Console wars
Encyclopedia
"Console wars", also known as "System wars" is a term used to refer to periods of intense competition for market share between video game console
manufacturers. The winners of these "wars" may be debated based on different standards: market penetration and financial success, or the fierce loyalty and numbers of the fans of the system's games. The term itself does not strictly denote a clear winner in each case, though. Console wars generally do decide if a manufacturer continues in or abandons the industry.
Due to different manufacturers releasing consoles at different times, the wars described below are not exact definitions and do not necessarily have firm beginning and ending dates. Also, these wars had different years and combatants on different continents, since traditionally the four main markets—Europe, Japan, Australia and North America—have been treated as separate entities, with machines and games released at different times or even completely different games being released. This situation is not quite so apparent today; however, it is still there, particularly with regards to Japan vìs-a-vìs the other three markets.
In the mid-1980s, home computer
s from various manufacturers were used primarily for gaming purposes by consumers worldwide (in the absence of comparable consoles following the video game crash
) and are included here as well.
and Commodore 64
. However, the two terms have been used by people of the other countries. For example, the term fanboy is used quite often on US-based Video Game message boards. By any name, fanboys will tend to lock themselves into buying and using one console, one brand, or one company's line of console over the others. Recently, such fanboys have more often than not aggressively denounced competing consoles, and are usually hostile to fans of competing consoles. Another variation of a fanboy are those who don't like only one console or brand, but those who hate only one console or brand. For example, those who hate Nintendo
, but are torn between Sony
and Microsoft
, may also be considered "fanboys."
This phenomenon is unusual in the world of consumables; there are, for example, hardly any "stereo system wars", where people care about what kind of stereo system others purchase. The only explanation usually put forth as to why there are console wars amongst gamers is based on the idea that the more popular a console is, the more games will eventually be developed for it. This is the positive network effect
and is the underlying reason for a related phenomenon, the computer operating system OS Wars
.
What makes these "fan wars" even more fierce is that often, the major controversies and debates occur before any of the systems are even released, based on what historically have often been dubious specifications released by the manufacturers.
Most of these heated debates between fans occur on Internet message boards, such as Systemwars.com.
outcome and virtual bankruptcy
of all the major combatants set the stage for Japanese dominance of video game console manufacturing by eliminating competition and discouraging American and European investment. When Nintendo
brought console gaming back to North America in 1985, the discredited market segment
held no American-based competition.
The Atari Video Computer System (VCS) was introduced in 1977 at a price point of US$199, after two years of research and $100 million in investment. Its name was changed to the Atari 2600
in 1982 when Atari introduced the "next generation" Atari 5200
. By 1980, sales were doubling annually and three million homes had Atari consoles.
Seeing this success, toy company Mattel
began work in 1978 on its own console, the Intellivision
, which debuted in 1980 with a price tag of $299 and a pack-in game, Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack. The system was an immediate success. Though not the first system to challenge Atari
(systems from Fairchild Semiconductor
, Bally
, and Magnavox
were already on the market), it was the first to pose a serious threat to Atari's dominance. A series of Intellivision TV ads featuring women in bikinis mercilessly attacked the Atari VCS's lesser capabilities with side-by-side game comparisons. Nevertheless, Atari held exclusive rights to most of the popular arcade game
conversions of the day, and used this key segment to support its older hardware in the market.
This game advantage and the difference in price between the machines meant that each year Atari sold more units than Intellivision, lengthening its lead despite inferior graphics. This need for price parity has influenced every console war in the quarter century since Atari and Intellivision faced off.
The ColecoVision
was introduced by Coleco
in 1982 and sold 500,000 units its first year, further dividing the marketplace. It was priced similarly to the Intellivision and had a decisive technological edge over its rivals, being the first true 8-bit console ever, meaning it could duplicate coin-operated arcade games almost to a "T"; Coleco licensed several major arcade games for its system - including Donkey Kong
, which was the pack-in game for the console - to rival Atari's technically inferior 'ports'.
This "first console war" ended with the video game crash of 1983
, when huge oversupplies of games and competition from personal computers caused game prices to drop precipitously.
brands that ran from the mid 80s until the mid 90s. All of the computers involved had many upgraded versions released over their lifetimes, which usually included increased RAM and improved CPUs, but rarely a reduction in size due to their integrated keyboards. These wars mainly took place in the United Kingdom
, which during the late 80s was the centre of the world computer game industry, having been unaffected by the crash that took place in Japan and the US. This period is also renowned for being the time of the 'bedroom programmer', and many companies formed by such people have lasted until the current day.
vs. Commodore
wars of the mid 1980s were the true originator of the console wars. This was due to the start of single format computer game magazines and the far greater entry into mainstream youth culture of these computers than the previous consoles. The Commodore 64 was generally far more technically advanced than the Spectrum, but it usually sold for double the price.
" and the associated Government Computer literacy / Computer for schools programs ensured steady sales post the bursting of the home micro bubble. A fair proportion of the 1.5m 8-bit BBC micros were in daily use, in UK schools, into the 90’s.
This fight for market dominance was portrayed in the BBC 4 drama Micro Men”.
vs. Atari ST
wars took place in the late 1980s. In Britain and France where ST was relatively stronger compared to other areas the war lasted well into the early 1990s. Eventually Amiga clearly outsold ST in Britain. The Amiga had the better graphics and sound, and a built-in double-sided floppy disk drive. The ST was cheaper and had built-in MIDI ports. Many early games were developed for the ST and simply ported to the Amiga, using the same code and graphics but remaking the music and sound.
) came out on top in North America
and Japan
(where it was known as the Nintendo Famicom), partially due to its earlier release, but mostly because Nintendo banned developers from releasing their games on other systems if their games were released on the NES. This put a damper on third party support for the Master System
and the rest of Nintendo's competition. In Europe
and Brazil
, however, the Master System sold much better than the NES in those territories. Australia had similar success with the Master System in its early days, though when the NES was released there by Mattel
, Master System sales started to slow down.
