History of video game consoles (seventh generation)

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History of video games

In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current one, made up of those consoles released since late 2004 by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony.[1]

For home consoles, the seventh generation began[2] on November 22, 2005 with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and continued with the release of Sony's PlayStation 3 on November 11, 2006, and Nintendo's Wii on November 19, 2006. Each new console introduced a new type of breakthrough in technology. The Xbox 360 offered HD upscaling to 1080p, the PlayStation 3 offered full 1080p high-definition graphics and Blu-ray Disc technology, and both the Wii and PlayStation 3 focused on integrating controllers with movement sensors as well as joysticks[3] (the PlayStation 3 also employs motion sensitivity, but to a lesser degree). While the Xbox 360 offers wired controllers as a standalone product, all Playstation 3 controllers can be used in wired and wireless configurations. There are also other home consoles in the seventh generation, such as EVO Smart Console, Hyperscan and Zeebo.

Starting with handheld consoles, the seventh generation began on November 21, 2004 with the North American introduction of the Nintendo DS as a "third pillar", alongside Nintendo's existing Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles.[4] The Nintendo DS features a touch screen and built-in microphone, and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards.[5] More recently, the new DSi features many new things including two built in cameras, the ability to download games from the DSi store, and a web browser. The PlayStation Portable, or PSP, released later the same year on December 12, 2004, followed a different pattern. It became the first handheld video game console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage media.[6][7] Sony also gave the PSP robust multi-media capability,[8] connectivity with the PlayStation 3 and other PSPs, and Internet connectivity.[9][10] The Nintendo DS likewise has connectivity to the internet through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and Nintendo DS Browser, as well as wireless connectivity to other DS systems and Wii consoles. Despite high sales numbers for both consoles, PlayStation Portable sales have consistently lagged behind those of the Nintendo DS; nonetheless, the PlayStation Portable has the distinction of being the best-selling non-Nintendo handheld gaming system.[11]

Home consoles

Wii

Nintendo entered this generation with a new approach embodied by its Wii. The company planned to attract current hardcore and casual gamers,[12] non-gamers,[13] and lapsed gamers by focusing on new gameplay experiences and new forms of interaction with games rather than cutting edge graphics and expensive technology.[14] This approach was previously implemented in the portable market with the Nintendo DS.[15] Nintendo expressed hope that the new control schemes it has implemented will render current conventionally controlled consoles obsolete, leading to Nintendo capturing a large portion of the existing market as well.[16]

This strategy paid off, with demand for the Wii outstripping supply throughout 2007.[17] Since Nintendo profited on each console right from the start unlike its competitors,[18] it has already achieved very positive returns.[19] With only a few exceptions, monthly worldwide sales for the Wii have been higher than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,[20][21][22] eroding Microsoft's early lead and widening the gap between its market share and Sony's.[15] On September 12, 2007, it was reported by the British newspaper Financial Times that the Wii's sales had surpassed the Xbox 360, which was released one year previously, and became the market leader in worldwide home console sales for the current generation.[23]

As in previous generations, Nintendo has provided strong support for its new console with popular first-party franchises like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Pokémon, among others. To appeal to casual and non-gamers, Nintendo developed a group of core Wii games, consisting of Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wii Fit,[24] and Wii Music,[25] where players make use of the motion-sensing abilities of the console and its peripherals to simulate real world activities.[26] With the exception of Wii Music, the games and their sequels have all been highly successful.

Publishers such as Ubisoft, EA, Capcom, and Majesco continue to release exclusive titles for the console, but the Wii's strongest titles still remain within its first-party line-up. Analysts speculated that this will change in time as the Wii's growing popularity persuades third-party publishers to focus on it;[21][27] however, some third party developers are beginning to express frustration at low software sales. Goichi Suda, developer of No More Heroes for the Wii, noted that "only Nintendo titles are doing well. This isn't just because of the current situation in Japan, as this is happening outside Japan. I am very surprised about the reality about Wii, because before I was making this game, I wasn't expecting that Wii would be a console targeted only for non-gamers. I expected more games for hardcore gamers. The reality is different to what I expected."[28] Conversely, the PAL publisher of No More Heroes Rising Star Games were greatly impressed with the game's sales.[29] Goichi Suda later retracted his comment, saying his "point was that No More Heroes, unlike a lot of Nintendo Wii titles currently available is the kind of product that will attract a different kind of consumer to the hardware, i.e. gamers who are looking for a different genre to the products that have been successful on this platform thus far."[30]

