Editing Dreamcast (section)

=== Launch ===

==== Japan ====
Despite a 75 percent drop in half-year profits just before the Japanese launch, Sega was confident about the Dreamcast. It drew significant interest and many pre-orders.<ref name="RetroinspectionD"/> However, Sega could not achieve its shipping goals for the Japanese Dreamcast launch due to a shortage of [[PowerVR]] chipsets caused by a high failure rate in the manufacturing process.<ref name="RetroinspectionD"/><ref name="G4 GM">{{cite episode |title=Sega Dreamcast |url=http://www.g4tv.com/gamemakers/episodes/1259/Sega_Dreamcast.html |series=Game Makers |series-link=Game Makers |network=G4 |location=Los Angeles |airdate=August 20, 2008 |number=302 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121040744/http://www.g4tv.com/gamemakers/episodes/1259/Sega_Dreamcast.html |archive-date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> As more than half of its limited stock had been pre-ordered, Sega stopped pre-orders in Japan. On November 27, 1998, the Dreamcast launched in Japan at a price of {{JPY|link=yes|29000}}, and the stock sold out by the end of the day. However, of the four games available at launch, only one—a port of ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'', the most successful arcade game Sega ever released in Japan—sold well.{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=563}} Sega estimated that an additional {{val|200000|–|300000|fmt=commas}} Dreamcast units could have been sold with sufficient supply.{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=563}}

Sega had announced that ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'', the next game starring its mascot, [[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic the Hedgehog]], would launch with the Dreamcast and promoted it with a large-scale public demonstration at the [[Tokyo International Forum|Tokyo Kokusai Forum Hall]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Obuchi |first=Yutaka |date=July 16, 1998 |title=Sonic Onboard Dreamcast |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-onboard-dreamcast/1100-2464382/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705034437/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-onboard-dreamcast/1100-2464382/ |archive-date=July 5, 2017 |access-date=December 9, 2014 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 1998 |title=International News: Sonic Rocks Tokyo |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher= |volume=10 |issue=112 |page=50 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 1998 |title=News: Sonic's Back! |magazine=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]] |volume=4 |issue=36 |pages=6–8 |quote=}}</ref> but it and ''[[Sega Rally Championship 2]]'' were delayed.<ref name="RetroinspectionD" /> They arrived within the following weeks, but sales continued to be slower than expected.{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=563-564}} Irimajiri hoped to sell over one million Dreamcast units in Japan by February 1999, but sold fewer than 900,000, undermining Sega's attempts to build an [[installed base]] sufficient to protect the Dreamcast after the arrival of competition from other manufacturers.{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=564}} There were reports of disappointed Japanese consumers returning their Dreamcasts and using the refund to purchase additional PlayStation software.<ref name="Toy Story and Japanese launch blues">{{cite magazine |last1=Croal |first1=N'Gai |last2=Totilo |first2=Stephen |date=September 6, 1999 |title=Who's Got Game? Beleaguered Sega Hopes to Get Back on Top in the Video Game Wars with Dreamcast, the First of a New Generation of Superfast, Supercool Fun Machines |volume=134 |issue=10 |pages=58–60 |magazine=[[Newsweek]] |id={{ProQuest|214302223}}}}</ref> ''[[Seaman (video game)|Seaman]]'', released in July 1999, became the Dreamcast's first major hit in Japan.<ref name="IGN History of Dreamcast" />{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=577}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Langan |first=Matthew |date=July 26, 1999 |title=''Famitsu Weekly'' Reviews Latest Dreamcast Games |url=https://ign.com/articles/1999/07/27/famitsu-weekly-reviews-latest-dreamcast-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030102441/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/27/famitsu-weekly-reviews-latest-dreamcast-games |archive-date=October 30, 2014 |access-date=October 30, 2014 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> Prior to the Western launch, Sega reduced the price of the Dreamcast to {{JPY|19900}}, effectively making it unprofitable but increasing sales. The reduction and the release of [[Namco]]'s ''[[Soulcalibur (video game)|Soulcalibur]]'' helped Sega gain 17 percent on its shares.<ref name="RetroinspectionD" />