Nintendo of Japan continued to repair Famicom systems until October 31, 2007, attributing the decision to discontinue support to an increasing shortage of the necessary parts.
wars, Nintendo
's Game Boy
came out well on top and far outlived the Sega Game Gear
and Atari Lynx, becoming one of the most successful consoles of all time. The Game Boy's victory is generally attributed to its greater battery life, cheaper price tag, and wider third party support over the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx, despite the Game Gear and Lynx's having color screens. However, Nintendo continued to research into improving the screen and first released the Game Boy Pocket, with a true black-and-white screen. Later, Nintendo created the Game Boy Color
, with near-total backward compatibility
.
The Game Boy had many port
s of games from popular Nintendo franchises. It was also launched with the extraordinarily popular puzzle game Tetris
as a pack-in.
Many other companies attempted to get in on the handheld market and they could also be added into this category. These included the Neo Geo Pocket
and the WonderSwan
(though the latter was in Japan only).
(known as the Super Famicom in Japan). The Sega Genesis came out about two and a half years earlier than the SNES; however, its first few years were not very successful and it was not until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog
that it started to sell well. A Sony focus group found that teenage boys would not admit to owning a Super NES rather than a Genesis. Neither console could maintain a definitive lead in market share for several years.
In early 1991, Sega announced the Mega-CD/Sega-CD
for release in Japan in late 1991 and in North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992. While this add-on did contain a faster CPU, more memory and some enhanced graphics capabilities over the Mega Drive/Genesis itself, the main focus of the device was to expand the size of games: cartridges of the day typically contained 8 to 16 megabits of data, while a CD-ROM would hold 640 megabytes (5120 megabits). While it became known for several games, including Sonic CD and Night Trap
, the expansion only sold 6 million units worldwide.
At June 1994's Consumer Electronics Show
, Sega presented the 32X
as the "poor man's entry into 'next generation' games." Although some blame Sega of America for developing this failure, the 32X was originally conceived as an entirely new console by Sega of Japan. Sega of America R&D head Joe Miller convinced Sega of Japan to strengthen the console and convert it into an add-on to the existing Genesis, but they would not make it a competitor to the forthcoming Sega Saturn
. Although this add-on contained two 32-bit CPU chips and a 3D graphics processor, it failed to attract either developers or consumers as the superior Saturn had already been announced for release the next year. Originally released at US$159, Sega dropped the price to $99 in only a few months and ultimately cleared the remaining inventory at $19.95; at least 600,000 units were sold.
Also, NEC
and Hudson Software entered the market with their PC Engine/Turbografx-16
, another 16 bit system that was made to challenge Nintendo
and Sega
. Hudson, attempting to reach the same level of popularity as the SNES
and Mega Drive/Genesis, invented their own mascot to stand beside Mario
and Sonic
named Bonk the Caveman. While NEC did not have as big a splash in the market as Nintendo and Sega, they still sold more copies than expected for an all-new hardware system. The PC Engine/Turbografx-16
made things even harder for Sega in Japan. The Genesis remained a distant third in Japan behind Nintendo's Super Famicom
and NEC's PC Engine
throughout the 16-bit era.
was released first and despite success in Japanese markets, it ultimately lacked in sufficient third party support. Sega's decision to use dual processors has been roundly criticized, and some believe the second CPU
was added as a knee-jerk reaction to the PlayStation
's specifications. It has been said that only Sega's first-party developers were ever able to utilize the second CPU effectively. The Sega Saturn was the more difficult console to program for with some titles being dropped during the development process (STI's Sonic X-treme
for example), and therefore the 3-D graphics on its third party games often lacked the luster of the PlayStation or Nintendo 64
(N64), a severe disadvantage at the dawn of 3-D games on home consoles.
Sega was also hurt by the plan to have a surprise four month early US launch of their console. This head start
failed for several reasons. One of the major reasons being there were few software titles ready. The Sega Saturn was also US$100 more expensive than the PlayStation at its launch, and only available at four retailers.
Sony took an early advantage by initiating an expensive ad campaign and appealing to an older demographic who had grown up playing video games. The PlayStation was positioned as a necessity alongside the TV and VCR. The securing of this demographic is widely credited as the key to the system's success. Sega and particularly Nintendo's offerings were characterized as appealing more to children (both companies, for instance, featured mascots that appeared in Saturday morning cartoon
s). With Sony's greater hardware sales came greater third party support; ultimately the PlayStation won the era virtually unopposed. Sony carried this momentum over into the release of the PlayStation 2
. The Saturn was discontinued in 1998, as Sega again tried to gain a head start over Sony with the Dreamcast.
Although this era is known as the "32-bit era," the 64-bit Nintendo 64 was released later than the other two consoles with which it was originally meant to compete directly. By the time of its release, Sony had already established their dominance and the Saturn was struggling to keep momentum. Its use of cartridge media
rather than compact disc
s alienated developers and publishers due to the space limits and the relatively high cost involved (compare US$3.50 for an N64 cartridge to 35¢ for a PS1 disc), though the Nintendo 64 had much faster load times because of its cartridge media. Despite this, Nintendo managed to carve out a profitable niche in this era selling over 30 million consoles.
’s Dreamcast, the first sixth-generation console, debuted in Japan on November 27, 1998. As the first console to feature a built-in modem, the Dreamcast offered players a new console gaming experience; users were able to play games with one another via the Internet. The Dreamcast was the sole sixth-generation console for over a year, until Sony
released the PlayStation 2
. In early 2001, however, Sega
announced its discontinuation of the Dreamcast; it adjusted its company strategy to abandon the console industry and focus on third-party development. Therefore, the Dreamcast left the market as the sixth-generation competition began to increase.