In early 2008, the NPD Group revealed sales data showing that, while the Wii's life-to-date attach rate is low, in December 2007, it reached 8.11—higher than the attach rates for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in that month.[31] The Wii's low overall attach rate could be explained by reference to its rapidly increasing installed base, as financial analysts have pointed to the Xbox 360's high attach rates as indicative of an unhealthy lack of installed base growth, and warned that what actually benefits third-party developers is “quicker adoption of hardware and a rapidly growing installed base on which to sell progressively more game units,” which tends to lower the attach rate of a product.[32]

On September 23, 2009, Nintendo announced its first price drops for the console. In the United States, the price was reduced by fifty dollars resulting in a new Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $199.99, effective September 27, 2009.[33] For Japan, the price dropped from ¥25,000 to ¥20,000, effective October 1, 2009.[34] In Europe (with the exception of the United Kingdom), the price of a Wii console dropped from €249 to €199.[35] On May 3, 2010, Nintendo announced that Wii consoles sold in the Americas will now include Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus, effective May 9, 2010.[36]

Xbox 360

Microsoft's Xbox 360 gained an early lead in terms of market share, largely due to its established Xbox Live online gaming system, and its early launch date, which was one year before its rivals. Sales in North America and Europe have continued to be strong, even after the release of the Wii and PlayStation 3. Like its predecessor, the Xbox 360 received a muted reception in Japan,[37] attributed to the lack of content aimed at Japanese gamers.[38]

This early launch did come with some trouble, as technical problems appeared in a portion of Xbox 360 units sold. The most well known problem is the "red ring of death", which received (and still receives) a great deal of attention due to some users' having to replace their consoles multiple times. Microsoft attempted to address this by offering a three year warranty on all affected consoles and repairing them free of charge.[39] It also retroactively reimbursed owners of affected systems who paid for repairs.[39] According to The Mercury News, new models of the console featuring 65-nanometer technology will address this and other issues; the new technology is expected to reduce heat production, which will lower the risk of overheating and system failures; although, this has never been officially confirmed by Microsoft.[40]

As they share many cross-platform games and compete for the same audience as their predecessors, frequent comparisons are made between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.[41] The PS3 uses the Blu-ray format, while the Xbox 360 uses a standard DVD9. The Xbox 360 is less expensive to produce, and analysts expect that a mid-revision will allow Microsoft to break-even on manufacturing costs,[42][43] while industry consensus is that the Xbox 360's conventional architecture is easier to develop for.[44][45]

At the end of first half of 2007, the console stabilized at 11.6 million units shipped as sales dropped 60% while its rival, Wii, gained momentum and Sony announced a competitive price drop on the PlayStation 3.[46][47] Microsoft's strategy to boost sales with the release of the highly anticipated Halo 3 in September 2007 paid off, outselling the Wii that month in North America.[20] Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division experienced a huge increase in revenue, largely driven by the release of Halo 3, and posted a quarterly profit for the first time in two years.[48]

The Xbox 360's advantage over its competitors owes itself to the release of high profile games, such as additions to the Halo franchise. The 2007 Game Critics Awards honored the platform with 38 nominations and 12 wins – more than any other platform.[49][50] By March 2008, the Xbox 360 had reached a software attach rate of 7.5 games per console in the US – a record for any console in history; the rate was 7.0 in Europe, while its competitors were 3.8 (PS3) and 3.5 (Wii), according to Microsoft.[51] At the 2008 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft announced that it expected over 1,000 games available for Xbox 360 by the end of the year.[52] The Xbox 360 has managed to gain a simultaneous release of titles that were initially planned to be PS3 exclusives, including Devil May Cry,[53] Ace Combat,[54] Virtua Fighter,[55] Grand Theft Auto IV,[56] Final Fantasy XIII,[57] Tekken 6[58], Metal Gear Solid : Rising[59], and L.A. Noire[60].

In August 2007, the first price drop was announced for all Stock Keeping Units (SKU's) of the Xbox 360.[61] The Core system's price was reduced in the United States by $20, the Premium by $50, and the Elite model by $30.[61] Also, the HDMI out port, previously exclusive to the Elite system, was added to new models of the Premium and Arcade systems, the Core system has been discontinued.[62] Note: the "premium" system is sold in Australia as the "pro", Arcade and Elite systems retain the same names.

