HIstory of Console Gaming Systems

Eamonn Keenan
Art 211
10/17/2017

History of Console Gaming Systems

     One of the most well-known pieces of technology in the 20th century is none other than the video game console.  With some of the biggest brands like Microsoft creating Xbox and Sony creating the Playstation, the video game console has become a hobby to many children and adults around the world.

     The history of video game consoles started earlier than I anticipated with the first system coming out in 1967.  A German television engineer named Ralph Baer created the Brown Box with the help of co-workers.  The game was simple; one box chases another box on the screen.  Eventually, the creators added on a ray gun, as well as 12 other games.  They used a vacuum tube circuit that connects to the television.

     5 years later the Odyssey was the 2nd ever console to be created.  Based off of the Brown Box, Magnavox was the first company to sell video game consoles.  They attempted to sell the consoles along side of their tv products, but vendors did not see the potential in video game consoles and did not really push the product.  There also was a rumor spread about the consoles that they only worked on the Magnavox TVs, which was proven to be false.

     1975 is year the most famously known video game, Pong, was sold by Atari in the console version.  Atari partnered along with Sears to sell the systems under their Tele-Games Label.  They used a single chip to create the on-screen score, as well as the music/sound effects.  The success was massive making Atari still a well-known name in every home around the world even to this day.

     Ten years later another legendary system was released.  The NES, or Nintendo Entertainment System, was created by Nintendo.  With a strong game library including the Super Mario Bros, Metriod and The Legend of Zelda, the NES was an absolute hit.  Nintendo also had a strict licensing policy that gave third-party companies many opportunities to create video games for their platform.  This was groundbreaking for the video game industry and is why the NES is the most sold console in video game history.

     My personal favorite, the Game Boy was created in 1989, making mobile gaming a reality.  Nintendo again creates another ground breaking system.  The Game Boy had an 8-bit CPU, similar to the NES with a screen thats in black and white.  Nintendo also released the game Tetris to go with it, which is still a game played today.  With that said, the Game Boy has gone through several evolutions over the years, being able to now play video games in 3D.

     In 1995 Sony jumps into the video game industry with the most popular console in the 32-bit era, the Playstation.  With one of the first times ever, 3D videogames was a possibility.  With games like Crash Bandicoot, Resident Evil, Tekken, and Metal Gear Solid, the Playstation raised the ceiling of the industry using CD-ROM technology.

     A year later Nintendo released the Nintendo 64.  The N64 was the last system to use cartridges for video games as Sony changed the game with the Playstation.  the N64 did have a ridiculously good set of games that you could play on the system like GoldenEye 007, Super Mario 64, Super Smash Brothers Mele, etc, etc.  Their endless list of games that were released for the system made it a system that is still in high demand to this day.

     In 2000, to start the 21st century off strong Sony relases the Playstation 2.  The PS2 was the first 128-bit system to hit the market, making Sony yet again the industry evolver.  The system also had backwards compatibility making games that were created for the Playstation, available on the PS2. The PS2 also had the ability to play DVD movies and with High Definition just breaking through, the DVD player was as high-quality viewing as it got.   Sony also did a fantastic job of getting great video game series.  Grand Theft Auto alone is one of the most iconic video games of all time.  

     In 2001, Microsoft finally decided to join the video game industry, releasing the Xbox.  The system was not as popular as Nintendo's N64 of the Sony PS2, but the use of PC technology in the construction of the xbox lead it to be able to surpass the abilities of the PS2 and Nintendo products.  The best move Microsoft made in the gaming industry though was the creating of the Halo Series.  With Halo: Combat Evolved on the Xbox, one of the most iconic video game series was born.

     In 2005 Microsoft raised the bar with the Xbox 360.  The Xbox 360 was the first system to truly nail the online player experience.  The ability to play online on secure servers made the Xbox 360 the leading console of its time.  With the Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii released in the same time period, the Xbox 360 excelled in its secure online experience that the users payed subscriptions for.  

   The current generation of console gaming systems is a race between Microsoft and Sony.  With Nintendo losing its popularity over the years, the Xbox One and Playstation 4 have ruled the console market as of late.  The newest progression that has yet to be fully mastered is Virtual Reality Gaming.  VR gaming is slowly growing hand in hand with console gaming, to eventually create a 360 degree immersive experience for the gamer.