Is This Really That Rare?!?

[Scotterpop]

I was totally floored to see what this Sega CD dev console sold for on eBay yesterday:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SEGA-GENESIS-CD-DEVELOPER-CONSOLE-rare-COLLECTIBLE-/253578303015?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=%252BW6kP8UT6rE21U0ueQIo3%252FxN7qA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

Is this system actually that rare??? I do love the Sega CD, but this seems ridiculous to me! What do you guys and gals think?

[Flojomojo]

No clue, but there can't be that many of them, right?

[Andromeda Stardust]

Its a dev unit. Thats a unicorn for collectors

[Keatah]

Rare? I'm sure it is. There are partly hand-made and (I'd guess) 1 was made for every 345,821 standard non-dev consoles sold at retail.

[Rick Dangerous]

That's a lot to play for an ugly sega CD. Guess there are some 1% collectors out there...crazy.

[spacecadet]

I would guess that's actually a debug unit, not a dev kit. It's possible I'm wrong and things were different in those days, but I see people failing to make this distinction on Ebay all the time for more modern systems that I have personal experience with in terms of dev and debug kits. Dev kits are usually the units that go for crazy prices, because you can actually make games on them. Debug consoles will let you play unsigned code and help you do diagnostics on games in development.

 

I guess my point is that I hope that either a) this really is a dev kit and this bidder is getting what's advertised, or b) the buyer knew that it's not really a dev kit and just bid up that high anyway knowing it's a debug.

 

Either way I'm sure it is quite rare. But $14,600 rare... I mean I could see that for a real dev kit, but I have a hard time thinking someone would pay that for any debug console.

[Blazing Lazers]

Theoretically, somebody could buy this to use with making new games, ROM hacks, and homebrews, and possibly even make their money back if they sell enough copies. I have my doubts that this would actually be used for its intended purpose after so many years, but it could happen. Even with that in mind the price is way high.

[Keatah]

Aren't there better ways of developing games then shit like that?

[Atari PAC-MAN Fan]

Bidding has ended on the item.

[spacecadet]

Aren't there better ways of developing games then shit like that?

 

That would be my point... like an actual dev kit

 

Here's a video from a guy who has one of these:

 

 

This is a debug console. You see in the video that to make a dev kit, you actually need a PC with some special hardware (that's what dev kits often are, and I've seen Genesis dev kits before and they just looked like PC's).

 

Since the actual dev kit is more or less just a PC, the debug console is arguably a cooler thing to own if you just want something rare for display. But if you're planning to do actual development work, this is only half of what you need.

 

Some dev kits *are* really cool looking, like the PS2 TOOL systems, but I guess the Genesis/Sega CD kits are just a couple of special PC boards.

 

Anyway, I just hope whoever's plunking down $14,600 knows what he's getting and what he's not getting.

Edited May 2, 2018 by spacecadet

[Flojomojo]

Luckily for those 6 high-rolling bidders, these aren't the old days, where you could see the username (and often contact information) for everyone.

[Keatah]

Too bad they did that. I've had some desperate inquiries wanting to buy things I just won. I remember a few instances I re-sold the stuff for 2x and even 3x. And with patience, the same item would become available again, for much less. Thanks for giving me cash enough to re-purchase AND put in my pocket.

 

That was the old days when people were stupid and didn't often check to see what the going price was. They were just happy to sell it.