At E3 2010, Microsoft released a new $299.99 Xbox 360 SKU, sans model name though referred to as the "Slim" by various media outlets. It will replace the Elite at the same price and comes with an 802.11n-compliant WLAN adapter, a 250 GB HDD, and will not require an additional power supply to make use of Microsoft's upcoming Kinect motion control accessory and comes with a wired headset. A $199.99 versionAugust 3rd 2010 in the US, and had 4GB of internal memory, has no included headset and is otherwise the same.

PlayStation 3

Sony's PlayStation 3 was released on November 11, 2006 in Japan and November 17, 2006 in USA and Canada. The system's reliance on new technology such as the Cell microprocessor and Blu-ray format has caused difficulties in manufacturing, especially the Blu-ray diode, leading to shortages at launch and the delay of the PAL region launches; however, by early December 2006, Sony announced that all production issues had been resolved.[63]

Market analysts[64] and Sony executives have stated that the success of the PlayStation 3 and the Blu-ray format are dependent on one another; Rich Marty, VP of New Business Development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment stated that the “PS3 is critical to the success of Blu-ray,"[65] while Phil Harrison stated that the PlayStation 3's success will be ensured because "the growth of the Blu-ray Disc movie market ... is a positive factor which will play more into the consumer psyche ... as more consumer electronics firms launch standalone disc players, as more Blu-ray Disc movies become available, and as more shelf space is dedicated to the category at retail."[66]

Sony will provide support for its console with new titles from acclaimed first-party franchises such as Gran Turismo and God of War, and secured a number of highly anticipated third-party exclusive titles, including Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online, and Agent. Titles that were originally exclusive or recognized with the platform, such as Devil May Cry,[53] Ace Combat,[54] Virtua Fighter,[55] and Monster Hunter,[67] have been released on other platforms. The previous Grand Theft Auto titles were originally timed exclusives on the PlayStation 2, before making their release on other platforms, such as the Xbox, months later; however, Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest instalment, arrived day one on the Xbox 360 with the release of the PlayStation 3 version.[56] Announced exclusives titles for the PlayStation 3 such as Assassin's Creed;[68] Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War, and Fatal Inertia were released on Xbox 360 as well, with the latter making its release on Xbox 360 before the PlayStation 3 version.[69] The Katamari series, which has long been PlayStation 2 exclusives, found the latest installment, Beautiful Katamari, exclusive to Xbox 360.[70] These releases, which had fueled rumors and fear to the fans that Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6, two highly anticipated exclusive PlayStation 3 games at one point in time, would also be available for Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3's primary competitor[71][72][73][74][75] and at E3 2008, it was announced that Final Fantasy XIII would be simultaneously released on the Xbox 360 in Europe and North America;[57] later on October 8, 2008, it was announced that Tekken 6 would also be releasing on the Xbox 360;[58][76] the fifth installment of the Metal Gear series, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, has also been announced for the Xbox 360; L.A. Noire, which was announced as an exclusive since the beginning of its development, has also been announced for the Xbox 360; however, Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online, and Agent still remain PlayStation 3 exclusives.[77][78][79][80][81] Sony has blamed lower-than-expected sales, loss of exclusive titles in the PlayStation 3 software library, its higher price, and stock shortages.[82][83][84]

In July 2007, Sony announced a drop in the price of the console by $100.[85] This measure only applied to the 60 GB models and was exclusive to the United States and Canada, where those models are no longer in production.[86]

On October 18, 2007, Sony announced a $100 price drop for the 80 GB model and a new $399 40 GB model to launch on November 2, 2007[87] with reduced features such as the removal of backward compatibility with PS2 games. Within weeks, Sony announced that sales of the 40 GB and 80 GB models by major retailers had increased 192%.[88]

In November 2008, Sony launched a $499 160 GB model,[89] and on 18 August 2009, Sony announced the PS3 Slim. The PS3 slim sold 1 million in under a month. It was then announced that a 250GB slim model was to be released. It was released on September 1 (or 3 depending on country) and costs $299, £249 and €299.[90] In Australia the console will cost A$499, which is A$200 less than the standard PS3.[91]

In September 2009, a $299 120 GB Slim Model was released. A $349 250 GB Model was later released later in 2009. The Slim model is currently the only model in production.

