Sega MULTIMEGA | Mega Drive + Mega CD for a colossal flop

   / @retrolegendsuniverse  

The Sega MultiMega, also known as the Sega CDX, is one of the rarest and most fascinating devices ever produced by Sega, a unique hybrid that combines the Mega Drive and Mega CD into a compact format designed to revive a technology that was already declining. In this video, we explore the complete history of the MultiMega in depth, from its origins to the reasons behind its creation, analyzing the early-1990s market context, Sega’s internal strategies, the company’s experiments in CD-drive miniaturization, and its attempt to repurpose unsold Mega CD units. We examine its low sales, high retail price, the near-total lack of marketing, distribution problems, and the product’s rapid abandonment in favor of the Sega Saturn—factors that turned the MultiMega into a highly sought-after collector’s item. We delve into little-known behind-the-scenes details, differences between regional models, unreleased prototypes, technical curiosities such as the optical drive’s anti-vibration system, and the never-commercialized Korean version. We also analyze how the device was received by the press and players, why it failed despite its innovative design, and what consequences it had on Sega’s global strategy. If you are passionate about retro gaming, video game history, rare consoles, and 1990s technology, this deep dive into the Sega MultiMega will give you a complete and detailed overview of one of the most mysterious and overlooked products of the 16-bit era.


CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction and presentation of the Multimega
01:24 – Sega’s golden era and the early ’90s context
03:00 – The arrival of the CD-ROM and the multimedia revolution
03:58 – The Mega CD: ambitions and early failures
05:03 – The idea of combining the Mega Drive and the Mega CD
05:58 – The birth of the Multimega: extreme miniaturization
10:12 – A complicated project full of compromises
14:10 – A launch at the wrong time
17:42 – Technical features and limitations
21:35 – Industrial background and the real motivations


Stay Retro, Stay Legends !
#segamultimega #multimega #segacdx