==== North America ====
Before the Dreamcast's release, Sega was dealt a blow when [[Electronic Arts]], the largest third-party video game publisher at the time, announced it would not develop games for the system. EA's chief creative officer [[Bing Gordon]] said that Sega had "flip-flopped" on the hardware configuration, that EA developers did not want to work on it, and that Sega "was not acting like a competent hardware company". Gordon also said that Sega could not afford to give them the "kind of license that EA has had over the last five years".<ref name="gamasutra1" /> According to Stolar, president of EA at the time, Larry Probst, wanted exclusive rights as the only sports brand on Dreamcast, which Stolar could not accept due to Sega's recent {{US$|10 million}} purchase of the [[sports game]] developer [[Visual Concepts]]. While EA's ''[[Madden NFL]]'' series had established brand power, Stolar regarded Visual Concepts' ''[[NFL 2K]]'' as superior and would provide "a breakthrough experience" to launch the Dreamcast.<ref name="IGN's History of Sega" /><ref name="gamasutra1" /> While none of EA's popular sports games were released for the Dreamcast, "Sega Sports" titles developed mainly by Visual Concepts{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=581}} helped to fill that void.<ref name="gamasutra1" />

{{Quote box
| quote = Let's take the conservative estimate of 250,000 Dreamcast units at presage—that's a quarter of a million units at {{US$|long=no|200}}. We'll have a ratio of 1.5 or two games for every Dreamcast unit sold. That's half a million units of software. We think we'll be .5 to one on [[VMU]]s and peripheral items such as extra controllers and what have you. This could be a {{val|p=$|60 |to| 80 |u=million}} 24-hour period. What has ever sold {{val|p=$|60 |to| 80 |u=million}} in the first 24 hours?
| source = —Peter Moore, speaking to ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' about the upcoming launch of the Dreamcast.<ref name="EGM122">{{cite magazine|title=Dreamcast: It's here...|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=EGM Media, LLC.|issue=122|date=September 1999|page=168}}</ref>
| width = 30em
}}
Working closely with [[Midway Games]] (which developed four North American launch games for the system) and taking advantage of the ten months following the Dreamcast's release in Japan, Sega of America worked to ensure a more successful US launch with a minimum of 15 launch games.{{sfn|Kent|2001|pages=564–565}} With lingering bitterness over the Saturn's early release, Stolar repaired relations with major US retailers, with whom Sega presold 300,000 Dreamcast units.<ref name="gamasutra1" /> In addition, a pre-launch promotion enabled consumers to rent Dreamcasts from [[Hollywood Video]] starting on July 14.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Graser |first1=Marc |title=H'wood Video plays Dreamcast vidgame |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/h-wood-video-plays-dreamcast-vidgame-1117503595/ |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 30, 1999 |archive-date=April 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409050951/https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/h-wood-video-plays-dreamcast-vidgame-1117503595/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Sega of America's senior vice president of marketing [[Peter Moore (business)|Peter Moore]],{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=565}} a fan of the attitude previously associated with Sega's brand, worked with [[FCB (advertising agency)|Foote, Cone & Belding]] and Access Communications to develop the "It's Thinking" campaign of 15-second television commercials, which emphasized the Dreamcast's hardware power.<ref name="gamasutra1"/><ref name="Dreamcast memorial">{{cite web |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |date=September 3, 2009 |title=9.9.99, A Dreamcast Memorial |url=http://www.1up.com/features/9999-dreamcast-memorial |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140201012313/http://www.1up.com/features/9999-dreamcast-memorial |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=December 10, 2016 |website=[[1Up.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=August 26, 1998 |title=Dreamcast: The European View |url=https://ign.com/articles/1998/08/27/dreamcast-the-european-view |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208064810/http://www.ign.com/articles/1998/08/27/dreamcast-the-european-view |archive-date=December 8, 2014 |access-date=December 5, 2014 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> According to Moore: "We needed to create something that would really intrigue consumers, somewhat apologize for the past, but invoke{{sic}} all the things we loved about Sega, primarily from the Genesis days."<ref name="gamasutra1"/> On August 11, Sega of America confirmed that Stolar had been fired, leaving Moore to direct the launch.{{sfn|Kent|2001|pages=564–565}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Sam |date=August 12, 1999 |title=A Post-Bernie Sega Speaks |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-post-bernie-sega-speaks/1100-2460797/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705034437/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-post-bernie-sega-speaks/1100-2460797/ |archive-date=July 5, 2017 |access-date=December 17, 2014 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>

