The Dreamcast is a home video game console that was released by Sega on November 27, 1998 in Japan, September 9, 1999 in North America, and October 14, 1999 in Europe. It was the first entry in the sixth generation of video game consoles, preceding the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. The Dreamcast is Sega's last home console to date, with no successor released since its discontinuation. In contrast to the expensive hardware of the unsuccessful Sega Saturn, the Dreamcast was designed to reduce costs with "off the shelf" components, including a Hitachi SH-4 CPU and an NEC PowerVR2 GPU. Initially released in Japan to a subdued reception, the Dreamcast enjoyed a highly successful U.S. launch backed by a large marketing campaign, but interest in the system steadily declined as Sony built hype for the upcoming PlayStation 2. Sales did not meet Sega's expectations despite several price cuts, and the company continued to incur significant financial losses. After a change in leadership, Sega discontinued the Dreamcast on March 31, 2001, withdrawing from the console business and restructuring itself as a third-party publisher. 10.6 million Dreamcast units were sold worldwide.