A man who changed the trajectory of SEGA
Hideki Sato was a true legend within the industry, and especially at SEGA of which he was president between 2001 and 2003. He had joined the company 30 years earlier, and for several years, he had led the research and development department to develop the machines that would help Sega establish itself in the console market.
Thus were born the SG-1000 then the SC-3000, two relatively confidential machines if we compare them to those which arrived afterwards, from the Mega Drive to the Dreamcast via the Saturn. Hideki Sato left the company in 2008.
SEGA reacted to the news:
“ It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Hideki Sato, who chaired SEGA from 2001 to 2003. SEGA extends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. Having started his career in arcade development, Mr. Sato was instrumental in the creation of iconic home consoles, such as the SG-1000, SC-3000, Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. His leadership helped build the foundation of SEGA and his contributions have had a significant and lasting impact on the entire video game industry. We will always remember his contribution to our company and, at SEGA, we extend our deepest condolences and honor his memory. »
A great man in the world of video games, without whom the industry would perhaps have a different face today. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.