Bleem! Coming to Dreamcast

IGN Dreamcast has posted an ad that says this (you can see the image here): This Summer, We’ll Bring 400 New Games to the Dreamcast.

There are some rumors floating around that this version of bleem! may not be just for the PlayStation, but for the Saturn as well. E3 begins very soon, and if we can get any information on that it will be passed on to you as soon as possible.

5/9: GameWeek.Com is reporting that the developers of bleem! have confirmed a Dreamcast version:

bleem, Inc. sent shockwaves through the game industry in 1998 when it introduced bleem!–a software emulation program that enables users to play PlayStation games on 3D-accelerated PCs. Predictably, Sony voiced its displeasure and took bleem to court over the controversial program. bleem eventually won and released the product to retail where it was met with moderate success.

Now it appears the company is working on creating a new bleem! program that would allow PlayStation games to be played on the Sega Dreamcast console. Yes, you read that correctly, PlayStation games via the Dreamcast.

The program will feature four separate software discs called bleempaks. Each pak will contain approximately 100 PlayStation game codes. Users of the new bleem! will first put in the disk and boot it up on the Dreamcast console. Once it has been loaded, players simply switch the disk with a PlayStation game, and voila, you’re playing PlayStation games on Dreamcast. It’s that simple. In addition, the games will be enhanced to a resolution of 640 X 480, which is twice that of the PlayStation console.

Each bleempak will cover games from multiple game genres, from sports, RPGs, adventure and action. bleempaks will retail for approximately $19.95 each, and the list of games for each disc will be announced some time in June.

This is worsening some fears that further legal action might be taken not only against bleem!, but Sega as well. E3 is just a couple of days away; that should answer anything about this new venture into the Emulation scene.

ORIGINAL STORY 5/7: Take a look at this–VintageGaming.Com claims that the emulator bleem! may not be just for PC anymore:

Many of you have undoubtedly heard by now that someone named Will Kempe has registered the domains: bleemcast.com, bleemcast.net, and bleemcast.org. It turns out that Will is a part of the bleem! team, and that come E3 next week, you will probably see the debut of “Bleemcast”, a PSX emulator for the Dreamcast console. Needless to say, for anyone of you who remembers what happened between Sony and bleem! at the last year’s E3, this E3 should be VERY interesting to say the least. 😉

Reaction is mixed to say the least. Some believe that this is bleem!’s way of revenge after Sony sued them over patent infringement. Others say that this will calm down the hype of backwards compatibility that the PS2 features. Some are speculating that this could be a Dreamcast emulator for the PC. But Brandon of IGN Dreamcast has told the DC Tech Pages this interesting bit of information:

Since the kids at bleem have already tipped their cards, here’s the deal.

I won’t tell you everything, but know this. Bleem called me up for an appointment, even after I explained that I only covered Dreamcast product.

I also specified that we would not be the ones to talk to if a DC emu was arriving. They would want to talk to the PC editors.

They said they knew this, and that they had a product for DC that I needed to see.

I know what it is, you can probably guess.

Let’s just say that backwards compatibility can eat me.

This could bring in a whole new way Sega fans see emulation, and if this becomes a reality @ E3, we will have total, complete coverage.