Today is a bittersweet day for SEGA fans as the company’s final console, the Dreamcast, marks its 25th anniversary in America. Despite its initial success, there has been much lament over its abrupt end, always wondering what might have been if it hadn't been discontinued in 2001.
Related Video: Dreamcast: SEGA's Last Console (20th Anniversary)
SEGA Dreamcast Marks 25 Years Since Its Launch in America
Early today, SEGA, fans of the Japanese company, and executives like Peter Moore celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Dreamcast’s launch. It was on September 9, 1999 b[/b] that the Japanese company made a significant impact by launching their new console, which immediately erased the memory of the Saturn's missteps. This system was ahead of its time compared to the PS2 and Nintendo GameCube, featuring advanced graphics and gaming experiences, including a Microsoft operating system and Internet connectivity.
The date was special, as Peter Moore recalled, because the entertainment world had built an entire concept around the turn of the millennium and the numerology of 9/9/99. Therefore, he and Bernie Stolar thought it was the perfect day to launch the console.
According to Peter Moore, who recounted on his X account how he became president of SEGA of America three months before the Dreamcast's launch due to a dispute between Bernie Stolar and the company leaders in Japan, the goal was to make history on launch day by surpassing the achievements of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which earned $24 million in a single day. By the time he received the Dreamcast report, he found that the console had achieved $99.4 million in sales in just 24 hours.
The immediate success of the SEGA Dreamcast was due to its innovative design, both the console and its controllers, the introduction of new technologies, and especially its launch lineup with high-quality games such as:
- AeroWings
- AirForce Delta
- Blue Stinger
- CART: Flag to Flag
- Hydro Thunder
- Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2
- Mortal Kombat Gold
- NFL 2K
- NFL Blitz 2000
- Pen Pen TRiIceLon
- Power Stone
- Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
- Sonic Adventure
- SoulCalibur
- The House of the Dead 2
- TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat
- Tokyo Xtreme Racer
- Trickstyle
Later, the SEGA Dreamcast had gems like Resident Evil Code: Veronica, enhanced versions of Dino Crisis and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, and ambitious projects like Shenmue, created by Yu Suzuki and at that time the highest-budget game.
Did you have a SEGA Dreamcast? What experiences did the last SEGA console leave you with?
Share with us in the comments and stay tuned here at LEVEL UP.
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