Sega Meganet, also known as the
Net Work System, was an online service for the
Mega Drive in Japan and later Brazil. Utilizing
dial-up Internet access, Meganet was
Sega's first
online multiplayer gaming service, and functioned on a
pay to play basis. The system functioned through the use of a peripheral called the
Mega Modem and offered several unique titles that could be downloaded, and a few could be played competitively with friends. In addition, it shared technology and equipment with more serious services such as the
Mega Anser, used for banking purposes. Though the system was announced for North America under the rebranded name "Tele-Genesis", it was never released for that region. Ultimately, the Meganet service would be short-lived, lasting approximately a year before it was discontinued, but would serve as a precursor to the
Sega Channel and
XBAND services, as well as a predecessor to
online gaming services for
video game consoles. Retrospective feedback praises the attempt by Sega to introduce online gaming, but criticizes the service for its logistical issues and lack of titles.