History of Sega in Mexico

History of Sega in Mexico
Official Sega distributor(s): DISAM S.A. de C.V. (1990-1995), Sega of Mexico (199x-20xx), Synergex (2007-2012), NC Games (200x-2019), Latam Games (2012-present)

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The videogame industry in Mexico is largely unknown, although it began in the mid-1970s and has led to companies like Elpro, Novedades Electronicas S.A with NESA pong consoles created by Mr. Morris Behar considered as the father of videogames in Mexico in that country, based on the pong games of Atari 1972. Also mention to Evoga entertaiment that has collaborated with the development of games for SNK Neo Geo. However, it is also known that, as in South America, the piracy of video games was very abundant with the NES/Famicom, especially in the early 90s.

DISAM S.A. de C.V.

Around 1990, Sega started distributing its consoles through Distribuidora De Articulos Modernos S.A. de C.V. which took the name of Sega De Mexico. Sales of the Sega Master System console began with advertising on TV in American commercials with a Spanish voice by Rubén Moya. The games could be purchased at the Videocentro store, which used the Escuadrón Videocentro Sega slogan in its advertisements. The Genesis was released in 1991 and Game Gear with Master System II in 1992. All consoles were imported in the NTSC system. It is worth mentioning that many of the Sega games in Mexican territory were the US versions, however when the Master System arrived, titles in Spanish imported from the PAL versions with Spanish manuals were also distributed to save costs, and few of the Mexican Master System games are Canadian versions. In 1992, DISAM sponsored Vídeo Aventuras: Gamesa con Sega.

Sega products did not gain popularity in Mexico. One of the main reasons was competition from Nintendo represented here since 1989 by C. Itoh/Itochu with full support in Club Nintendo magazine. Itochu successfully advertised and sold Nintendo products in Mexico thanks to the low price. The problems with Nintendo in Mexico began with Gamela, which had been a distributor since 1996. Before that, however, Nintendo dominated the Mexican market with Super Nintendo and Genesis was not very popular in that country. Still on the Sega Genesis Mexicans had titles exclusive as Chavez II that included a Spanish translation that was actually the Mexican version of Boxing Legends of the Ring something strange because Chavez II was conducted by the magazine Club Nintendo Mexico who Chavez conducted for Super Nintendo case of competition was the publisher SEGA.

DISAM still worked with Sega on Sega CD and Enrique Carlos Gaytán Braun (Executive Vice - President of DISAM from 1998-1998) appeared in the Y USTED ... ¿QUÉ OPINA? from July 6, 1993, where it argued that Sega products, including the new Sega CD, are better than the competition. DISAM ended cooperation with Sega around 1995, but it is known that it was still distributing Sega 32X.

It is worth mentioning that many consoles and games intended for American markets were assembled in Mexican factories.

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  Master System Seal by DISAM

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  Master System game box by Videocentro

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  Master System Game Cart by Videocentro

Sega of Mexico

In 1993, Sega of America created Sega of Mexico as a Latin American marketing and distribution wing, but all details are unknown. From 2011-2014, Sega had official Twitter account called Sega Mexico, approved by Sega of America and this was the last sign from them.

Synergex, NC Games, Latam Games

Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast were imported to Mexico too, shortly after US releases. The games and console were sold by larger retailers of video games, however, both systems weren't popular here.

Since 2007, Sega hasn't had one distributor, but few, that is Synergex, NC Games and Latam Games

Due to Mexico adapting its rating system in 2021, new and existing Sega titles were being reprinted with the newly-adapted Mexican rating system in place instead of the ESRB system used in the US and Canada.