On March 4, 2000, Sony
released the PlayStation 2
in Japan. The console featured a 294.912 MHz processor—an improvement over the Dreamcast’s 200 MHz processor—and promoted backward compatibility
with PlayStation
games. Unlike previous consoles, the PlayStation 2
could play DVDs, creating additional value for consumers interested in purchasing both a DVD player and gaming console. Within two days of the PlayStation 2
’s release, Sony
set a new record by selling 1 million consoles. The initial supply did not meet the demand; there was a shortage even among those who preordered, which led to inflated reselling and reported thefts. Although the PlayStation 2
did not originally focus on Internet connectivity, Sony
developed an external adapter that enabled online gaming for select titles after the Xbox
’s release.
Nintendo
released the GameCube in Japan on September 14, 2001. Unlike previous Nintendo
consoles, which used game cartridges, the GameCube used optical discs similar to MiniDVDs
. The size of the discs, however, restricted users from playing regular DVDs and CDs
on the console. With an introductory price of $199, the GameCube cost approximately $100 less than the PlayStation 2
and Xbox
—a selling point for price-conscious consumers. The console offered signature family-friendly games, such as Luigi’s Mansion, in addition to third-party titles, including the more mature games Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem and Resident Evil 4
.
On November 15, 2001, Microsoft
entered the console industry by releasing the Xbox
in North America. The Xbox
featured internal storage capacity, allowing users to save games and download content directly to the console. Like the PlayStation 2
, the Xbox
also played DVDs; however, it required an external add-on. The release of Xbox Live
, a subscription-based online gaming service, allowed users to play compatible titles online. Within two months of Xbox Live
’s release, 250,000 users had subscribed, exceeding the company’s projections.
Overall, the sixth generation expanded gaming consoles into a broader entertainment experience, whether through online gaming or the ability to play DVDs. As seventh-generation consoles overtook the market, Nintendo
and Microsoft
discontinued the GameCube and Xbox
. Sony
, on the other hand, continued to produce the PlayStation 2
after the PlayStation 3
’s release in 2006. In 2009, Sony
announced that PlayStation 2
production would continue until demand decreases. Therefore, sustained PlayStation 2
purchases continue to increase the console’s lead in sales.
s and SD cards. The Xbox 360 originally boasted a higher quality DVD player and music player, and over the years has released other features such as an external HD-DVD drive
(now a dead standard), Zune
downloadable content, Netflix
streaming and Last.fm
internet radio. PlayStation 3, on the other hand, has Blu-ray, Netflix
streaming,and Qriocity
which has unlimited music.
This new generation for the first time has all of the major consoles focusing on online integration. All three have their own connection services: Wii's Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
, Xbox Live
, and PlayStation Network. Competition has branched now from simply offering the best games to the best online content; smaller games can now be purchased and downloaded from online stores within the consoles, and extra applications such as Netflix streaming and Facebook
connectivity are heavily supported. Almost all games sold in retail have online support, including online multiplayer and downloadable content
for bug patches and new features, potentially increasing replay value in certain games for even years.
Another notable feature in current-gen gaming is the use of avatar characters. Nintendo first introduced Mii
s with the Wii console, caricatures of players that could be created and used in flagship titles such as Wii Sports
; however they lack the ability to customize that Xbox's avatars have, as clothes and accessories can be purchased online or unlocked in games played. PlayStation 3, instead of an in-game character, offers PlayStation Home
, a social simulator where avatars can talk and explore, and customize their homes based on games played.
, while the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 only offered partial support. The firmware update that first came with Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction allowed all PS3 revisions to have the entire PS1/PS2 library in playable condition. The PS3's built-in Emotion Engine PS2 emulation solution used on previous North American consoles has been taken out of the European release and is achieved through less-perfect but cheaper software emulation of the Emotion Engine CPU
(but still needed the PS2's Graphics Synthesizer GPU); however, the 40 GB PS3 SKU has taken out PS2 backward compatibility altogether, to help lower prices. The Xbox 360 uses software emulation
for backward compatibility via game-specific patches
automatically downloaded from Xbox Live or downloaded and burned to a CD or DVD from the Xbox website. Some titles are now available for download via Xbox live, completely eliminating the need for the original Xbox disc. The Wii remains fully backward compatible with the Nintendo GameCube
, also offering the Virtual Console
service, which provides the ability to emulate various older gaming platforms (NES, SNES, N64, Arcade, Commodore 64, NEOGEO, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System and TurboGrafx 16); each game can be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel
and saved to the console's internal memory or an SD card.
and PlayStation Portable
(PSP) in late 2004 and early 2005, respectively (the Nintendo DS Lite
, a smaller and sleeker version of the Nintendo DS, was released in late 2006). As of the 2006 E3 press conference, however, Nintendo attacked Sony's handheld console, announcing that the Nintendo DS had been outselling the PSP. This could be taken as recognition of a new handheld war.
The Nintendo DS's power is comparable to that of Nintendo 64
. It is notable in its use of two screens, one of them being a touch screen. It also sports a microphone input. It has shown considerable early success, particularly in branching out from the usual core demographic of video game players due to the intuitiveness of the touch screen control system. The DS is the less expensive of the two systems, and has longer battery life. The DS is backward compatible with Game Boy Advance
games, but not with games for prior Game Boy
systems. The GBA slot is also used for DS Option Paks.
Sony's PSP is more powerful than the Nintendo DS, with graphical power comparable to being in between the original PlayStation
and the PlayStation 2
. It is advertised as a portable multimedia system, as well as a handheld console (much in the same way as the PS2). Numerous movies have been released on the PSP's UMD
format, and the system can play video and audio from the Memory Stick PRO DUO
port. The PSP also supports a large high-resolution display, an analog stick, as well as standard controller buttons. Other features include the ability to make internet phone calls using Skype
, and a Global Positioning System
.
