Sega will delay the upcoming Mega Drive Mini until 2019 to retool its software, the company announced over Twitter. The delay is cited to develop a higher-quality emulation of the included software.
The Mega Drive Mini was originally being worked on by AtGames, whose emulation work on such products as the Sega Genesis Classic is resoundingly criticized for poor quality and glitches. Sega will now handle the emulation internally and with proven software developers in the field.
The miniature throwback machine was due to launch in Japan this year in time for the original Mega Drive’s 30th anniversary, but will now launch worldwide the following year. Sega says the bigger-than-expected response from western markets was motivation to bring the system over. So come next year, Japan and Europe will have the Mega Drive Mini, while North America gets the Sega Genesis Mini in accordance with the original console’s localized name.
In other retro console re-release news, Sony announced this morning a PlayStation mini with 20 included games for the holiday season. For more details about Sony’s mini-retro competitor, click here.
