Brazil is an alternate universe where Sega beat Nintendo

[ethomaz]

Copy / Past GAF: Brazil is an alternate universe where Sega beat Nintendo - NeoGAF

And yet, there was an unexpected place where Sega reigned supreme: Brazil. And even stranger, Sega still moves hundreds of thousands of game systems every year.

 The number of Master System consoles on the market in Brazil, based on sales figures compiled by UOL Games in 2012 is 5 million. That's a larger install base in Brazil than for the Genesis, the most popular Sega game system in the U.S., which sold 3 million copies during its lifetime. The website also notes a stunning fact—despite being a console that's nearly 30 years old, it still sells around 150,000 units per year in the country. That's a level that holds its own compared to more modern consoles like the Sony PlayStation 4.

 It's like Brazil exists in an alternate universe—it's as if Betamax beat VHS, as if Samsung flip phones outsold iPhones. And the video game stakes are high, as Brazil represents the fourth-largest video game market in the world. The story of how Sega came to dominate is part historical accident, part savvy marketing and part slap in the face to the idea that globalism has erased all regional differences in taste.

The Brazilian version of Sega Master System. (Photo: Tedium)

Sega, though, did several things right with Brazil, a country with roughly two-thirds the population of the U.S. but nearly as much interest in games. Nintendo ignored the market but Sega built a licensing agreement with Tectoy, a powerful local toy manufacturer. That agreement ensured the Sega would always have a backer in Brazil. And because Nintendo had ignored the market at first, NES piracy was rampant by the time it got there. While the rest of the world was focused on Nintendo, Sega's presence just grew and grew.

 But even past the console's heyday, nostalgia fueled game sales. Gamer memories of the Master System in Brazil rival those of the NES in the U.S., and because Sega eventually got out of the market for building new consoles, Tectoy was essentially left to market the Master System and Mega Drive (which you might know as the Genesis) by its lonesome. Rather than giving up on the system, the company adapted its approach, coming out with continually updated versions of the device and even producing new games long after the system had faded from view everywhere else.

Brazil Is An Alternate Video Game Universe Where Sega Beat Nintendo | Atlas Obscura

I can confirm Master System and Mega Drive are being sold here yet.

[Xevross]

That post was so good I read it 3 times!

But seriously, very interesting stuff!

[7H3]

brazil has new genesis games?

[ethomaz]

brazil has new genesis games?

Some mobile ports like Guitar Hero for genesis... yeap.

That post was so good I read it 3 times!

But seriously, very interesting stuff!

Legend site messed up

[Legend]

Some mobile ports like Guitar Hero for genesis... yeap.
Legend site messed up

Yeah something's broke where the bots are failing to notice the article has been copied.

However that would have only doubled it.

No clue how you ended up with three.