In August 2010, the 160 GB Slim Model was released for $299. The same price for a 120 GB PS3 slim Model.[92]

Comparison

Name Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Wii
Console Xbox 360 S.png

XBOX 360 LOGO.png
PS3&PS3slim.png
PlayStation 3 logo

PlayStation 3 Logo neu.svg
Wii-console.jpg

Wii.svg
Release dates
  • NA November 22, 2005
  • EU December 2, 2005
  • JP December 10, 2005
More...
  • JP November 11, 2006
  • NA November 17, 2006
  • PAL March 23, 2007
More...
  • NA November 19, 2006
  • JP December 2, 2006
  • EU December 8, 2006
More...
United States launch prices US$299.99 (Arcade 256MB internal memory) (discontinued)
US$199.99 (Arcade 512MB internal memory) (discontinued)
US$299.99 (Core) (discontinued)
US$399.99 (Premium) (20GB) (discontinued)
US$249.99 (Premium) (60GB) (discontinued)
US$479.99 (Elite) (120GB) (discontinued)
US$299.99 (Super Elite) (250GB) (discontinued)
US$299.99 (Slim) (250GB)
US$199.99 (Slim) (4GB internal memory)
US$499.99 (20 GB / Basic)[93] (discontinued)
US$599.99 (60 GB / Premium)[93] (discontinued)
US$399.99 (40 GB)[94] (discontinued)
US$399.99 (80 GB / new) (discontinued)
US$499.99 (160 GB) (discontinued)
US$299.99 (120 GB "Slim")
US$299 (160 GB "Slim")[95]
US$349.99 (250 GB "Slim")[96]
US$499.99 (80 GB/ old) [97][98] (discontinued)
US$249.99 (white console with Wii Sports included) (discontinued)

US$199.99 (white console or black console with Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus included)[36]

Japan launch prices ¥27,800 (Arcade 256MB internal memory) (discontinued)
¥27,800 (Arcade 512MB internal memory)
¥29,000 (Core) (discontinued)
¥39,795 (Premium) (20 GB) (discontinued)
¥29,800 (Premium) (60 GB)
¥47,800 (Elite)
¥??? (Slim) (250GB)
¥49,980 (20 GB / Basic) (discontinued)[93]
¥59,980 (60 GB / Premium) (discontinued)
¥39,980 (40 GB) (discontinued)[99]
¥49,980 (80GB / old) (discontinued)
¥39,980 (80 GB / new)[93]
¥25,000 (white console)
¥25,000 (black console)[100]
¥33,000 (black console with Monster Hunter Tri and Classic Controller Pro included)[101]
Europe launch prices 179/ £199.99 (Arcade 256MB internal memory) (discontinued)
179/ £199.99 (Arcade 512MB internal memory)
299.99 / £209.99 (Core) (discontinued)
€399.99 / £279.99 (Premium)
£299.99 (Elite)
€249.99 / £199.99 (Slim) (250GB)
€399.99 / £299.99 (40 GB) (discontinued)
€599.99 / £424.99 (60 GB/ premium) (discontinued)
€399.99 / £299.99 (80 GB/ new)
€299.99 / £249.99 (120 GB "Slim")
€249.99 / £179.99 (white console with Wii Sports included)
€199.99 / £179.99 (black console with Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus included)[102]
Media DVD-DL Blu-ray Disc Wii Optical Disc
Best-selling game Halo 3, 8.1 million (as of March, 2008)[103] Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, 5 million shipped (as of December 31, 2009)[104] Wii Sports (pack-in, except in Japan), 60.69 million (as of December 31, 2009)[105]

Best selling non-bundled game: Wii Play (26.71 million)[106]

CPU 3.1 GHz IBM PowerPC tri-core codenamed "Xenon" Cell Broadband Engine (3.2 GHz POWER-based PPE with seven 3.2 GHz SPEs) 729 MHz PowerPC based IBM "Broadway"[107]
GPU 500 MHz codenamed "Xenos" (ATI custom design) 550 MHz RSX 'Reality Synthesizer'[108] (based on NVIDIA G70 architecture)[109] 243 MHz ATI "Hollywood"
Memory

512 MB GDDR3 @ 700 MHz shared between CPU & GPU
10 MB EDRAM GPU frame buffer memory

256 MB XDR @ 3.2 GHz
256 MB GDDR3 @ 700 MHz

24 MB "internal" 1T-SRAM integrated into graphics package
64 MB "external" GDDR3 SDRAM
3 MB GPU frame buffer memory

Dimensions

8.3 cm × 30.9 cm × 25.8 cm (6,616.9 cm3) / 3.3 in × 12.2 in × 10.2 in (403.8 in3)