Both the DS and PSP support Wi-Fi networking, and have free online systems. The PSP has had online games since its launch in December 2004 in Japan, and the DS has had online games since mid-November 2005. Nintendo has also worked with McDonald's and Hilton Hotels to set up Wi-Fi access points across the USA, Europe and Australia.
Based on figures from Famitsu
/Enterbrain
,
Based on figures from GfK
Chart-Track
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
manufacturers. The winners of these "wars" may be debated based on different standards: market penetration and financial success, or the fierce loyalty and numbers of the fans of the system's games. The term itself does not strictly denote a clear winner in each case, though. Console wars generally do decide if a manufacturer continues in or abandons the industry.
Due to different manufacturers releasing consoles at different times, the wars described below are not exact definitions and do not necessarily have firm beginning and ending dates. Also, these wars had different years and combatants on different continents, since traditionally the four main markets—Europe, Japan, Australia and North America—have been treated as separate entities, with machines and games released at different times or even completely different games being released. This situation is not quite so apparent today; however, it is still there, particularly with regards to Japan vìs-a-vìs the other three markets.
In the mid-1980s, home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s from various manufacturers were used primarily for gaming purposes by consumers worldwide (in the absence of comparable consoles following the video game crash
Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
) and are included here as well.
General concepts found in system wars
In North America, the devotees of each system are referred to as fans or by linking to the platform name, as in PS2 owners. In the United Kingdom the term fanboy originated during the 1980s during console wars between many home computer systems, particularly the ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. However, the two terms have been used by people of the other countries. For example, the term fanboy is used quite often on US-based Video Game message boards. By any name, fanboys will tend to lock themselves into buying and using one console, one brand, or one company's line of console over the others. Recently, such fanboys have more often than not aggressively denounced competing consoles, and are usually hostile to fans of competing consoles. Another variation of a fanboy are those who don't like only one console or brand, but those who hate only one console or brand. For example, those who hate Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, but are torn between Sony
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Microsoft
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, may also be considered "fanboys."
This phenomenon is unusual in the world of consumables; there are, for example, hardly any "stereo system wars", where people care about what kind of stereo system others purchase. The only explanation usually put forth as to why there are console wars amongst gamers is based on the idea that the more popular a console is, the more games will eventually be developed for it. This is the positive network effect
Network effect
In economics and business, a network effect is the effect that one user of a good or service has on the value of that product to other people. When network effect is present, the value of a product or service is dependent on the number of others using it.The classic example is the telephone...
and is the underlying reason for a related phenomenon, the computer operating system OS Wars
Operating system advocacy
Operating system advocacy is the practice of attempting to increase the awareness and improve the perception of a computer operating system. The motivation behind this may be to increase the number of users of a system, to assert the superiority of one choice over another or out of brand loyalty,...
.
What makes these "fan wars" even more fierce is that often, the major controversies and debates occur before any of the systems are even released, based on what historically have often been dubious specifications released by the manufacturers.
Most of these heated debates between fans occur on Internet message boards, such as Systemwars.com.
Early console wars
In North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s (peaking between 1980 and 1984) an early sales battle between three companies which bears quite a resemblance to later console wars developed. The pyrrhicPyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with such a devastating cost to the victor that it carries the implication that another such victory will ultimately cause defeat.-Origin:...
outcome and virtual bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
of all the major combatants set the stage for Japanese dominance of video game console manufacturing by eliminating competition and discouraging American and European investment. When Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
brought console gaming back to North America in 1985, the discredited market segment
Market segment
Market segmentation is a concept in economics and marketing. A market segment is a sub-set of a market made up of people or organizations with one or more characteristics that cause them to demand similar product and/or services based on qualities of those products such as price or function...
held no American-based competition.
The Atari Video Computer System (VCS) was introduced in 1977 at a price point of US$199, after two years of research and $100 million in investment. Its name was changed to the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
in 1982 when Atari introduced the "next generation" Atari 5200
Atari 5200
The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly known as the Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari Inc. as a higher end complementary console for the popular Atari 2600...
. By 1980, sales were doubling annually and three million homes had Atari consoles.
Seeing this success, toy company Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
began work in 1978 on its own console, the Intellivision
Intellivision
The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television"...
, which debuted in 1980 with a price tag of $299 and a pack-in game, Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack. The system was an immediate success. Though not the first system to challenge Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
(systems from Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
, Bally
Bally
Bally Technologies, Inc. is a manufacturer of slot machines and other gaming technology based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the descendant and continuation of the original Bally Manufacturing Corporation of Chicago....
, and Magnavox
Magnavox
Magnavox is a US electronics company founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen, who invented the moving-coil loudspeaker in 1915 at their lab in Napa, California. They formed Magnavox in 1917 in order to market their inventions....
were already on the market), it was the first to pose a serious threat to Atari's dominance. A series of Intellivision TV ads featuring women in bikinis mercilessly attacked the Atari VCS's lesser capabilities with side-by-side game comparisons. Nevertheless, Atari held exclusive rights to most of the popular arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
conversions of the day, and used this key segment to support its older hardware in the market.
This game advantage and the difference in price between the machines meant that each year Atari sold more units than Intellivision, lengthening its lead despite inferior graphics. This need for price parity has influenced every console war in the quarter century since Atari and Intellivision faced off.
The ColecoVision
ColecoVision
The ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console which was released in August 1982. The ColecoVision offered arcade-quality graphics and gaming style, and the means to expand the system's basic hardware...
was introduced by Coleco
Coleco
Coleco is an American company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as "Connecticut Leather Company". It became a highly successful toy company in the 1980s, known for its mass-produced version of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and its video game consoles, the Coleco Telstar and...
in 1982 and sold 500,000 units its first year, further dividing the marketplace. It was priced similarly to the Intellivision and had a decisive technological edge over its rivals, being the first true 8-bit console ever, meaning it could duplicate coin-operated arcade games almost to a "T"; Coleco licensed several major arcade games for its system - including Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong (video game)
is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
, which was the pack-in game for the console - to rival Atari's technically inferior 'ports'.
