
Dive into the epic corporate showdown that defined 90s gaming culture. "Console Wars" reveals how Tom Kalinske's underdog Sega team battled Nintendo through 200+ insider interviews. Soon to be a Seth Rogen film, it's the business thriller gamers can't stop discussing.
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In 1990, a blue hedgehog with attitude sparked a corporate battle that would transform entertainment forever. When Tom Kalinske took the helm at Sega of America, Nintendo controlled a staggering 90% of the video game market. Their mascot Mario was more recognizable to American children than Mickey Mouse, and the word "Nintendo" had become synonymous with video games themselves. Kalinske, fresh from revitalizing Mattel's Barbie line, was recruited by Sega's enigmatic Japanese president Hayao Nakayama during a family vacation in Hawaii. Initially reluctant, Kalinske was swayed by his five-year-old daughter's encouragement and the impressive technology Sega had developed-particularly the 16-bit Genesis console that technically outperformed Nintendo's aging 8-bit system. The problem wasn't Sega's technology but their approach. They were trying to beat Nintendo at their own game rather than carving a unique identity. Kalinske developed his revolutionary "Four-Point Plan": bundle Sonic the Hedgehog with the Genesis instead of selling it separately, slash the console's price from $189 to $149, create edgy marketing targeting teenagers instead of children, and develop games specifically for American audiences. When he presented this plan to Sega's Japanese board, they were horrified-until Nakayama silenced the room: "Everyone in here thinks you are nuts. But this is why I hired you. You may go ahead with the plan."