>>11673870
>Why didn't more people buy the Dreamcast?
I think there are a few reasons but one big one has to be the mid gen launch. Saturn and PS1 launched in 94/95 and N64 in 96 but most new console sales aren't in the first year or two, that is when the console is both the most expensive and has the least amount of games. Looking at sales data for 1997 to 1999 for the PS1 and N64 looks like this.
>1997 [PS1: 18.2 million / N64: 9.5 million]
>1998 [PS1: 22.5 million / N64: 7.8 million]
>1999 [PS1: 21.1 million / N64: 6.5 million]
Your new console with very few games launches at the end of 1998 in Japan and the end of 1999 in North America and let me ask you this, who is your customer? Hardcore Gamers or Sega fans? At least the ones not feeling put off by Sega pulling the rug on their last expensive console. Okay, sure but that is not the market that makes the money, normies is. Look back at those sales numbers above, they all just bought their console that is gonna last them 3 years at least.
Putting aside all the people who bought a console, whose left. Those that bought early and have had their 5th gen machine for a few years might bite but with Sega's reputation and PS2 around the corner? Those who haven't bought a console and are looking to buy, do they get the one with a handful of games and better graphics or the one with hundreds of games on the shelf that costs $50-100 less.
Despite saying all that the reason Dreamcast's Jan 2001 death feels so sudden after 2 years on the Japan market and 1 year on the US market is that it felt like it was taking off. The PS2 might have just launched and had better graphics and a DVD player but Dreamcast had the rapidly growing library, the lower price and rising sales. Unlike the Saturn which started okay with public opinion shifting later, Dreamcast started off cagey but confidence in it grew... however, Sega was in such debt that there was no way they could support a console that didn't have overwhelming sales dominance.

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Why didn't more people buy the Dreamcast?