Sega Dreamcast
- Manufacturer
- Sega
- Production
- 1999–2002
- Generation
- Gen 6
- Type
- Home
- Launch price
- $199
- Units sold
- 9.1M
About Sega Dreamcast
The Dreamcast is the final home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1998, and worldwide in late 1999. It succeeded the Sega Saturn and was the first sixth-generation console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoft's Xbox. A team led by Hideki Sato began developing the Dreamcast in 1997. In contrast to the expensive hardware of the unsuccessful Saturn, the Dreamcast was designed to reduce costs with off-the-shelf components, including a Hitachi SH-4 CPU and an NEC PowerVR2 GPU. The Dreamcast shared hardware with Sega's NAOMI system board, enabling authentic arcade game conversions. Sega used the GD-ROM disc format to avoid the expense of DVD licensing. Developers could use a custom version of Windows CE for easier PC game porting. The Dreamcast was the first console to include a built-in modular modem for internet access and online play.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Library & collector facts
620licensed games
- North America: 247
- Japan: 610
- PAL: 290
Release timeline
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- November 27, 1998
- 🇺🇸 North America
- September 9, 1999
- 🇪🇺 Europe / PAL
- October 14, 1999
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- November 30, 1999
- Lifespan
- 3 years on market
Pricing
Launch price (1999)
- 🇺🇸 USD
- $199
- 🇯🇵 JPY
- ¥29,000
- 🇬🇧 GBP
- £200
Launch titles & exclusives
Sonic Adventure · Soul Calibur · Power Stone · Hydro Thunder · NFL 2K · Mortal Kombat Gold · Ready 2 Rumble Boxing · Blue Stinger · TrickStyle · Pen Pen TriIcelon (JP launch) · House of the Dead 2 · Tokyo Xtreme Racer
None standard; many launch bundles included Sonic Adventure
Shenmue I & II · Jet Set Radio · Skies of Arcadia · Phantasy Star Online (the first mainstream console MMO) · Crazy Taxi · Power Stone 1 & 2 · Soul Calibur · Marvel vs Capcom 2 · Capcom vs SNK 2 · Project Justice / Rival Schools 2 · Bangai-O · Ikaruga (JP, the legendary shmup) · Border Down · Under Defeat · Cannon Spike · Resident Evil Code: Veronica · Grandia II · Record of Lodoss War · Space Channel 5 1 & 2
NHL 2K2 (2002, NA) was the final Sega-published NA game; JP indie releases continued for years (Karous, Trigger Heart Exelica, last commercial title widely cited as 'Karous' 2007)
Cannon Spike CIB (~$400+); Bangai-O sealed; JP shmup limited editions like Karous (~$200+); 4 Wheel Thunder; Heavy Metal Geomatrix sealed (~$300+)
Hardware specs
- Cpu
- Hitachi SH-4
- Gpu
- NEC PowerVR2 @ 100 MHz
- Sound
- Yamaha AICA @ 67 MHz with ARM7 CPU, 64 channels
- Display Output
- Composite video, Composite, RF modulator, SCART, S-video, VGA
Hardware revisions
- Original Dreamcast (HKT-3000 JP / HKT-3020 NA)(1998)
original launch hardware, GD-ROM (Sega's proprietary 1.2GB format), built-in 56K modem (broadband adapter sold separately), VMU (Visual Memory Unit) memory cards with their own LCD screen
- Various minor regional revisions and a black 'R7' JP release(the only consequential hardware revision was a fan-bracket variant addressing original fan-noise complaints)
Launch colorways & special editions
- Sakura Taisen 4 Special Limited (JP)
- Limited blue/red/black/clear DC variants (JP retailer)
- Hello Kitty Edition (pink, JP-only, ~$500+ CIB)
- Sports Edition (NA, with sports games bundled)
- R7 Edition Black (rare JP)
Modding scene
- Difficulty
- soft-mod
- Custom firmware
- DreamShell (homebrew OS); BootDreams; GDEMU (ODE); USB-GDROM
Reception & legacy
Strong launch — 9/9/99 NA launch broke single-day sales records ($98M day-one); critical reception ecstatic for graphics, controller, and online play
Sega's withdrawal from console hardware (March 2001 official announcement) shocked the industry — the platform was discontinued before its 3rd anniversary; Sega's debt from Saturn and 32X compounded; PS2 hype (announced 1999, launched 2000) effectively starved the Dreamcast of holiday-1999 mindshare
First console with built-in online play; first console MMO (Phantasy Star Online); the platform Sega died on but is universally remembered fondly — its short-lived library is considered one of the most artistically rich in console history; Dreamcast indie scene remains active 25+ years later
References
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