Mega CD/Sega CD
Developer: Sega
Year Released: 1991
Generation: 4th
Sega had the hottest system on the market with the Mega Drive/Genesis and they wanted to keep their competitive edge. They were always plotting their next move. The problem was they were never sure what that would be, so they hedged their bets on many different ideas.
It all began with the Sega CD. CD-ROM media was beginning to take off for computer games. It was clear to most that optical media was the future, and Sega was eager to join in. The Mega CD offered extended date storage, ultra smooth graphics scaling, and the support for full motion video (FMV). Mega CD titles could theoretically have over 150 times more data than their cart-based ancestors could.
However in just a few years the releases of the new CD-based consoles such as the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and the Phillips CD-I rendered the Sega CD obsolete. Public interest waned drastically. In early 1995, Sega shifted its focus to the Sega Saturn and discontinued all advertising for Genesis hardware, including the Sega CD.