The race from launch day
Cumulative units by months since each console's own launch. Figures between reports are modelled; where reports are years apart, the line is a rough approximation, not observed annual sales.
Side by side
| Master System | Mega Drive / Genesis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 13,000,000 | ≈ 28,540,000 |
| After 7y 5m on sale | – | ≈ 28.5M |
| Released | October 20, 1985 | October 29, 1988 |
| Time on the market | 13y 2m | 7y 5m |
| Average per day | ≈ 3K | ≈ 11K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Sega Master System or the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis?
As of October 31, 2026, the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis leads our tracked comparison: about 28.5 million units against 13 million for the Sega Master System, a gap of 15.5 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Sega Master System and Sega Mega Drive / Genesis consoles have been sold?
Sega Master System: source estimate: 13 million units as of 1998 (JavaGear research report; measurement not specified). Sega Mega Drive / Genesis: calculated from reported figures: 28.54 million units as of March 31, 1996 (Famitsu issue 392, the makers' shipment figures; sell-in (units shipped)).
Figures can measure shipments, customer sales or estimates; these are not directly interchangeable. Between reports our model projects an estimate, not observed transactions. The changing digits show the model's output, not its accuracy. Its inputs and assumptions are corrected when new figures are available. Sources and method