The video game industry has become a bastion that not even a crippling economy can topple. With $64 billion in sales a year, you have to go elsewhere to find an effect of the current economy. Video games have gone from being a fad to a beast that has waged war on other hobbies and entertainment to become a necessity in everyday life. Politics and other technologies have made war, but none have killed this dragon. From the unstable and unpredictable beginning of the first commercial home system to this gigantic transformative technology; many products have come and gone over 40 years. But what is fascination?
Starting with the missile defense systems of the 1940s, the first interactive video game was produced in 1952 called OXO. Using a stylus was similar to Tic-Tac-Toe. University mainframes were used early on and most games were invented by individuals as a hobby, which meant production was minimal and games were forgotten. Almost simultaneously the arcade system and home console were released and the use of joysticks was introduced. In 1971, Galaxy Game was installed in a student union at Stanford University and expanded to eight arcade games in 1972. Then finally color arcade systems were introduced in 1979 and these games were commercialized. 1972 The Magnavox Odyssey home system was released in the US, using cartridges (later programmable) that used jumpers that turned on/off various switches within the unit, altering the logic of the circuit so that various games could be played on the unit. same system. The 1976 games were programmed on chips and inserted into plastic cartridges. Now, instead of having games programmed into the systems, there could be a library of games.
Thriving on the most innovative technology and having the most popular games while still making a profit was an act that would prove difficult to juggle. In 1977, Atari released the Atari 2600 (which kickstarted what’s known as second-generation consoles) and over the holiday season, the company released nine games that helped boost the system’s popularity. In 1980, Mattel launched Intellivision with its superior graphics, starting the cutthroat business of video games. 1982 ColecoVision entered this boiling pot of competition for this new trend. While store shelves were filled with these options, the industry had its second crash in 1983 due to a lack of consumer awareness and too many choices. Many consoles came and went.
In Japan, a comeback was on the rise by video game companies. 1985 The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released along with Super Mario Brothers. With a redesigned controller that used a D-Pad and a pair of buttons, the NES was the foundation for future consoles. The NES had a ten-year reign, but for games that demanded more processing power for graphics, gameplay, and space savings, the fight for supremacy continued. During the reign of the NES, many factors and inventions gave players and developers hope and nervousness. As the Internet gave way to online multiplayer gaming, home console companies were looking for the latest components for their systems. In the early 1990s, the Sega Genesis was released and it slowly took over the markets, but it eventually made an impact. The rise of the categorization of games as genres, due to larger game libraries and 3D graphics, caused courts to step in and dispute the content these companies distribute. His complaint “the games were too violent and seemed too real.” Little did the courts know that his latest comment is what made players hungrier for every pitch. New laws putting an age limit on who could buy violent games defused that fight, but that wasn’t the last war the video game industry would face. 1991 Nintendo released the Super NES and Sega’s argument against it, despite both being 16-bit systems, was that the Super NES was too slow. So the formula for consoles became great graphics, processing, and gameplay.
Being portable was another issue raised by the industry that gave rise to portable systems. In 1980, portable LCD screens appeared, but it wasn’t until 1989, when Nintendo released the Game Boy, and then portable computers took hold. While Sega and Nintendo were in a power struggle, PlayStation made its debut on the console market in 1995. PlayStation launched with the use of CDs instead of cartridges, which became another milestone and staple for the industry. but PlayStation was still not supported in some markets and game companies until they realized that CDs contained more data and were cheaper to manufacture. This would lead to acting against their own cd consoles. The Nintendo 64 was a success, but still using cartridges, the cost drove game companies away, and Nintendo began to lose game titles. Nintendo came up with the GameCube, a CD-based system, but due to a lack of adult games and a small library, it wasn’t as popular as the PlayStation. Sega released the Dreamcast in 1998 with a built-in modem for online gaming that pioneered online gaming with consoles, but it flopped.
PlayStation launched PS2 in 1998, although with the feeling of not having a major competitor, a comment was made that would change and drive the evolution of video game technology. “Video game systems are the next computers” helped merge the computer and video game consoles, while keeping them separate. Feeling threatened, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, who is one of the richest men in the world, would drop his Windows software to produce Xbox in late 2001. His goal was to be the best gaming system and he wouldn’t stop. in no medium. He had the finances to research and develop. Bill took technology from his PC, like Intel processors and hard drives, and put it to use on the Xbox even though it was a loss to Microsoft, but it would secure his Windows brand. With Xbox graphics, hit game titles, and online gaming via console with so much money invested in them, the other companies no longer had the funds that threatened PCs. Feeling dominated on home systems, Nintendo and PlayStation focused on their handheld devices. Each had their own unique technology to keep them afloat and even. The Nintendo DS thrived on its touchscreen, while the PSP sold multi-use. PSP had graphics so high you could watch movies and play games. Even though handhelds haven’t surpassed consoles, there are still markets where they thrive due to their portability. Microsoft released the Xbox 360 in November 2005, while the PS3 followed soon after. Both set the technology standard for systems, both featuring high-definition graphics, large hard drive-based secondary storage, integrated networking, and a complementary online gaming and sales platform. PS3 debuted at a higher cost due to Blu-ray and Wi-Fi technology.
Nintendo made a strong comeback by introducing the Wii in late 2006 because of the motion controls, though critics thought it would fail. It also had lower specs, but another groundbreaking invention kept Nintendo in the game. The automotive and cell phone industry was invaded by the expansion of video games. Cars went from having custom built-in systems to standard out of the factory. The cell phone went from having pre-loaded games to being able to download them online, which took a large part of the support out of the handheld business. Even with these new toys, audiences were shocked due to the interaction from Nintendo Wii players, but the online multiplayer action of Xbox and PS 3 still held sway. While PlayStation tried to reinvent the wheel with its own PlayStation Move motion controller in 2010, Microsoft delivered a coup de grace by releasing Kinect for Xbox 360. Kinect is motion sensor technology that doesn’t use controllers. These movement systems have extended interest from adolescents and young adults to the elderly who are physically unable to participate in sports. Genres now include sports fitness for those who can’t afford a gym membership, senior centers, and community centers. It seems too early to tell how effective Microsoft and PlayStation can be against Nintendo, as we’re only in round three in a 12-round three-way fight. January 2011 will show who reigns supreme when holiday sales are calculated.
It seems that as this industry evolves, the science fiction novels our grandparents read come to life. Just as human cloning and space travel were envisioned but not realized until decades later, I wonder if and when warp zones or molecular separation will be introduced, and who will find out. Will a wormhole transport players into the future when they are challenged to a virtual reality fight? One thing is certain and that is that people understand the products out there and the games they support. It will not be a consumer problem that causes the next scare in the video game industry. Continually changing technology has piqued the interest of millions.