10 Video Game Consoles The World Wasn't Ready For
5. Panasonic 3DO
Panasonic jumped into the console market with a machine, which Time Magazine named the "1993 Product of the Year" due to its cutting-edge technologies and heavily marketed launch. This was a 32-bit system released among a sea of 16-bit competition, but despite having a lot going for it, the 3DO failed to win a market share.
This was largely due to the competition already having a foothold in the market. Panasonic was up against the early 90s juggernauts of Sega and Nintendo, which meant that even with a greatly advanced system, the 3DO had a tough hill to climb.
The system was launched in 1993-94, and when it came out, it was the most advanced console ever made. Unfortunately, it also cost a whopping $699 ($1,240 in 2019), and its claim to fame was lost when the Sony Play Station was released just two years later.
That system cost less than half that of the 3DO, and while it attempted to compete with the much better 5th-generation of video game consoles, the 3DO didn't have what it took. Panasonic discontinued it in 1996 having sold only two million systems.