The Dreamcast celebrates its 22nd Anniversary today in the west! Although the console released on November 27th 1998, western players didn’t get it until the following year on September 9th 1999. The Dreamcast’s time in the market was short but in that time, players enjoyed the beginning of online console gaming and a plethora of arcade games. Players dived into Phantasy Star Online for the first time which remains an active IP for SEGA at this time with Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. For fighting game fans, the Dreamcast features an incredible lineup featuring games like Capcom vs SNK, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Marvel vs Capcom 2. SEGA bolstered the Dreamcast’s lineup with genre-defining titles such as Shenmue, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi and much more. Even 2K finds their roots with the Dreamcast as an original sports game developer for the platform.
It’s safe to say that the Dreamcast is one of the most influential consoles to release even though its time was cut short. The Dreamcast’s online brought a glimpse of what was to come in the current era of gaming. The US launch also became one of the biggest in retail history at the time. Many fans were eager to try out Soul Calibur and Sonic Adventure! Peter Moore recalls his time at SEGA during the launch:
22 years ago today,on 9/9/99,the @SEGA Dreamcast was launched in NA,ushering in what millions now take for granted…online console gaming.Somehow we got games to run via a 56k dial-up modem, and generated the biggest 24 hrs in US retail entertainment sales history! pic.twitter.com/QGuft64pnJ
— Peter Moore (@PeterMooreLFC) September 9, 2021
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