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
| Mega Drive / Genesis | Saturn | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 28,540,000 | 8,800,000 |
| After 3y 4m on sale | – | – |
| Released | October 29, 1988 | November 22, 1994 |
| Time on the market | 7y 5m | 3y 4m |
| Average per day | ≈ 11K | ≈ 7K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis or the Sega Saturn?
As of October 31, 2026, the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis leads our tracked comparison: about 28.5 million units against 8.8 million for the Sega Saturn, a gap of 19.7 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Sega Mega Drive / Genesis and Sega Saturn consoles have been sold?
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)). Sega Saturn: 8.8 million units as of March 31, 1998 (Sega annual report 1998; measurement not specified).
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