Economics

Sega's Superhero Vs. The Big Guys

Can Brad Huang beat the likes of Sony and Nintendo by pushing Sega onto the Net at warp speed?

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Peter Burrows

May 22, 2000 at 4:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

For years, makers of game consoles such as Nintendo, Sony, and Sega have spun grand visions that cast their products as the hub of the networked home of the future. After all, millions of tech-savvy customers already spend hours each week with these machines. Just add a modem and some Net software, and they would be able to send e-mail, browse the Web, or do whatever else the Internet makes possible.

But all those plans seemed set in some distant tomorrow until Brad Huang wrapped his mind around them. Last year, the brilliant China-born economist and entrepreneur persuaded Sega Enterprises Ltd. Chairman Isao Okawa to make a first strike on the Internet game front. In April, Sega took steps to make it happen, announcing the creation of a new Internet unit, Sega.com, with Huang as CEO.