While the console wars will continue on, Nintendo was once king of the mighty mountain of anything considered video games (home or portable - even though Nintendo will finally be challenged on the latter with Sony's PSP in 2005). But, Nintendo has gone from #1 in market share, down to #3. Nintendo now lives by these words: be careful of whom you tick off, because one day they may be your competitor. You will understand why by the end of this article.
Back in the days of the NES, Sega's Master System could not even put up a fight against Nintendo's original 8-bit behemoth that sold over 60 million units. Then, the Super NES (SNES) was released, but was not dominant early on. Sega released the 16-bit Sega Genesis (1989) two years before the SNES and had a jumpstart in the entertaining 16-bit console war. Sega still lacked that one title that everyone had to own until Sonic The Hedgehog was born (1991).
Sega realized a flaw in the SNES processor - it was too slow. Sega exploited this flaw to the public by releasing their Sonic games that displayed a fast moving hedgehog on screen (the Genesis processing power was coined as "blast processing" by Sega). The SNES had plenty of games that displayed too many moving sprites onscreen and the game would actually slowdown because the processor could not keep up with the onscreen action.
However, in the end, Nintendo prevailed due to its many new franchises it created on the SNES (Super Mario Kart, Star Fox, F-Zero) and killer sequels (The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario World). Sega stopped supporting the Genesis with quality games in the late stages of its life cycle leading to the death of the console. Nintendo sold 49 million Super Nintendo consoles initially losing a big chunk of its market share when the Genesis was first introduced, but Nintendo still managed to retain a 60% market share after the 16-bit console war was over (and selling twice as many SNES consoles as the Genesis).
When the Genesis was popular, Sega saw the opportunity to incorporate CD gameplay by introducing the Sega CD peripheral attachment for the Genesis. But the lack of any quality games made most gamers stay way from the CD add-on. Nintendo, however, saw a threat when news broke of a Genesis CD peripheral, and since Nintendo had no experience with CD consoles, they enlisted the help of Sony (ah, the plot thickens).
Nintendo is king of cartridge-based consoles, but Sony had the resources to create the CD add-on for the SNES that was ironically named Playstation. After months of working, eventually the two companies split. Both were in disagreement about the final specs of the system and how profits would be divided.
Sony was already a major consumer electronics leader with their Walkmans, TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc. and now figured they could try their hand at the video game business. Since Sony invested so many hours of labor and money into this CD machine, they decided to make it a full-fledged stand alone console with their specs and would then be able to keep all of the profits. The Sony Playstation was born (and eventually becoming more popular than Sony's Walkman).
Sony jumped to CD gameplay and Sega followed suit with the Sega Saturn, but Nintendo opted to stay with the cartridge format for one more generation. By doing so, Nintendo alienated many game publishers - none more important than Square Enix (best known for their Final Fantasy RPG franchise). Square Enix (and many other publishers) decided that disk gameplay was the future and left Nintendo's cozy camp to partner with Sony (and enjoy Sony's lower licensing fees).
Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII (the first Final Fantasy game released on the Playstation - and Sony made everyone aware of it with ads that claimed if the game were created on a cartridge, it would have cost $1200) went on to sell an outstanding 7.8 million copies!
Nintendo released the Nintendo 64 (fortunately their last cartridge-based system) in 1996. The high production costs of games on cartridges and the lack of the many quality game titles seen on previous Nintendo consoles doomed this console for most of its life cycle (there was not even a Metroid game for the N64). Nintendo slipped out of the number one spot for console market share for good and has yet to ever return to that position.
The N64 sold 32 million units, which considering the lack of numerous quality titles like the SNES possessed, is a solid number sold, but pales in comparison to the Playstation One's sales figures. In May 2004, Sony had shipped its 100 millionth Playstation One console. Sony easily won the 32-bit/64-bit console war.
The Xbox, GameCube and PS2 console war has been fierce. Sega's 128-bit Dreamcast was pulled from the much crowded console war and stopped producing consoles altogether. Companies have offered different prices, different bundles, but in the end, the Playstation 2 is number one with a record-breaking 70 million units sold as of May 2004 (and will likely break the 100 million mark faster than the original Playstation One console). Xbox is number two and the Nintendo GameCube is close-behind at number three.
