Difference between revisions of "History of Sega in Serbia and Montenegro"

From Sega Retro
Line 4: Line 4:
 
| flag2=Flag ME.svg
 
| flag2=Flag ME.svg
 
| title=
 
| title=
−
| distributors=[[Comy]] (1990-1991), [[IVC]] (1992-199x), [[ActiveMagic]] (199x-199x), [[Videotop]] (2004-2010), [[Computerland]] (2010-2015), [[Videotop]] (2016-2018), [[Iris Mega]] (2018-present)
+
| distributors=[[Comy]] (1990-1991), [[IVC]] (1992-199x), [[ActiveMagic]] (199x-1998), [[DigiTech]] (1994-1998), [[Beosoft]] (1994-2003), [[Videotop]] (2004-2010), [[Computerland]] (2010-2015), [[Videotop]] (2016-2018), [[Iris Mega]] (2018-present)
 
| ratingsboard=
 
| ratingsboard=
 
}}
 
}}
Line 22: Line 22:
 
[[Mega Drive]] and [[Game Gear]] were delivered to more specialized video game retailers by Christmas 1993, were it could be seen with other new system in this region like NES, Game Boy and Lynx.<ref>''O konzolama'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1993 page 38</ref>
 
[[Mega Drive]] and [[Game Gear]] were delivered to more specialized video game retailers by Christmas 1993, were it could be seen with other new system in this region like NES, Game Boy and Lynx.<ref>''O konzolama'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1993 page 38</ref>
  
−
In 1994, Mega Drive II was released and it is known that the system was provide to various amusement parks where it served as arcades. In the middle of the same year, the most popular domestic suppliers such as [[DigiTech]]<ref>''Konzole'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1994 page 51</ref> and [[Beosoft]]<ref>''Sega Mega Drive'' Svet Kompjutera 09/1995 page 82</ref> (who also represented [[Nintendo]] in the region<ref>''Nekoliko razloga za Nintendo Game Boy'' Svet Kompjutera 03/1994 page 71</ref>) began selling Sega consoles. All sales moved slowly, but in early 1995, when Amiga computers which were popular in Yugoslavia went in crisis, sales of Sega consoles jumped sharply. In 1995-1996,  Mega Drive was the most-popular console on the market.<ref>Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84</ref> Many shops and people began to create [[Sega Klubovi]] and [[Segoteka]]. These were places where customer could buy, rent, repair or play on Sega consoles. Every such place had Mega Drive and larger had also Game Gear, Master System II or Mega Drive add-ons. Until February 1996, existed 600 Segateka’s  in whole country. <ref>Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84</ref>[[Sega Pećina]] (eng. Sega Cave) was built in the Obilićev Venac shopping area in Belegrad and was marketed as place with widest  range of choice of games and consoles by Sega. <ref>''Nagrade i Nagradeni'' - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4</ref>
+
In 1994, Mega Drive II was released and it is known that the system was provide to various amusement parks where it served as arcades. In the middle of the same year, the most popular domestic suppliers such as [[DigiTech]]<ref>''Konzole'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1994 page 51</ref> and [[Beosoft]]<ref>''Sega Mega Drive'' Svet Kompjutera 09/1995 page 82</ref> (who also represented [[Nintendo]] in the region<ref>''Nekoliko razloga za Nintendo Game Boy'' Svet Kompjutera 03/1994 page 71</ref>) began selling Sega consoles as authorized distributors. All sales moved slowly, but in early 1995, when Amiga computers which were popular in Yugoslavia went in crisis, sales of Sega consoles jumped sharply. In 1995-1996,  Mega Drive was the most-popular console on the market.<ref>Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84</ref> Many shops and people began to create [[Sega Klubovi]] and [[Segoteka]]. These were places where customer could buy, rent, repair or play on Sega consoles. Every such place had Mega Drive and larger had also Game Gear, Master System II or Mega Drive add-ons. Until February 1996, existed 600 Segateka’s  in whole country. <ref>Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84</ref>[[Sega Pećina]] (eng. Sega Cave) was built in the Obilićev Venac shopping area in Belegrad and was marketed as place with widest  range of choice of games and consoles by Sega. <ref>''Nagrade i Nagradeni'' - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4</ref>
  
