Anniversary Sega Saturn, The Most Successful Console "Flop" Of All Time, Turns 30 Today

History has done Saturn dirty

by Damien McFerran 9:45am

Anniversary: Sega Saturn, The Most Successful Console "Flop" Of All Time, Is 30 Today 1 — *Image: Damien McFerran / Time Extension*

The Sega Saturn turns 30 today. It launched on November 22nd, 1994, in Japan, with the Western release following in 1995.

Designed to build on the amazing global success of the 16-bit Genesis / Mega Drive, Saturn found itself thrust into a battle with newcomer Sony, which launched its PlayStation console on December 3rd. Both machines were greeted with lengthy queues in Japan, and initially, Saturn actually seemed to be in the lead – thanks mainly to the fact it was the only console you could play Virtua Fighter on.

However, as the months rolled by, it became clear that Sony's 32-bit console was gaining the advantage. Saturn's Western launch was hamstrung by the fact that it was $100 more expensive than PlayStation in North America, and it arguably never quite got the support it needed outside of Japan. Publishers and developers instead flocked to Sony's console in droves, propelling it to a staggering 102.49 million lifetime sales compared to Saturn's 9.26 million.

This has led to the system being branded a flop by many gaming historians – and, given that it sold less than a tenth of PlayStation's total, you could argue that they have a point.

However, as any self-respecting Sega fan will tell you, history has done Saturn dirty. The console got far better software support in its homeland, with companies like Capcom and SNK porting almost all of their major arcade titles to the format – often in a form that was far superior to what was released on PlayStation due to Saturn's 2D talents.

In the West, Saturn quickly gained a reputation as the hardcore gamer's console of choice thanks to its steady stream of exotic Japanese imports. It also became popular with shmup fans due to a wealth of excellent coin-op ports and original releases, with Radiant Silvergun perhaps being the most famous example.

Despite being branded a commercial disappointment, Saturn is perhaps one of the most rewarding consoles to own; it has a library of excellent exclusive titles and ports of some of Sega's most significant arcade releases. Plus, for fighting game fans, it has the perfect combination of amazing, arcade-perfect conversions (aided by special RAM carts) and arguably the best controller for one-on-one fighters games ever made.

If Saturn is a "failure" then it has to rank as one of the most triumphant flops in gaming history.

Damien has been writing professionally about tech and video games since 2007 and oversees all of Hookshot Media's sites from an editorial perspective. He's also the editor of Time Extension, the network's newest site, which – paradoxically – is all about gaming's past glories.

1
jimmytodgers
10:11am

Sega just couldn’t read the room.

We were playing iteratively derivative versions of scrolling 2d games over 80s/90s and wanted 3d games sans the arcade trappings. Not a big surprise Saturn failed.

2
RetroGames
10:59am

It didn't flop; it just came in last place in that generation in terms of sales.

3
FourBs
11:01am

Crazy how the Saturn is such a vastly different beast when it comes to its Japanese library of games versus what was released here in the UK .

4
KitsuneNight
11:14am

I would argue that the Dreamcast is the most succesfull "flop".
However the Saturn holds a special place in my heart, and I have an inordinate amount of appreciation for the console.

Its best games sadly stayed in Japan.
I doubt it would have turned the tide against the ps1 but with those games localized the Saturn could have made afar better showing of it.

But it is what it is.

I stil have copies of the UK Saturn Magazine and the latter issues are equal parts sad as the Saturn dies a slow death, and impressive .
Because the magazine appeared to keep to want to keep the Saturn afloat by sheer force of will and import reviews and recommendations.

And if the Saturn was a failure its only a failure commercially, any other way it has where it counts.

Push back against the historical narrative ?
Yes.

5
gb_nes_gamer
12:12pm

The more I read about the Saturn on this site, the more I’d like Saturn mini. There’s already been a Play Station mini so it should be feasible.
With third party support and bonus games on previous mini releases there would be some good possibilities.
Maybe Silent Hill 1 with improved visuals that would have been possible with the RAM expansions. Not sure if Silent Hill made it to Saturn during its run.

@KitsuneNight I think you're absolutely right. The Saturn has some great games in its library, but those games are of their time or even before, which is probably why we as retro gamers like the machine so much. As someone who was around at the time of its relevance, though, we wanted 3D and the PS1 and N64 were a lot better for that.

7
RetroGames
12:56pm

Mind you, it did sell even less than the Wii U, and most people consider that a flop. So there's that.

Also, now that I think about it, and going by the conditions of the article, the Wii U might actually be the most successful console "Flop" of all time".

8
Starless
12:57pm

It wasn't a flop in Japan... but it still wasn't enough to cover for Sega's losses. Their real moneymakers were overseas.

In fact, the overseas failure of the Saturn caused then-CEO Isao Okawa to call for Sega to stop making consoles. It didn't work, obviously, but you have to wonder... instead of "what if the Dreamcast won", what would've happened if Sega never made the Dreamcast?

@Starless

Then the Saturn would probably have more Japan only games and be even higher regarded.
But the Dreamcast had to be made, Sega was bleeding money the Saturn was dead in the west.
They were between a rock and hard place.

The Dreamcast was a hail mary and it failed.
While the Saturn was a victim of the struggle for control between Sega of Japan and America.

And the failure of the Sega CD, the 32X, and the cancellation of those machines and the Megadrive in 1996, despite the assurance they wouldn't a few months earlier, to focus on the Saturn.

All that combined with the surprise launch of the Saturn in 1995 with a disastrous launch line up that looked terrible ( but played well )
Scruffy 3D
Hard to develop for,
And most of its best games staying in Japan.
Mediocre PR, and the ps1 and N64 running roughshod over the Saturn.

All that and more buried the machine.

@CocktailCabinet

Oh for sure .
The Saturn was difficult to work with and its 3D looks scruffy at best when anybody other then Sega developed for it

Though that scruffiness has a certain amount of charm

@gb_nes_gamer
It didnt.
The Dreamcast was out in Japan in 1998. the Saturn was on life support in Japan by 1999.
It's last game was released in 2000
Most big name sequels go cancelled for the Saturn
No Tomb Raider 2 or Resi 2 for example.
Just the originals

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