Editing Dreamcast (section)

==== Australia and New Zealand ====
Through the regional distributor [[Ozisoft]], the Dreamcast went on sale in Australia and New Zealand on November 30, 1999, at a price of {{A$|499|link=yes}}.<ref name="Telstra-SMH">{{cite news |last1=Crawford |first1=Kate |title=Sega's dream cast for Telstra |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119733986/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=November 2, 1999 |page=31 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195158/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119733986/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The launch was planned for September, but was delayed due to problems with Internet compatibility and launch game availability, then delayed again from the revised date of October 25 for various reasons.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |date=August 2, 1999 |title=Dreamcast Delays Down Under |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/03/dreamcast-delays-down-under |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200239/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/03/dreamcast-delays-down-under |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Norsa |first1=Gerard |date=August 25, 1999 |title=Dreamcast labelled as no new games wizard |work=[[IDG Communications|ARN]] |publisher= |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/47613/dreamcast_labelled_no_new_games_wizard/ |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195153/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/47613/dreamcast_labelled_no_new_games_wizard/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|Representatives from Ozisoft had different answers for the delay from October 25; one responded to ''[[IGN]]'' stating that they were awaiting approval from [[Telecom New Zealand]] for both the console and the Internet access disc.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |title=More On The Dreamcast Delay In Australia And New Zealand |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/23/more-on-the-dreamcast-delay-in-australia-and-new-zealand |access-date=June 15, 2021 |work=IGN |date=October 22, 1999 |language=en |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201038/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/23/more-on-the-dreamcast-delay-in-australia-and-new-zealand |url-status=live }}</ref> Another said, via ''ARN'', that the delay was caused by high demand for international shipping along with chip manufacturing problems resulting from the [[1999 Jiji earthquake|then-recent earthquake in Taiwan]]; he also noted that Sega reallocated 50,000 Dreamcast units meant for the November 30 launch out of Australia due to heavy demand elsewhere.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Norsa |first1=Gerard |title=Dreamcast delayed as retailers buy up |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/101747/dreamcast_delayed_retailers_buy_up/ |access-date=June 15, 2021 |work=ARN |publisher=IDG Communications |date=November 3, 1999 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195742/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/101747/dreamcast_delayed_retailers_buy_up/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}} There were severe problems at launch; besides a severe shortage of the consoles, only six of the thirty planned launch games were available for purchase on day one with no [[first-party software]] included, and additional peripherals were not available in stores.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langan |first=Matthew |date=November 30, 1999 |title=Dreamcast Hits Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/01/dreamcast-hits-australia |access-date=June 15, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200117/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/01/dreamcast-hits-australia |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Ozisoft representative Steve O'Leary, in a statement released the day of launch, explained that the [[Australian Customs Service]] had impounded virtually all the supplied launch software, including demo discs, due to insufficient labeling of their [[country of origin]]; Ozisoft had received them only two days before launch, resulting in few games that were catalogued and prepared for shipment in time. O'Leary also said that the Dreamcast's high demand in other markets had reduced the number of peripherals allotted to the region.<ref name="Ozisoft launch explanation - IGN">{{cite news |last1=Langan |first1=Matthew |date=December 1, 1999 |title=Update On Dreamcast Launch In Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/02/update-on-dreamcast-launch-in-australia |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195719/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/02/update-on-dreamcast-launch-in-australia |url-status=live }}</ref> Further complicating matters was the lack of an internet disc due to localization problems, and delays in securing an ISP contract, which was done through [[Telstra]] the day before launch. The online component was not ready until March 2000, at which point Ozisoft sent the necessary software to users who had sent in a filled-out [[reply paid]] card included with the console.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schouten |first1=Ryoni |date=March 23, 2000 |title=DC Internet Finally Hits Australia |language=en |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/24/dc-internet-finally-hits-australia |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195619/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/24/dc-internet-finally-hits-australia |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Australia launch - Edge">{{Cite magazine |date=January 2000 |title=Dreamcast blunders down under |url= |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |location= |publisher= |issue=80 |page=7 |issn= |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 16, 2000 |title=Big Pond casts net dreams |language=en-AU |work=[[PC World]] |publisher= |url=https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/105542/big_pond_casts_net_dreams/ |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624215842/https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/105542/big_pond_casts_net_dreams/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The poor launch, combined with a lack of advertising and a high price point, produced lackluster sales in Australia; two large retail chains reported a combined total of 13 console sales over the first few days after launch.<ref name="Australia launch - Edge" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Cameron |date=April 27, 2000 |title=Dreamcast's Dismal Aussie Outing |work=[[GameSpot]] |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dreamcasts-dismal-aussie-outing/1100-2460893/ |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195151/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dreamcasts-dismal-aussie-outing/1100-2460893/ |url-status=live }}</ref>