This "first console war" ended with the video game crash of 1983
Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
, when huge oversupplies of games and competition from personal computers caused game prices to drop precipitously.
Home computer wars
Although these wars are grouped under one category here, there were many different minor wars between Home computerHome computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
brands that ran from the mid 80s until the mid 90s. All of the computers involved had many upgraded versions released over their lifetimes, which usually included increased RAM and improved CPUs, but rarely a reduction in size due to their integrated keyboards. These wars mainly took place in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which during the late 80s was the centre of the world computer game industry, having been unaffected by the crash that took place in Japan and the US. This period is also renowned for being the time of the 'bedroom programmer', and many companies formed by such people have lasted until the current day.
ZX Spectrum vs. Commodore 64
In the UK, the Atari vs. Intellivision war never reached the major scope and impact that it did in North America. Instead, the SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
vs. Commodore
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
wars of the mid 1980s were the true originator of the console wars. This was due to the start of single format computer game magazines and the far greater entry into mainstream youth culture of these computers than the previous consoles. The Commodore 64 was generally far more technically advanced than the Spectrum, but it usually sold for double the price.
Spectrum & C64 vs. Acorn(BBC) & Apple Micros: Games Vs Education
A parallel micro war raged in the UK, between the perceived games oriented Spectrum & C64 micros with the educationally marketed and more expensive Acorn (BBC micro) and Apple offerings. On unit sales a war the more competitively priced Spectrum won, and Apple lost. Though Acorn's BBC machines failed to win the early 80's sales war their tie in with the BBC’s "The Computer ProgrammeThe Computer Programme
The Computer Programme was a TV series, produced by Paul Kriwaczek, originally broadcast by the BBC in 1982. The idea behind the series was to introduce people to computers and show them what they were capable of. The BBC wanted to use their own computer, so the BBC Micro was developed as part of...
" and the associated Government Computer literacy / Computer for schools programs ensured steady sales post the bursting of the home micro bubble. A fair proportion of the 1.5m 8-bit BBC micros were in daily use, in UK schools, into the 90’s.
This fight for market dominance was portrayed in the BBC 4 drama Micro Men”.
Amiga vs. Atari ST
The AmigaAmiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
vs. Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
wars took place in the late 1980s. In Britain and France where ST was relatively stronger compared to other areas the war lasted well into the early 1990s. Eventually Amiga clearly outsold ST in Britain. The Amiga had the better graphics and sound, and a built-in double-sided floppy disk drive. The ST was cheaper and had built-in MIDI ports. Many early games were developed for the ST and simply ported to the Amiga, using the same code and graphics but remaking the music and sound.
8-bit era
In what is known as the "8-bit era", the Nintendo Entertainment System (NESNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
) came out on top in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(where it was known as the Nintendo Famicom), partially due to its earlier release, but mostly because Nintendo banned developers from releasing their games on other systems if their games were released on the NES. This put a damper on third party support for the Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
and the rest of Nintendo's competition. In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, however, the Master System sold much better than the NES in those territories. Australia had similar success with the Master System in its early days, though when the NES was released there by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, Master System sales started to slow down.
Nintendo of Japan continued to repair Famicom systems until October 31, 2007, attributing the decision to discontinue support to an increasing shortage of the necessary parts.
First handheld war
In the handheldHandheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
wars, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
came out well on top and far outlived the Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
and Atari Lynx, becoming one of the most successful consoles of all time. The Game Boy's victory is generally attributed to its greater battery life, cheaper price tag, and wider third party support over the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx, despite the Game Gear and Lynx's having color screens. However, Nintendo continued to research into improving the screen and first released the Game Boy Pocket, with a true black-and-white screen. Later, Nintendo created the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
, with near-total backward compatibility
Backward compatibility
In the context of telecommunications and computing, a device or technology is said to be backward or downward compatible if it can work with input generated by an older device...
.
The Game Boy had many port
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
s of games from popular Nintendo franchises. It was also launched with the extraordinarily popular puzzle game Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
as a pack-in.
Many other companies attempted to get in on the handheld market and they could also be added into this category. These included the Neo Geo Pocket
Neo Geo Pocket
The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK's first hand held video game system, released in Japan in late 1998; however, lower than expected sales resulted in its discontinuation in 1999, and was immediately succeeded by the Neo Geo Pocket Color. The system only had a retail release within the Japan and Hong Kong...
and the WonderSwan
WonderSwan
was a line of handheld game consoles produced in Japan by Bandai between 1999 and 2003. It was developed by the late Gunpei Yokoi's company Koto and Bandai...
(though the latter was in Japan only).
Worldwide sales figures
- Game BoyGame BoyThe , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
and Game Boy ColorGame Boy ColorThe is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
combined – 118.69 million, (Japan: 32.47 million, the AmericasAmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
: 44.06 million, other: 42.16 million) - Sega Game GearSega Game GearThe was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
– 11 million
16-bit era
The "16-bit era" is mostly known for the rivalry between the Mega Drive/Genesis (known as the Sega Genesis in North America due to trademark reasons) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
(known as the Super Famicom in Japan). The Sega Genesis came out about two and a half years earlier than the SNES; however, its first few years were not very successful and it was not until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)
is a seminal 16-bit 1991 platform video game developed in Japan by Sega and published for the Sega Genesis. It is the first installment in Sega's flagship Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and the first title developed by Sonic Team. The game was released in 1991 in North America, Europe, and...
that it started to sell well. A Sony focus group found that teenage boys would not admit to owning a Super NES rather than a Genesis. Neither console could maintain a definitive lead in market share for several years.
