Why is it the "Sega Genesis"?

[jcalder8]

There is no "Sony" Playstation or "Microsoft" Xbox so why is it the "Sega" Genesis?

[scott]

As you noticed, most systems don't have their name company name in front of them, Game Boy isn't Nintendo Game Boy. Xbox 360 isn't Microsoft Xbox 360. The PlayStations aren't Sony PlayStations, etc etc. But some are, like the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800s, Magnavox Odyssey and Odyssey2, etc.

Originally we had the idea to put the name of the company in front of each system, to help organize the side bar a little. Then we got to the SNES and it would have been listed as "Nintendo Super Nintendo" and it seemed redundant. Plus, no one calls it a Nintendo Super Nintendo, or a Sony PlayStation Portable.

Also, I don't know about other areas, but folks I've known in Michigan seem to say "Sega Genesis" or "Sega Saturn"  when referring to those systems... so perhaps that one is a regional thing? Of course, since we are listing Sega Master System, and Sega CD with the Sega name in front of the title, it seems to fit. Plus there are other systems that officially use the company name in the title, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS come to mind.

I want to possibly re-work the side bar systems list. Right now, it's a long alphabetical list of things, it would be nice if we could organize it by company. I have a few ideas in my head, but it's all a matter if @matt can do what I dream up. ha

[forte]

It's not regional. It has to do with the way the items are marketed. Look at a NES box: it says NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM. Thus, we call the system as such. Look at a Sega Saturn or Sega Dreamcast box: they both include the Company name along with the console name. Then, look at the Sony PlayStation box: it just says PLAYSTATION. As Nintendo did in the beginning, Sega associates their company name along with the console name. So, we all have done the same. You're right in that we don't call it a Sony PlayStation, but it's because that's not how it was marketed to us. And just as we don't call a SNES a Nintendo Super Nintendo Entertainment System, we wouldn't call a Super Sega Genesis a Sega Super Sega Genesis (should such a thing exist). Sega branded themselves as such (except with the Genesis 2, I think it's just marketed as "GENESIS" on the box, but by then the damage had been done), so I'm fine with identifying their consoles as "Sega XXX"

[scott]

Forte makes an excellent point.

[matt]

@forte is right but it even goes beyond marketing. The Genesis is officially called the Sega Genesis in a similar way the DS is called the Nintendo DS. When I'm added a console to the site I try to do a bit of research just to verify the official name before adding it.

[jcalder8]

These are all good reasons and I actually call it the Sega Genesis/Sega Saturn and the Sega Dreamcast. But when I was first looking for systems while adding games I found myself constantly going to G for Genesis rather than S. It's not really a complaint just something to throw out there because as the site continues to grow it might frustrate some people.