The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (often called simply 3DO) is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by Dave Needle and R. J. Mical of New Technology Group. The system was conceived by entrepreneur and Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins.
Despite a highly promoted launch (including being named Time magazine's "1994 Product of the Year") and a host of cutting-edge technologies, the 3DO's high price (US$599 at launch), limited third-party developer support, and an over-saturated console market prevented the system from achieving success comparable to competitors Sega and Nintendo. This console was released in North America on October 4, 1993, Japan on March 20, 1994 and in Europe in 1994.
Since its discontinuation, the 3DO has been frequently derided by video game historians, citing a lack of decent exclusives and an "astronomical asking price". The 3DO however has gained a cult following with fans of the system. In 2009 IGN chose the 3DO as its 22nd greatest video game console of all time, slightly higher than the Atari Jaguar but lower than its four other major competitors: the SNES (4th best), the Sega Mega Drive (5th), the Sony PlayStation (7th), and the Sega Saturn (18th).
