In March 1994, Sega released the Mega Jet, a portable version of their beloved Genesis (Mega Drive) console to be used on commercial flights. While designed to allow passengers to enjoy playing their favorite Genesis games while in flight, unfortunately, this system never really took off and was eventually discontinued. To understand why this product failed so quickly, let us examine four of its biggest drawbacks.
1. Price
The main reason the Sega Mega Jet failed so miserably was its price point; at Y=30,000 (approximately $300 USD), it was far too costly for most gamers at that time–especially when compared with other portable consoles like Nintendo’s Gameboy which retailed for just 10,000 Yen ($100 USD). As such, many consumers opted for cheaper alternatives rather than spending three times as much on an untested product.
2. Design
A major issue with the Sega Mega Jet was its design. Unlike most game consoles that could be used at home or in arcades, this console was intended for flight. To accommodate this unique use case, several design modifications had to be made: all components had to fit inside a briefcase-style case; two 9-volt batteries needed replacing after every two hours of playtime; additionally, due to FAA regulations, all games could only last 15 minutes each during flight.
3. Limited Availability
Another issue was its limited availability; while other popular consoles were widely available through retail outlets around Japan and beyond, Sega chose to keep production numbers low by restricting sales exclusively through airport stores in Tokyo and Osaka – making it difficult for potential buyers outside those two cities even to get their hands on one. Without exposure, many people were unaware of its existence which further limited sales across Japan as well as overseas markets where it eventually released in 1995 under the rebranded and remodelled “Sega Nomad”, which came with a built-in screen.
4. Insufficient Marketing
Sega failed to adequately market their product outside Japan. While they heavily advertised within their home country, not enough resources were allocated for promotion abroad, leading to few people knowing about its existence outside Asia – especially since home consoles weren’t yet widely accepted worldwide like they are today. This lack of awareness likely played a major role in why the system never really took off beyond Japan’s borders.
Conclusion
The Sega Mega Jet was an ambitious venture from Sega to bring their popular console experience into airplanes, but ultimately failed due to design issues, price, and lack of availability outside Japan. Nevertheless, its failure serves as a sobering reminder that even bold ideas can fail if not properly executed–a lesson we should all keep in mind when creating new products or services today!