I read a GamePro and it all became clear...

[Joe Redifer]

If Sega switched to cardboard because it was cheaper, then why did it stick to plastic cases for its next two consoles?

The same exact question could be asked about the "saving the planet" official Al Gore reason as well. No way Sega had THAT many Sega CD cases laying around. Also note that the manuals went from nice glossy color to black and white rough paper covers at the same time. Is color bad for the environment as well? Don't believe Sega's PR spin. Any company would give the same exact spin in the same situation.

The real reason: Sega of America only employed dumbasses in decision-making positions.

[Rusty Venture]

The real reason:

Sega did a focus group and found that, while children don't care about plastic cases or glossy manuals, they do like puppies.

Instead of buying every single child in America a puppy, they just did away with the plastic cases and glossy manuals.

[17daysolderthannes]

The real reason:

Sega did a focus group and found that, while children don't care about plastic cases or glossy manuals, they do like puppies.

Instead of buying every single child in America a puppy, they just did away with the plastic cases and glossy manuals.

that probably had more to do with it than anything, everyone I knew took the box and case that came with NES and SNES games and threw it straight in the trash. I guess Sega finally figured "dammit, no one is appreciating this nice plastic case and environmentalist groups are hammering our asses about it, f it, make it cardboard." Also, one thing to remember, the Genesis cases weren't the same kind of plastic that Sega CD and Saturn cases were, so its possible Genesis cases were more environmentally unfriendly than the later CD cases, or at least Sega figured since CD's NEED the protection the kids would be more likely to hang on to them.

[Iron Lizard]

Cases are more necessary with cds then carts.

[Joe Redifer]

Again, who threw out the plastic boxes? Not too many people, I imagine. It cost Sega more to do cardboard MY ASS!

Sega of America = one of the worst companies ever. They relied way too much on focus groups and none of their executives were gamers (though they would say they liked games in interviews, of course).

[Aarzak]

I figure that they did indeed have a large stock, or rather a sweet deal with the company who made those Sega CD cases, so they stuck with them for the Saturn. After their packaging "re-launch" during the summer of 1993 (which is when they debuted the color-coded "stripe" packaging) they went all-jewel cases (both longbox and short) for their CD releases and never looked back. Sony was the last one to ditch the short-lived, cardboard packaging (for CD games) when they switched their PS1 packaging to jewel cases sometime around mid-1996.

On the other hand, I bet they couldn't afford, or rather didn't want to continue packaging Genesis games in plastic cases by 1994, as the system was growing "long in the tooth" by then. They first started by cheapening up their instruction manuals (eliminating the full-color covers) and then, yadda yadda yadda fall '94 switch to cardboard. Ironically, the switch coincided with the period in which the SNES overtook the Genesis on the 16-Bit market for the rest of their "war, "Donkey Kong Country" and all-that. "Sonic & Knuckles" and "Mortal Kombat 3" were the only documented Genesis games to sell over a million units after the switch.

EDIT: Wait............Melf had a post that I was responding to, and by the time I finished this response it was GONE. Weird.........

[Rusty Venture]

[Doc Brown]Erased from existence![/Doc Brown]