−
At the time, [[ActiveMagic]], a London based company that provided in late 80s and early 90s original software for home computers,<ref>''Activemagic i Svet kompjutera Programeri-paznaja!'' Svet Kompjutera 1/1989 page 61</ref> was representative and distributor of Sega in FRY.<ref>Svet Kompjutera 01/1996 page 87</ref> Mega Drive add-ons were released, but they remained niche and could be bought mostly from specialized retailers. Other major distributors who promoted Sega were [[Biosfera Media]] which with its action and aggressive marketing campaign imposed Sega standards,<ref>''Sega-Video Igrice'' - AS Magazin-Video Igrice 13 page 4</ref> and [[KonTiki]]<ref>''Kontiki'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40</ref>.  
+
At the time, [[ActiveMagic]], a London based company that provided in late 80s and early 90s original software for home computers,<ref>''Activemagic i Svet kompjutera Programeri-paznaja!'' Svet Kompjutera 1/1989 page 61</ref> was official representative and distributor of Sega in FRY.<ref>Svet Kompjutera 01/1996 page 87</ref> Mega Drive add-ons were released, but they remained niche and could be bought mostly from specialized retailers. Other major distributors who promoted Sega were [[Biosfera Media]] which with its action and aggressive marketing campaign imposed Sega standards,<ref>''Sega-Video Igrice'' - AS Magazin-Video Igrice 13 page 4</ref> and [[KonTiki]]<ref>''Kontiki'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40</ref>.  
  
 
There was also a show about Sega consoles. The most famous was [[Sega Klinci]] broadcast by RTV Pink<ref>''Nagrade i Nagradeni'' - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4</ref> but before that there was also [[Game Over]] broadcast on Kanal 9.  
 
There was also a show about Sega consoles. The most famous was [[Sega Klinci]] broadcast by RTV Pink<ref>''Nagrade i Nagradeni'' - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4</ref> but before that there was also [[Game Over]] broadcast on Kanal 9.  
Line 65: Line 65:
  
 
===Saturn and Dreamcast===
 
===Saturn and Dreamcast===
−
[[Sega Saturn]] was delivered to specialized retailers by Christmas 1995 with high price of 900 DEM.<ref>''Kontiki'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40</ref> Larger sales were supposed to start in May 1996, but the console remained little known in the country and was sold only by few stores. In the years 1997-1998, situation didn’t changed and  most of the resellers moved to PlayStation and some for Nintendo 64. Mega Drive was still popular in this years, but with the time people began to switch to newer systems and still 16-bit Sega could be bought until end of 1999 from larger retailers.  
+
[[Sega Saturn]] was delivered to specialized retailers by Christmas 1995 with high price of 900 DEM.<ref>''Kontiki'' Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40</ref> Larger sales were supposed to start in May 1996, but the console remained little known in the country and was sold only by few stores. In the years 1997-1998, situation didn’t changed and  most of the resellers moved to PlayStation and some for Nintendo 64. Mega Drive was still popular in this years, but with the time people began to switch to newer systems and still 16-bit Sega could be bought until end of 1999 from larger retailers.
 +
 
In 2000, [[Sega Dreamcast]] appeared at local distributors like Beosoft.<ref>Bonus (SCG) #7: "7/2000" (2000-09-25) page 82</ref> The system learned from Saturn mistakes and was available in most known video game retailers with promotion in video games magazine such as Bonus. Dreamcast was seen in catalogues in early 2003<ref>Beosoft Katalog #18 ''Decembar-Januar 2002/2003''</ref> for the last time and despite being much more successful than Saturn, it didn’t beat Mega Drive sells here.
 
