Hardware Not Responding

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Date

2015-01

Authors

Weil, Rachel Simone
Doroba, Mark (photographer)

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Abstract

The FAL is proud to present the exhibit "Hardware Not Responding". Located in the periodicals section on the 3rd floor of the library, the exhibit offers a visual history of Sega videogame consoles and electronic toys in the 1980's and 1990's. While it's earliest videogame consoles are not well known in the US, Sega made an impact with its third entry into the console market, the Sega Genesis. The Genesis became a runaway hit and fast rival to Nintendo in the late 1980's and early 1990's, built on the slogan that "Genesis Does What Nintendon't". In the early 1990's Sega and Nintendo battled for the top spot in the game console market, and it seemed that Sega-- with its sizeable game sales and fan following-- would come out ahead. Yet just a few years later, Sega would be plagued by missteps and poor reception to it's nextgeneration game console releases. The Sega Dreamcast, released in the US in 1999, would be Sega's final videogame console before refocusing its business on arcade machines and game software. "Hardware Not Responding" playfully asks the viewer to consider whether history could have been different for Sega and for videogame consoles today. Were some ideas underdeveloped? Too cumbersome? Or perhaps too ahead of their time? "Hardware Not Responding" is curated by Rachel Simone Weil (Department of Art and Art History) with support from the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History and the Fine Arts Library. Display items are on loan from the UT Videogame Archive and from the FEMICOM Museum. Photos and design by Mark Doroba

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