Sega CD

Lore & Background

Sega sought to match the capabilities of the competing PC Engine CD-ROM² System and partnered with JVC to design the Sega CD. Sega refused to consult with their American division until the project was complete, fearful of leaks. The Sega CD was redesigned several times by Sega and was also licensed to third parties, including Pioneer and Aiwa, who released home audio products with Sega CD gaming capability. The main benefit of CD technology at the time was greater storage; CDs offered approximately 160 times more space than Genesis cartridges, which manifested as full-motion video (FMV) games such as the controversial Night Trap.

Development began shortly after the Genesis release, led by manager Tomio Takami. The add-on originally intended to equal the TurboGrafx-CD but with twice as much RAM. Late changes dramatically raised the price: a second, faster 68000 CPU was added, and RAM was increased from 1 to 6.5 Mbit. The estimated cost rose to US$370. Sega of America was not informed of project details until mid-1991 and was given dummy units rather than working ones; staff assembled a functioning unit by acquiring a ROM. Quality assurance teams encountered severe problems, including units bursting into flames due to overheating motors from excessive disc seeking.

The Sega CD was unveiled at the 1991 Tokyo Toy Show and the Consumer Electronic Show in Chicago. It sold 200,000 units in its first three months in Japan, but only an additional 200,000 over the next three years. In North America, 50,000 units were available at launch due to production problems, but over 200,000 were sold by the end of 1992 and 300,000 by July 1993. Blockbuster purchased units for rental. The European launch in April 1993 had 70,000 units initially available, with 60,000 sold by August.

Reader's Guide

The Sega CD's significance lies in its attempt to extend the Genesis into the CD-ROM era, offering vastly greater storage that enabled full-motion video games and enhanced graphical effects. However, its legacy is mixed. The game library featured acclaimed titles such as Sonic CD, Lunar: The Silver Star, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Popful Mail, and Snatcher, but also many Genesis ports and poorly received FMV games. Only 2.24 million units were sold, after which Sega discontinued it to focus on the Sega Saturn. Retrospective reception has been mixed, with praise for some games and functions, but criticism for its lack of deep games and its high price. Sega's poor support for the Sega CD has been criticized as the beginning of the devaluation of its brand. The add-on's development was marked by internal friction, technical challenges including overheating units, and a high launch price that limited its market penetration. Despite these issues, it remains a notable experiment in early CD-based console gaming and a key part of Sega's fourth-generation strategy.

Did You Know?

• The Sega CD was originally intended to equal the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-CD but with twice as much RAM.
• Sega of America was not given working Sega CD units until late in development due to fears of leaks.
• Some Sega CD units experienced overheating and bursting into flames due to excessive disc seeking.
• The Sega CD could play audio CDs and CD+G discs in addition to CD-based games.