Nintendo and Sega have both learned a very powerful lesson on behalf of Sony: third parties are important. Sony created a platform that hundreds of developers flocked to, and wiped the floor with the two major players that had previously reigned at the top of the video gaming business. Now Sega has the chance to fight back with the Dreamcast, but can they do it? Some great developers have signed on to develop for the DC, but three companies stand out from the crowd. Capcom, Konami, and Namco have produced some of the biggest selling games, and in the process, have created some of the best selling franchises in the world. In the cut throat world of the video game business, a console developer can use all the friends they can get. Thankfully Sega is in a fighting mood and has developers to back them up. Here's how all three companies will help Sega gain some precious video game market share.

Capcom stands out as an innovator in a world of copycats. They single-handedly reinvigorated the fighting game genre with Street Fighter 2, and have followed up with countless of great playing 1 on 1 fighting games. Capcom's love for 2D fighting will be able to transcend to the Dreamcast through some great arcade translations, thanks to the DC's large amount of RAM, and their first 2D release, Marvel vs. Capcom show's that Capcom isn't going to abandon 2D any time soon. A genre Capcom created on its own was the survival horror genre. The Resident Evil series was the first to scare the pants off of players with grotesque zombies and eerie sounds. The series also helped create a lucrative franchise for Capcom, not to mention countless clones. Now the DC is set to receive an exclusive sequel, Biohazard-Code:Veronica, which is bound to sell as many millions as its predecessors, and help sell Dreamcast units as well. Capcom is simply one of the most valuable third parties Sega could have. They are backing the DC with many different kinds of games and developing for the Naomi arcade board. Power Stone for the Naomi is said to be an incredibly innovative 3D fighter, and its port to the Dreamcast will not only demonstrate the ease of portability, but the commitment that Capcom made to Dreamcast and Sega's future.

If any company can release a consistent flow of good to great titles, it's Konami. Castlevania, Contra, Goemon, Track and Field, Snatcher, and most recently Metal Gear Solid and Beatmania, Konami has conquered many genres with flying colors. From sports to dance simulations, Konami is a developer that is sure to supply Sega with a great variety of games. Metal Gear Solid has instantly put Konami on the map as a developer who can create a game that lives up to the hype, and their recent attempt at trying to scare gamers, Silent Hill, has a chance of bettering the mighty Resident Evil. One thing that's certain is that Konami isn't afraid to try new things or make existing genres one step better. Their DC lineup is suspiciously hollow at the moment, with only a Flight Simulator and Dance game, but expect Konami to put some of their biggest names onto the DC. If Konami was willing to make a Castlevania for the N64, any big name for the DC is definitely possible.

The announcement of Namco joining the DC's roster of third-party developers was a particularly surprising and outright bold action for the company to make. Known as the PSX's savior, Namco supplied Sony's system with the fantastic Ridge Racer and Tekken games, and showing loyalty to Sony by never producing any Saturn games in the process. The fact that Namco and Sega were bitter arcade rivals made the Tokyo Game Show announcement even more strange. Nonetheless, Namco sees the Dreamcast as a well designed machine, and is ready to share their superb titles with another company. Is this a backstab to video game giant Sony? Probably not. In fact, Namco is most likely developing for the Playstation 2 as I speak. What does this mean for DC gamers? Expect great arcade translations (Time Crisis 2 and Soul Caliber have been rumored) and original games from Namco, but don't hold your breath for any of the big name games like Ridge Racer or Tekken. A strong tie with Sony might keep Namco from releasing their most precious titles for the Dreamcast, but at least the DC has one of the best developers in the world on their side. The acquisition of Namco as third-party was a great effort on Sega's part. However, how strongly they will support the Dreamcast is still up in the air.