In early 1991, Sega announced the Mega-CD/Sega-CD
Sega Mega-CD
The is an add-on device for the Mega Drive video game console, designed and produced by Sega and released in Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The device was also released in North America under the name Sega CD, for the Sega Genesis...
for release in Japan in late 1991 and in North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992. While this add-on did contain a faster CPU, more memory and some enhanced graphics capabilities over the Mega Drive/Genesis itself, the main focus of the device was to expand the size of games: cartridges of the day typically contained 8 to 16 megabits of data, while a CD-ROM would hold 640 megabytes (5120 megabits). While it became known for several games, including Sonic CD and Night Trap
Night Trap
Night Trap is a video game that was released in North America on October 15, 1992 originally for the Sega Mega-CD. It was filmed over a three week period in 1987 for an unreleased game entitled "Scene of the Crime"...
, the expansion only sold 6 million units worldwide.
At June 1994's Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
, Sega presented the 32X
Sega 32X
The Sega 32X, codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Mega Drive/Genesis video game console by Sega. Its aim was to increase the lifespan of the aging Mega Drive/Genesis system, which was facing stiff competition from the SNES...
as the "poor man's entry into 'next generation' games." Although some blame Sega of America for developing this failure, the 32X was originally conceived as an entirely new console by Sega of Japan. Sega of America R&D head Joe Miller convinced Sega of Japan to strengthen the console and convert it into an add-on to the existing Genesis, but they would not make it a competitor to the forthcoming Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
. Although this add-on contained two 32-bit CPU chips and a 3D graphics processor, it failed to attract either developers or consumers as the superior Saturn had already been announced for release the next year. Originally released at US$159, Sega dropped the price to $99 in only a few months and ultimately cleared the remaining inventory at $19.95; at least 600,000 units were sold.
Also, NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
and Hudson Software entered the market with their PC Engine/Turbografx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
, another 16 bit system that was made to challenge Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. Hudson, attempting to reach the same level of popularity as the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and Mega Drive/Genesis, invented their own mascot to stand beside Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
named Bonk the Caveman. While NEC did not have as big a splash in the market as Nintendo and Sega, they still sold more copies than expected for an all-new hardware system. The PC Engine/Turbografx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
made things even harder for Sega in Japan. The Genesis remained a distant third in Japan behind Nintendo's Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and NEC's PC Engine
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
throughout the 16-bit era.
Worldwide sales figures
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom – 49.10 million (JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
: 17.17 million, the AmericasAmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
: 23.35 million, Other: 8.58 million) - Mega Drive/Genesis – 40 million (United States: 20 million, Rest of the world: 15 million, Tec ToyTec ToyTectoy is a Brazilian videogame and electronics company. They are best known for publishing and distributing Sega's consoles and video games in that country. The company stock is also traded at Bovespa...
: 2 million, Majesco: 2 million, Sega NomadSega NomadThe Sega Nomad was a handheld game console sold for the North American consumer market which played Mega Drive/Genesis game cartridges. The system was similar to the Japanese Sega Mega Jet, but featured a built-in color screen; the Mega Jet needed a separate monitor...
: 1 million) - TurboGrafx-16TurboGrafx-16TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
– 10 million (US: 2.5 million)
32-bit era
In the "32-bit era," the Sega SaturnSega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
was released first and despite success in Japanese markets, it ultimately lacked in sufficient third party support. Sega's decision to use dual processors has been roundly criticized, and some believe the second CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
was added as a knee-jerk reaction to the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
's specifications. It has been said that only Sega's first-party developers were ever able to utilize the second CPU effectively. The Sega Saturn was the more difficult console to program for with some titles being dropped during the development process (STI's Sonic X-treme
Sonic X-treme
Sonic X-treme is a canceled platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Early version were considered for several systems until ending up as being developed by Sega for the Sega Saturn, with the intended release being around Christmas of 1996. However, after getting stuck in development...
for example), and therefore the 3-D graphics on its third party games often lacked the luster of the PlayStation or Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
(N64), a severe disadvantage at the dawn of 3-D games on home consoles.
Sega was also hurt by the plan to have a surprise four month early US launch of their console. This head start
Head start (positioning)
In positioning, a head start is a start in advance of the starting position of others in competition, or simply toward the finish line or desired outcome...
failed for several reasons. One of the major reasons being there were few software titles ready. The Sega Saturn was also US$100 more expensive than the PlayStation at its launch, and only available at four retailers.
Sony took an early advantage by initiating an expensive ad campaign and appealing to an older demographic who had grown up playing video games. The PlayStation was positioned as a necessity alongside the TV and VCR. The securing of this demographic is widely credited as the key to the system's success. Sega and particularly Nintendo's offerings were characterized as appealing more to children (both companies, for instance, featured mascots that appeared in Saturday morning cartoon
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
s). With Sony's greater hardware sales came greater third party support; ultimately the PlayStation won the era virtually unopposed. Sony carried this momentum over into the release of the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. The Saturn was discontinued in 1998, as Sega again tried to gain a head start over Sony with the Dreamcast.
Although this era is known as the "32-bit era," the 64-bit Nintendo 64 was released later than the other two consoles with which it was originally meant to compete directly. By the time of its release, Sony had already established their dominance and the Saturn was struggling to keep momentum. Its use of cartridge media
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
rather than compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s alienated developers and publishers due to the space limits and the relatively high cost involved (compare US$3.50 for an N64 cartridge to 35¢ for a PS1 disc), though the Nintendo 64 had much faster load times because of its cartridge media. Despite this, Nintendo managed to carve out a profitable niche in this era selling over 30 million consoles.
