Lincoln Letter Marks End of Sega-Nintendo War

In the retro gaming world, few stories feel as local to the hobby as the old console wars, and this one lands with real weight. TimeExtension has published a scan of a letter from Nintendo of America president Howard Lincoln to Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske, a primary source that sheds light on how the 16-bit rivalry came to a close.

The letter is dated 1996, when Kalinske was leaving Sega after the Sega Saturn’s disappointing performance in North America. Lincoln writes that he was saddened to hear of Kalinske’s departure, and he congratulates him on his success, even saying it came “at our expense”.

The rivalry between Nintendo and Sega defined the 16-bit era. Sega’s Genesis, known as the Mega Drive in Europe, pushed hard against Nintendo’s market lead, with campaigns such as “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t” becoming part of gaming folklore. Tom Kalinske was central to that push, and his leadership helped Sega take a significant share of Nintendo’s audience.

What makes the letter stand out is the tone. Lincoln also credits Kalinske as the “driving force” behind the formation of the Interactive Digital Software Association, the precursor to the Entertainment Software Association, and the E3 show. For readers following the wider industry story, that matters because it shows the rivalry was fierce, but not without professional respect.

Blake J. Harris, author of Console Wars, told TimeExtension that he initially thought Kalinske might be embellishing the letter’s contents. Seeing Lincoln’s words in print, including the praise for Kalinske’s “class-act behavior”, confirmed the document’s importance as the end of a personal conflict as well as a business one.

For more retro gaming news, you can keep up with the latest posts on our News tag page. You can also read the original report from TimeExtension, and learn more about the organisations mentioned via the Entertainment Software Association and E3.