Hideki Sato, the legendary engineer hailed as the “father of Sega hardware” for leading the design of nearly every major Sega console from the 1980s to the early 2000s, has passed away. He was 77.
Sega officially announced Sato’s death on Monday, confirming he passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026. The company expressed profound gratitude for his contributions, stating: “Starting from the development of arcade amusement machines, [he created] innovative home game consoles loved by fans—from the SG-1000, SC-3000, to the Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast—laying the foundation for Sega and making tremendous contributions to the game industry.”
Sato joined Sega in 1971 and rose through the ranks in the R&D team, spearheading hardware development that bridged arcade innovation to home gaming. His portfolio includes pivotal systems such as the SG-1000 (Sega’s first home console in 1983), SC-3000, Master System, Mega Drive/Genesis (1988), Sega Saturn (1994), and Dreamcast (1998)—consoles that defined Sega’s golden era and challenged Nintendo’s dominance.
He served as Sega’s president and CEO from 2001 to 2003 during a turbulent period that saw the company exit the console market, before departing in 2008.
In interviews, Sato reflected on his philosophy of adapting cutting-edge arcade tech for homes. On the Mega Drive, he noted: “Arcade games were using 16-bit CPUs… what if we used that technology in a home console?” For the Dreamcast, the focus was “‘play and communication,'” featuring modems and linkable VMUs.
Sato’s legacy endures in the millions of gamers who grew up with Sonic the Hedgehog speeding across Genesis screens or exploring Dreamcast worlds. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Sega employees and fans alike pray for his eternal rest, honoring a pioneer whose vision shaped gaming history.