Press release: 2000-01-11: Sega Dreamcast Reaches 1.5 Million Units Sold Mark in North America

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: The Free Library

Sega Dreamcast Reaches 1.5 Million Units Sold Mark in North America; Holiday Sales Far Exceed Expectations; More Than 500,000 Sega Dreamcast Videogame Systems Sold in Just 30 Days

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2000

During the last month of 1999, 10 were sold every minute on average in North America. Those remarkably strong sales numbers made the new 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast(TM) easily one of the most-popular and highly-desired items at retail this holiday season, and rocketed the videogame system to a new sales landmark.

Sega(R) of America, Inc. announced today that as of December 31, 1999 Sega Dreamcast, the most-advanced videogame system ever created, had reached a sell-through milestone of more than 1.5 million units in North America since its launch on September 9, 1999. At year's end, Sega Dreamcast had sold through an impressive 1,550,000 units. The system officially hit the 1.5 million mark on December 24, 1999. This significant figure comes three months ahead of corporate predictions and just 30 days after the company announced sales had reached the one million units sold mark.

In addition to booming hardware sales in North America throughout the holiday season, software sold at an accelerated pace. During the holiday shopping months, Sega Dreamcast software sold at a 3:1 software to hardware sales tie ratio that is expected to continue throughout the year 2000. This new statistic, which states that for every console purchased the typical consumer also buys three games, increases the average sale transaction to an impressive $325. The most popular Sega titles during the holidays were the hot-selling "Sega Sports(TM) NBA 2K," "Sega Sports(TM) NFL 2K" and "Sonic Adventure(TM)."

According to Pete Roithmayer, vice president, Video Games Division, Electronics Boutique, "Sega Dreamcast was definitely one of the hot products in our stores this holiday season. It flew off the shelves. As soon as we restocked them, we had to order more."

"When we first launched Sega Dreamcast, we were confident that it was the best console ever to hit the market," says Chris Gilbert, senior vice president of sales, Sega of America. "Now with the success of the holiday shopping season, it's apparent that mass market consumers agree. By selling an additional 500,000 consoles in a month, the Sega Dreamcast install base has reached the one and a half million units mark; that is a true testament to the quality and longevity of this product."

Sega Dreamcast launched a little less than four months ago with 19 games, and currently has more than 40 games available in its title library. Throughout December, Sega Dreamcast titles such as "Sega Sports(TM) NFL 2K," "Sonic Adventure(TM)," "Sega Bass Fishing(TM)," "Toy Commander(TM)" and "Sega Sports NBA 2K" were holiday hits. Third-party titles currently in the works will bring the total Sega Dreamcast game library count to more than 160 in the year 2000.

Sega Dreamcast, which retails for $199, is available at major retail outlets around the nation, including Ames, Babbage's, Best Buy, BJ's, Boscov's, Bradlee's, CompUSA, Electronics Boutique, Funcoland, FAO Schwartz, Fry's, J&R, KB Toys, Software Etc., The Wiz, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, as well as online shopping destinations, such as sega.com, amazon.com, ebworld.com, etoys.com, kbkids.com and toysrus.com.

About Sega Dreamcast

Sega Dreamcast is available in the US with a built in 56K modem, allowing for full Internet functionality through the Sega Dreamcast Network, including chat, e-mail, web browsing and online gaming. Content for the Sega Dreamcast Network is provided by Sega, Excite@Home and IGN. The system's preferred Internet service provider is AT&T WorldNet(R) Services, the quickest and easiest way to go online.

Sega Dreamcast's advanced 128-bit architecture makes it the first console with evolutionary capabilities, allowing it to grow and change to match advances in technology and the needs and desires of the consumer. Sega Dreamcast is also the most powerful video game console ever created. It is 15 times more powerful than a Sony PlayStation(TM), ten times more powerful than a Nintendo(R) 64 and has four times the graphics processing power of the fastest Pentium II processor.

In the first 24 hours of availability, Sega Dreamcast netted over $97 million at retail, more than tripling the past entertainment industry record set by Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at $28 million on its first day. In its initial four days, Sega sold a total of 372,000 Sega Dreamcast systems, easily surpassing the previous industry record holder, Nintendo 64, which took six days to hit 350,000 when it launched in 1996.

About Sega

Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas. Sega Enterprises, Ltd. is a nearly $2.5 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, and is the only company that offers interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at www.sega.com.

Note to Editors: Images of Sega Dreamcast and Sega Dreamcast games are available at ftp://ftp.accesspr.com/public/Sega.
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