Nintendo has been able to bring back the much needed Final Fantasy franchise (in some limited capacity however). The GameCube finally switched to disc gameplay, but Sony had a one year head start with the PS2 and has never looked back. Nintendo claims their next console, code-named "Revolution," will be released along with its competitors.
Can Nintendo ever be number one again? Even with quality franchise titles such as Metroid Prime, The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, all of the mega-popular Pokémon games, Nintendo is still only in third place in console market share.
To think that if Nintendo had not ticked Sony off with the development of the SNES CD add-on, Nintendo and Sega may still be fighting the console war along with Microsoft. But if that happened, more than likely many more game publishers would have been backing Nintendo's console and all of those terrific Final Fantasy games would have been released on Nintendo's console instead of a competitor's game machine. Nintendo may never be number one again unless they acquire games like Castlevania, Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid and incorporate online gameplay in more games for their future game console.
About the Author
Kevin Scripter is the site owner of Zerogifts.com, an online retailer of video games and DVD movies http://www.zerogifts.com.
4/17/2005
The Future of Video Games
I’ve recently been thinking about where video games could be going in the future. I’m hoping to work in the game industry one day after I’ve finished university study and I’ve been wondering about it a lot. What do I want to see happen in the future? Well I may not have too many answers right now, but I have come up with a few ideas that I think may come into ‘play’ in the not too distant future.
Firstly forget Virtual Reality, as we know it. They’ve tried VR goggles and they made a lot of people sick in doing so. It’s probably never going to work very well in its current form. They’re still around and you can still buy them but they really don’t seem to be taking off. It will probably take a lot to get people totally immersed and involved in a new form of game play. It’s threatening to lose touch with the outside world and the people around you aren’t going to appreciate it much either. The Sci-fi neural implants are also both a long way off and not likely to be accepted by a majority of the general populace without some severe marketing and luck. I for one am not planning on going through brain surgery just to have a computer attached to my head. In fact I never want anyone to able to plug into my brain.
A technology that was brought to my attention by a zealous presenter at the local ‘Science and Technology Centre’ (a sort of science museum aimed at making science fun for children and juvenile adults such as yours truly) is that of ‘Augmented Reality’. Augmented Reality is essentially the overlaying of virtual elements onto the real world, such as a pair of transparent glasses that can display certain elements over the top of what is actually there. I agree with the presenter in that this could indeed have some awesome potential. Forget all the socially beneficial applications such as workmen being able to view underground pipes before digging, think about it from a games point of view. This technology could provide gamers with the ability to run around looking like complete idiots shooting at things that aren’t actually there and that no one else can see, kind of like in the film ‘They Live!’ The upside to this is that it would be a lot of fun. A group of people from the University of South Australia created the ‘ARQuake’ project, http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www/, merging the classic shooter Quake with this Augmented Reality technology. Again, this technology may not ever become overly popular, but it would be entertaining to play with.
Technology has driven the games industry for a long time with new games always trying to keep one step ahead of the competition. It started way back at the dawn of technology and it continues to this day. 2D graphics gave way to 3D and 3D is becoming ever better. Graphics are starting to lose the ability to impress like they once did. The step between Quake 2 and 3 was amazing, but DOOM 3 while being visually very impressive isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors in the same way new games used to be. 2D graphics encountered a similar problem; there comes a point where you just can’t do much more with graphics technology. It is this that turns graphics from striving for technological achievement to becoming art. It is my hope that we will start turning away from tech demos and return to game play and making great entertainment. Games such as Zelda: The Wind Waker or The Sims that strive to show greater depth of character through simplifying the game enough to portray emotions will hopefully become more common (and more fun… but that’s just one person’s view…). Technology plays a certain part in the conveying of emotions and story but it’s quite hard to focus on everything at once. When technology is easier and less essential to game sales we’ll hopefully see an increase in games that cast a lasting impression.
