SEGA Dreamcast

The Dreamcast is the final home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1998, and worldwide in late 1999. It succeeded the Sega Saturn and was the first sixth-generation console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoft's Xbox. A team led by Hideki Sato began developing the Dreamcast in 1997. In contrast to the expensive hardware of the unsuccessful Saturn, the Dreamcast was designed to reduce costs with off-the-shelf components, including a Hitachi SH-4 CPU and an NEC PowerVR2 GPU. The Dreamcast shared hardware with Sega's NAOMI system board, enabling authentic arcade game conversions. Sega used the GD-ROM disc format to avoid the expense of DVD licensing. Developers could use a custom version of Windows CE for easier PC game porting. The Dreamcast was the first console to include a built-in modular modem for internet access and online play.