Video game are still a immature metier in the lofty scheme of things , but have been around for well over 50 days now . After the colonnade manna from heaven in the 70s , menage consoles tardily took over the gaming landscape painting withNintendo ’s NESleading the direction . The NES is one of thebest video game consoles of all clock time , but it was far from the first cabinet and certainly not the last with the likes of thePS5 , Xbox Series X , andSwitch 2currently fighting for market dominance . presently , we ’re in the 9th propagation of consoles but how exactly did we get here , and what consoles were in the eight prior generations ? Let ’s rewind time and look at what defined every console table multiplication from the first up to today .
If you require to look even further ahead , we can also tell you aboutevery upcoming television game consoleandupcoming video plot .
Note that generations were n’t as intelligibly define for the first several 10 so the specific years some generation depart or end is up for debate and many generations will overlap . We will also only heel well - document consoles free in each generation to avoid bloating the list with one - off systems no one purchased .
First generation: 1972 – 1983
Going all the way back to the root of home consoles , we are at a point in time where most games do n’t even resemble the experiences we have today . The most recognizable game in this epoch was one of thebest biz of all - clock time , Pong . In this generation , console were essentially smaller colonnade machines in the sense that most could only play one or two games . The primary exception , and most notable console from this genesis , was the Magnavox Odyssey . This console included various plastic overlay you could put on your silver screen to play unlike games with as you moved engine block of lightness around the sieve .
Notable consoles in the first generation:
Second generation: 1976 – 1985
The second cabinet generation is where we begin to see some name that still exist today . The Atari 2600 and 5200 both make it this multiplication in the late ’ 70 and early ’ 80s , setting the standard for magazine - base console . However , it was n’t the first to pioneer this technology . The Fairchild Channel F is widely take as the first widely available household cabinet to fully allow for consoles to read fixed storage cartridges and process new code . This , along with a more user - friendlyjoystick controller , paved the way for the the like of Atari to dominate the generation and become the leader in menage consoles over Magnavox , Coleco , and Intellivision . This era was also when Activision first get into the game space and became the first - ever third - party developer of games . This is the generation we aim some of the first truly great home console table games likeSpace Invaders , Combat , Super Breakout , Missile Command , andPitfall !
Notable consoles in the second generation:
Third generation: 1983 – 1990
For most people , domicile console really come out with the third contemporaries when Nintendo entered the American grocery with theNintendo Entertainment Systemand pulled the intact gambling industry back from flop . game develop into the 8 - routine era , which is a style many creators still emulate today , especially with some of the best indie plot . Atari was still in the game with the 7800 , but was a distant third behind the king of Nintendo and newcomer Sega with its Master System . While rudimentary by today ’s monetary standard , secret plan production in this generation was unlike anything before it . There were more colour , voice , and even introductory storytelling .
It was n’t just the plate cabinet market Nintendo upend , but handhelds as well . The Game Boy was the most sophisticated handheld ever released . It was the first to not only take reward of cartridge but also offer console - like quality experience on the go . This is the era where major gaming icon first look on consoles , likeSuper Mario Bros. ,The Legend of Zelda , andKirby .
Notable consoles in the third generation:
Fourth generation: 1987 – 1996
The fourth generation is where the “ console war ” officially began . Sega was out for line of descent with the 16 - bitGenesis , which easily outclass the NES for a few years before theSNES arrived . Sega also tried to labour more hardware out quicker than the competition with add - ons to the Genesis , such as the Sega CD , to take advantage of the new CD technology that allow for more reposition space and use of full - motility video . Neo Geo , an colonnade powerhouse , also douse its toe into the plate cabinet space but failed to find much foothold due to coal far more than the competition .
The 16 - bit era is one of the most lovingly remembered thanks to some amazing games that are still played today . game likeSuper Mario World , Sonic the Hedgehog , andSuper Metroidare considered all - fourth dimension classic .
Notable consoles in the fourth generation:
Fifth generation: 1993 – 2002
The jump from 16 - moment graphics to fully 3D game is arguably the largest generational leaping ever seen in console gaming . After being incinerate as a partner with Nintendo , Sony inscribe the cabinet business as a new player with its PlayStation . It was far from the first CD - based console , but it managed to completely eclipse the coevals with a combination of fantasticPS1 gameslikeMetal Gear Solid , Twisted Metal , andCrash Bandicoot , plus the brilliant marketing move of take into account the console to also diddle candela . This is a tactic PlayStation would soon habituate to even greater effect . While it lagged behind in terms of sales , the N64proved that Nintendo understood 3D game design far better than the competition . Sega especially struggled to translate its enfranchisement into this young property , plus was also losing its customers ’ faith with how quickly it was releasing fresh hardware . This would also mark the last major console from Atari .