The Dreamcast launched in North America on September 9, 1999, at a price of {{US$|long=no|199}}, which Sega's marketing dubbed "9/9/99 for {{US$|long=no|199}}".<ref name="IGN History of Dreamcast"/>{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=564}}<ref name="Dreamcast memorial"/> Eighteen launch games were available in the US.<ref name="Dreamcast memorial"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=September 9, 2008 |title=IGN Classics: Dreamcast Launch Guide |url=https://ign.com/articles/2008/09/09/ign-classics-dreamcast-launch-guide |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030003140/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/09/ign-classics-dreamcast-launch-guide |archive-date=October 30, 2014 |access-date=October 29, 2014 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Kato |first=Matthew |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/10/30/which-game-console-had-the-best-launch-lineup.aspx?PostPageIndex=4 |title=Which Game Console Had The Best Launch Lineup? |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |page=4 |date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=November 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230142031/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/10/30/which-game-console-had-the-best-launch-lineup.aspx?PostPageIndex=4 |archive-date=December 30, 2014}}</ref> Sega set a new sales record by selling more than 225,132 Dreamcast units in 24 hours, earning {{US$|long=no|98.4 million}} in what Moore called "the biggest 24 hours in entertainment retail history".<ref name="gamasutra1"/> Within two weeks, US Dreamcast sales exceeded 500,000 units.<ref name="gamasutra1"/> By Christmas, Sega held 31 percent of the North American video game market share.<ref name="businessweek.com">{{cite magazine |author=Edwards, Cliff |date=December 18, 2000 |title=Sega vs. Sony: Pow! Biff! Whack! |url=http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_51/b3712200.htm |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Bloomberg Businessweek|BusinessWeek]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203025342/http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_51/b3712200.htm |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> Significant launch games included ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'', the arcade [[fighting game]] ''[[Soulcalibur (video game)|Soulcalibur]]'', and [[Visual Concepts]]' football simulation ''[[NFL 2K (video game)|NFL 2K]]''.<ref name="gamasutra1"/>{{sfn|Kent|2001|page=565}} On November 4, Sega announced it had sold over one million Dreamcast units in North America.<ref name="BBC"/> The launch was marred by a glitch at one of Sega's manufacturing plants, which produced defective GD-ROMs.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 10, 1999 |title=Defective Dreamcast GD-ROMs |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/defective-dreamcast-gd-roms/1100-2460952/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401191004/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/defective-dreamcast-gd-roms/1100-2460952/ |archive-date=April 1, 2015 |access-date=December 9, 2014 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
Sega released the Dreamcast in Europe on October 14, 1999,<ref name="BBC"/> at a price of £200.<ref name="RetroinspectionD"/> By November 24, 400,000 consoles had been sold in Europe.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |date=November 24, 1999 |title=Dreamcast beats PlayStation record |work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/534957.stm |url-status=live |access-date=October 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016054015/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/534957.stm |archive-date=October 16, 2013}}</ref> By Christmas of 1999, Sega of Europe had sold 500,000 units, six months ahead of schedule.<ref name="RetroinspectionD"/> The price was dropped to £149.99 from September 8, 2000, with sales at around 800,000 in Europe at this point.<ref name=":3" /> Announcing the drop, Jean-François Cecillon, CEO of Sega Europe, commented: "There are 'X' amount of core gamers in Europe; the early adopters. We have reached 80 or 90 per cent of them now and the market is screaming for a price reduction. We have to acknowledge these things and go with the market".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=September 7, 2000 |title=The price is right! Dreamcast now officially available for less than £150 |magazine=[[Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK)]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |issue=12 |pages=25}}</ref> Sales did not continue at this pace, and by October 2000, Sega had sold only about one million units in Europe.<ref name="Dreamarena">{{cite web |author=Gestalt |date=October 17, 2000 |title=Dreamcast - thanks a million |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_29487 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022142729/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_29487 |archive-date=October 22, 2014 |access-date=October 16, 2014 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |quote=}}</ref> As part of Sega's promotions of the Dreamcast in Europe, it sponsored four European [[Association football|football]] clubs: [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] (England),<ref>{{cite news |date=April 22, 1999 |title=Sonic signs for Gunners |work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/326010.stm |access-date=July 19, 2007 |archive-date=September 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911091622/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/326010.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]] (France),<ref>{{cite web |date=June 15, 1999 |title=SEGA EUROPE strikes third major European sponsorship deal with A.S. SAINT-ETIENNE |url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=50451 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608192940/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=50451 |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2007 |website=PRnewswire.co.uk |publisher=}}</ref> [[U.C. Sampdoria|Sampdoria]] (Italy),<ref>{{cite web |date=June 11, 1999 |title=SEGA EUROPE strikes sponsorship deal with U.C. SAMPDORIA |url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=31106 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608192952/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=31106 |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2007 |website=PRnewswire.co.uk |publisher=}}</ref> and [[Deportivo de La Coruña]] (Spain).<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=September 1, 2000 |title=SEGA announce new price for Dreamcast |url=http://www.sega.co.jp/corp/release/2000/0901_4/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819220634/http://www.sega.co.jp/corp/release/2000/0901_4/ |archive-date=August 19, 2012 |access-date=July 19, 2007 |publisher=[[Sega]]}}</ref>

