Exactly how bad a shape was Sega in? Was everything after the Genesis a financial disaster? (Game Gear, 32X, etc)
I'm going to be lazy and not do the research to find the exact figures, but it's my understanding that they did fine with the Genesis and Game Gear, but everything else, Sega CD, 32X, Pico, Saturn, etc., was pretty much a losing battle all things told, causing Sega to have negative financials (massive debt). They also had variable success depending upon territory. Even though Sega products sold longer in Japan, it's my understanding that Sega stuff sold better in North America, Europe and South America than it did in Japan. The Dreamcast, much like the Jaguar for Atari, was a last ditch effort to give it one last go and see if a miracle happened. The Dreamcast sold well in the US, but between lack of backing from EA and Sega Japan's apparent squeamishness to continue, there was really nothing that could be done, particularly once the PS2 hit in 2001. It would have been a losing battle at that point anyway, as the 140+ million worldwide sales of the PS2 to date attest.
Naturally you can't have a modern console without a strong company backing it. It's a worldwide, cutthroat business that requires deep pockets. That's why the Apples, Microsofts, Nintendos and Sonys are the only ones in the game today.
Exactly how bad a shape was Sega in? Was everything after the Genesis a financial disaster? (Game Gear, 32X, etc)
I'm going to be lazy and not do the research to find the exact figures, but it's my understanding that they did fine with the Genesis and Game Gear, but everything else, Sega CD, 32X, Pico, Saturn, etc., was pretty much a losing battle all things told, causing Sega to have negative financials (massive debt). They also had variable success depending upon territory. Even though Sega products sold longer in Japan, it's my understanding that Sega stuff sold better in North America, Europe and South America than it did in Japan. The Dreamcast, much like the Jaguar for Atari, was a last ditch effort to give it one last go and see if a miracle happened. The Dreamcast sold well in the US, but between lack of backing from EA and Sega Japan's apparent squeamishness to continue, there was really nothing that could be done, particularly once the PS2 hit in 2001. It would have been a losing battle at that point anyway, as the 140+ million worldwide sales of the PS2 to date attest.
Naturally you can't have a modern console without a strong company backing it. It's a worldwide, cutthroat business that requires deep pockets. That's why the Apples, Microsofts, Nintendos and Sonys are the only ones in the game today.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.