1960s
The hosts say Sega's game Periscope helped standardize the quarter as the price of an arcade video game session.
“they standardized the unit of the quarter as what you pay for an arcade video game session.”
Topic
Sega
21 facts from 3 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1969
Sega was acquired in 1969 by Gulf and Western, which also owned Paramount Pictures.
“But it became so successful, Sega actually gets acquired in 1969.”
1983
Sega recorded $214 million in revenue in 1983, shortly before the home video game crash.
“In 1983, right before the home video game console crash led by Atari, they do $214 million in revenue.”
1984
A management buyout financed by CSK Holdings in 1984 acquired Sega for only $38 million, even though it had earned $214 million in revenue the previous year.
“They bought the whole thing for only $38 million. Like, this is ridiculous. This company, which is legendary in the arcade industry, did $214 million in the year ended six months before this.”
1990s
The first Madden football on the Sega Genesis was predicted to sell 75,000 copies and sold 400,000.
“EA and Sega's prediction is that it'll sell 75,000 copies. It ends up selling 400,000 copies.”
1990s
In Sega's mall-truck head-to-head demos, seven out of ten American kids reportedly preferred Sonic to Mario.
“And lo and behold, seven out of ten kids in America prefer Sonic to Mario.”
1990s
The hosts say the global arcade industry fell from about $7 billion a year before the PlayStation to about $2 billion by the end of the 1990s.
“So before the PlayStation launched, the arcade industry was back up to about $7 billion a year globally. And a huge portion of that was controlled by Sega. After the PlayStation launches, by the end of the decade, it's down to $2 billion.”
1990s
According to Console Wars, as relayed by the hosts, Tom Kalinsky wanted Sega to partner with SGI, but Sega of Japan refused, and SGI's technology later powered the Nintendo 64.
“It was actually Tom Kalinsky, the CEO of Sega America, who wanted to do the partnership with SGI.”
1990s
Purikura photo booths, made with Altus, generated over a billion dollars in revenue for Sega's arcade division in the late 1990s.
“So the photo booths in the late 90s make over a billion dollars in revenue that Sega plugs into their, quote-unquote, arcade business division.”
1991
Sega of America planned to cut the Sega Genesis price to $150 before the Super Nintendo launched, to pressure Nintendo's hardware margins.
“Now we're going to preemptively cut that to $150. And this is perfect counter positioning.”
1992
Sega premiered its 'Welcome to the Next Level' campaign during the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.
“So, they premiere the campaign during the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.”
1992
The Sega Genesis had an installed base of about 30 million units worldwide, about 20 million of them in the United States.
“about a 30 million total unit install base of the Sega Genesis around the world, the vast majority of which, about 20 million, is in the United States.”
1992
Sega launched the Sega CD add-on for the Genesis in North America in late 1992.
“So, in late 1992, they launch the Sega CD add-on for the Genesis in North America.”
1993
Sega sold over 40,000 Virtua Fighter arcade cabinets worldwide at more than $10,000 each.
“Sega sells over 40,000 Virtua Fighter cabinets worldwide at a price of like $10,000 plus per cabinet.”
1995
The hosts say KB Toys, a major US retailer, dropped Sega products after the surprise Saturn launch.
“I think it was KB Toys, which then was a big franchise in America. They drop Sega entirely.”
1996
In 1996 Sega backed away from Nvidia's quadrilateral-based graphics approach, which conflicted with Microsoft's triangle-based Direct3D.
“And then in 1996, Sega's like, yeah, we're not so sure about this quadrilaterals thing either.”
2000s
After the Saturn and Dreamcast failures, Sega left the hardware business and was acquired by the pachinko manufacturer Sammy.
“They end up exiting the hardware business, and the company basically goes bankrupt and has to get acquired by a pachinko manufacturer called Sammy.”
2001
Sega discontinued the Dreamcast after about two and a half years and announced it was leaving the hardware business.
“After just two and a half years on the market, Sega ends up discontinuing the Dreamcast, announcing that they're getting out of the hardware business entirely.”
2001
Sega chairman Isao Okawa forgave debts owed to him by Sega and returned $695 million worth of Sega and CSK stock in 2001, ahead of his death.
“He actually forgave Sega's debts to him ahead of his death and returned $695 million worth of Sega and CSK stock”
2003
Sega was sold to Sammy, a Japanese pachinko machine manufacturer, in the early 2000s, forming Sega Sammy.
“the company gets sold off to another Japanese public company, a company called Sammy that was a manufacturer of pachinko machines”
Undated
Early on, Nvidia landed a deal with Sega to supply 3D graphics for its arcade machines and next-generation home console.
“Like they land a big deal with Sega to power their arcade consoles and their next generation home console to be the 3D graphics engine and would ultimately become the Sega Saturn.”
Episodes