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REVIEWS | PANASONIC 3DO INTERACTIVE MULTIPLAYER
Fifth generation | 1993-1996 | CD-ROM
Games: 251 | Units sold: > 2m
Devised by Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was among the early wave of CD-ROM gaming platforms proposing cross-media capabilities. Teething troubles and late hardware changes meant Panasonic were able to produce only a modest number of units for launch, and all but one game (Crash ‘n Burn) missed the launch window. Nevertheless, it’s 32-bit processor impressed early in the fifth generation, and the platform was initially well supported, with The Need for Speed in particular drawing favourable coverage. Despite an aggressive media strategy, the system’s market share would be marginalised firstly by the Saturn, and then the PlayStation, and it was discontinued in 1996. A successor (also touted as an add-on), dubbed the M2, was proposed but ultimately cancelled.
Games: 251 | Units sold: > 2m
Devised by Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was among the early wave of CD-ROM gaming platforms proposing cross-media capabilities. Teething troubles and late hardware changes meant Panasonic were able to produce only a modest number of units for launch, and all but one game (Crash ‘n Burn) missed the launch window. Nevertheless, it’s 32-bit processor impressed early in the fifth generation, and the platform was initially well supported, with The Need for Speed in particular drawing favourable coverage. Despite an aggressive media strategy, the system’s market share would be marginalised firstly by the Saturn, and then the PlayStation, and it was discontinued in 1996. A successor (also touted as an add-on), dubbed the M2, was proposed but ultimately cancelled.
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