The 3DO Hits America and Japan Awaits

Leading up to its North American launch in October 1993, while the 3DO still had problems (including a much-reduced launch line up due to developers getting to grips with the new hardware), excitement was still growing.

Multimedia was the future, as multiple video games and entertainment magazines were loudly screaming from their pages. News programmes were also talking about a future where a set-top box would be the hub of your entertainment set-up: from TV to movies, sports, videogames, and more. As such, 3DO was ideally placed to be at the forefront of this next wave.

However, as the months played down, it became clear that the launch wasn't going to be everything 3DO needed it to be. Because of the hardware and chips being used, the cost of the console was going to come in at an astronomical $700 (although manufacturers could set their own price, which would see a reduction soon after launch).

There was also only one game available, Crash 'n' Burn from Crystal Dynamics. While it wasn't a terrible game, it was in no way an example of the jaw-dropping graphics gamers had been promised in the months leading up to the launch.

However, Trip Hawkins and his partners were nothing if not savvy marketers, and they kept interest in the system piqued over the holiday period. Sneak peaks and trailers of the games to come looked to show 3DO owners they had made the right choice, as did upcoming accessories like the modem and expandable memory.

And there was also the bonus of a surprise success in an unexpected market...

Get involved:

• Support the show
• Follow Danny on Twitter

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Motu M2 Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• Boomcaster remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Episode Transcript

Danny (00:04):
You're listening to Memories of 3DO, a retrospective look at
a video games console classic.
To make sure you get the latest episode,hop on over to 3dopodcast.com/listen and
choose your preferred app to follow on.
And now this week's episode.
Leading up to its north Americanlaunch in October, 1993,
while the 3DO still had problems,including a much reduced launch

(00:26):
lineup due to developers gettingto grips with the new hardware,
excitement was still growing.
Multimedia was the future as multiplevideo games and entertainment magazines
were loudly screaming from their pages.
News programs were also talking abouta future where a set top box would
be the hub of your entertainment
set up - from TV to movies,sports, video games, and more.

(00:47):
As such 3DO was ideally placed to beat the forefront of this next wave.
However, as the months played down, itbecame clear that launch wasn't going
to be everything 3DO needed it to be.
Because of the hardware and the chipsbeing used, the cost of the console was
going to come in at an astronomical $700.
Although manufacturers could settheir own price, which would see

(01:07):
a reduction soon after launch.
There was also only one game available,Crash'n'Burn from Crystal Dynamics.
While it wasn't a terrible game assuch, it was in no way an example
of the jaw-dropping graphicsgamers had been promised in the
months leading up to the launch.
Additionally, due to manufacturingdifficulties, Panasonic only managed
to ship 30,000 to stores across theU S which led to huge shortages and

(01:31):
disappointment from eager gamers.
However Trip Hawkins and his partnerswere nothing if not savvy marketers,
and they kept interest in a systempeaked over the holiday period.
Sneak peaks and trailers of thegames to come look to show 3DO owners
they had made the right choice as didupcoming accessories, like the modem,
expandable memory, and more If thelaunch in the US was disappointing, the

(01:54):
Japanese launch would make up for this.
Kind of.
While not the huge sellinglaunches the likes of Sega and
Nintendo enjoyed with new systems.
70,000 units were shipped in Japan.
While the first hardware partner wasJapanese, the 3DO company was still
very much an American piece of tech,which traditionally made it hard for
any non-Japanese hardware developer.
So 70,000 units was apretty good achievement.

(02:18):
Indeed, thanks to the Japanese launchand game magazines raving about the likes
of Gundam Extreme and Full Boost, whichsatisfied Japanese gamers and the love
of battlemech games, north American fanssaw a bright future, especially with
their love of the sport genre promisingto be more than met by Electronic Arts.
In fact, TIME Magazine even went as faras naming it their Product of the Year for

(02:40):
1993 with a glowing reference that stated.
If you think you've seen graphics,wait until you've seen the jaw
dropping footage of the 3DO.
Despite the imminent releases ofnext generation machines from Sega,
Nintendo, and a new player in themarket with Sony entering the fray,
it looked as if the hiccups of thelaunch were firmly behind the 3DO

(03:00):
and the marketplace was finally readyfor this newcomer to shake things up.
In the next episode of Memories of3DO, the games start flooding out,
the European launch, and a glimpseof a 64-bit future for the machine.