UPDATE: SEGA Pluto Auction Ends at $15,500, Still Not Enough

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[UPDATE – 12th May, 2013:] The saga continues!  Vega has responded via Twitter to the utter disbelief of the price being rejected. According to him, the highest bidder got cold feet and backed out of the deal after it ended. A user on Reddit by the name of lordloss has uploaded a photo of a second chance offer from Vega to purchase the machine for $11,000. We’ll update as the Pluto’s saga continues to unfold. What a roller coaster!

After nine days on the auction block, the auction for a rare SEGA Pluto prototype unit amassed $15,500 over 89 bids, but no exchange will be declared as the auction failed to once again meet its reserve price.

This comes after the initial auction garnered only $7,600 and claims from owner Roger “kidvid666” Vega that he picked up the unit for only a dollar. Looks like 15,500 times profit isn’t quite enough to get yourself a SEGA Pluto prototype unit from him.

At this point, we don’t know if it’s straight up greed or if he wants people to start donating organs/first born children. But chances are, if this system is to join any game collection, it’ll take more than $16,000 at least to possibly make it happen.

Start saving.

[Image courtesy of Roger Vega]

SEGA Pluto Back On Auction Block

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Have a couple of grand you want to burn on a rare piece of SEGA hardware? Roger Vega, a.k.a. kidvid666, has put his rare SEGA Pluto system up on eBay after its initial auction ended at $7,600, failing to meet its reserve limit.

The SEGA Pluto is a sub-planet SEGA Saturn variant, of which only two knowingly exist in the world. The system, while much larger than its model 1 and 2 Saturn brethren (and roughly larger than a combined Model 2 Mega Drive and Mega CD), features a built-in NetLink modem, enabling the system to connect to the Internet for web browsing and playing certain online-enabled titles such as Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition, SEGA Rally,  Saturn Bomberman, and Virtual On. Otherwise, the system is a typical U.S. NTSC Saturn.

Vega demonstrates in a YouTube video that the system, while fully functional, has a broken disc door that needs to have constant pressure weighing it down in order for the system to function properly. As of this posting, the auction is at $501 with over 21 bidders. It is set to end on May 10.

[Image courtesy of Roger Vega]

The second SEGA Pluto console has been found… at a flea market for $1

Yesterday we shared the news that a SEGA Pluto console existed, at least in prototype form, and that according to the source only two existed. Well, thanks to Destructoid reader, we now know where the second one is. The second console, which is designated as the first of two, is owned by kidvid666 who bought the Pluto around five or six years ago at a flea market for… $1. I’m sure many game collectors have their own awesome stories of flea market finds, but this one takes the cake. According to kidvid666, the system works, but the lid is broken and won’t stay shut.

kidvid666 has considered selling the SEGA Pluto on eBay, though given its historical significance, perhaps he should keep it safe and perserved? I’m sure SEGA Retro would take very good care of it.

The SEGA Pluto console revealed!

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Thanks to the Assembler Games forums, we can now check another item off our list of “SEGA hardware with planetary code names”. While Pluto is no longer classed as a planet, Assembler Games forum member Super Magnetic has revealed that it was in fact a proposed SEGA console! Don’t get too excited, however. Super Magnetic revealed that the SEGA Pluto was a SEGA Saturn with the Netlink Adapter built in. As Super Magnetic explains:

After a good 14 years or so of sitting on this, I’ve decided it’s time to share a little bit of Sega lore with those who would appreciate it most.

First, a little background info — I was introduced to this site by Monkfish (a great friend who recently passed away, RIP), who provided everyone with the Geist build, if memory serves. We worked together at Sega back in the day, and a bout of reminiscence over my old friend led me to remember this site, which leads us to today.

I’m here to reveal a piece of unreleased Sega hardware — the Pluto. And no, it’s not that Nomad wannabe — it’s a Saturn with a Netlink built in.