It’s officially the end of the web for the Sega Dreamcast. After 25 years of keeping Sega’s final console loosely tethered to the internet, PlanetWeb 3.0 has been shut down this time, for good. Google’s latest update has rendered the browser unusable, effectively cutting one of the last remaining online features from the retro system.
PlanetWeb 3.0 no longer works after the Google update
PlanetWeb 3.0 launched back in 2001, giving Dreamcast users a rare browser experience on a console. While basic even then, it was a big deal especially for players who used dial-up modems and Dreamcast’s keyboard peripheral to check emails or visit forums directly from their console.
Sega pulled the plug on its official online services long ago. But PlanetWeb hung on, thanks to fan-maintained servers and community tools. That’s no longer enough. Google’s latest browser-level changes broke compatibility with outdated TLS and HTML standards, knocking PlanetWeb offline permanently.
Dreamcast Live confirms end of online era
Dreamcast Live, a community-run site that preserves the console’s online functions, confirmed the news with a simple post on X: “Sad news, guys. Google has discontinued support for Dreamcast web browsers.” The post was quickly echoed by other preservationists in the retro gaming scene.
The timing hits hard. The Dreamcast is now 27 years old, and PlanetWeb surviving this long already felt like borrowed time. Most modern websites rely heavily on JavaScript, advanced encryption, and CSS all of which are well beyond the reach of early 2000s hardware.
Retro fans still have one last option
While official web support is gone, not all hope is lost. Enter FrogFind, a retro-friendly search engine created by Action Retro. It filters search results from DuckDuckGo and converts them into simplified HTML that older browsers including PlanetWeb can parse. While not a full browsing solution, it keeps the console barely online for the nostalgia-chasers.
Here’s how FrogFind helps keep the Dreamcast breathing:
- Text-only search results
- Minimalist HTML pages
- Supports legacy browsers with weak TLS
- Compatible with dial-up-era modems
Dreamcast’s online legacy fades, but doesn’t vanish
The Dreamcast was ahead of its time in 1998, launching with a modem and pioneering online console gaming. Losing PlanetWeb 3.0 marks the end of an odd but fascinating chapter in its history. But as long as fans keep making tools like FrogFind or repurposing old tech for new tricks the console’s spirit will stay online, even if its browser can’t.
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