In 2000, [[Sega Dreamcast]] appeared at local distributors like Beosoft.<ref>Bonus (SCG) #7: "7/2000" (2000-09-25) page 82</ref> The system learned from Saturn mistakes and was available in most known video game retailers with promotion in video games magazine such as Bonus. Dreamcast was seen in catalogues in early 2003<ref>Beosoft Katalog #18 ''Decembar-Januar 2002/2003''</ref> for the last time and despite being much more successful than Saturn, it didn’t beat Mega Drive sells here.
  

Revision as of 18:48, 27 December 2022

Notavailable.svg
Serbia Montenegro 
History of Sega in Serbia and Montenegro
Official Sega distributor(s): Comy (1990-1991), IVC (1992-199x), ActiveMagic (199x-1998), DigiTech (1994-1998), Beosoft (1994-2003), Videotop (2004-2010), Computerland (2010-2015), Videotop (2016-2018), Iris Mega (2018-present)

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.


Between 1992 and 2003, Serbia and Montenegro were unified as a single state known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY); not to be confused with the earlier Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) which in the 1990s was in the process of breaking up into its pre-communist constituents). From 2003 the state was known as "Serbia and Montenegro" before both halves declared independence from each other in 2006.

Socialist Yugoslavia

Socialist Yugoslavia did not belong to the Warsaw Pact making it more open to Western technologies than the countries of the Eastern Bloc. In the 70s Yugoslavia was one of the countries where Sega imported its game machines.[1] As in other communist countries, local companies created their own consoles, such as the Geti-3220 produced by the Slovenian company Gorenje from 1977. Foreign consoles also reached the country but in small numbers.

Sega Master System was introduced to Yugoslavia in 1990 by Comy.[2] Video games for the systems were reviewed in Svet Kompjutera magazine from September 1990 to January 1991 and Svet Igara reviewed accessories for the system. In March 25, 1991, the first Sega club was found called Video Games Club were people could rent Master System console. Creation of further distribution network was cut shortly after breakup of the state in June 1991.

Serbia and Montenegro

Mega Drive popularity

From March 1992, IVC began to promote Master System in Svet Kompjutera magazine[3] and it diffrent models like Master System Plus and Super System. In the years 1992-1993, more shops began to deal with sell of consoles, so original Master System could be seen in the same place with consoles like Brick Game and Atari “Rambo” clone.

Mega Drive and Game Gear were delivered to more specialized video game retailers by Christmas 1993, were it could be seen with other new system in this region like NES, Game Boy and Lynx.[4]

In 1994, Mega Drive II was released and it is known that the system was provide to various amusement parks where it served as arcades. In the middle of the same year, the most popular domestic suppliers such as DigiTech[5] and Beosoft[6] (who also represented Nintendo in the region[7]) began selling Sega consoles as authorized distributors. All sales moved slowly, but in early 1995, when Amiga computers which were popular in Yugoslavia went in crisis, sales of Sega consoles jumped sharply. In 1995-1996, Mega Drive was the most-popular console on the market.[8] Many shops and people began to create Sega Klubovi and Segoteka. These were places where customer could buy, rent, repair or play on Sega consoles. Every such place had Mega Drive and larger had also Game Gear, Master System II or Mega Drive add-ons. Until February 1996, existed 600 Segateka’s in whole country. [9]Sega Pećina (eng. Sega Cave) was built in the Obilićev Venac shopping area in Belegrad and was marketed as place with widest range of choice of games and consoles by Sega. [10]

At the time, ActiveMagic, a London based company that provided in late 80s and early 90s original software for home computers,[11] was official representative and distributor of Sega in FRY.[12] Mega Drive add-ons were released, but they remained niche and could be bought mostly from specialized retailers. Other major distributors who promoted Sega were Biosfera Media which with its action and aggressive marketing campaign imposed Sega standards,[13] and KonTiki[14].

