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The Dreamcast was a great console. It was released on a cool date in the US, 9/9/99, and even though one hasn't been produced since 2001, it still has a devote fan base. Too bad Sega stopped developing consoles... or have they?

A recent trademark application to renew the Dreamcast trademark has sparked rumors that a successor is in the works. The wording of the application is as follows:

home video game machines; player-operated electronic controllers for electronic video game machines; video game interactive controller, namely, hand held pads, and floor pads or mats; joysticks for video games; computer cursor control devices, namely, computer mouse; flash memory cards; video game software, computer game programs

Two instances suggest that a new Dreamcast is in the works, the original never had a floor mat, and the Dreamcast's Visual Memory Unit (VMU) "was far from the 'flash memory cards' we know and use today" (though, I would imagine it used flash-based memory).

Is this just nonsense from die-hard fans that are simply reading too much into the description and simply Sega protecting the Dreamcast name? According to the USPTO, the Dreamcast's original trademark is still active, however the two descriptions are very different and far more detailed:

Video game machines for use with television; video game machine peripheral devices, namely, control-pad, control-wheel, control-stick, controller in the shape of a hand gun, controller in the shape of a fishing rod grip, mouse, video signal converter for connection to computer RGB display, modem, time-division multiplexer for digital phone network, memory card, floppy disc drive, hard disc drive and full keyboard; computer game programs; computer game cartridges, discs and cassettes; video game programs; home video computer game programs; home video computer game cartridges, disks and cassettes; computers; computer peripheral devices, namely, modem, time-division multiplexer for digital network, full-keyboard, display, printer, coordinate plotter, memory card, hard disc drive, floppy disc drive, compact disc drive, controller for video game or simulator program, mouse, and joy stick; computer programs for use in setup of computer operating systems, communication control on a computer network, managing e-mail, web browsing and network game play; musical sound recordings; musical video recordings; communication apparatus, namely, telephone and video-phone for use with a global computer network and satellite and telephone communication; interactive television terminal sets; television set top boxes for reception of coded or compressed audio, video or data signals; KAROKE players; CD-ROM players; and parts for all aforesaid goods

If a new Dreamcast is in the works, is the market ready for yet ANOTHER console? Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo already have a good footing in the market place. I recall when the Xbox was released, there were claims from industry experts that it would overcrowd the market and cause a video game industry crash, but that never happened. Maybe one more couldn't hurt?

Sega, may I suggest 9/9/09?