Sega

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Sega Corporation (株式会社セガ, Kabushiki gaisha Sega) is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Sega is known for its video game franchises, arcade games, and home consoles. The company was founded on June 3, 1960, as Nihon Goraku Bussan and later became known as Sega Enterprises, Ltd. before adopting its current name.

History

Sega's origins can be traced back to the founding of Standard Games in 1940 in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Martin Bromley, Irving Bromberg, and James Humpert. The company provided coin-operated amusement machines to military bases. In 1951, the company moved to Tokyo, Japan, and was renamed Service Games. The name "Sega" is derived from the first two letters of "Service" and "Games."

In 1965, Service Games merged with Rosen Enterprises, an importer of coin-operated games, to form Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Under the leadership of David Rosen, the company began developing its own games and quickly became a major player in the arcade game industry.

Arcade Success

Sega's first major success in the arcade market came with the release of Periscope in 1966, a submarine simulator that became a worldwide hit. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Sega continued to produce popular arcade games, including Space Harrier, Out Run, and After Burner.

Home Console Market

In 1983, Sega entered the home console market with the release of the SG-1000. Although it was not a commercial success, it laid the groundwork for future consoles. In 1985, Sega released the Sega Master System, which competed with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Despite its technical superiority, the Master System struggled to gain a significant market share outside of Europe and Brazil.

Sega's breakthrough in the home console market came with the release of the Sega Genesis (known as the Mega Drive outside North America) in 1988. The Genesis was a major success, particularly in North America, where it competed directly with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Iconic games such as Sonic the Hedgehog helped establish Sega as a leading video game company.

Decline and Transition

Despite the success of the Genesis, Sega struggled with its subsequent consoles. The Sega Saturn, released in 1994, failed to achieve the same level of success due to poor marketing and a lack of third-party support. The Sega Dreamcast, released in 1999, was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful, leading Sega to exit the hardware market in 2001.

Current Operations

After exiting the hardware market, Sega transitioned to a third-party developer and publisher of video games. The company has since produced numerous successful titles for various platforms, including the Yakuza series, Total War series, and continued entries in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

Notable Franchises

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Yakuza
• Total War
• Phantasy Star
• Virtua Fighter
• Shin Megami Tensei (in collaboration with Atlus)

Related Pages

• Video game
• Arcade game
• Home console
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sega Genesis
• Sega Saturn
• Sega Dreamcast
• Yakuza (series)
• Total War (series)