Ep.214 – License to Fail: How Licensing and High Prices Doomed the 3D0
A Trip Down Memory Card Lane · David Kassin and Robert Kassin
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Show Notes
In 1993, Trip Hawkins set out to revolutionize gaming with the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, a console built on cutting-edge CD technology and an open hardware model. In this episode, we explore how the founder of Electronic Arts tried to change the industry by creating a shared standard for console manufacturing. We talk about Panasonic’s ambitious $700 launch, GoldStar’s cheaper alternative, and the complicated business model that doomed the platform. Our discussion covers the 3DO’s early multimedia hype, its strong but limited library, and how its bold ideas ultimately paved the way for future systems. Join us as we load up, power on, and examine the rise and fall of the 3DO on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.