Hideki Sato, designer of all Sega’s consoles, has died

February 15, 2026 - 22:32

Hideki Sato, the pioneering engineer and designer behind Sega's iconic line of home consoles, has died. His career at Sega spanned decades, where he was instrumental in defining the look and technological heart of the company's most beloved systems.

Sato helmed design for consoles including the Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, which became a powerhouse of 16-bit gaming. He continued his work on the subsequent Sega Saturn and was also deeply involved with the Dreamcast, Sega's final foray into the console market. His influence extended beyond consoles to pivotal arcade board designs, cementing his role as a foundational figure in Sega's hardware legacy.

Colleagues and industry historians remember Sato not just as a skilled engineer, but as a leader who guided entire hardware divisions. His work translated Sega's bold gaming philosophy into physical form, creating the platforms for countless classic titles. His passing marks the loss of a key architect from a defining era of video game history, whose contributions continue to be celebrated by fans and developers worldwide.