On the hand-held side , Nintendo was still essentially unchallenged . It publish the upgradedGame Boy Colorto enhance its games with more than two - tone screen , but even more powerful competition like the Nomad or Neo Geo Pocket could n’t overtake Nintendo ’s stranglehold on the space .
Notable consoles in the fifth generation:
Sixth generation: 1998 – 2005
At this point in the timeline , the routine of players in the home console table space was shrinking to a few powerhouses . This was Sega ’s last gasp with the Dreamcast before it would fox in the towel on hardware and focus on publishing , but not for a lack ofgreat Dreamcast plot . Nintendo was still feeling the pressure from both Sony and Microsoft with its first cabinet , the Xbox . Despite great games likeSuper Smash Bros. Melee , Pikmin , andAnimal Crossing , it could n’t match the winner of either rival . Xbox had a very substantial start not only because of a stronglineup of game , most notablyHalo : Combat acquire , but technological innovations like a flowing online cabinet multiplayer experience through Xbox Live . Despite that , it was now the only literal rival in Ithiel Town for handheld games and in conclusion release a true Game Boy heir with the Game Boy Advance .
It goes without saying that the PS2 squash this coevals to the pointedness where it stay the best - selling cabinet ever made . game played a big part in that , but what made it such a phenomenon and reach the blanket possible audience was the fact that it was the only console that double up as a DVD musician .
Notable consoles in the sixth generation:
Seventh generation: 2005 – 2013
Also recognize as the HD - geological era , the seventh generation hard base the three - way console war between Nintendo , PlayStation , and Xbox . Home consoles were now whole mainstream and game were breaking metier records left and correct . Xbox and PlayStation ’s recent systems were attempt to transition into more than just picture game political machine , but complete amusement boxes with more app integration and online service . Xbox Live really fall into its own for on-line multiplayer , which PlayStation also adapted to with a competing on-line andPlayStation Plusservice . console table exclusives were the main differences between system now , with Xbox building a reputation on games likeHalo , Gears of War , andForzawhilePlayStation established franchiseslikeUncharted , Infamous , andThe Last of Us .
Nintendo made its first major gamble with a cabinet and decided against competing forthwith with Xbox and PlayStation and instead stay to SD graphics but instead focused on a organisation fully build up on motion ascendancy . The Wii , despite its lack of power , was such a cultural moment that it finally brought Nintendo back to the top of the sales charts on the back of game likeWii Sports , Mario Galaxy , andThe Legend of Zelda : Skyward Sword .
PlayStation also made its first effort to get a slash of the handheld market place with the PSP competing against Nintendo ’s newDS line .
Notable consoles in the seventh generation:
Eighth generation: 2012 – 2020
Even when the PS2 was the clean rife force of its generation , Xbox and Nintendo were still both sizeable competitors . The 8th multiplication was one of monumental misstep for everyone except PlayStation , lettingits PS4run away with the spark advance right up until the very end . The Xbox Onegot off to a dreaded start with misfortunate messaging that focused on medium over game , DRM restriction , and requiring the motion sensor Kinect that increase the price by $ 100 over the PS4 . On the other hired hand , Nintendo adjudicate to recreate the same success with the Wii U , and even launched it two age before the PS4 and Xbox One , but also failed in its communication leading to the worst - performing system in the companionship ’s account . gratefully the new 3DS handheld was doing well , but Nintendo made the call to cut its genesis short and launchedthe Switchin 2017 . Merging its home console table and cross systems together ended up being a brilliant move that completely wrench the company ’s mind-set .
PlayStation took one last scene at the hand-held market with the Vita , but it ended up falling abruptly of what the PSP superintend to do by a large margin .
Notable consoles in the eighth generation:
Ninth generation: 2020 – present
That bring us to the ninth and current console table contemporaries . Despite its better endeavour Xbox continues to scramble with its Xbox Series X and S systems compared thethe PS5 , although both system had a jumpy start due to supply constraint . Xbox made some of the heavy acquisitions in industry history this propagation with the likes of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard but is also moving away from cabinet - exclusive games . It remains to be seen if it will continue to invest in hardware or pivot man to a third - party publishing firm like Sega before it .
Nintendo proceed to enjoy the popularity of the Switch even after Xbox and PlayStation release hardware that shadow its technical power . At long last , it is releasingthe Switch 2to lessen the col , though belike not completely erase it .
This generation also saw the rise of handheld PCs that smudge the line of descent between PC gaming and consoles . The Steam Deckwas the first to get out into this outer space in a big way with a system that made it soft to playthe good Steam gameson a handheld , with many others following case .
There are still a few years leave behind to go in this contemporaries but we do have an idea of whatupcoming consolesmight feel like that will define the tenth generation .
