We are now looking into the sixth and seventh generation of video games, which I grew up in. It’s the new millennium and its getting kicked off with Sony’s PlayStation 2. I consider this Console to be the most important in this generation, especially for all the games that started off on it, its one of the best selling consoles ever made. It was part of the sixth generation of video game consoles.

In 2001 the sixth generation of video game console consisted of Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and the Nintendo Gamecube. This is the beginning of three titans in gaming that are still the main consoles companies today. This year was also the year that Sega announces that they will no longer be producing hardware. In this big year for video games Nintendo also bring out the Nintendo Gameboy Advance a very successful portable gaming device, which was my first handheld game console, which to my younger self was convince was the best technology was ever going to get.

Xbox was Microsoft’s first contribution to the video game industry. It was launched with its flagship product: Halo. Halo has become a multi-billion dollar game franchise and is an absolute excellent first person shooter. It is consider one the reasons that Xbox did so well because it had such a strong game to be exclusive on the console. Halo is one of my favourite Game series, and still holds up today.




Jump to 2004 Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS, a portable system with two screens, one of which can be used as a touch screen. This is one of Nintendo’s biggest innovations in and they are still making them to this day, although they have a lot more additions to them now. Nintendo making the DS marks the end of the Gameboy generation and the beginning of the competition for handheld superiority between Nintendo and Sony.

2005 Sony releases the PSP! I can remember for what like years prior to the launch of the PSP hearing rumours and just dying to get one, and I remember the year before it was out I went on holiday to France, and my neighbour was Japanese and all ready had one, and that was the most amazing thing id ever seen. I still love the PSP unlike Nintendo’s handhelds the PSP promised you the ability to play PS2 games on the go and it delivered. Although it feels like Nintendo are really beating Sony on the handheld front, I will always be loyal to the PSP.


2005 was also when Xbox announced their Xbox 360, which was released in November, and began the seventh Generation of consoles. Much like the last generation this one consists of the big three: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Sony and Nintendo release their consoles a year later. Nintendo brought out the Wii and was aimed at a much wider audience than the previous consoles, focusing on more family friendly games and fitness. It was the first console to have motion controls as it primary controls. The Wii is on of the biggest selling consoles of all time, and was sold out for so long. Everyone I know, even people not big into games own or owned a Wii.


Xbox 360 and PS3 became the two main competitors now that Nintendo had a new audience. PS3 and Xbox began the war between Blu-ray and HD DVD, which PS3 won. For many reason such as the Blu-ray could hold so much more space, and the Xbox needed an extra part to play HD DVDs, where as the PS3s was built in.  The seventh generation has been one of the longest running generations and has been pushing the hard wear to its very limits, releasing incredible looking games on 9 year old consoles. That’s just about it up to the present.  We have now entered our eighth generation with the PS4, Xbox One and the Wii U, and our beginning to see what the new hardware can do.


 References
Books 
The Ultimate History of Video Game - Steven Kent

Pheonix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames - Leonard Herman

photos:

  1. http://geekrevolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/6th-generation-of-consoles-.jpg
  2. http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/9566/395908-nintendo_game_boy_advance.jpeg
  3. http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/114977-halo-combat-evolved-windows-screenshot-a-lovely-view-of-halos.jpg
  4. http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/article/536/536537/nintendo-ds-vs-psp-round-2-20040806054438836.jpg
  5. http://www.badenoughdudes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/wii-family.jpg
  6. http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Efl2qfGw--/c_fit,fl_progressive,w_636/19769ezy04w2hjpg.jpg