Retrospective reception is mixed, with praise for some games and functions, but criticism for its dearth of deep games, high price and lack of support from Sega. ==History== ===Background=== Released in 1988, the Genesis (known as the Mega Drive in Europe and Japan) was Sega's entry into the fourth generation of video game consoles.
NEC had been the first to use CD technology in a video game console with their PC Engine CD-ROM² System add-on in October 1988 in Japan (launched in North America as the TurboGrafx-CD the following year), which sold 80,000 units in six months.
It was released on December 12, 1991 in Japan, October 15, 1992 in North America, and April 2, 1993 in Europe.
Commodore International released their CD-based CDTV multimedia system in early 1991, while the CD-i from Philips arrived towards the end of that year. Shortly after the release of the Genesis, Sega's Consumer Products Research and Development Labs led by manager Tomio Takami were tasked with creating a CD-ROM add-on, which became the Sega CD.
We worked around the clock, trying to catch the failure in-progress, and after about a week we finally realized what was happening," citing the need for games to use more time seeking data than the CD drive was designed to provide. ===Launch=== Sega announced the release of the Mega-CD in Japan for late 1991, and North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992.
It was unveiled to the public for the first time at the 1991 Tokyo Toy Show, to positive reception from critics.
It was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, initially retailing at JP¥49,800.
I am afraid I cannot recall the sales numbers, but it was not a success." ==See also== 64DD Atari Jaguar CD Family Computer Disk System SNES-CD Virtual Boy ==Notes== ==References== CD-ROM-based consoles Fourth-generation video game consoles Products introduced in 1991 Products and services discontinued in 1996 Mega-CD Video game console add-ons
It was released on December 12, 1991 in Japan, October 15, 1992 in North America, and April 2, 1993 in Europe.
We worked around the clock, trying to catch the failure in-progress, and after about a week we finally realized what was happening," citing the need for games to use more time seeking data than the CD drive was designed to provide. ===Launch=== Sega announced the release of the Mega-CD in Japan for late 1991, and North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992.
Other factors affecting sales included the high launch price of the Mega-CD in Japan and only two games available at launch. On October 15, 1992, the Sega CD was released in North America, with a retail price of US$299.
Though only 50,000 units were available at launch due to production problems, the Sega CD sold over 200,000 units by the end of 1992 and 300,000 by July 1993.
Working with Sega, JVC released the Wondermega on April 1, 1992, in Japan, at an initial retail price of ¥82,800 (or US$620).
The video quality in these sequences has also been criticized as comparable to an old VHS tape. ==Reception and legacy== Near the time of its release, the Sega CD was awarded Best New Peripheral of 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.
It was released on December 12, 1991 in Japan, October 15, 1992 in North America, and April 2, 1993 in Europe.
This benefit manifested as full motion video (FMV) games such as the controversial Night Trap (1992), which became a focus of the 1993 congressional hearings on issues of video game violence and ratings.
Though only 50,000 units were available at launch due to production problems, the Sega CD sold over 200,000 units by the end of 1992 and 300,000 by July 1993.
The Mega-CD was launched in Europe in the spring of 1993, starting with the United Kingdom on April 2, 1993, at a price of GB£269.99.
Only 70,000 units were initially available in the UK, but 60,000 units were sold by August 1993. Emphasized by Sega of America, the benefits of the Sega CD's additional storage space allowed for a large amount of full motion video (FMV) games, with Digital Pictures becoming an important partner for Sega.
After the initial competition between Sega and Nintendo to develop a CD-based add-on, Nintendo eventually canceled the development process of its own peripheral after having partnered with Sony and then with Philips to develop one. Sega released a second model, the Sega CD 2 (Mega-CD 2), on April 23, 1993 in Japan at a price of JP¥29,800.
A limited number of games were developed that used the Sega CD and the 32X add-on, released in November 1994. ===Night Trap controversy=== On December 9, 1993, the United States Congress began to hold hearings on video game violence and the marketing of violent video games to children.
In late 1993, less than a year after the Sega CD's launches in North America and Europe, the media reported that Sega was no longer accepting in-house development proposals for the Mega-CD in Japan.
A limited number of games were developed that used the Sega CD and the 32X add-on, released in November 1994. ===Night Trap controversy=== On December 9, 1993, the United States Congress began to hold hearings on video game violence and the marketing of violent video games to children.
This came at a time when Sega was capitalizing on its image as an edgy company with attitude, and this only served to reinforce that image." Despite increased sales as a result of the hearings, Sega recalled Night Trap and rereleased it with revisions in 1994.
Following these hearings, video game manufacturers came together in 1994 to establish a unified rating system, the Entertainment Software Rating Board. ===Decline=== Newer CD-based consoles such as the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer rendered the Sega CD technically obsolete, reducing public interest.
The system was later redesigned by JVC and released as the X'Eye in North America in September 1994.
In early 1995, Sega shifted its focus to the Sega Saturn and discontinued advertising for Genesis hardware, including the Sega CD.
Later reception in 1995 by Electronic Gaming Monthly showed a more mixed response to the peripheral, with four reviewers scoring it 5 out of 10, citing its game library issues and substandard video quality.
Likewise, in a special Game Machine Cross Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsūshin scored the Japanese Mega-CD 2 a 17 out of 40. Retrospective reception of the Sega CD is mixed, praising certain games but criticizing its low value for money and limitations on the benefits it provides to the Genesis.
2.24 million Sega CD units had been sold by March 1996, after which Sega discontinued it to focus on the Sega Saturn.
Sega officially discontinued the Sega CD in the first quarter of 1996, saying that it needed to concentrate on fewer platforms and felt the Sega CD could not compete due to its high price and outdated single-speed drive.
I am afraid I cannot recall the sales numbers, but it was not a success." ==See also== 64DD Atari Jaguar CD Family Computer Disk System SNES-CD Virtual Boy ==Notes== ==References== CD-ROM-based consoles Fourth-generation video game consoles Products introduced in 1991 Products and services discontinued in 1996 Mega-CD Video game console add-ons
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