"Slim"- 6.5 cm × 29 cm × 29 cm (5,466.5 cm3) / 2.6 in × 11.4 in × 11.4 in (337.9 in3)[110]
Original- 9.8 cm × 32.5 cm × 27.4 cm (8,726.9 cm3) / 3.9 in × 12.8 in × 10.8 in (532.5 in3)[111]

4.4 cm × 16 cm × 21.5 cm (1,513.6 cm3) / 1.7 in × 6.3 in × 8.5 in (92.4 in3)

Weight

3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)[112]

"Slim"- 3.2 kg (7.05 lbs)[110]
Original- 5 kg (11 lbs)[111][113]

1.2 kg (2.6 lbs)[114]

Included accessories (game packages not listed)
Accessories
(retail)
Controller
  • Xbox 360 controller (up to four controllers; any combination of a maximum of 3 wired [4 with the use of a USB hub] or 4 wireless)
  • Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel
  • Scene It Trivia Controller (known as the Big Button Controller)
  • Xbox Live Vision Camera
  • Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote
  • Kinect Motion sensor
  • Sixaxis/DualShock 3 controller (up to 7 via Bluetooth)
  • Dualshock/Dualshock 2 via adapter8*
  • PSP via Wi-Fi* or USB
  • PlayStation Eye camera
  • Buzz!: Quiz TV wireless buzzers
  • Playstation Move Motion Controller
User interface Xbox 360 Dashboard
New Xbox Experience (NXE)
XrossMediaBar (XMB) Wii Menu
System software
features
Backward compatibility 465 Selected Xbox games (as of November 2007). Additions made with software updates. Hard drive required.
Some Xbox titles are also available for download from Xbox Originals service.
North American and Japanese 20 GB and 60 GB models have full backwards compatibility for PS1 and PS2 titles.[119]

The PAL region 60 GB model and North American and Japanese 80 GB versions offer partial backwards compatibility through part hardware, part software emulation[120] with additions made with software updates.
The 40GB, 80GB (new), and 160GB models in all regions have support for PS1 titles, but not PS2 titles.[121]
Some PS1 titles are available for download from the PlayStation Store.

Supports all Nintendo GameCube software and most accessories. Many games from systems prior to Nintendo GameCube, including NES, SNES, N64, Sega Master System, Mega Drive/Genesis, GameGear, Neo-Geo, TurboGrafx-16, Commodore 64, and arcade games are available for download through Virtual Console.
Online services Xbox Live
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Vision (webcam), headset
Xbox Live Video Marketplace
Windows Live Messenger
Netflix (US Only, separate subscription required)
Sky Player (UK Only, separate subscription required)
Facebook (Only Available with Xbox Live Gold Subscription)
Twitter
last.FM
Zune (Only Available with Xbox Live Gold Subscription)
Vodafone Casa TV (Portugal Only, separate subscription required)
Remote Play
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Store
Internet browser
Video chat using PlayStation Eye camera or other USB webcam
What's New
PlayStation Home
Qore (North America only)
FirstPlay (Europe only).[122])
VidZone (Europe, Australia & New Zealand only)
Mubi (Europe only)[123]
BBC iPlayer (UK only, via internet browser)[124]
TVNZ ondemand (New Zealand only, via internet browser)[125]
Life with PlayStation
Netflix (US Only, separate subscription required)
Facebook
MLB.tv (US and Canada only, separate subscription required) [126] | ABC iView (Australia only)
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
WiiConnect24
BBC iPlayer (UK only)
Internet Channel
News Channel
Forecast Channel
Everybody Votes Channel
Wii Shop Channel
Check Mii Out Channel
Nintendo Channel
Netflix (US Only, separate subscription required)
Wii no Ma (Japan only)
Wii Speak Channel (Available only with purchase of Wii Speak)
Consumer programmability Development on PC with XNA Game Studio ($99/year subscription, binary distribution with XNA 1.0 Refresh)[127] Featured development on console (excluding RSX graphics acceleration) via free Linux platform or PC (excluding all Slim models and any console updated to firmware 3.21 and later) WiiWare
Homebrew Channel (Non-official software)
I/O IrDA-compliant infrared for remote
2 Memory Card slots
3 USB 2.0 ports
1 Ethernet port
Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
4 USB 2.0 ports*
1 Gigabit Ethernet port
1 Memory Stick slot Pro/Duo**

