Sega recently announced that it will be releasing the Sega Game Gear Micro in Japan this October. The news comes after a Japanese gaming journalist teased that the company would be making a revolutionary announcement. While the Famitsu tease was in reference to a different announcement, many fans were excepting more from Sega.
This isn't the first time Sega fans have been disappointed by the iconic gaming company. Sega has a history of dropping the ball when it comes to planning and marketing new products. The failure of the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast can be attributed to Sega's poor business decisions. Even when Sega has the best intentions in mind, the company always seems to be one step behind.
Remaking the Sega Game Gear is, in itself, a great idea. Many have fond memories of playing Sega's first handheld console during the early 90s and loved having the option to play their favorite Sega games on the go. However, the new Game Gear Micro isn't the way to bring back this amazing system. Redesigning the Game Gear into a smaller device is fine but its new Micro design is extremely flawed.
One of the biggest, and most obvious, complaints about Game Gear Micro is its incredibly small design. The system is minuscule, with a screen that is just 1.15-inches. This tiny design will likely hinder the player's gaming experience. The screen is so small that users might have issues seeing everything onscreen. Sega seems to be aware of this, as it's offering a larger attachable screen specifically for the system. Plus, the size will make it uncomfortable for those with larger hands, and it will likely result in cramping and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sega is also facing backlash for separating the Game Gear Micro's games onto four different devices instead of including all of them on one. The four color variations of the system each contain four games, meaning players who want to have them all will need to buy all of them.
The Sega Game Gear Micro has disappointed even the most devout Sega loyalist. Its tiny design and limited games will likely hurt its sales. The good news is, Sega always seems to make up for its mistakes down the line. It has recovered from worse disasters than this in the past and could do something big to improve the microscopic system in the not-so-distant future. If anything, Sega has proven that it shouldn't be underestimated, as it has overcome many obstacles in its history.