At the age of 77, Hideki Sato, one of the creators of Sega consoles, passed away
Hideki Sato passed away — an engineer considered the 'father' of Sega hardware. His passing was reported by the Japanese gaming publication Beep21. Sato was 77 years old.
What is known
He joined Sega in 1971 and worked there until the early 2000s. His name is most closely associated with the development of arcade systems and home consoles that defined the era of the 1980s–1990s. Among them are the SG-1000, as well as the iconic Genesis (Mega Drive), Saturn, and Dreamcast, which became part of the childhood of the late Gen X and early millennials.
The father of Sega hardware
— Beep21 (@Beep2021) February 14, 2026
Hideki Sato passed away yesterday.
In the history of Japanese gaming
And captivated Sega fans all over the world
He was truly a great person.
The excitement and spirit of challenge from that era will,
remain forever and eternally etched in the memories of many fans.
We deeply pray for his eternal bliss.
Beep21
In 2001–2003, Sato served as president of Sega. Beep21, which frequently interviewed him, called him 'an outstanding figure who shaped the history of Japan's gaming industry and won over Sega fans worldwide'.
Sato died a few months after Sega co-founder David Rosen passed away at the age of 95 in December.
Source: Beep21