1 SD/mini SD port**
1 Compact Flash port**
*2 USB 2.0 ports with 3rd gen models
**Only 60/80(old) GB versions

Bluetooth 2.0
2 USB 2.0 ports
Four controller and two memory card ports (GameCube)
1 SD(HC) Card slot[128][129]
Optical media 12x DVD (65.6–132 Mbit/s), CD 2x BD-ROM (72 Mbit/s), 8x DVD, 24x CD, 2x SACD*
*Compatibility removed in 3rd & 4th gen models
Wii Optical Disc, Nintendo GameCube Game Disc (DVD-Video playback was announced for Japan in 2007, but has not been released)[130]
Video outputs RGB, VGA,[131] Component, S-Video, Composite, SCART,
HDMI 1.2a[132] (on models manufactured after August, 2007)
RGB, Component, S-Video, Composite, SCART, HDMI 1.3a RGB, Component, S-Video, Composite, SCART, D-Terminal
Resolutions HDTV-capable (480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) HDTV-capable (480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) EDTV-capable (480i, 480p, 576i)
Audio Dolby Digital, WMA Pro, DTS*, DTS-ES*
*(DVD and HD DVD movies only)
Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Digital Plus*Dolby TrueHD*, DTS-HD Master Audio*, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio*,[133] DTS-ES‡, DTS 96/24‡, DTS-ES Matrix†[134]
*DVD and Blu-ray movies only.
‡DVD movies only.
†Blu-Ray movies only.
Dolby Pro Logic II surround, stereo sound and an additional Mono speaker is built into the controller.
Network 100BASE-TX Ethernet
Optional 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi adapter (Built in with the Slim models)
10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/1000BASE-T Ethernet
Built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-fi (all models except 20 GB)
Built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-fi
Optional Ethernet via USB adapter
Storage Included/Optional* detachable SATA upgradeable 20 GB, 60 GB, 120 GB or 250 GB hard drive.
Xbox 360 memory cards
USB mass storage (AV content)

*Premium version includes 20 GB or 60 GB HDD, Elite includes 120 GB HDD, and all HDDs are available for separate purchase.

2.5" upgradeable SATA 20/40/60/80/120/160/250 GB (depending on model) hard drive (upgradeable with any 2.5" SATA 1.0 compliant HDD or Solid State Drive).
Memory Stick, SD, & Type I/II CompactFlash / Microdrive*
USB mass storage
*60/80(old)GB models only
512 MB built-in flash memory
SD card (up to 32GB with 4.0 software)

Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards
The Wii Remote contains a 16 KiB EEPROM chip from which a section of 6 kilobytes can be freely read and written

Sales standings

Worldwide figures are based on data from the manufacturers. The Canada and the United States figures are based on data from the NPD Group, the Japan figures are based on data from Famitsu/Enterbrain, and the United Kingdom figures are based on data from GfK Chart-Track.

Console Units shipped to retailers (worldwide) Units sold to customers in Australia Units sold to customers in Canada Units sold to customers in Japan Units sold to customers in the US Units sold to customers in Europe
Wii 73.97 million[135]
(as of June 30, 2010)
1.79 million[136]
(as of April 28, 2010)
2+ million[137]
(as of December 16, 2009)
10.52 million[135]
(as of June 30, 2010)
30 million[138]
(as of August 2010)
22+ million[139]
(as of June 10, 2010)
Xbox 360 41.7 million[140]
(as of June 30, 2010)
1+ million[141]
(as of April 20, 2010 and include sales from New Zealand)
870,000[142]
(as of July 31, 2008)
1,235,049[143]
(as of February 28, 2010)
18.6 million[144]
(as of December 31, 2009)
10 million[145]
(as of November 12, 2009 and include sales from the Middle East and Africa)
PlayStation 3 38.1 million[146]
(as of June 30, 2010)
850,000[147]
(as of May 18, 2010)
1 million[148]
(as of August 18, 2009)
5+ million[149]
(as of April 11, 2010)
11.1 million[144]
(as of December 31, 2009)
10 million[150]
(as of August 2009)