There was also a show about Sega consoles. The most famous was Sega Klinci broadcast by RTV Pink[15] but before that there was also Game Over broadcast on Kanal 9.

Existed few related tournaments to Sega, such as II Otvoreno Prvenstvo Beograda u Kompjuterskim Igrama. In a few memories there is a character of Čeda who was the so-called King of Sega Klinci, he participated in this tournament.

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in AS Magazin-Video Igrice (YU) #13: "Jul-Avgust 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Notavailable.svg
Beosoft print advert in Svet Kompjutera (YU) #133: "Oktobar 1995" (1995-xx-xx) also published in:
  • Mikijev Zabavnik (YU) #991: (1995-10-2x)
  • Mikijev Zabavnik (YU) #992: (1995-11-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #134: "Novembar 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #135: "Decembar 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #136: "Januar 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #137: "Februar 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #138: "Mart 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
  • Svet Kompjutera (YU) #139: "April 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
Notavailable.svg
Notavailable.svg
ActiveMagic print advert in Svet Kompjutera (YU) #136: "Januar 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
Notavailable.svg

Mega Drive clones

In Yugoslavia, two versions of the original Mega Drive were released: first one was the Asian market variant, released in order to lower the prices of 16-bit Sega. It was sold in two combinations: the green box model (from 1994) and the black box model (from 1995). The second one was European version, which was report to be more popular on this market than previous version. Such variants of consoles caused a large influx of unofficial consoles that were difficult to distinguish from the original.[18]

The first problematic copy was the Asian version reworked to break the regional blockade. It looked the same as the original, but it differed in the serial number.[19]

The most dangerous clone was from the Taiwan, which like the original, was sold in green box. However, it was of poorer quality and displayed a worse sounds and image on TV and thats why it was cheaper than the original. It differed in the serial numbers from the original.[20]

Sega sa buvljaka (Sega from the flea market) was a famiclone that had a black pistol added with, which looked like a Light Phaser. It was sold in a green box, but on the cover it had a gun. Another Nintendo Famicom clone on the market was called Terminator 2. The design of the console was take from Sega Mega Drive II, so many people in the region called this console Pijacna Sega (Market Sega) or Kineska Sega (Chinese Sega). Due to the popularity of these two, it is possible to come across people in Serbia who mistake Mega Drive with Nintendo NES, because in childhood they played games such as Super Mario Bros or Tank 1990 on these clones.

Another clone was Star Drive II which looked like the less popular in the country Sega Mega Drive model I. Similar to it was another clone called Saba which was inferior in quality.[21] Rumors says that in 1996 the successor of the 8-bit Pegasus called Power Pegasus appeared.

Game piracy was a big problem. In many stores, people could get bootleg copies alongside the original games. This was the case with major distributors such as Beosoft, Digitech and Biosfera Media. It must be admitted, that thanks to this, the games were cheaper, which increased the sells of the Mega Drive. Some stores, apart from bootlegs for Mega Drive, also sold compilations for Game Gear containing several games.

Saturn and Dreamcast

Sega Saturn was delivered to specialized retailers by Christmas 1995 with high price of 900 DEM.[22] Larger sales were supposed to start in May 1996, but the console remained little known in the country and was sold only by few stores. In the years 1997-1998, situation didn’t changed and most of the resellers moved to PlayStation and some for Nintendo 64. Mega Drive was still popular in this years, but with the time people began to switch to newer systems and still 16-bit Sega could be bought until end of 1999 from larger retailers.

In 2000, Sega Dreamcast appeared at local distributors like Beosoft.[23] The system learned from Saturn mistakes and was available in most known video game retailers with promotion in video games magazine such as Bonus. Dreamcast was seen in catalogues in early 2003[24] for the last time and despite being much more successful than Saturn, it didn’t beat Mega Drive sells here.