Somewhat unfortunately the rise of the ‘Casual Gamer’ will probably lead to more simplistic games being released. While personally I would love to see depth of story and characters, there are a significant number of players out there who want to pick up a game for twenty minutes or so, have a bit of fun, and then put it down until another time. These gamers are generally less interested in the latest greatest technology and more interested in a ‘fast food’ kind of entertainment that satisfies the moment, despite the lack of quality or the lasting effects. Hopefully the two game types can co-exist peacefully although recently it has been seen that some developers are cutting down on some of the planned depth of a title in order to accommodate the more casual gamer.
As technology pushes forwards boundaries are slowly being broken down between systems. We saw the Bleemcast a few years back enabling the running of Playstation games on the Dreamcast, and the PC is able to run almost anything given the right emulation software. Consoles are able to emulate other consoles and new consoles are being announced that promise the ability to play PC games. The Xbox 2 is reported to have a model in planning that comes in a PC case and with the ability to run both PC software and Xbox software. Macs can emulate Windows software and vice-versa. We’ll probably start seeing less of a distinction between consoles and PCs as the price of technology continues to drop and consoles continue to become more and more powerful and able to compete with the more expensive computers. Ideally we’ll see a single platform come into prominence so that everything can be run without purchasing a copious number of different machines, although that does have a downside in that it can establish a monopoly for one particular company.
The technology price drop and increase in power has also lead to more powerful hand-held machines than before. Real games, not just simple toys are now available for the portable market. The advent of PDAs and mobile phones with the ability to play games raises awareness of portable gaming and new competitors are starting to get in on the field that was once primarily dominated by Nintendo’s GameBoy. There is a new product, the gp32, that can run many different emulators and hence, many different system’s games (including some PC games).
I can’t say for sure what’s going to happen but these are just a few ideas that I’ve had recently. Hopefully the games industry will continue to strive towards new heights with new and interesting game play, stories, characters and ideas. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few years.
About the Author
Daniel PunchM6.Nethttp://www.m6.net
Firstly forget Virtual Reality, as we know it. They’ve tried VR goggles and they made a lot of people sick in doing so. It’s probably never going to work very well in its current form. They’re still around and you can still buy them but they really don’t seem to be taking off. It will probably take a lot to get people totally immersed and involved in a new form of game play. It’s threatening to lose touch with the outside world and the people around you aren’t going to appreciate it much either. The Sci-fi neural implants are also both a long way off and not likely to be accepted by a majority of the general populace without some severe marketing and luck. I for one am not planning on going through brain surgery just to have a computer attached to my head. In fact I never want anyone to able to plug into my brain.
A technology that was brought to my attention by a zealous presenter at the local ‘Science and Technology Centre’ (a sort of science museum aimed at making science fun for children and juvenile adults such as yours truly) is that of ‘Augmented Reality’. Augmented Reality is essentially the overlaying of virtual elements onto the real world, such as a pair of transparent glasses that can display certain elements over the top of what is actually there. I agree with the presenter in that this could indeed have some awesome potential. Forget all the socially beneficial applications such as workmen being able to view underground pipes before digging, think about it from a games point of view. This technology could provide gamers with the ability to run around looking like complete idiots shooting at things that aren’t actually there and that no one else can see, kind of like in the film ‘They Live!’ The upside to this is that it would be a lot of fun. A group of people from the University of South Australia created the ‘ARQuake’ project, http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www/, merging the classic shooter Quake with this Augmented Reality technology. Again, this technology may not ever become overly popular, but it would be entertaining to play with.
Technology has driven the games industry for a long time with new games always trying to keep one step ahead of the competition. It started way back at the dawn of technology and it continues to this day. 2D graphics gave way to 3D and 3D is becoming ever better. Graphics are starting to lose the ability to impress like they once did. The step between Quake 2 and 3 was amazing, but DOOM 3 while being visually very impressive isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors in the same way new games used to be. 2D graphics encountered a similar problem; there comes a point where you just can’t do much more with graphics technology. It is this that turns graphics from striving for technological achievement to becoming art. It is my hope that we will start turning away from tech demos and return to game play and making great entertainment. Games such as Zelda: The Wind Waker or The Sims that strive to show greater depth of character through simplifying the game enough to portray emotions will hopefully become more common (and more fun… but that’s just one person’s view…). Technology plays a certain part in the conveying of emotions and story but it’s quite hard to focus on everything at once. When technology is easier and less essential to game sales we’ll hopefully see an increase in games that cast a lasting impression.
