Console wars
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Console wars is a term used to refer to the various competition between video game consoles. It can be used to refer to which of the consoles is the most successful and also the arguments between the fanboys of each system. Due to different manufacturers releasing consoles at different times the different wars are not exact definitions. The fanboy aspect of console wars originally started in the 1980s with the many home computer systems availabe at the time particularly the Spectrum and Commodore leading to rampant fanboyism as people would staunchly defend their purchasing decisions even against the obvious knowledge that another computer was the technically superior. The manufacturers aspect of the console wars is the same as competition in any other potentially profitable industry though it is also backed up by the single format publications of the various consoles often childishly insulting the other consoles.
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The 8-bit era: Sega Master System vs. Nintendo Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System
The NES came out on top in North America and Japan, partially due to its earlier release, and the fact that Nintendo banned developers from releasing their games on other systems if the game was released on the NES. This put a damper on third party support for the Master System, and, indeed, the rest of Nintendo's competition. However, in Europe and South America, the Master System clearly came out on top. Many more games were released in Europe and South America than in North America, and the Master System had a very long shelf-life in South America, finally "dying" in the mid-1990s.
The handheld wars: Nintendo Game Boy vs. Sega Game Gear
Despite its technical inferiority, the Game Boy came out well on top here and far out lived the Game Gear, becoming one of the most successful consoles of all time. The Game Boy's victory is generally attributed to the Game Gear's very short battery life. However, the Game Boy also had many ports of 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 especially with the Atari Lynx as it was released at around the same time as the Game Gear and Game Boy. The only other major challengers were the Neo Geo Pocket and the WonderSwan (though the latter was in Japan only).
The 16-bit era: Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis vs. Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom
There was no clear cut winner here. The Mega Drive came out three 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 really started to sell. The Mega Drive outsold the SNES in Europe. In Japan the Super Famicom outsold the Mega Drive. In the United States, the Genesis roughly outsold the SNES by 5%, but for the most part, they were about even.
The TurboGrafx-16 was introduced around the same time as the Sega Genesis but flopped; by 1991 it was an also-ran and a combination of the introduction of the SNES and the Sega CD finished the already moribund TG-16.
The 32 bit era: Sony PlayStation vs. Sega Saturn
In the 32-bit the Saturn, although the technically more advanced console, suffered from poor marketing and comparatively limited third-party support. Sega's decision to use dual processors has been roundly criticised, and some believe the second CPU was added as a "panic" response 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 Saturn was not as strongly designed for 3D as the PlayStation or Nintendo 64 (N64), a severe disadvantage at the dawn of 3D games.
Sony took an early advantage by tapping the mass market and positioning the PlayStation as a "lifestyle accessory" for males in the late teens to late twenties. Sega and Nintendo's offerings were characterized as appealing more to children (both companies, for instance, featured mascots that appeared in Saturday morning cartoons). The securing of this new market is widely credited as the key to the system's success. With greater hardware sales came greater third party support; ultimately the PlayStation won the era. Sony carried this momentum over into the release of the PlayStation 2 (see below).
The N64 is also often grouped into this era, as it competed with the PlayStation for market share towards the end of its life, although it was a 64-bit console and did not arrive until some time after the other two systems. The N64 was released two years later than its competitors and after numerous delays, failing to make a significant impact on the market. By the time of its release Sony had already established their dominance and the Saturn was on its last legs. Its use of cartidge media rather than compact discs alienated developers and publishers due to the space limits and relatively high cost involved. In addition, the initially high suggested retail price of the console may have driven potential customers away, and many early adopters of the system who had paid the initial cost were angered by Nintendo's decision to reduce the cost of the system within a few months of its initial release, although compensation was available to those who had claimed.
The next generation era: : Sony PlayStation 2 vs. Microsoft Xbox vs. Nintendo GameCube
This era is currently drawing to a close; it appears to be a sales victory for the PlayStation 2, with the Xbox and GameCube tied behind for second place (although Nintendo and Microsoft each claim to be ahead of the other). Also included in this era was the Sega Dreamcast, which arrived prior to all of the others. However, the impending and much-hyped PS2 competed with the Dreamcast before it was even released, which combined with Sega's bad marketing policies, the rapid development of piracy on the machine and the shadow of the Saturn's downfall led to the Dreamcast's early demise. The brand Sony had established with the original PlayStation was a major factor in their victory here, both in terms of securing a consumer base and attracting third party developers; the gradual increase in one tending to reinforce the other. The PS2 was also able to play DVDs and was backwards-compatible with PSX games which many say helped the former's sales. Any user considering buying a DVD player or PlayStation could view the PS2 as a sensible alternative, and the system effectively had a back catalogue available before it even went on sale.
