Which "failed" console did you want to succeed?
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Onironauta
Member
PS3 was more popular than Xbox 360 in Europe and it sold at least 10 million units more
360 definitely won in the US, but America is not the whole world
CliffBronger
Member
FM Towns
That think looked awesome back in the day but never got a release outside of Japan.
That think looked awesome back in the day but never got a release outside of Japan.
REDRZA MWS
Member
Personally I don't feel or think Dreamcast, Tiurbogrfx16 , Xbox Ons, nor Dreamcast were failures. I personally enjoyed them all and have fond memories and long play time sessions. On all.
I voted Atari Jaguar, because at the time I was really rooting for Atari (my first console was the 2600), but that's the only time I felt real disappointment.
I voted Atari Jaguar, because at the time I was really rooting for Atari (my first console was the 2600), but that's the only time I felt real disappointment.
Trunx81
Member
Although Dreamcast is the obvious answer (runner up: Vita), I voted for the 3DO.
The concept of a console that´s free to develop for, paying the third party publishers, was quite innovative, although it failed due to the high hardware prices (and would have been a shovelware nightmare).
The concept of a console that´s free to develop for, paying the third party publishers, was quite innovative, although it failed due to the high hardware prices (and would have been a shovelware nightmare).
Jubenhimer
Member
The thing with the Switch was that it set out to fill a need and a market the other two consoles weren't catering to. It offered something substantially different from other gaming platforms, and that's what made it a success.
Compare that to the GameCube where at the end of the day, it didn't deliver anything the PS2 or Xbox couldn't already deliver just as well, or better. That ultimately was it's downfall.
Lucifers Beard
Member
The Dreamcast died a bit too early in my experience. I'd have liked to have seen it go a few more years as the games that were coming out for it were awesome. It was the first console I had where I felt like I had a proper arcade machine at home.
nkarafo
Member
Dreamcast feels like the right answer but i voted for the Neo-Geo console.
My reasoning is that the Dreamcast is just a "standard" console that got replaced by others that did the same thing. Basically, the XBOX filled that spot and Sega did release their games in other consoles so we didn't really lose them.
But the Neo-Geo was unique in that it was a "specialized" system that pushed state of the art 2D sprite based games specifically. If the console was a success, like it was on the arcades, there would most likely be a successor and who knows how high budget 2D sprite games would evolve and how 2D games in general would be when 3D took over.
My reasoning is that the Dreamcast is just a "standard" console that got replaced by others that did the same thing. Basically, the XBOX filled that spot and Sega did release their games in other consoles so we didn't really lose them.
But the Neo-Geo was unique in that it was a "specialized" system that pushed state of the art 2D sprite based games specifically. If the console was a success, like it was on the arcades, there would most likely be a successor and who knows how high budget 2D sprite games would evolve and how 2D games in general would be when 3D took over.
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RAIDEN1
Member
3DO and M2 it is a tie on that one, both had good enough technology to compete and even out-do the competition (ie the Jag/32x/CD32) but for the 3DO it never really stood a chance at the price point that it was at...and Panasonic's decision with the M2 has to be one of the BIGGEST missteps in gaming history...
I picked Google Stadia.
I think there is definitely a world where Stadia could have been an amazing product if they had the right business structure and intentions in mind.
A world where Stadia had its own PC storefront where you were given native ownership over the games while also being able to connect to their servers to remote play your game on any device at anytime and the save files just worked is a world where gaming would've benefitted.
Microsoft is trying to make this a reality but they keep fucking up the product and the rollout of features is so incredibly slow. Valve could do this but they seem to not give a shit.
I think there is definitely a world where Stadia could have been an amazing product if they had the right business structure and intentions in mind.
A world where Stadia had its own PC storefront where you were given native ownership over the games while also being able to connect to their servers to remote play your game on any device at anytime and the save files just worked is a world where gaming would've benefitted.
Microsoft is trying to make this a reality but they keep fucking up the product and the rollout of features is so incredibly slow. Valve could do this but they seem to not give a shit.
I went with the Panasonic/3DO M2, from the tech demos it was a very powerful system for 1997 and would have given a much needed graphics boost, think more detailed N64 game but with the advantages of CD-ROM. Dreamcast deserved to do well but sadly it was a console trapped between two generations and I think third parties would have struggled to port their games to the aging Dreamcast by the time the sixth generation games were hitting their stride. Even the GameCube struggled due to its small disc format and it's controller lacking proper shoulder buttons.
Not sure how Xbox One was a failure? I understand it failed to sell as many units as its predecessor but still sold moderately well. I guess the Wii U would count from a sales perspective but I believe Nintendo made an overall profit on that system.
Not sure how Xbox One was a failure? I understand it failed to sell as many units as its predecessor but still sold moderately well. I guess the Wii U would count from a sales perspective but I believe Nintendo made an overall profit on that system.
MacReady13
Member
Let's not forget the monumental fuck up with the memory cards. Vita was awesome but the fact you had to get specific memory cards was completely crazy and tanked the Vita.