2004-present

In 2004, Sega started cooperation with Videotop. From 2010 to 2015, Computerland was a distributor of Sega in Serbia and Montenegro, but Videotop return in 2016 as a distributor of Sega in all former Yugoslavia[25]In 2017, Videotop became the property of Computerland Group.[26] In 2018, Videotop was acquired by Colby which also belongs to the Computerland Group. The distribution was taken over by Iris Mega.

References

  1. ↑ File:Sega_Company_Profile_1970.pdf
  2. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #73: "Oktobar 1990" page 45
  3. ↑ Sega Master System Svet Kompjutera 3/1992 page 40
  4. ↑ O konzolama Svet Kompjutera 12/1993 page 38
  5. ↑ Konzole Svet Kompjutera 12/1994 page 51
  6. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Svet Kompjutera 09/1995 page 82
  7. ↑ Nekoliko razloga za Nintendo Game Boy Svet Kompjutera 03/1994 page 71
  8. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  9. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  10. ↑ Nagrade i Nagradeni - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4
  11. ↑ Activemagic i Svet kompjutera Programeri-paznaja! Svet Kompjutera 1/1989 page 61
  12. ↑ Svet Kompjutera 01/1996 page 87
  13. ↑ Sega-Video Igrice - AS Magazin-Video Igrice 13 page 4
  14. ↑ Kontiki Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40
  15. ↑ Nagrade i Nagradeni - As Magazin Video Igrice #17 page 4
  16. ↑ Svet Kompjutera, "Jul/Avgust 1995" (YU; 1995-xx-xx), page 2
  17. ↑ Svet Kompjutera, "Septembar 1995" (YU; 1995-xx-xx), page 32
  18. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  19. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  20. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  21. ↑ Svet Kompjutera (SCG) #137: "Februar 1996" page 84
  22. ↑ Kontiki Svet Kompjutera 12/1995 page 40
  23. ↑ Bonus (SCG) #7: "7/2000" (2000-09-25) page 82
  24. ↑ Beosoft Katalog #18 Decembar-Januar 2002/2003
  25. ↑ http://www.videotop.si/en/videotop-je-postal-uradni-zastopnik-zaloznika-sega/
  26. ↑ http://www.videotop.si/druzba-iris-mega-d-o-o-kupila-druzbo-videotop-skupina-d-o-o/
History of Sega by Country
Asia
Afghanistan | Armenia | Azerbaijan | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei | Cambodia | China | Georgia | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | Israel | Japan | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Lebanon | Malaysia | Maldives | Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal | North Korea | Oman | Pakistan | Philippines | Qatar | Russia | Saudi Arabia | Singapore | South Korea | Sri Lanka | Syria | Taiwan | Tajikistan | Thailand | East Timor | Turkey | Turkmenistan | United Arab Emirates | Uzbekistan | Vietnam | Yemen
North America
Antigua and Barbuda | Bahamas | Barbados | Belize | Canada | Costa Rica | Cuba | Dominica | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Grenada | Guatemala | Haiti | Honduras | Jamaica | Mexico | Nicaragua | Panama | Puerto Rico | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Trinidad and Tobago | USA
South America
Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil | Chile | Colombia | Ecuador | Guyana | Paraguay | Peru | Suriname | Uruguay | Venezuela
Europe
Albania | Andorra | Austria | Belarus | Belgium | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bulgaria | Croatia | Cyprus | Czechia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Gibraltar | Greece | Greenland | Hungary | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta | Moldova | Monaco | Montenegro | Netherlands | North Macedonia | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | San Marino | Serbia | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Ukraine | United Kingdom
Australasia
Australia | Fiji | Guam | Micronesia | New Zealand | Papua New Guinea
Africa
Algeria | Botswana | Djibouti | Egypt | Eswatini | Ghana | Kenya | Lesotho | Libya | Mauritania | Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia | Nigeria | Sierra Leone | Somalia | Sub-Saharan Africa | South Africa | Tunisia | Uganda | Zambia | Zimbabwe
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=History_of_Sega_in_Serbia_and_Montenegro&oldid=837653"