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Deep Dive: Console Wars (2020)

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Console Wars
Console Wars is a 2020 documentary film directed by Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris that focuses on the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The film is based on Blake J. Harris's 2014 book and examines Sega's strategies to compete with Nintendo, detailing both Sega's rise and its eventual decline in the home console market by the end of the decade. The documentary features archival footage obtained using a VHD-to-DVD converter and includes interviews with key figures from Sega America. Critics noted the film's heavy emphasis on Sega, with some describing it as an intriguing but unfocused narrative. The film premiered on CBS All Access in 2020, marking it as the platform's first original film.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Sega's key players and their strategies against Nintendo.
  • •Find out how a retro console sparked a major documentary.
  • •See the impact of the 2014 Sony hack on film production.

Did You Know

•The documentary premiered on CBS All Access in 2020.
•Blake J. Harris began researching the console wars in 2010 after receiving a retro Sega Genesis.
•85% of 13 critics' reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are positive.
•The Sony Pictures hack in 2014 threatened the documentary's progress.

Perfect For

1990s gaming cultureSega enthusiastsNintendo fans