Futaleufu
Member
Mainstream audiences in the late 90s didnt want 2D games. The succesor was the Hyper Neo Geo 64 but, like all the 3D hardware at the time, it was obsolete in 2 years.
NeoGeo Pocket could have lived longer but the first thing Aruze did when they took over was discontinuing the system.
The NeoGeo itself lasted 15 years and outlived every system of its era. Hard to call it a failure.
The real "winner" here is the Dreamcast, which had a lot of potential and could have been supported until the mid 2000s.
snapdragon
Member
we all know what the CORRECT answer is but im actually going to say the gamecube, that was the last time nintendo ever used current gen hardware and tried to directly compete with sony, had the gamecube been an n64 level success than nintendo would continue on making more mainstream consoles that would have both solid third party support, multiplatform ports as well as nintendos excellent first party titles
Freelance Yakuza
Member
Dreamcast: amazing tech, amazing games.
MrCunningham
Member
I am not really sure if the AES is a failed console by any metric. Yeah, it didn't sell a lot of units. But it was never intended too. It was always a specialty item aimed at a very specific audience. Pretty sure the last carts released were like Metal Slug 5 and Samurai Showdown V in 2004. The AES had a 14 year run from 1990 to 2004 overall.
The Neo-Geo CD, which was a cost reduced Neo-Geo had a much shorter lifespan from 1994 to 1999. Which is still not bad, given that a large chunk of the AES library was ported to the system.
The Neo-Geo Pocket also had a short run. But then again, it was competing against the Game Boy Color.
The Neo-Geo CD, which was a cost reduced Neo-Geo had a much shorter lifespan from 1994 to 1999. Which is still not bad, given that a large chunk of the AES library was ported to the system.
The Neo-Geo Pocket also had a short run. But then again, it was competing against the Game Boy Color.
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Midway-AGNC-
Member
Not in the list, but the Sega Saturn.
It's a criminally underrated system with amazing games for all different genres and tastes and many overlooked gems because of the bad rep it got. Sega would probably be still around if it managed to sell decently in the west and the Dreamcast fiasco would probably never happened.
It's a criminally underrated system with amazing games for all different genres and tastes and many overlooked gems because of the bad rep it got. Sega would probably be still around if it managed to sell decently in the west and the Dreamcast fiasco would probably never happened.
Rusty Shackelford
Member
The Dreamcast had the best startup sound.
MrCunningham
Member
The GameCube was a really big 6th gen failure for Nintendo. But it is easy to overlook that one, given how the Wii was essentially a turbo charged GameCube with near perfect backwards compatibility.
Nintendo's biggest failure was the Virtual Boy, which only sold around 750k units worldwide. But the machine itself was seen as too experimental and awkward to really have a long life span. The 32x sold roughly the same numbers as the Virtual Boy.
The Wii-U was also Nintendo's biggest console failure.
It is nice that Nintendo of Japan keeps their worldwide numbers available for anyone to find here:
IR Information : Sales Data - Dedicated Video Game Sales Units
www.nintendo.co.jp
I agree with this. The Saturn was a disaster for Sega outside of Japan. Especially in the North American market, where SOA decided to launch the machine months earlier than expected out of fear of having to compete with the original Playstation. That '299' price announcement at E3 1995 was a literal death blow to the Sega Saturn.
It also didn't help matters that the 32x launched in November 1994 in North America and only made the May 1995 launch of the Saturn an even bigger clusterfuck. Not only were there not enough Saturn units in produced to satisfy retailers, but the ones who did get the Saturn also had to sell it alongside the (still new) 32x. Which only confused customers more.
I do remember when 32x's were being liquidated at prices below $50.00 because of the early Saturn launch. Tom Kalinski really abandoned ship by 1996, and was off to a much more successful platform: The Leapfrog.
Geometric-Crusher
"Nintendo games are like indies, and worth at most $19" 🤡
Fear is not the correct language, in short the Sega Saturn was expensive and Sega knew that it would be necessary to readjust the price, that's why the Saturn was launched earlier so that during this period Sega could create financial reserves (the strategy failed because real demand was too low).
MrCunningham
Member
Sega of America's surprise announcement at E3 1995 (May 12th 1995), where they said that the launch price would be between $399 - $449 USD:
Sony prince announcement:
I don;t know if Sony announced their price first or not. But I am pretty sure that Sega of America knew what Sony was launching at in advance, and it caused them to launch earlier than expected. Maybe they were hoping that they could drop the price down by September 9th to be more competitive. They had a lot of retail problems. yeah, the Playstation price point killed a lot of momentum.
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odhiex
Member
The OUYA could have been a game-changer for indie gaming, but it stumbled out of the gate. The hardware was outdated before launch, the controller felt clunky, and the lack of exclusives made it forgettable. With rapid mobile chip advances, no hardware refresh, and no strong indie partnerships, OUYA never found its identity. With better specs, curated indie hits, and developer-friendly support, it might have become the living room hub for indie games instead of fading away.
bigdad2007
Member
Nintendoland was an awesome showcase of the potential of the Wii U and asymmetrical couch multiplayer.
It is a shame we never really got more.
It is a shame we never really got more.