The history of Sega, a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, has roots tracing back to American Standard Games in 1940 and Service Games of Japan in the 1950s. The formation of the company known today as Sega is traced back to the founding of Nihon Goraku Bussan[a], which became known as Sega Enterprises, Ltd.[b] following the acquisition of Rosen Enterprises in 1965. Originally an importer of coin-operated arcade games to Japan and manufacturer of slot machines and jukeboxes, Sega began developing its own arcade games in 1966 with Periscope, which became a surprise success and led to more arcade machine development. In 1969, Gulf and Western Industries (then-owner of Paramount Pictures) bought Sega, which continued its arcade game business through the 1970s.
In response to a downturn in the arcade-game market in the early 1980s, Sega began to develop video game consoles—starting with the SG-1000 and Master System—but struggled against competing products such as the Nintendo Entertainment System. Around the same time, Sega executives David Rosen and Hayao Nakayama executed a management buyout of the company from Gulf and Western, with backing from CSK Corporation. Sega released its next console, the Sega Genesis (known as the Mega Drive outside North America) in 1988. Although it initially struggled, the Genesis became a major success after the release of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991. Sega's marketing strategy, particularly in North America, helped the Genesis outsell main competitor Nintendo and their Super Nintendo Entertainment System for four consecutive Christmas seasons in the early 1990s. While the Game Gear and Sega CD achieved less, Sega's arcade business was also successful into the mid 1990s.
Sega had commercial failures in the second half of the decade with the 32X, Saturn, and Dreamcast, as the company's market strategy changed and console newcomer Sony became dominant with the PlayStation, in addition to further competition from Nintendo. Sega's arcade business, on the other hand, continued to be successful with arcade revenues increasing during the late 1990s, despite the arcade industry struggling in the West as home consoles became more popular than arcades. A merger was attempted with toy company Bandai during this time, but failed (Bandai would later merge with Sega's rival, Namco, in 2005). Following five years of losses, Sega exited the console hardware market in 2001 and became a third-party developer and publisher. In 2001, Sega CEO and CSK chairman Isao Okawa died; his will forgave Sega's debts to him and returned his stock to the company, which helped Sega endure the transition financially.
In 2004, Sammy Corporation purchased a controlling interest in Sega through a takeover, establishing the holding company Sega Sammy Holdings. Chairman Hajime Satomi announced that Sega would focus on its then-recovering arcade business and less on console games, returning the company to better profits. Sega has since been restructured again, with the establishment of Sega Holdings Co., Ltd. and the separation of its divisions into separate companies. Recent years have seen the company achieving greater success in console games and parting with a number of its arcade divisions, though Sega continues to be prevalent in the sector through licence agreements and the remaining games that are still developed for Japan.
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The historyofSega, a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, has roots tracing back to American Standard Games in 1940 and Service...
Sega Corporation is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Segaof America and Sega...
The Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It...
of development studios owned by Sega, a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Tokyo, Japan. Accompanied with the list is their history...
industry began as a Japan-based distributor of coin-operated machines, including pinball games and jukeboxes. Sega imported second-hand machines that required...
and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which...
first Sega console was the Japan-only SG-1000, released in 1983. Sega released several variations of this console in Japan, the third of which, the Sega Mark...
Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. (also known as the Sega Sammy Group) is a Japanese global holding company and conglomerate formed from the merger ofSega and...
The Sega Saturn is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8...
The Sega CD, known as Mega-CD in most regions outside North America and Brazil, is a CD-ROM accessory for the Sega Genesis produced by Sega as part of the...
The Dreamcast is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999,...
Sega AM Research & Development No. 3, known as Hitmaker Co., Ltd. from 2000 to 2004, is a defunct division ofSega, a Japanese video game company. Established...
Sega Fave Corporation, previously known as Sega Toys Co., Ltd. until 2024, is a Japanese toy and arcade company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of...
The Sega Pico, also known as Kids Computer Pico, is an educational video game console by Sega Toys. The Pico was released in June 1993 in Japan and November...
Game Gear is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and...
between Sega and Nintendo during the late 1980s and early 1990s as Sega attempted to break into the United States video game market with its Sega Genesis...
and Sega Wow Inc. AM1 spent most of its early existence under the leadership of Rikiya Nakagawa and developed a number of arcade games for Sega. In 2000...
as Sega Nomad, is a handheld game console manufactured by Sega and released in North America in October 1995. The Nomad is a portable variation of the...
Drive and Sega Genesis games, List of Game Gear games, List ofSega Mega-CD games, List ofSega 32X games, List ofSega Saturn games and List of Dreamcast...
game developer Sega. Yu Suzuki, who had previously developed arcade games for Sega including Hang-On and Out Run, was the first manager of the department...
release of two systems: Nintendo's Family Computer (commonly abbreviated to Famicom) and Sega's SG-1000. When the Famicom was released outside of Japan...
The Sega Channel is a discontinued online game service developed by Sega for the Sega Genesis video game console, serving as a content delivery system...
arcade manufacturer and distribution company based in Tokyo. A subsidiary ofSega, the company is known for video game series such as Megami Tensei, Persona...
32X is an add-on for the Sega Genesis video game console. Codenamed "Project Mars", it was designed to expand the power of the Genesis and serve as a...
Sega Technical Institute (STI) was an American video game developer owned by Sega. Founded by the Atari veteran Mark Cerny in 1990, STI sought to combine...
Meganet was Sega's first online multiplayer gaming service, and functioned on a pay to play basis. The system functioned through the use of a peripheral...
The Sega VR is an unreleased virtual reality headset developed by Sega in the early 1990s. Planned as an add-on peripheral for the Sega Genesis and only...
video game developer owned by the Japanese video game company Sega as part of its Sega CS Research and Development No. 2 division. Sonic Team is best...
The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive in regions outside of North America, is a 16-bit video game console that was designed and produced by Sega. First...
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