23 eerie parallels between Xbox 360 and the Sega Dreamcast

by: Sam Kennedy from: 1Up 11.04.2005

Ever since the first details of the Xbox 360 hit the web, gamers have drawn comparisons to Sega's ill-fated (yet still highly regarded) Dreamcast console.


D: Launched a year before the competition.

X: Launching a year before the competition (likely).


D: Faced a "far superior" next-generation PlayStation console that wowed gamers with fancy tech demos.

X: Facing a "far superior" next-generation PlayStation console that wowed gamers with fancy tech demos.


D: Sleek white console following in footsteps of bulky, black console.

X: Sleek white console following in footsteps of bulky, black console.


D: Made its American debut on MTV.

X: Made its American debut on MTV.


D: Games ran on a Windows-derived OS.

X: Runs on a Windows-derived OS.


D: Dreamcast's marketing mantra.

X: Xbox 360's marketing mantra.


D: "Dreamcast will evolve much more into a network environment rather than a standalone system. It's not about you and the machine any more. It's about you competing against your friends, your enemies." - Charles Belfield, Sega's VP of Marketing

X: "Xbox 360 is driven by the passion of a worldwide community. It's a product that will bridge vast distances through shared stories and experiences...It's about the ability to connect with your communities." - J Allard, Corporate VP and Chief XNA Architect


D: Big selling point: Online for all with packed-in modem and SegaNet.

X: Big selling point: Online for all with built-in Ethernet port and Xbox Live Silver.


D: What is this?

X: Huh.


D: Unable to play the latest in cutting edge movie media (DVD).

X: Unable to play the latest in cutting edge movie media (HD-DVD/Blu-Ray).


D: Big selling point: Hi-def monitor output.

X: Big selling point: Hi-def monitor output.


D: Big proponent of customization.

X: Big proponent of customization.


D: Peter Moore spearheaded the marketing.

X: Peter Moore spearheaded the marketing.


D: Played previous generation games under emulation.

X: Played previous generation games under emulation.


D: Tetsuya Mizuguchi worked on highly anticipated First Party title (Space Channel 5).

X: Tetsuya Mizuguchi working on highly anticipated First Party title (Ninety-Nine Nights).


D: Exclusive promotional partner leading up to launch: Pepsi.

X: Exclusive promotional partner leading up to launch: Mountain Dew...which is owned by Pepsi.


D: Highly anticipated First Party racing game from Bizarre Creations (Metropolis Street Racer).

X: Highly anticipated First Party racing game from Bizarre Creations (Project Gotham Racing 3).


D: Unique selling point: Microphone peripheral.

X: Unique selling point: Microphone peripheral.


D: Software medium (GD-ROM) criticized as having not enough capacity by some developers.

X: Software medium (DVD-9) criticized as having not enough capacity by some developers.


D: Promised to be an evolutionary system - to someday play DVDs.

X: Promises to be an evolutionary system - to someday play HD-DVDs.


D: Crazy rich bald guy spotted at several promotional events leading up to launch.

X: Crazy rich bald guy spotted at several promotional events leading up to launch.


D: Planned to eventually offer larger storage capacity with a Zip drive.

X: Plans to eventually offer larger storage capacity with new Hard Drives.


D: Metal Gear Solid 2 trailer stole much of its next-generation thunder.

X: Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer stole much of its next-generation thunder.



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