Somewhat unfortunately the rise of the ‘Casual Gamer’ will probably lead to more simplistic games being released. While personally I would love to see depth of story and characters, there are a significant number of players out there who want to pick up a game for twenty minutes or so, have a bit of fun, and then put it down until another time. These gamers are generally less interested in the latest greatest technology and more interested in a ‘fast food’ kind of entertainment that satisfies the moment, despite the lack of quality or the lasting effects. Hopefully the two game types can co-exist peacefully although recently it has been seen that some developers are cutting down on some of the planned depth of a title in order to accommodate the more casual gamer.
As technology pushes forwards boundaries are slowly being broken down between systems. We saw the Bleemcast a few years back enabling the running of Playstation games on the Dreamcast, and the PC is able to run almost anything given the right emulation software. Consoles are able to emulate other consoles and new consoles are being announced that promise the ability to play PC games. The Xbox 2 is reported to have a model in planning that comes in a PC case and with the ability to run both PC software and Xbox software. Macs can emulate Windows software and vice-versa. We’ll probably start seeing less of a distinction between consoles and PCs as the price of technology continues to drop and consoles continue to become more and more powerful and able to compete with the more expensive computers. Ideally we’ll see a single platform come into prominence so that everything can be run without purchasing a copious number of different machines, although that does have a downside in that it can establish a monopoly for one particular company.
The technology price drop and increase in power has also lead to more powerful hand-held machines than before. Real games, not just simple toys are now available for the portable market. The advent of PDAs and mobile phones with the ability to play games raises awareness of portable gaming and new competitors are starting to get in on the field that was once primarily dominated by Nintendo’s GameBoy. There is a new product, the gp32, that can run many different emulators and hence, many different system’s games (including some PC games).
I can’t say for sure what’s going to happen but these are just a few ideas that I’ve had recently. Hopefully the games industry will continue to strive towards new heights with new and interesting game play, stories, characters and ideas. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few years.
About the Author
Daniel PunchM6.Nethttp://www.m6.net
Xbox vs. PS2 Game Consoles
There has been a great deal of discussion regarding the two most popular gaming consoles currently on the market: Playstation 2 (PS2) and Xbox. PS2 is a Sony product, while Xbox is owned by the software giant Microsoft. Many different people have worked with these gaming systems inside and out, attempting to determine which system provides the best performance for your hard-earned gaming dollar. Here we take a look at each gaming system and compare the specs and performance of each. We will attempt to answer that age-old question: which is the better gaming system, Xbox or PS2?
You can take a look at a table comparing hardware specs here.
There are many specs in addition to the ones listed above, but these should give you some idea of just how close these two game consoles really are. If you are looking for pure processing power and graphics capabilities, the Xbox appears to have a slight advantage. In addition, its computer-like features, such as a built-in hard drive are nice to have. With the PS2 you must purchase a memory card if you run out of storage room. When comparing raw power and extra features, the Xbox wins - but you have to keep in mind that the PS2 was released first, and there are additional things to consider besides system specs.
What about Multi-player Capabilities?
Both the Xbox and PS2 have multi-player capability. You can hook up a series of both consoles so that you and your friends can play games together at the same time. The Xbox may be connected using a home LAN system, much like your home computers (here's another example of how the Xbox is more like a specialized gaming computer). The PS2 may be connected using a link cable, not a LAN. This system may be cost prohibitive for some gamers, since you have to own multiple consoles, seperate TVs for each, and several copies of the same game (yep, that's expensive).
