lost World Saturn credits.pdf
  28. ↑ File:Lostworld sat us manual.pdf, page 22
  29. ↑ File:Steepslopesliders sat us manual.pdf, page 21
  30. ↑ File:Nbaaction98 sat us manual.pdf, page 28
  31. ↑ File:Nhlallstar98 sat us manual.pdf, page 19
  32. ↑ File:Quake sat us manual.pdf, page 18
  33. ↑ File:Sonic R Saturn credits.pdf
  34. ↑ File:LastBronx PC US Manual.pdf, page 34
  35. ↑ File:SegaSmashPack PC US DigitalManual.pdf, page 3


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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