Dreamcast and its built-in modem
In 2023, online features in video games are nearly as common as glitches, and every console can easily connect to the internet. We can thank Sega and its short-lived but beloved 1998 Dreamcast for helping popularize the idea of shipping a console with a built-in network connection.
Sega of America insisted on getting a 56k modem in the box at the Dreamcast’s $199 price point, marking the beginning of a new era of console online play for everyone…not just players who shelled out extra for barely supported, third-party modem accessories like the SNES and Sega Genesis’ XBAND
