Sega® of America's highly-anticipated Internet-ready videogame console system, Sega DreamcastÔ flew off the shelves of more than 15,000 retail stores across North America yesterday, bringing in a whopping $97,904,618.09 and earning a place in history as the biggest 24-hours in entertainment retail sales. Sega's highest opening day revenue figure shatters the previous record held by the blockbuster movie Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which achieved $28 million its first day in theaters in May 1999.

Coast-to-coast retailers watched as stocks of the new console system, its 18 launch titles, and various peripherals were gobbled up by tens of thousands of consumers who flooded stores in the U.S. and Canada. Enthusiastic consumers started lining up outside more than 400 retail outlets that opened their doors at 12:01 a.m. on September 9th. Hundreds of consumers began lining up and camping out as early as the evening of September 7, to ensure they would be able to get their hands on the next generation system.

"Original projections were to sell 1 million consoles by the end of the year and 1.5 million by March 31, 2000, however, in light of the past 24 hours we are now reevaluating these forecasts," said Chris Gilbert, senior vice president of sales, Sega of America.

With a suggested retail price of $199, Sega Dreamcast is the first console ever to launch with 18 games in all the popular genres, with the number growing to 40 by the end of the year. Third-party titles now in the works will bring the total Sega Dreamcast game library count to more than 100 in the year 2000. Sega Dreamcast games have a suggested retail price between $39.95 and $49.95

"We had recently announced an industry record of 300,000 pre-sales for North America, tripling the previous record held by Sony for its North American PlayStation launch in 1995, but we didn't know the launch would be this big," continued Gilbert. "Our wildest expectations have been exceeded and we believe this is only the beginning of a phenomenally successful run for Sega Dreamcast."

- Gino 'tAng' Gard
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