Sega is one of the oldest and most influential electronic game companies. From the late 1980’s to the early 2000’s, Sega was a major manufacturer of video game consoles . A console is a specialized gaming computer that connects to a television . Sega also makes popular video games. One of its best-known characters is Sonic, a speedy blue hedgehog that players must guide along racetracklike courses. Sonic was first featured in the game Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and has appeared in many other games. In 1987, Sega began releasing the Phantasy Star series of role-playing games, in which players take on the roles of characters on epic quests.
The name Sega is based on Se_rvice _Ga_mes, an American jukebox and slot machine company. Service Games established extensive operations in Japan beginning in the 1950’s. The company began making _arcade machines (coin-operated games) in 1966. During the 1980’s, video game consoles expanded rapidly in popularity. Sega released its first major console, the Sega Mark III, in 1985 in Japan. It was renamed the Master System and released later in other regions. But the system was largely overshadowed by the extremely popular rival Nintendo Entertainment System.
In 1988, Sega released the Mega Drive console in Japan, released the next year in North America as the Genesis. It featured richer graphics (visuals) than Nintendo’s system. Its games also appealed to older audiences. The success of the Genesis made Sega a dominant company in the console market. In 1994, Sega released in Japan the Saturn console, which came to North America the following year. But the Saturn was a commercial failure, and Sega quickly discontinued it. Sega’s final console, the Dreamcast, was released in Japan in 1998 and in North America the following year. The innovative Dreamcast game Shenmue (1999) allowed players to explore a realistic virtual city. It won praise for its lifelike graphics and intricate gameplay.
Despite critical acclaim, Sega’s Dreamcast lost out in popularity to Sony’s PlayStation consoles. Sega discontinued its console business in 2001. However, it continued to create and develop video games. In 2019, the company released a miniature, vintage version of the Sega Genesis.
