Sega Saturn
A fifth-generation console with dual CPUs and mixed commercial success.
The Sega Saturn is a home video game console developed by Sega and released in 1994 in Japan, 1995 in North America and Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it is the successor to the successful Genesis. The Saturn has a dual-CPU architecture and eight processors, with games in CD-ROM format including several ports of arcade games and original games. It is notable for its complex hardware design, mixed reception, and commercial failure, having sold 9.26 million units worldwide, most in Japan.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- KOR · Samsung Saturn
- Manufacturer
- Sega
- Generation
- Fifth
- Release Date
- JP · November 22, 1994 · NA · May 11, 1995 · EU · July 8, 1995
- Lifespan
- 1994–2000
- Discontinued
- EU · 1998 · NA · March 1998 · JP · 2000
- Cpu
- 2× Hitachi SH-2 @ 28.6 MHz
- Memory
- 2 MB RAM, 1.5 MB VRAM, 512 KB sound RAM, expandable with Extended RAM Cartridge
- Graphics
- VDP1 & VDP2 video display processors each running @ 28.63636 MHz
- Sound
- Yamaha YMF292
- Media
- CD-ROM, CD+G, CD+EG, Video CD, Mini CD, Photo CD, e-book
- Storage
- Internal RAM, cartridge
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of the Saturn began in 1992, the same year Sega's groundbreaking 3D Model 1 arcade hardware debuted. The Saturn was designed around a new CPU from the Japanese electronics company Hitachi, resulting in the SuperH RISC Engine (SH-2). Another video display processor was added in early 1994 to better compete with the 3D graphics of Sony's forthcoming PlayStation. The Saturn was initially successful in Japan but not in the United States, where it was hindered by a surprise May 1995 launch, four months before its scheduled release date. After the debut of the Nintendo 64 in late 1996, the Saturn rapidly lost market share in the US, where it was discontinued in 1998. The Saturn is considered a commercial failure; this was affected by the cancellation of Sonic X-treme, planned as the first 3D entry in Sega's popular Sonic the Hedgehog series. The Saturn was succeeded in 1998 by the Dreamcast.
Reader's Guide
The Saturn's significance lies in its role as Sega's ambitious but troubled entry into the 32-bit era. Its dual-CPU architecture and eight processors were designed to deliver advanced 2D and 3D graphics, but the complex hardware made development difficult and limited third-party support. The system's launch was marred by Sega of Japan's decision to release it early in North America, surprising retailers and developers. Despite strong sales in Japan, where it benefited from the popularity of Virtua Fighter, the Saturn failed to gain traction in the West. Its library includes well-regarded games such as Nights into Dreams, the Panzer Dragoon series, and the Virtua Fighter series, though much of its library was confined to the Japanese market. Sega's management has been criticized for its decisions during the Saturn's development and discontinuation. The Saturn's legacy is that of a commercially unsuccessful console with a cult following, remembered for its technical ambition and a handful of acclaimed titles.
Did You Know?
- It was released in Japan on November 22, 1994, and in North America on May 11, 1995.
- The cancellation of Sonic X-treme affected the Saturn's commercial performance.
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