The third console curse: Which was the biggest stumble?

[Leynos]

SanAndreasX said:

Leynos said:

I'd add 360 and Genesis killed their momentum shifting gears to focus on add-on peripherals. SEGA CD/32X for SEGA and Kinect for Xbox. So, both focus less on the core audience and games for these add-ons, which fewer people owned.

Yep. 32X becoming an industry punchline and infighting between Tom Kalinksy and his bosses in Japan over their refusal to listen to him on what worked helped doom the Saturn. It didn’t help that the Saturn was geared towards Japanese arcade-goers at a time when the market was shifting away from arcades. The Sega CD did at least give us cool games like Lunar and Vay. I have Vay on Steam, and I’m excited about Lunar Remastered. 

The 360 got a huge boost from Kinect, and Microsoft decided to go all in on it with the X1. The X1 was designed around Kinect. Once people rejected the concept of a Kinect-based console, it’s like Microsoft didn’t know what to do after their silver bullet missed. 

In both cases, they completely misread the market and mistook lucky flukes for long term success. 

Tell you what tho. SEGA CD at least has Android Assault. Robo Aleste. Popful Mail. Lunar. Snatcher. Sol Feace. The fuck did Kinect have?