The 3DO Company and its initiative received the backing of several industry figures including AT&T, Electronic Arts, Goldstar, Matsushita (owner of Panasonic), MCA, and Time Warner.

[3][4] The launch of the first 3DO system in October 1993 was well-promoted, with a great deal of attention in the mass media as part of the "multimedia wave" in the computer world, the first player being a Panasonic model at the price of US$699 (equivalent to $1,500 in 2023).

While 3DO's business model attracted game publishers with its low royalty rates, it resulted in the console selling for a price higher than the SNES and Sega Genesis combined, hampering sales.

While companies that manufactured and sold their own consoles could sell them, at a loss, for a competitive price, making up for lost profit through royalties collected from game publishers, the 3DO's manufacturers, not collecting any money from game publishers, and owing royalties to the 3DO Company, had to sell the console for a profit, resulting in high prices.

[8] The console's prospects continued to improve through the first half of 1995 with a number of critical success, including winning the 1995 European Computer Trade Show award for best hardware.

[10] Thanks in part to revenues from the sale of M2 technology to Matsushita and other licensees, in the first quarter of 1996 the 3DO Company turned a profit for the first time since it was founded, with a net income of $1.2 million.

[12] President Hugh Martin was given full operating control, while Hawkins remained with the company as chairman, CEO, and creative director.