Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

Based on over two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the underdog tale of how Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video game industry. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the US against Japan. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat, and bold ideas of his renegade employees, transformed Sega and eventually led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with rival Nintendo. But that would all change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a man who knew nothing about video games and everything about fighting uphill battles. The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and school yards to board rooms and Congress. It's the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.. Read by Fred BermanA mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visio

Along the way, Harris reveals the forces behind such decisions as Nintendo changing red blood to gray sweat in Mortal Kombat; the origin story of the nickname for Sonic’s sidekick, Tails; and even how Mario was supposed to be a certain spinach-guzzling sailor, in a manner that will engage both Gen X gamers and business-minded readers. The company’s strictures on third-party development and its policy of understocking retailers contributed to the stranglehold on the market. Like the pixels that together create a larger picture, Harris presents the various elements of the business in vivid color, from research and development to marketing, to show how Sega went from a joke to a market leader in just a few years. But Tom Kalinske, who had rejuvenated Barbie and created He-Man for Mattel

An amazing trip for a 80's kid. It reads like a fascinating behind-the-scenes tale of intrigue, mistakes, brash decisions, and corporate espionage. Sometimes it's like a David vs. Goliath story, other times its just a simple dinner conversation. But the part that really hooked me was remembering seeing all these decisions play out in my local retailer. Seeing the TV commercials and not thinking about the implications. It's like a history book in which I lived through the history and didn't ev. Well Written HIstorical Novel from Sega of America's Perspective In short, this is the story of Sega of America's dramatic in spite of all odds rise and incredible self-inflicted fall under the leadership of Tom Kalinske from 1990 to 1996. I specify Sega of America because the book is most told from the perspective of the Sega of America's CEO Tom Kalinske and the team he brought into Sega. The book explains how the Sega David set out to defeat the Nintendo Goliath (who controlled around 90% of the video game business in 199. Ernie Granillo III said Fun read if you loved Sonic and Mario - but probably funner if you're really into office politics. I have to say it is entertaining - at a weighty 550 or so pages- I still couldn't put it down.It's basically about early 90's war between Sega and Sony - with bits of other history and other companies sprinkled about - but the protagonist here is definitely Sega.This was a fun read from the perspective of growing up in the target demographic during the early 90s - but there was an irony / strange "cats in the cradle" -esque self realization - that I had gone fr