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For the 10th anniversary of the Dreamcast we are looking back on why it failed. With SEGA it could be any number of reasons, but we narrowed it down to the top five.

5. Perfect Launch

With games like Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Power Stone, and Hydro Thunder and a price point of $199 the 09/09/1999 launch of the Sega Dreamcast was an amazing success. At the time it was the most successful console launch in North American history. The hype was undeniable and everybody wanted to be friends with the guy on the block that had one. Third parties were stoked when the console sold 500,000 units in the first two weeks. Certainly, this speedy start could only lead to good things for Sega and the Dreamcast.

 

4. Great Games

 

Great game releases didn't slow down after launch. Releases like Chu Chu Rocket, Plasma Sword, and the

2K sports games helped fill out 1999. In 2000 things only got better with Crazy Taxi, Jet Grind Radio, and Sega GT. It can easily

be argued that the Dreamcast had the highest density of great titles ever to release on a system over a two year span. The metered release of quality titles -- which continues on modern consoles -- was completely abandoned by SEGA. Which is why that in the short time that the system was alive it created a list of quality of games that can stack up favorably to just about any other consoles library.

 

3. Online Support

 

There were ways to get online with consoles before the Dreamcast, but SEGA was the first with the insight to include that support from the launch and out of the box. All of the 2k2 sports games, Bomberman Online, and Worms World Party were online and brought the potential for those franchises to maturation. Of course, THE online game was Phantasy Star Online. A game that proved so addicting that the Xbox version was shut down only a year ago -- 7 years after the original came out on the Dreamcast. The magic of that game has honestly not been recaptured by any company. Not even SEGA's Phantasy Star follow-ups.

 

2. Third Party Support

 

Third parties were excited by the power of the Dreamcast and when the system launch took off like it did the support really ramped up. Capcom alone had great games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and Power Stone 1/2. Neversoft released the best version of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 on the Dreamcast -- a game that mattered back then -- and Namco's Soul Calibur is the only third-party launch game to win a number of Game of the Year Awards. Third parties got the hand of this console quicker than just about any other before or after the Dreamcast.

 

1. Appeal to Hardcore and Casual

Today, with the Wii and music-rhythm games, it is easy to forget that a lot of casual games existed a long time ago and first appeared on the Dreamcast. Samba Di Amigo was a music rhythm game long before Guitar Hero and Rock Band took over living rooms. It was easy, fun, and excellent at parties. Typing of the Dead was one of those weired, quirky peripheral games that would probably sell like crazy on the Wii now. Typing to kill enemies? What?! But it makes for one hell of a drinking game. Seaman also seems like the kind of game that could capture a large market today. A quasi-intelligent pet that can learn, respond, and be killed? It is the best of The Sims and Nintendogs combined into one.

And those are the top 5 reasons the Dreamcast failed.

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Comments (3)

The Lancer said:

	I am afraid to say that I was one of those bastards who never bought the Dreamcast. I accept full responsibility for its demise. A very insightful read.
	report abuse vote down vote up

September 11, 2009
Votes: +2

Darke said:

	I love it
	report abuse vote down vote up

September 11, 2009
Votes: +0

Flash739 said:

I must admit, a few reasons the DC failed were cause of Rampant Pirating of their games. I have a handful of original games to this day. Even my original NFL2k1, but most of my collection is made up of sharpie written titles. I added to their failure I admit, but man, what a line up. It's their fault for having so many GREAT games available and not giving me enough money to BUY them all.(sarcasm).

report abuse vote down vote up

October 03, 2009
Votes: +0

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