Of course, you can always ditch the local network and play through the internet. Bboth PS2 and Xbox allow you to play online against a random assortment of opponents. Xbox uses Xbox live, a fairly well supported online gaming network. PS2's network is not as popular as Xbox Llive, but it works fairly well all the same. If you are really into multi-player, it seems that Xbox is probably the best console for you.
Xbox Games vs. PS2 Games
When deciding which of these two game consoles is best for you, you should certainly take into consideration what types of games each offers, and which games you are most interested in playing. PS2, having been around a little while longer, tends to have the larger game library, but Xbox is not terribly far behind. In addition, Xbox tends to produce games geared more towards adults than children. The graphics seen on the new Xbox games are also clearly a step ahead of PS2 graphics. There is, however, nearly a PS2 game for everyone, and there are lot of PS2 games geared towards teenagers. If you are looking for games for kids, the Nintendo Gamecube may actually be a better choice than either of these two - and it's cheaper.
Other Considerations
Some other things you may want to consider when comparing PS2 and Xbox is the controller provided by each. These may not seem like a big factor at first glance, but people usually prefer one type of controller over the other. The Xbox controllers tend to be slightly larger than PS2, mainly because Xbox is designed with older gamers in mind. You can always buy a converter in order to get one game console controller to work with another.
As far as price goes, PS2 has typically been cheaper than Xbox. As of the time of this writing (Dec. 2004), PS2 retails for about $150 and Xbox $100. Game prices are very similar for both game systems, with most new games costing about $30 - $50.
The bottom line is, PS2 is a little older than the Xbox, and is geared for a younger gaming crowd. If you are buying this console for a teenager, the PS2 may actually be your best bet - they have more games, the console is cheaper, and the games are more appropriate for that age group. The Xbox is a little more expensive, has fewer games, but it out-performs PS2 and has more adult-oriented games.
About the Author:
Bradley James is a senior editor for http://www.scinet.cc, a consumer electronics review website. You can find more information about Xbox vs. PS2 at: http://www.scinet.cc/articles/xbox-vs-ps2/xbox-ps2.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
You can take a look at a table comparing hardware specs here.
There are many specs in addition to the ones listed above, but these should give you some idea of just how close these two game consoles really are. If you are looking for pure processing power and graphics capabilities, the Xbox appears to have a slight advantage. In addition, its computer-like features, such as a built-in hard drive are nice to have. With the PS2 you must purchase a memory card if you run out of storage room. When comparing raw power and extra features, the Xbox wins - but you have to keep in mind that the PS2 was released first, and there are additional things to consider besides system specs.
What about Multi-player Capabilities?
Both the Xbox and PS2 have multi-player capability. You can hook up a series of both consoles so that you and your friends can play games together at the same time. The Xbox may be connected using a home LAN system, much like your home computers (here's another example of how the Xbox is more like a specialized gaming computer). The PS2 may be connected using a link cable, not a LAN. This system may be cost prohibitive for some gamers, since you have to own multiple consoles, seperate TVs for each, and several copies of the same game (yep, that's expensive).
Of course, you can always ditch the local network and play through the internet. Bboth PS2 and Xbox allow you to play online against a random assortment of opponents. Xbox uses Xbox live, a fairly well supported online gaming network. PS2's network is not as popular as Xbox Llive, but it works fairly well all the same. If you are really into multi-player, it seems that Xbox is probably the best console for you.
Xbox Games vs. PS2 Games
When deciding which of these two game consoles is best for you, you should certainly take into consideration what types of games each offers, and which games you are most interested in playing. PS2, having been around a little while longer, tends to have the larger game library, but Xbox is not terribly far behind. In addition, Xbox tends to produce games geared more towards adults than children. The graphics seen on the new Xbox games are also clearly a step ahead of PS2 graphics. There is, however, nearly a PS2 game for everyone, and there are lot of PS2 games geared towards teenagers. If you are looking for games for kids, the Nintendo Gamecube may actually be a better choice than either of these two - and it's cheaper.
Other Considerations
Some other things you may want to consider when comparing PS2 and Xbox is the controller provided by each. These may not seem like a big factor at first glance, but people usually prefer one type of controller over the other. The Xbox controllers tend to be slightly larger than PS2, mainly because Xbox is designed with older gamers in mind. You can always buy a converter in order to get one game console controller to work with another.
