Sega President and COO Yukio Sugino has revealed that the company is facing difficulties in adapting the Sega Saturn into a miniature console. In an interview with Famitsu, Sugino stated that the Sega Saturn’s high performance makes it challenging to miniaturize. He emphasized that creating a miniature console is not simply about capitalizing on its popularity, but rather a complex process that requires careful consideration.
The Sega Saturn was released during the same console generation as the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64. While Sony has already released a classic PlayStation console, Nintendo has yet to follow suit with the Nintendo 64. If Nintendo were to release a miniature console, the Nintendo 64 would likely be the next in line.
Last year, Sega’s classic hardware producer Yosuke Okunari mentioned that he had considered producing mini versions of the Dreamcast and Saturn consoles. However, he explained that the cost of producing parts for these consoles would be prohibitively expensive.
In the meantime, Sega has released two mini-consoles: the Mega Drive Mini in 2019 and the recently announced Mega Drive Mini 2. The Mega Drive Mini included 42 games, with the game libraries varying by region. It also featured new ports of Darius and Tetris, which had never been released before.
Sega has sought feedback from customers in Japan regarding which mini system they would like to see next. The company conducted a survey in October 2022 to gather opinions on potential future releases.
The Dreamcast, Sega’s final home console, marked the end of the company’s nearly two-decade-long presence in the console hardware market. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Dreamcast produced several critically acclaimed game franchises, including Shenmue, Soul Calibur, Phantasy Star Online, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Rez.
While fans eagerly await the possibility of a miniature Sega Saturn console, it seems that Sega is taking its time to ensure a successful and meaningful release. The challenges of miniaturization and the cost of production are factors that the company must carefully consider. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the existing mini-consoles and the nostalgic experience they provide.
What challenges does Sega face in developing a miniature version of the Sega Saturn console?
Sega President and COO Yukio Sugino recently discussed the difficulties the company is facing in developing a miniature version of the Sega Saturn console. In an interview with Famitsu, Sugino explained that the high performance of the Sega Saturn makes it challenging to miniaturize. He emphasized that creating a miniature console is a complex process that requires careful consideration, rather than simply capitalizing on its popularity.
The Sega Saturn was released during the same console generation as the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64. While Sony has already released a classic PlayStation console, Nintendo has yet to follow suit with the Nintendo 64. If Nintendo were to release a miniature console, the Nintendo 64 would likely be the next in line.
Last year, Sega’s classic hardware producer Yosuke Okunari mentioned that he had considered producing mini versions of the Dreamcast and Saturn consoles. However, he explained that the cost of producing parts for these consoles would be prohibitively expensive.
In the meantime, Sega has already released two mini-consoles: the Mega Drive Mini in 2019 and the recently announced Mega Drive Mini 2. The Mega Drive Mini included 42 games, with the game libraries varying by region. It also featured new ports of Darius and Tetris that had never been released before.
To gather feedback from customers, Sega conducted a survey in October 2022 in Japan to determine which mini systems people would like to see next.
The Dreamcast, Sega’s final home console, marked the end of the company’s console hardware market presence, which spanned almost two decades. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Dreamcast produced several critically acclaimed game franchises, including Shenmue, Soul Calibur, Phantasy Star Online, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Rez.
While fans eagerly anticipate the possibility of a miniature Sega Saturn console, it appears that Sega is taking its time to ensure a successful and meaningful release. The challenges of miniaturization and the cost of production are factors that the company must carefully consider. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the existing mini-consoles and the nostalgic experience they provide.
Creating a miniature Sega Saturn console may be a challenging task for the Sega President, but given their successful track record, I have no doubt they’ll find a way to conquer these obstacles and deliver a nostalgic gaming experience to their fans.