Didn't you know that?
SEGA started working on it's next console by later 1995, late 1996 SEGA and it's partners at the time had a prototype called the HighLander. Then SEGA quited this early adventure by waiting for the contracts to end. Then soon they started the SEGA.America VS SEGA.Japan duel we all know. lolol
But yeah people do forgot stuff...