Sega
Sega, originally known as Service Games, is a Japanese multinational video game developer, publisher, and hardware company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Here's a detailed overview:
History
- Foundation: Sega was founded in 1940 in Honolulu, Hawaii, by American businessman Martin Bromley as Standard Games. It was later renamed to Sega, which stands for "Service Games".
- Early Years: Initially, Sega produced coin-operated games for military bases. The company expanded into Japan in 1951, opening an office in Tokyo.
- Arcade Games: Sega became well-known in the 1960s and 1970s for its arcade machines, with notable games like "Pong-Tron" and later "Frogger" and "Zaxxon".
- Home Consoles: In 1983, Sega entered the home video game console market with the SG-1000, but it was the release of the Sega Master System in 1985 that marked their real entry into the console wars.
- Sega Genesis/Megadrive: The Sega Genesis (known as Mega Drive in most regions outside North America) was launched in 1988. It became Sega's most successful console, largely due to titles like "Sonic the Hedgehog".
- 1990s Competition: The 1990s saw intense competition from Nintendo and later Sony PlayStation. Despite successes like the Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast, Sega struggled to maintain its market share.
- Shift to Third-Party Developer: After the Dreamcast's commercial failure, Sega announced in 2001 that it would no longer produce hardware, instead focusing on game development for other platforms.
Notable Consoles
Key Franchises
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Introduced in 1991, Sonic became Sega's mascot and a cultural icon.
- Virtua Fighter: A pioneering 3D fighting game series.
- Phantasy Star: An early and influential RPG series.
- Yakuza: A modern action-adventure series set in Japan, known for its rich storytelling.
Corporate Changes
External Links
Related Topics