As far as price goes, PS2 has typically been cheaper than Xbox. As of the time of this writing (Dec. 2004), PS2 retails for about $150 and Xbox $100. Game prices are very similar for both game systems, with most new games costing about $30 - $50.
The bottom line is, PS2 is a little older than the Xbox, and is geared for a younger gaming crowd. If you are buying this console for a teenager, the PS2 may actually be your best bet - they have more games, the console is cheaper, and the games are more appropriate for that age group. The Xbox is a little more expensive, has fewer games, but it out-performs PS2 and has more adult-oriented games.
About the Author:
Bradley James is a senior editor for http://www.scinet.cc, a consumer electronics review website. You can find more information about Xbox vs. PS2 at: http://www.scinet.cc/articles/xbox-vs-ps2/xbox-ps2.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
4/16/2005
IGN's Big E3 List: 2005 Edition
Here's a list of some of the games IGN thinks will be at the big E3 show this year:
2K GamesCharlie and the Chocolate Factory (Cube, GBA, PC, PS2, Xbox)
NBA 2K6 (PS2, Xbox)
NHL 2K6 (PS2, Xbox)
Top Spin (PS2)
(Unspecified Consoles)
ActivisionCall of Duty 2 (PC)
Call of Duty Console Sequel (PS2, Xbox)
Fantastic Four (GCN, PS2, Xbox)
The Movies (PC, PS2, Xbox)
AtariDragonshard (PC)
Indigo Prophecy (PC, PS2, Xbox)
Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (PS2, Xbox)
The Matrix: Path of Neo (PC, PS2, Xbox)
Atlus SoftwareSamurai Western (PS2)
Snowboard Kids DS (DS)
Untitled Console RPG (PS2)
BandaiD.I.C.E. (PS2)
Digimon World 4 (Cube, PS2, Xbox)
InuYasha: Feudal Combat (PS2)
One Piece: Grand Battle! (GBA, Cube, DS, PS2)
Zatch Bell (Cube, PS2)
Bethesda SoftworksThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (Next-Gen, PC)
Blizzard EntertainmentStarCraft: Ghost (Cube, PS2, Xbox)
Buena Vista GamesThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (Cube, DS, GBA, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox)
For the Full List Click Here
4/15/2005
Sony Vs Nintendo
After owning many of Sony's systems and Nintendo's systems I've noticed some similarities between them and the Mac and PC. Sony's playstation 2 and PSP both are very customizable, and they feel like they are well built. On the other hand, Nintendo's Gamecube and DS both are powerful but they have a feeling of emptiness when you hold them. After discovering this, it made me think of Nintendo's products as Macs (because Macs are so user friendly) and Sony's as a PC (because PC's tend to have less user friendly operating systems.
4/14/2005
Procrastinating School Work For Games
One of the hardest challenges for me is trying to stay off the games and focus on more important stuff, like homework. I feel it's almost impossible not to play any games in my day, from the time I get home to when I go to bed at night. Unfortunetely with this problem, I get less organized, and my grades start to drop. Does anyone else have this problem? Oh, and it's not like i'm obssessed with video games, it's just the only fun thing I can do in only a short time after school.
4/13/2005
White Fusion, A New Way to Play Games
A new way to play first person shooters will be coming out. The new White Fusion allows gamers to have the the same feel as playing on the computer. A red ball sits in place of the right analog stick, giving players more precise aim and comfortability.
4/12/2005
Should People Listen to Kids' Ideas?
The other day I was thinking of cool ideas for video games and other electronics. I really had some great ideas, that would at least interest me as a kid. For instance, I thought of a "virtual world" that could be accessed through a PDA, and in that world you could set up your own shop and sell products, similar to Ebay's stores. But then big corporations could start taking advantage of it and let you buy anything you want anywhere in the world. I know you can already can buy things you want online, but this would be more of a user friendly system. Anyway, I just felt that maybe the people that are actually doing the "doing" should have more of a say.