Best Console?

[FM-77]

What about CD-i? That was FAR more successful.

[Keranu]

What about CD-i? That was FAR more successful.

Only in our hearts .

[Game and Watch Kirby]

What about CD-i? That was FAR more successful.

Only in our hearts .

Oh, yes! I hadn't thought of the Philips CD-i! I'd figure that I was missing a CD-playing console or two (this was corrected in my previous post)!

[Tatsujin]

What about CD-i? That was FAR more successful.

Only in our hearts .

i think, most of the people just want forget about.

[Necromancer]

However, it is quite debatable if the Sega Saturn, or any console prior to the original PlayStation, had much to contribute for this since they had all done poorly in the market.

I have to disagree here, as the PC Engine CD was nowhere near a commercial failure.  It may have underperformed in the US market, but it's crazy to think that Sega and Sony based their media decisions on what was popular in the US rather than in Japan.

[Game and Watch Kirby]

However, it is quite debatable if the Sega Saturn, or any console prior to the original PlayStation, had much to contribute for this since they had all done poorly in the market.

I have to disagree here, as the PC Engine CD was nowhere near a commercial failure.  It may have underperformed in the US market, but it's crazy to think that Sega and Sony based their media decisions on what was popular in the US rather than in Japan.

I was only referring to the US market in this statement, however. Of course, in Japan, the PC Engine had truly started the usage of CD-ROM in video game, which eventually made it the standard for them there. The Sega Saturn had success in the Japanese market, also.

[Black Tiger]

I was only referring to the US market in this statement, however. Of course, in Japan, the PC Engine had truly started the usage of CD-ROM in video game, which eventually made it the standard for them there. The Sega Saturn had success in the Japanese market, also.

The Saturn was Sega's most successful console in Japan. Which is sad.

[FM-77]

Why?

[Tatsujin]

Why?

since it wasn't THAT successful, which also means that all the other sega consoles ever made where even less successful.

[FM-77]

Why is that sad? Why care about a company that you don't own?

[Joe Redifer]

Actually the Saturn was beating the Playstation 1 for quite a while.  It was considered a successful console over there.  It is sad because some of Sega's other consoles should have been at least as successful, but they weren't.  If the Mega Drive were more successful as well as the SMS and Dreamcast, I could only dream about the great games we would have seen by third parties.  Imagine a library of GREAT Sega CD games.  Didn't really happen.  The SMS definitely needed more Japanese love as well.  Perhaps... just perhaps... we could have had more mahjong games. 

[SignOfZeta]

Why is that sad? Why care about a company that you don't own?

Well if it was Microsoft or Toyota or Hasbro or something I'd be with you there, but Sega is something special. I want them to succeed because I love them. There is so much cool about Sega that goes way beyond the games or the hardware or anything. Shenmue 2, Segata Sanshiro, Yukawa Hidekazu, Isao Okawa, Blue Skies, Segagaga...not even Nintendo has a corporate identity with such heart.

[SignOfZeta]

However, it is quite debatable if the Sega Saturn, or any console prior to the original PlayStation, had much to contribute for this since they had all done poorly in the market.

Well the PS1 was the most popular CD thing for its time, but by the time it was released we were all quite familiar with CDROM. Manhole on the Mac...when was that? Late 80s. Then TG-16, which was playing CD-G demos in the Toys R Us stores. Then the Sega CD which on one hand was a huge flop, but f*cking anyone who knew anything about games was familiar with it. You could rent it almost anyplace that had games, and it sold a shitlaod of units, honestly. Then CD-i which ran late night infomercials ("Interact, Dave") for years. Windows 95, and Performa Macs from that time also brought CDROM into the computing mainstream. The 3DO, as shitty as it is, was a well known machine. Then you had the Jag CD, the Amiga CD32, Playdia, PC FX, the Saturn (only about a month before the PS in Japan, I think) and God knows what else.

By the time the Playstation was released CDROM was fully entrenched.

[Game and Watch Kirby]

Actually the Saturn was beating the Playstation 1 for quite a while.  It was considered a successful console over there.  It is sad because some of Sega's other consoles should have been at least as successful, but they weren't.  If the Mega Drive were more successful as well as the SMS and Dreamcast, I could only dream about the great games we would have seen by third parties.  Imagine a library of GREAT Sega CD games.  Didn't really happen.  The SMS definitely needed more Japanese love as well.  Perhaps... just perhaps... we could have had more mahjong games. 

I have read somewhere that financial difficulties had burdened SEGA from having much success with their consoles. The reasons for this seems to lie on the fact that they had given their consoles add-ons or upgrades. The Sega Saturn was also cheaper than the PlayStation was over there in order to help with sales possibly a little bit. Once the Dreamcast was released three years later in attempts to save them from this trouble, it was already too late. This is also why the Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001.

[nat]

PC FX, the Saturn (only about a month before the PS in Japan, I think) and God knows what else.

Yeah, the PC-FX, PS1, and Saturn were all released in Japan within four weeks of each other.