The Xbox, despite the formidable financial backing of Microsoft and its status as the most powerful of the consoles, has failed to significantly threaten the PS2's place as market leader. However, it has attracted a large fanbase in the United States and Europe and has become a recognisable brand amoungst the mainstream. In Japan its sales are far poorer, possibly due to Microsoft's brand image and inability to acquire many major Japanese developers or their franchises as excusives for the platform (contrast with Microsoft's multi-million dollar acquisition of UK developer Rare). There is still a niche fanbase there, however.
The GameCube's international sales are comparable to those of the Xbox; while Nintendo are still struggling with their own conflicting brand images, particularly the family-friendly one developed during the 1990s, Nintendo's arsenal of franchises and history in the industry have given them an advantage against the Xbox's standing start. The GameCube is comfortably in second place in Japan, and is according to official sales from Nintendo effectively tied with the Xbox in the US and Europe. Other sales results, however, suggest that the GameCube is narrowly in third place in the United States and well behind in Europe. The majority of games shops have begun to severely limit the space afforded to the console, particularly non-specialist retailers: this worryingly mirrors the massmarket decline of the Dreamcast. In spite of this, GameCube's profits per console sold are likely to be better than those of the other two consoles. Nintendo have recently made a point of selling hardware at profit (this includes the Game Boy Advance variants and the GameCube), and there is a distinct lack of piracy in comparison to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
The current worldwide sales stand at around 18.9 million for the Gamecube, 18.1 million for the Xbox and in excess of 80 million for the PS2.
The next-gen handheld war: Sony PSP vs. Nintendo DS
A new handheld war has begun with the releases of the Nintendo DS and PSP in late 2004 and 2005, although the latter has only been released in Japan, North America, and Korea at present.
The Nintendo DS's power is slightly above that of the N64 and is notable in its use of two screens- one of them 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 computer game players due to the intuitivity of the touch screen control system. The DS is the cheaper of the two systems at retail, and has a considerably longer battery life.
The PSP is the more technically powerful of the two, considered to be at around the level of a PS2, and is advertised as a portable multimedia system, as well as a handheld console (much in the same way as the PS2). For example, films are being released on the PSP's UMD format, and the system can play video and audio from Sony's Memory Sticks. The PSP sports a large high-resolution display, and a small analogue stick, as well as standard controller buttons.
Both systems support Wi-fi networking or a derivative thereof for local and online multiplayer gaming. Local play is already well established on both systems, with online play developing more slowly.
The future war: Sony PlayStation 3 vs. Microsoft Xbox 360 vs. Nintendo Revolution
In 2006 a new console war is expected to start with Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo releasing new consoles. It's already called the high-definition era. The Xbox 360 looks set to be released first with rumours suggesting it will be available before the end of 2005 with the PS3 expected in the first half of 2006 closely followed by the new Nintendo console. The XBox will be based around a multiple-processor core developed in association with IBM and Playstation 3 is built around a new processor technology named Cell which was developed by Sony, IBM and Toshiba.
A significant feature expected to be common to all three consoles (the Revolution has yet to be fully unvealed) is their use of wireless control pads (somewhat similar to the Gamecube's Wavebird) as standard, pictures of the PS3 and Xbox360 showing that they totally lack control pad ports. This is expected to lead to a significant development in multiplayer gaming as it removes much of the previous hassle associated with setting up a multi tap and the ensuing tangle of wires. Internet play also looks to be built upon from the current generation with all companies emphasising it as a key part of their strategy.
The PS3 will be backwards compatible with PS2 and PSX games, whilst the type and extent of the Xbox 360's back compatibility has yet to be established. Official statements have yet to provide details, however Microsoft spokespersons have stated that back compatibility will not require users to purchase new copies of titles. Nintendo's new console will be their first home system with backwards compatibility, with the ability to play Gamecube games; GameCube controller and memory card slots are installed under a flap on the system. It will also be able to download and play games for the N64, SNES, and NES from the internet. This is likely a move by Nintendo to legalise the popular pursuit of emulation (the SNES currently being the most emulated console) following the success of recent legal MP3 downloads.