3DO Interactive Multiplayer

The **3DO Interactive Multiplayer**, often called the **3DO**, is a home video game console developed by The 3DO Company. Conceived by entrepreneur and Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins, the 3DO was not a console manufactured by the company itself, but a series of specifications, originally designed by Dave Needle and R. J. Mical of New Technologies Group, that could be licensed by third parties. Panasonic produced the first models in 1993, and further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by GoldStar (now LG Electronics) and in 1995 by Sanyo.

## Licensed Systems

### Generation I (1994-1998)

A number of different manufacturers produced the 3DO system. The Panasonic versions are the best known and most common.

* **Panasonic FZ-1 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer** (Japan, Asia, North America and Europe) – The first 3DO system, which was initially priced at $699.99 in the U.S. and 79,800 yen (approximately US$712) in Japan. The price was later reduced to $399.99 in the fall of 1994.
* **Panasonic FZ-10 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer** (Japan, North America and Europe) – Released on November 11, 1994 (a year after the FZ-1), it is a less expensive, slimmer and lighter model and replaced the FZ-1 in Panasonic's portfolio. The FZ-10 featured a top loading CD tray, an internal memory manager and repositioned the LEDs and controller port. The controller is also smaller and lighter than the one included with the FZ-1, but lacks a headphones output.
* **Panasonic N-1005 3DO CD Changer "ROBO"** (Japan only) – An FZ-1 custom console, fitted with a five disc CD drive.
* **Sanyo IMP-21J TRY 3DO Interactive Multiplayer** (Japan only) – Released in March 1995, this model has the pickup head on the tray (resembling a laptop optical drive). It was made in medium quantities before it was discontinued.
* **GoldStar GDO-101 Alive 3DO Interactive Multiplayer** (South Korea) – Released in 1994, this model is similar in physical appearance to the Panasonic model.
* **GoldStar GDO-101M 3DO Interactive Multiplayer** (North America and Europe) – A version of the GDO-101 for foreign markets.
* **GoldStar GDO-203P 3DO Alive II** (South Korea only) – The rarest of all of the systems, resembling a very rounded PlayStation.
* **Creative 3DO Blaster** – A PC ISA expansion card with a double-speed CD-ROM drive and a controller that enables compatible Windows-based PCs to play 3DO games. Produced by Creative Labs.
* **Arcade** – American Laser Games utilized 3DO-based hardware for a number of arcade titles.

Generation II (1998-2005)

Generation III (2005-2012)

Generation IV (2012-2018)

Generation V (2016-present)

## The 3DO Company (parent company)

**The 3DO Company** (formerly THDO on the NASDAQ stock exchange), also known as **3DO**, was an American video game company. It was founded in 1991 by Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins, in a partnership with seven other companies. After 3DO's flagship video game console, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, failed in the marketplace, the company exited the hardware business and became a third-party video game developer. It went bankrupt in 2003 due to poor sales of its games. Its headquarters were in Redwood City, California in the San Francisco Bay Area.

### Company Structure

* **3DO Labs** - console development & support centers
	+ 3DO Labs Redwood City
	+ 3DO Labs Singapore
* **3DO Licensing** - licensing and merchandising
	+ **3DO Prints** - book publishing imprint
* **Animotion** - animation studio
	+ Animotion Singapore
* **Designed Echoes** - post-production sound design
* **NeXT Level** - computer animation studio
* **OBEROI** - visual effects
* **REAL Dynamics** - Practical effects division (model shop) and 3-D development team

#### Former Divisions

* **3DOnline** - In house web development company that built and maintained the websites of the other 3DO companies and properties. (restructured to parent company EA in 2013)
* **3DO Sound** - theater sound system
* **3DO Studios** - video game development studios (restructured to parent company EA in 2013)
* **3DO Toys** - toy manufacturing (restructured to parent company EA in 2013)