Worldwide sales figures
- PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
– 102.49 million shipped (Japan: 21.59, US: 40.78, Europe: 40.12)- including PS one – 28.15 million shipped
- Nintendo 64Nintendo 64The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
– 32.93 million (Japan: 5.54 million, the Americas: 20.63 million, other: 6.75 million ) - Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
– 9.5 million (Japan: 6 million, North America: 1.5 million, Europe: 1.5 million)
Sixth generation
SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
’s Dreamcast, the first sixth-generation console, debuted in Japan on November 27, 1998. As the first console to feature a built-in modem, the Dreamcast offered players a new console gaming experience; users were able to play games with one another via the Internet. The Dreamcast was the sole sixth-generation console for over a year, until Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
released the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. In early 2001, however, Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
announced its discontinuation of the Dreamcast; it adjusted its company strategy to abandon the console industry and focus on third-party development. Therefore, the Dreamcast left the market as the sixth-generation competition began to increase.
On March 4, 2000, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
released the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in Japan. The console featured a 294.912 MHz processor—an improvement over the Dreamcast’s 200 MHz processor—and promoted backward compatibility
Backward compatibility
In the context of telecommunications and computing, a device or technology is said to be backward or downward compatible if it can work with input generated by an older device...
with PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
games. Unlike previous consoles, the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
could play DVDs, creating additional value for consumers interested in purchasing both a DVD player and gaming console. Within two days of the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
’s release, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
set a new record by selling 1 million consoles. The initial supply did not meet the demand; there was a shortage even among those who preordered, which led to inflated reselling and reported thefts. Although the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
did not originally focus on Internet connectivity, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
developed an external adapter that enabled online gaming for select titles after the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
’s release.
Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
released the GameCube in Japan on September 14, 2001. Unlike previous Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
consoles, which used game cartridges, the GameCube used optical discs similar to MiniDVDs
MiniDVD
MiniDVD is a DVD disc having 8 cm in diameter.The 8 cm optical disc format was originally used for music CD singles, hence the commonly used names CD single and miniCD...
. The size of the discs, however, restricted users from playing regular DVDs and CDs
CDS
-Computing and electronics:* Cadence Design Systems, American Electronic Design Automation software company* Chromatography data system, software to control chromatography instruments* Cockpit display system* Compact Discs...
on the console. With an introductory price of $199, the GameCube cost approximately $100 less than the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
—a selling point for price-conscious consumers. The console offered signature family-friendly games, such as Luigi’s Mansion, in addition to third-party titles, including the more mature games Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem and Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
.
On November 15, 2001, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
entered the console industry by releasing the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in North America. The Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
featured internal storage capacity, allowing users to save games and download content directly to the console. Like the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
also played DVDs; however, it required an external add-on. The release of Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
, a subscription-based online gaming service, allowed users to play compatible titles online. Within two months of Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
’s release, 250,000 users had subscribed, exceeding the company’s projections.
Overall, the sixth generation expanded gaming consoles into a broader entertainment experience, whether through online gaming or the ability to play DVDs. As seventh-generation consoles overtook the market, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
discontinued the GameCube and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, on the other hand, continued to produce the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
after the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
’s release in 2006. In 2009, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
announced that PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
production would continue until demand decreases. Therefore, sustained PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
purchases continue to increase the console’s lead in sales.
Worldwide sales figures
- PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
– 150 million - XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
– 24 million - Gamecube – 21.74 million
- Dreamcast - 10.6 million
Home systems
All three consoles have had major shortages both at their launches and directly afterwards, with the Xbox 360's continuing for months after release and Wii's continuing after two holiday seasons; the PlayStation 3 saw high demand for its first week of release, but it did not continue, being in stock at most major retailers shortly after release.Home Entertainment
The seventh generation is best known for major consoles branching out into other types of media rather than solely focusing on games, making them "true" entertainment systems. All three consoles offer basic abilities such as photo-viewing, listening to music and browsing the web (excepting the Xbox 360), as well as the ability to connect to external memory such as USB flash driveUSB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
s and SD cards. The Xbox 360 originally boasted a higher quality DVD player and music player, and over the years has released other features such as an external HD-DVD drive
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
(now a dead standard), Zune
Zune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
downloadable content, Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
streaming and Last.fm
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
internet radio. PlayStation 3, on the other hand, has Blu-ray, Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
streaming,and Qriocity
Qriocity
Sony Entertainment Network , formerly called Qriocity , is a trading name for Sony Corporation's streaming music, games, e-books and video on demand services. A video streaming service with the name has been available in the United States since April 2010...
which has unlimited music.
This new generation for the first time has all of the major consoles focusing on online integration. All three have their own connection services: Wii's Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
, Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
, and PlayStation Network. Competition has branched now from simply offering the best games to the best online content; smaller games can now be purchased and downloaded from online stores within the consoles, and extra applications such as Netflix streaming and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
connectivity are heavily supported. Almost all games sold in retail have online support, including online multiplayer and downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for bug patches and new features, potentially increasing replay value in certain games for even years.
Another notable feature in current-gen gaming is the use of avatar characters. Nintendo first introduced Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
s with the Wii console, caricatures of players that could be created and used in flagship titles such as Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
; however they lack the ability to customize that Xbox's avatars have, as clothes and accessories can be purchased online or unlocked in games played. PlayStation 3, instead of an in-game character, offers PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
, a social simulator where avatars can talk and explore, and customize their homes based on games played.
Backward compatibility
Initially only the Wii was 100% backward compatible with its previous counterpart, the Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, while the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 only offered partial support. The firmware update that first came with Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction allowed all PS3 revisions to have the entire PS1/PS2 library in playable condition. The PS3's built-in Emotion Engine PS2 emulation solution used on previous North American consoles has been taken out of the European release and is achieved through less-perfect but cheaper software emulation of the Emotion Engine CPU
Emotion Engine
The Emotion Engine is a CPU developed and manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba for use in the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, as well as early PlayStation 3 models sold in Japan and North America...
