Sega has suggested that the high costs caused by the pandemic prevent it from producing a Dreamcast or Saturn mini console.
Speaking to Famitsu, Sega’s classic hardware producer Yosuke Okunari said he had considered producing mini versions of classic consoles, but said the cost of producing parts for a Dreamcast or Saturn would be prohibitive.
Sega’s latest mini-console, the Mega Drive Mini 2, was announced earlier this week.
“Some of you may say‘ this isn’t a Sega Saturn Mini ’or‘ I wanted a Dreamcast mini ’, it’s not that we don’t think in that direction,” Okunari said of the new Mega Drive console.
Mega Drive Mini 2 trailer
“The development of new boards has stalled due to Coronavirus and of course it would be a pretty expensive product in terms of cost.”
Dreamcast was Sega’s latest home console, marking the end of the Japanese company’s nearly 20-year stay in the console hardware market.
However, despite its short lifespan, the console produced many critically acclaimed game franchises, including Shenmue, Soul Calibur, Phantasy Star Online, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Rez.
The console enjoyed a strong launch in North America with the support of a major marketing campaign, but eventually sales declined as Sony’s PlayStation 2 hit the market.
The Mega Drive Mini 2 will include 50 Mega Drive and Mega CD titles, including arcade ports and what Sega describes as a “mysterious new job.”
The Mega Drive Mini 2 will be launched in Japan on October 27 and will cost 9. 9,980 ($ 75). Sega has not yet confirmed a Western release.
The first Mega Drive Mini was launched in 2019 and included 42 games, with different libraries by region. It included new ports of Darius and Tetris, which had never been released before.