In 1993, electronics giant Panasonic released the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, more commonly referred to as just 3DO. At the time, this 32-bit gaming console was a huge leap over competing consoles like the SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo, both 16-bit machines. Using CD-ROM instead of cartridges, and positioning itself as a true multimedia component for your home entertainment set-up, the 3DO was, in many ways, ahead of its time. Although it was always doomed to fail, it remains a beloved part of video game history for many. In Memories of 3DO, host Danny Brown takes you on a journey looking back at the ups and - ultimately - downs of the hardware, the games, and why it was a gaming system that should have shone had things gone slightly differently.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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episode 5: 1995: A Banner or Swan Song Year for 3DO?
If 1994 was the year that the 3DO finally got the quality games that had offered the promise the machine held, 1995 was when it truly solidified its reputation as a serious piece of kit.
Owners of the system were treated to excellent games like:
- Killing Time, a photo-realistic take on the first person shooting game
- Return Fire, an excellent multiplayer war game, where vehicles and strategy played a huge part
- Slam 'n' Jam, an awesome and super fun basketball game
- BattleSport, a futuristic sports battle game, and a forerunner to this generation's Rocket League
- Space Hulk: Vengeance, a hugely atmospheric shooter based on the popular board game
- and Demolition Man, a movie tie in that offered scenes from the Sylvester Stallone movie alongside a multi-genre platformer.
These were just some of the games that helped the 3DO company enjoy their best sales since launch. Coupled with the ongoing teases of the upcoming 64-bit upgrade, the M2, and other hardware partners releasing versions of the console, 1995 looked as if it was going to be a banner year for the machine.
However, there were storm clouds on the horizon, from both a gaming and a financial viewpoint. On the gaming front, while Sega had released the Saturn at the end of 1994, it was industry newcomer Sony who was making the biggest noise with their PlayStation, also released in Japan at the end of 1994.
Back at the 3DO company, despite the excellent games lineup the company published throughout the year, it was clear things weren't looking good. The Sega Saturn and the Sony PlayStation had essentially stalled sales of the 3DO console, and the licensing model that the 3DO company hoped would change things in the industry hadn't made the impact the company hoped for.
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