???? – 1996retired
32X
“Project Mars never quite landed, but it gave the Genesis a brave, brief boost.”
“Product of the Year 1993, gone by 1996 — even Time can't save you from a price tag.”
The 3DO was a 32-bit video gaming hardware format conceived by EA founder Trip Hawkins and designed by Dave Needle and RJ Mical, licensed out to multiple manufacturers. Panasonic launched the first Interactive Multiplayer models in 1993, with versions following from GoldStar, Sanyo, Creative Labs, and Samsung. It arrived with genuine fanfare, even being named Time magazine's 1993 Product of the Year.
But a high price next to rivals, a crowded console market, and mixed reviews kept it from matching Sega and Sony, and by 1996 it was discontinued. The company sold its Opera hardware to Samsung in 1997, a year after handing the M2 successor to Panasonic. A bold open-licensing dream, retired before it ever really got to play.
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“Project Mars never quite landed, but it gave the Genesis a brave, brief boost.”
“The first 64-bit system, if you were willing to meet it halfway”
“One console to rule movies, music, and games — provided you could afford the modules.”