(but still needed the PS2's Graphics Synthesizer GPU); however, the 40 GB PS3 SKU has taken out PS2 backward compatibility altogether, to help lower prices. The Xbox 360 uses software emulation
Video game console emulator
A video game console emulator is a program that allows a computer or modern console to emulate a different video game console's behavior. Emulators are most often used to play older video games on personal computers and modern video game consoles, but they are also used to play games translated...
for backward compatibility via game-specific patches
Patch (computing)
A patch is a piece of software designed to fix problems with, or update a computer program or its supporting data. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities and other bugs, and improving the usability or performance...
automatically downloaded from Xbox Live or downloaded and burned to a CD or DVD from the Xbox website. Some titles are now available for download via Xbox live, completely eliminating the need for the original Xbox disc. The Wii remains fully backward compatible with the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, also offering the Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service, which provides the ability to emulate various older gaming platforms (NES, SNES, N64, Arcade, Commodore 64, NEOGEO, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System and TurboGrafx 16); each game can be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is an online shop for the Wii video game console that allows users to download Virtual Console and WiiWare games, and new channels. Downloading may require redeeming Wii Points. The channel launched with Wii on November 19, 2006...
and saved to the console's internal memory or an SD card.
Worldwide sales figures
- WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
– 89.36 million - Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
– 57.6 million - PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
– 56 million
Japan sales figures
- Wii – 11,534,590
- PlayStation 3 – 6,341,950
- Xbox 360 – 1,448,665
Europe sales figures
- Wii – 24.9 million
- PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
– 19.7 million - Xbox 360 – 13.7 million
United States sales figures
- Wii – 30 million
- Xbox 360 – 18.6 million
- PlayStation 3 - nearly 12 million
Second handheld war
Although Nintendo and Sony originally denied competing with each other with their handheld products, it was widely believed that a new handheld war had begun with the releases of the Nintendo DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
(PSP) in late 2004 and early 2005, respectively (the Nintendo DS Lite
Nintendo DS Lite
The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences...
, a smaller and sleeker version of the Nintendo DS, was released in late 2006). As of the 2006 E3 press conference, however, Nintendo attacked Sony's handheld console, announcing that the Nintendo DS had been outselling the PSP. This could be taken as recognition of a new handheld war.
The Nintendo DS's power is comparable to that of Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. It is notable in its use of two screens, one of them being a touch screen. It also sports a microphone input. It has shown considerable early success, particularly in branching out from the usual core demographic of video game players due to the intuitiveness of the touch screen control system. The DS is the less expensive of the two systems, and has longer battery life. The DS is backward compatible with Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
games, but not with games for prior Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
systems. The GBA slot is also used for DS Option Paks.
Sony's PSP is more powerful than the Nintendo DS, with graphical power comparable to being in between the original PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It is advertised as a portable multimedia system, as well as a handheld console (much in the same way as the PS2). Numerous movies have been released on the PSP's UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
format, and the system can play video and audio from the Memory Stick PRO DUO
Memory Stick
Memory Stick is a removable flash memory card format, launched by Sony in October 1998, and is also used in general to describe the whole family of Memory Sticks...
port. The PSP also supports a large high-resolution display, an analog stick, as well as standard controller buttons. Other features include the ability to make internet phone calls using Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
, and a Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
.
Both the DS and PSP support Wi-Fi networking, and have free online systems. The PSP has had online games since its launch in December 2004 in Japan, and the DS has had online games since mid-November 2005. Nintendo has also worked with McDonald's and Hilton Hotels to set up Wi-Fi access points across the USA, Europe and Australia.
Worldwide sales figures
- Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
– 149.00 million, (Japan: 32.92 million, the Americas: 56.19 million, other: 59.90 million)- including Nintendo DS LiteNintendo DS LiteThe is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences...
– 93.53 million, (Japan: 18.20 million, the Americas: 36.21 million, other: 39.12 million) - including Nintendo DSiNintendo DSiThe is a handheld game system created by Nintendo and launched in 2008 and 2009 in Japan, North America, PAL territories, and other regions. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's PlayStation Portable...
– 25.61 million, (Japan: 5.87 million, the Americas: 10.20 million, other: 9.54 million) - including Nintendo DSi XL – 11.07 million, (Japan: 2.30 million, the Americas: 4.48 million, other: 4.29 million)
- including Nintendo DS Lite
- Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
– 81.51 million, (Japan: 16.96 million, the Americas: 41.64 million, other: 22.91 million)- including Game Boy Advance SPGame Boy Advance SPThe , released in February 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special. The SP was marketed at US$99.99 at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99...
– 43.57 million, (Japan: 6.51 million, the Americas: 24.00 million, other: 13.05 million) - and Game Boy MicroGame Boy Microis a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in September 2005 in the market. The system is the last console of the Game Boy line...
– 2.42 million, (Japan: 0.61 million, the Americas: 0.95 million, other: 0.87 million)
- including Game Boy Advance SP
- PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
– 71.4 million,
Japan sales figures
Based on figures from Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
/Enterbrain
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
,
- Nintendo DS – 32,598,870
- PlayStation Portable – 16,867,853
United Kingdom sales figures
Based on figures from GfK
GfK
The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health...
Chart-Track
Chart-Track
Chart-Track is a market research company that monitors music, videos and software sales in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark and was formed in 1996. In July 2008 GfK took a majority stake in the company....
- Nintendo DS – 10 million
- PlayStation Portable – 4.9 million
See also
- Hyperdimension Neptunia, a video game actually made about the console wars where you play personified versions of them.
- List of best-selling game consoles
External links
- http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/news/060525e.pdf
- http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps3_sale_e.html
- http://www.microsoft.com/msft/download/FY06/MSFTQ2_06.ppt
- http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/pdf/ir/kako/sega_AR_all_2000.pdf
- http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/pdf/ir/kako/sega_AR_all_2001.pdf