No Dreamcast or Saturn mini: SEGA officially confirms it will not make new retro consoles

It's official: SEGA is done making mini consoles, so don't expect to see a Saturn or Dreamcast mini.

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A few years ago, mini consoles were all the rage. It was like the old 1990s console wars again: the SEGA Genesis and SNES mini consoles went head-to-head in a holiday showdown. But things have changed since then, and no one has the money to produce extra hardware, especially when it comes pre-loaded with software that you could sell on multiple devices.

Despite the popularity of the Genesis mini (we loved it, check out our review here), SEGA has no plans to produce or release any more retro mini consoles. That means no Saturn or Dreamcast minis...yet SEGA has other plans for these old-school eras of gaming.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, SEGA of America/Europe president Shuji Utsumi makes it pretty clear that retro consoles are off the table.

"I'm not going for the mini direction. It's not me. I want to embrace modern gamers," Utsumi said, with a SEGA representative later confirming that there's no plans for future mini systems.

The future is all about innovation. SEGA isn't content with just re-releasing its classic games in a $20 collection for the umpteenth time; no, Utsumi wants to revivify the franchises in a new way. Those classic series like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and even Shinobi are being resurrected in a big new IP renaissance for SEGA.

Utsumi says he wants to bring back that electric "rock n roll" style that SEGA had back in its heyday.

In short, SEGA wants to mine its retro catalog but also bring these games into the future to reach a new audience. That's why SEGA is doubling-down on a new initiative called Super Games, which are focused around the current trends in gaming--live services, big updates, continued content over time, and in-depth online global social networks.

To finish off the interview, Utsumi has some pretty strong words for a company that's built its riches from a 33-year-old mascot:

"We are not a retro company. We really appreciate our legacy, we value it, but at the same time, we want to deliver something new - otherwise we'll become history. That's not what we're aiming for."