It Might Be 10 Years Before There's a Sega Saturn Mini
Just in time for the Saturn's 35th birthday.
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Sega officially unveiled the Genesis Mini, and it actually looks really good. So much so that people are wondering whether this will lead to a boom of quality retro Sega mini consoles. But if you're looking forward to a miniaturized version of the Genesis' follow-up, the Sega Saturn, don't hold your breath.
Speaking with IGN Japan, the Sega Genesis Mini project leader Hiroyuki Miyazaki says that it might take about 10 years before the Sega Saturn Mini becomes a reality. "It's simply a matter of cost and technology," says Miyazaki (via Google Translate). "It may be possible in 10 years. By that time the necessary chips should be cheaper."
The Sega Saturn is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. But unlike the Genesis, which will be getting the mini console for its 35th birthday, there are no plans yet for a Saturn Mini. Though if things line up according to Miyazaki's timeline, there could be one for the Saturn's own 35th celebration.
It'll be a shame to not be able to get a Sega Saturn Mini considering all the great games lost to time. Panzer Dragoon Saga immediately comes to mind, but there's also games like Nights into Dreams, Virtua Fighter 2, Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei, and more that'd be nice to play again in the modern era.
Early reactions to Sega Genesis seem to be positive, however, so here's hoping there will be more on the retro consoles from Sega in the future. In the meantime, the Sega Genesis Mini will be coming out on September 19 this year for $79.99. Here are the first 10 games out of 40 announced for the Sega Genesis Mini.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said that Miyazaki was unsure of the demand for a Dreamcast Mini. He was in fact referring to the Master System Mini. We've update the story with the new information and regret the error.