Incomplete List Heat.net, stylized HEAT.NET, was an online PC gaming system produced by SegaSoft and launched in 1997 during Bernie Stolar's tenure as SEGA of America president.
Heat.net and its sister service, SEGANet, are considered ahead of their time and precursors to both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
[17] Heat.net essentially combined the network, client, and protocol technologies of the MPlayer system (obtained under license) with the IPX tunneling package Kahn.
It featured a currency system where the player earned "degrees" through playing games, trivia contests (both game-related and general), viewing ads, or other actions.
[16][18] Degrees could be spent, but only by premium members, at Heat.net's online store, the Black Market,[19] which had computer games and related merchandise.
Students from 1,100 registered schools would play Quake III: Arena or Unreal Tournament in teams representing their colleges, with play-offs at the end of the season.