Sega honors home console designer Hideki Sato, acknowledging that "his contributions had a significant and lasting impact on the entire gaming industry"

Hideki Sato, a pivotal figure in the design of several Sega home consoles, passed away last week, and Sega has paid homage to his legacy.

The gaming corporation acknowledged that Sato's work "had a significant and lasting impact on the entire gaming industry" and highlighted how his "leadership helped lay the foundation of Sega."

The news regarding his death was shared over the weekend by Sega history zine Beep21, which reported that he passed away on February 13. Following the emergence of tributes, Sega – where Sato had a prolific career from 1971 to 2008 – expressed sorrow over "the passing of Hideki Sato, who held the position of President of Sega from 2001 to 2003."

"Sega extends its condolences to his family and friends. Starting his career with arcade machine development, Mr. Sato played a key role in creating notable home consoles like the SG-1000, SC-3000, Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast," the company stated on X/Twitter.

"His leadership was fundamental to Sega's development, and his contributions have left a lasting legacy in the gaming world. We will continually honor his contributions to Sega, and our deepest sympathies are with his loved ones," the statement continued.

Throughout the early 1990s, Sato directed the research and development division, guiding the creation of many hardware systems, including iconic arcade machines, from the SG-1000 to the Dreamcast, until his departure in 2008.