Dreamcast's Online Pricing

Sega of Japan announced its pricing rates for Dreamcast Internet access today. Japanese gamers will pay five yen (about four cents) per minute without any membership fee. Sega has been lining up Dreamcast Internet service for a while, and when the system ships on Nov. 27, there will be about 200 access points for gamers to tap into nationwide.

How will they pay if there isn't a membership fee? Sega will be using an advance-payment system using "web money." The Internet-only cards are said to help avoid problems stemming from overuse by minors. While Sega hasn't gone into detail about how one will purchase access time - one can assume that the process works much like reusable calling cards do now. The company has also said that it plans to alter the pricing and payment system as members request it.

As the company looks to hit its "one million Dreamcasts sold" mark by March of 1999, Sega's general manager of network business development, Takayuki Shimada, foresees that "around 30 percent to 40 percent of the users of Dreamcast devices will access the Internet." No doubt gamers will definitely be able to find some healthy competition.

If Sega uses the same type of payment model in the US - promotion opportunities with soda, cereal, and magazine products is likely to be on the drawing board.