3DO Interactive Multiplayer

The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was a specification created by 3DO for a CD-ROM based console which would be licensed to various hardware manufacturers. The actual consoles themselves were sold by Panasonic, beginning in 1993, and then followed the next year by Sanyo and Goldstar. Expansion cards were later offered for PCs which allowed for the playing of 3DO games on that platform. The 3DO was the first 32-bit console available in the United States.

The licensing scheme resulted in a steep buy-in price for the console, and poor third party support resulted in few launch titles which stunted adoption of the 3DO. The adoption of the then innovative CD drive for its primary media led to many titles being created with long movie sequences that ended up limiting interactive game play.

By late 1996, 3DO had ceased promotion of the hardware specification, and switched to being a multi-platform software company. Both hardware and software production quickly died out for the platform as consumers moved to other platforms, many of which were already offering more advanced CD based titles.