Sega is working on a retro Genesis console

By Eric Brackett Published April 15, 2018

It’s looking like Nintendo will have some competition in the retro gaming space, as Sega of Japan has announced a mini Sega Genesis, aka Mega Drive Mini. Knockoff versions of Sega’s retro consoles are easy enough to find online and in used game shops, but this is the first time Sega has produced any gaming hardware since the days of the Dreamcast. This move was likely inspired by the success of Nintendo’s own line of retro gaming consoles.

「メガドライブ」誕生30周年記念！
『メガドライブミニ』（仮称）2018年発売決定！

思い出の名作ゲームの数々が、これ1台で楽しめます！#セガフェス #メガドライブ #メガドライブ30周年 https://t.co/HWj6NFL96y pic.twitter.com/0C9QH1l5Mr

— セガ公式アカウント🦔 (@SEGA_OFFICIAL) April 14, 2018

While Sega has confirmed that the retro console is in the works, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. One of the biggest concerns will be the format. Nintendo’s retro consoles are essentially well-made emulator boxes that come pre-installed with a handful of games. Our reviews found that both the NES and SNES Classics were well-made machines that did a great job of running their lineup of classic games.

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Based on the image in the tweet, the console looks a bit too small to accept classic Genesis cartridges. It’s possible that Sega is still finalizing the design, so you shouldn’t rule out a machine that plays old carts. Based on the current evidence, however, that doesn’t seem too likely. While a cartridge-based system would be more flexible than an emulator, it is also a lot more difficult to use, since old Genesis games can be a pain to find.

The best bet might be to create a hybrid model which features a list of pre-installed games with the option to play old cartridges or simply download new titles. This would give the retro Genesis a degree of flexibility that Nintendo’s own offerings lack.

Hopefully, the hardware quality will be as good as Nintendo’s, because there are a lot of poorly made Genesis clones out there. They either run games poorly or simply look and feel cheap. Nintendo’s own offerings, by contrast, run their lineup flawlessly and are well-made.

Beyond the fact that it does exist, we still don’t know too much about the new console though we do have some information. AtGames, which made a previous version of this console, did tweet that the product was in the works and would be coming to western markets. However, both the tweet and the Facebook post have since been deleted. It is possible that Sega did not want AtGames leaking the details too early.

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Gaming

The Atari 2600+ is a retro console blueprint that everyone should follow

An Atari 2600+ sits on a table.

I can still remember every detail of my years spent playing my mom’s hand-me-down Atari 2600 as a kid. I had the system set up on an old CRT TV in the corner of my bedroom. On weekends, I’d sit down on my soft blue carpet and crack open my mom’s dusty old cartridge case. I can feel the sensation of forcing a chunky game into the console’s slot until it clicks into place. I remember what it felt like to run my fingers on top of the console’s textured plastic design or to fight against the resistance in the system’s tight joystick. Sure, I still have strong memories of playing Pac-Man or Space Invaders, but I just as strongly recall the exact distance I was positioned from my screen, sitting in the same cross-legged position.

While companies love to rerelease the games we love, few of them have found ways to preserve the physical act of actually playing those games. Devices like the NES Classic are cute novelties that recreate the look of their old counterparts, but they fall short when it comes to honoring the rituals that formed around the system. Clicking a cartridge into place and blowing on it to try and get it to work is as much a part of Super Mario Bros. as the platforming.

Gaming

This new retro console will let you play Nintendo 64 games in 4K

Controller port on the Nintendo 64.

The Analogue 3D is a new piece of hardware that will be able to play Nintendo 64 games in 4K. It's scheduled to launch sometime in 2024.
The Analogue 3D is being made by the same company that made the Analogue Pocket, an aftermarket gaming handheld that could natively play cartridges from retro gaming handhelds. The Analogue 3D will do the same for Nintendo 64 cartridges, allowing people to place the Nintendo 64 games they own in it to play them at up to a 4K resolution without the need for emulation. It will also have "original display modes" that target the look specific cathode-ray tubes would have given.
The website for the Analogue 3D reveals a bit more information and confirms that it will have its own OS and wireless Bluetooth support. A controller for the Analogue 3D is also teased on the website, although the console will have "original-style controller ports" that will presumably let people plug their own Nintendo 64 controllers in. Analogue also promises compatibility with cartridges from every region, so those who manage to pick one up don't have to worry about anything being region-locked, unlike with an actual Nintendo 64.
Although the Analogue Pocket eventually got support for handhelds like the Game Gear and Atari Lynx, it seems like the Analogue 3D will only be compatible with Nintendo 64 games for the time being. Its design has not been fully unveiled yet either, with an image only showing one side of the console.
The Analogue 3D is not available for preorder yet, although it does have a 2024 release window.

Gaming

Sega of America workers vote to create biggest game industry union yet

sega of america unionization vote sonic

The workers at Sega are the latest game developers to embrace unionization, as employees at Sega of America have just voted to unionize.
We first learned that workers at Sega of America wanted to unionize in April to improve their pay, benefits, and work hours, per Axios. A group of employees from departments like marketing, localization, testing, and product development began working with the Nation Labor Relations Board and Communication Workers of America to unionize then. Sega of America management decided to voluntarily recognize the group, so the decision for unionization went to a vote.
Two hundred Sega of America workers were eligible to vote. According to Kotaku, 91 voted yes, 26 voted no, three ballots were voided, and 19 ballots were challenged. Still, that's enough for the vote to pass in favor of the formation of the union.
"Our 200+ member union is now the largest multi-department union of organized workers in the entire gaming industry," the union stated on Twitter following the vote. "So excited to celebrate this win & head to the bargaining table w/ Sega to continue building this company we love." It went on the thank various game unionization efforts that came before it at companies like Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax Media before stating, "We can't wait to see more workers join us in unionizing their workplace -- together, we can ensure EVERY worker wins their fair share!"
This Sega of America union is the latest success in an industry where unionization efforts have become a lot more common. Although Sega of America's union might just simply seem like the latest of many, its success at that larger scale indicates the potential of unionization to take hold of game companies of all sizes.