==== Australia and New Zealand ====
Through the regional distributor [[Ozisoft]], the Dreamcast went on sale in Australia and New Zealand on November 30, 1999, at a price of {{A$|499|link=yes}}.<ref name="Telstra-SMH">{{cite news |last1=Crawford |first1=Kate |title=Sega's dream cast for Telstra |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119733986/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=November 2, 1999 |page=31 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195158/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119733986/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The launch was planned for September, but was delayed due to problems with Internet compatibility and launch game availability, then delayed again from the revised date of October 25 for various reasons.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |date=August 2, 1999 |title=Dreamcast Delays Down Under |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/03/dreamcast-delays-down-under |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200239/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/03/dreamcast-delays-down-under |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Norsa |first1=Gerard |date=August 25, 1999 |title=Dreamcast labelled as no new games wizard |work=[[IDG Communications|ARN]] |publisher= |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/47613/dreamcast_labelled_no_new_games_wizard/ |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195153/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/47613/dreamcast_labelled_no_new_games_wizard/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|Representatives from Ozisoft had different answers for the delay from October 25; one responded to ''[[IGN]]'' stating that they were awaiting approval from [[Telecom New Zealand]] for both the console and the Internet access disc.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |title=More On The Dreamcast Delay In Australia And New Zealand |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/23/more-on-the-dreamcast-delay-in-australia-and-new-zealand |access-date=June 15, 2021 |work=IGN |date=October 22, 1999 |language=en |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201038/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/23/more-on-the-dreamcast-delay-in-australia-and-new-zealand |url-status=live }}</ref> Another said, via ''ARN'', that the delay was caused by high demand for international shipping along with chip manufacturing problems resulting from the [[1999 Jiji earthquake|then-recent earthquake in Taiwan]]; he also noted that Sega reallocated 50,000 Dreamcast units meant for the November 30 launch out of Australia due to heavy demand elsewhere.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Norsa |first1=Gerard |title=Dreamcast delayed as retailers buy up |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/101747/dreamcast_delayed_retailers_buy_up/ |access-date=June 15, 2021 |work=ARN |publisher=IDG Communications |date=November 3, 1999 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195742/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/101747/dreamcast_delayed_retailers_buy_up/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}} There were severe problems at launch; besides a severe shortage of the consoles, only six of the thirty planned launch games were available for purchase on day one with no [[first-party software]] included, and additional peripherals were not available in stores.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |date=November 30, 1999 |title=Dreamcast Hits Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/01/dreamcast-hits-australia |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200117/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/01/dreamcast-hits-australia |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Ozisoft representative Steve O'Leary, in a statement released the day of launch, explained that the [[Australian Customs Service]] had impounded virtually all the supplied launch software, including demo discs, due to insufficient labeling of their [[country of origin]]; Ozisoft had received them only two days before launch, resulting in few games that were catalogued and prepared for shipment in time. O'Leary also said that the Dreamcast's high demand in other markets had reduced the number of peripherals allotted to the region.<ref name="Ozisoft launch explanation - IGN">{{cite news |last1=Langan |first1=Matthew |date=December 1, 1999 |title=Update On Dreamcast Launch In Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/02/update-on-dreamcast-launch-in-australia |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195719/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/02/update-on-dreamcast-launch-in-australia |url-status=live }}</ref> Further complicating matters was the lack of an internet disc due to localization problems, and delays in securing an ISP contract, which was done through [[Telstra]] the day before launch. The online component was not ready until March 2000, at which point Ozisoft sent the necessary software to users who had sent in a filled-out [[reply paid]] card included with the console.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schouten |first1=Ryoni |date=March 23, 2000 |title=DC Internet Finally Hits Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/24/dc-internet-finally-hits-australia |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195619/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/24/dc-internet-finally-hits-australia |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Australia launch - Edge">{{Cite magazine |date=January 2000 |title=Dreamcast blunders down under |url= |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |location= |publisher= |issue=80 |page=7 |issn= |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 16, 2000 |title=Big Pond casts net dreams |language=en-AU |work=[[PC World]] |publisher= |url=https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/105542/big_pond_casts_net_dreams/ |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624215842/https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/105542/big_pond_casts_net_dreams/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The poor launch, combined with a lack of advertising and a high price point, produced lackluster sales in Australia; two large retail chains reported a combined total of 13 console sales over the first few days after launch.<ref name="Australia launch - Edge" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Cameron |date=April 27, 2000 |title=Dreamcast's Dismal Aussie Outing |work=[[GameSpot]] |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dreamcasts-dismal-aussie-outing/1100-2460893/ |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195151/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dreamcasts-dismal-aussie-outing/1100-2460893/ |url-status=live }}</ref>