With the recent launch of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and upcoming releases of Sony’s PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii, similar gamers are becoming more aware of the fierce competition and tactics used by these three major players in the gaming industry. the videogames.
It all started in 1972 with a unit you will remember: Magnavox Odyssey. While Magnavox’s efforts were short-lived, it is still remembered that they played a significant role in establishing the home video game console. Of course, Atari was next in line for a new and then ‘evolutionary’ game: PONG. As simplistic as the game was, consumers around the world loved it and it helped launch the Atari name into the “great books.”
The newly created gaming industry was gaining traction and the general interest of consumers. However, as 10 years passed, the video game industry was about to collapse. In 1983, consumers criticized the lack of quality of console games with the advent of home computers, gamers began to lose faith in the console. Breaking the silence in late 1983, Nintendo introduced the Famicon (Nintendo Entertainment System). With the launch of Famicon came the birth of Super Mario Bros. a signature series of the Nintendo brand.
Nintendo’s dominance was challenged by Sega who entered the market with their Master System. Despite Sega’s best efforts, its Master System barely captured market share and made little profit. The company refused to face defeat and shortly thereafter released Mega Drive / Genisis in 1988, two years before Nintendo’s release of Super Nintendo (SNES).
Moving forward, the world of video games was divided into 32-bit vs. 64-bit machines. The first wave of systems to enter the market was Atari’s 3DO and Jaguar. While both systems were powerful for their time, neither could surpass Sega or Nintendo, which dominated the market until 1994. On December 3, 1994, Sony launched its PlayStation system and enjoyed a successful launch. Nintendo 2 years later with its 64-bit offering, the Nintendo 64. Even at this stage, Nintendo made the controversial decision to launch a cartridge-based system on the grounds that it would reduce loading times and minimize piracy.
Sega last fought back in 1998, releasing the Dreamcast. While Sega’s efforts were strong, the company failed to make ends meet when Sony released the successor to its first console: the PS2 (in 2000). In 2001, Nintendo released its Gamecube targeting a younger market. Both companies had established their own brands and proved their worth to the gaming community. Sony’s system was challenged in 2001 when Microsoft entered the arena with its Xbox.
We are currently in a new generation of console games. While Xbox 360 is currently available, the ps3 and Wii will be released later this year. Sony previously dominated the market share, however this is expected to change with the new generation of games. More than ever, it is essential to offer the most innovation, the most power and, above all, the best games.
So who will dominate the market this generation? This is hard to answer, however, as a game enthusiast, I firmly believe that the competition between the three companies ultimately means better games for you – the gamer.
