The dev kit was used to ensure games did not break any of Sega's memory usage rules. The collector, who goes by Ranma on Twitter, says the unit is worth about one million yen ($9,650).

Sega Saturn devkits cost $77,000 back in 1995. Making games is pretty damn expensive, even back in the day. ... Games development is, and always has been, pretty expensive.

Sega actually had two Sega Saturn 2's in development at the same time. One was codenamed Black Belt, used 3dfx's Voodoo graphics tech, and was in development in the U.S.

Moreover, as Kalinske lamented to Sega Nerds, rushing out the Saturn left it with a barren games lineup and next to no marketing plan, which hurt the console’s launch no matter its price.