Online Gaming

This, above all, was really what made the Dreamcast seem ahead of its time. No one bought the console with online gaming in mind, but when gamers tried it out and it actually worked reasonably well over a 56K dial-up modem, it was pure bliss. Being able to play Sega Sports titles or first-person shooters like Quake III Arena against other human beings over the Internet (not to mention with other human beings in a semi-MMO like Phantasy Star Online) was a real revelation for many. And it definitely paved the way for the success of Xbox Live.  

“As rudimentary as those first dial-up game play experiences were, we proved that it could be done, and that gamers were clamoring for competition that extended past whomever was sat next to you on the couch at the time,” Moore commented.

Sega pushed the boundaries of connected entertainment and even offered a web browser for the Dreamcast – something both the PS3 and Wii feature today. The browser even looked decent, especially when the Dreamcast was hooked up to a monitor, which brings us to our next point...