Platform: M2
Publisher: 3DO
Developer: 3DO

The Basics

The M2 was a powerful, twin PowerPC game system that Matsushita was developing to enter the competitive video console system market. Matsushita released the first of the 32-bit systems to the market in the form of the 3DO back in 1994. But buyers never seemed to catch on to the limited game support and high console price.

WHAT HAPPENED?
In July of 1997, Matsushita President Yoichi Morishita told the press that his company was ceasing further development of the M2 console system, Kyodo news service reported.

"The [64-bit based gaming] market has matured and it is difficult to make a fresh entry," Morishita reportedly said.

Morishita told the press that "we will continue research and development," and indicated that the technology may be used for information equipment or multimedia devices.

In a following GameSpot News story, we wrote that "A Matsushita spokesman that says Matsushita will use the technology to develop core educational and industrial multimedia products utilizing the hardware, according to Reuters. This may also include the production of digital televisions for industrial use. However, the spokesman also added that the company is not developing nor planning any specific M2 products."

Matsushita announced earlier that the game hardware platform originally slated to use the M2 hardware has been discontinued because of the increased competition in the dedicated game hardware arena from Sega, Sony, and Nintendo.