ZCT Systems Group · Adventure

Matrix Runner

Sega exclusive

Announced in 1993 for the Sega VR head-tracking virtual reality headset, Matrix Runner was to be a polygonal-based 3D cyberpunk adventure game, where the player must solve a murder mystery by entering a cyberspace called the Matrix.

Released: —
Platforms: Sega Genesis
Genres: Adventure
Developers: ZCT Systems Group
Publishers: —
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Virtual Reality
Themes: Action Science fiction

About

The Sega VR is an unreleased virtual reality headset developed by Sega in the early 1990s. Planned as an add-on peripheral for the Sega Genesis and only publicly showcased at a number of trade shows and expositions, its release was postponed and later cancelled outright after Sega ran into development issues. At least four in-progress games for the hardware were in development before its cancellation.

The project was largely driven by Sega of America; a more successful, separate, and officially released attempt at a virtual reality headset, the Mega Visor Display, was overseen by Sega's Japanese amusement divisions and United Kingdom-based collaborators Virtuality, and would be used in the VR-1 theme park ride and the Dennou Senki Net Merc arcade game. The similarly titled VR-1 is not to be confused with the Sega VR.

Keywords

cyberpunk
serial killer
murder
death
mutants
vaporware
human
polygonal 3d
stereoscopic 3d
head tracking
canceled games
camel

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Development

Sega of America, flush with funds from the success of its Mega Drive/Genesis, announced the peripheral in 1991. It was later seen in 1993 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Chicago, where it was demonstrated by Alan Hunter and appeared close to a finished product. The event stated that the headset was planned to use the Genesis hardware and would be released in late 1993 at US$200 (equivalent to $450 in 2025) with four confirmed launch games and the possibility of a port of arcade game Virtua Racing. Sega later announced release was slated for early 1994, according to Electronic Games.

The Sega VR headset was never released to the general public and it vanished from release schedules in 1994. There are conflicting reports as to why the product was cancelled. Sega officially claimed to have terminated the project because the virtual reality effect was "too realistic", so users might move while wearing the headset and injure themselves. However, Tom Kalinske, then president and CEO of Sega of America, stated that the system would not be released due to reports of it inducing motion sickness and severe headaches in users. Mark Pesce, who worked on the Sega VR project, says a SRI International conducted research on the product and warned Sega of the "hazards of prolonged use".

Legacy

Following the cancellation of the Sega VR, a few further attempts were made by Sega to develop virtual reality technology. A similar peripheral was reportedly made, but never seen, for the Saturn.

While Sega of America undertook development on the Sega VR, Sega of Japan endeavoured to create their own virtual reality project. Sega entered into an agreement to collaborate with the pioneering Virtuality Group on a VR arcade project in 1993. Following this the two companies entered into negotiations to build a new headset by combining their previous development assets in the field of VR.