Discontinuations and revisions

Backward compatibility

The Wii is fully backwards compatible with titles from the Gamecube of the same region as the Wii. It also offers support for some of its predecessor's accessories. Later versions of the PlayStation 3 and all models of the Xbox 360 only offer partial support and use software emulation for backwards compatibility. Current versions of the PS3 do not offer PlayStation 2 compatibility, though PS1 compatibility is retained. The first generation of the PS3 offered full backwards compatibility for PS2 games. The Xbox 360's compatibility is increased through game-specific patches automatically downloaded from Xbox Live or downloaded and burned to a CD or DVD from the Xbox website[162] and the PS3's compatibility is expanded with firmware updates. All three consoles provide titles from older consoles for download; the Xbox 360 through the Xbox Originals service, the PlayStation 3 through the PlayStation Store, and the Wii through the Virtual Console. When purchased, the game is saved to console's internal memory or, optionally on the Wii, to an inserted SD/SDHC card.

High definition and enhanced definition video

Both the PlayStation 3[163] and the Xbox 360[164] support 1080p high definition video output. However, the output signal may be protected by digital rights management and may require an HDCP-compliant display if HDMI is used. The Xbox Live Marketplace service and the PlayStation Store offer HD movies, TV shows, movie trailers, and clips for download to the console's HDD.[165][166] Other regional PlayStation Stores only allow download of movie trailers and short segment clips. As of November 2009, the Video Download service present on the American PlayStation Store will be available for select European countries.

While only a small number of games render video in native 1080p, all games can be automatically scaled to output this resolution.

The Wii is capable of outputting 480p for the Wii Menu and most games through a component cable, which must be purchased separately.

Reliability

In the September 2009 issue of Game Informer magazine, survey results were published in which among nearly 5000 readers who responded, 54.2% of those who owned an Xbox 360 had experienced a console failure for that system, compared with 10.6% for PlayStation 3, and 6.8% for Wii.[167]

In August 2009, warranty provider SquareTrade published console failure rate estimates, in which the proportion of its customers reporting a system failure in the first two years is 23.7% for Xbox 360, 10.0% for PlayStation 3, and 2.7% for Wii.[168]

Handheld systems

For video game handhelds, the seventh generation began with the release of the Nintendo DS on November 21, 2004. This handheld was based on a design fundamentally different from the Game Boy and other handheld video game systems. The Nintendo DS offered new modes of input over previous generations such as a touch screen, the ability to connect wirelessly using IEE 802.11b, as well as a microphone to speak to in-game NPCs.[169] On December 12, 2004, Sony released its first handheld, PlayStation Portable. The PlayStation Portable was marketed at launch to an above 25 year old[170] or "core gamer" market,[171] while the Nintendo DS proved to be popular with both core gamers and new customers.[172]

Nokia plans to revive its N-Gage platform in the form of a service for selected S60 devices. This new service launched on April 3, 2008.[173]

Other less-popular handheld systems released during this generation include the Gizmondo (launched on 19 March 2005 and discontinued in February 2006) and the GP2X (launched on 10 November 2005 and discontinued in August 2008). The GP2X Wiz, Pandora, and Gizmondo 2 were scheduled for release in 2009.

Another aspect of the seventh generation was the beginning of direct competition between dedicated handheld gaming devices, and increasingly powerful pda/cellphone devices such as the iPhone and iPod Touch, and the latter being aggressively marketed for gaming purposes. Simple games such as Tetris and Solitaire had existed for PDA devices since their introduction, but by 2009 PDAs and phones had grown sufficiently powerful to where complex graphical games could be implemented, with the advantage of distribution over wireless broadband.

Handheld comparison

Name Nintendo DS / DS Lite / DSi / DSi XL PSP-1000 series / PlayStation Portable Slim & Lite series / PSP Go iPod touch
Console N DS.png DSLite white trans.png Nintendo DSi.png

Pictured left to right: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi

Psp1.png Psp slim & lite.png PSP-3000-Model.png

Pictured left to right: PSP-1000 series, PSP-2000 series, PSP-3000 series

Pictured left to right: iPod touch 2nd/3rd gen & iPod touch 4th gen

Release dates
  • NA November 21, 2004
  • JP December 2, 2004
  • AUS February 24, 2005
  • EU March 11, 2005
  • JP December 12, 2004
  • NA March 24, 2005
  • PAL September 1, 2005
  • NA 1st Gen: September 13, 2007
  • NA 2nd Gen: September 9, 2008
  • NA 3rd Gen: September 9, 2009
Logos Nintendo DS Logo.svg

Nintendo DS Lite logo.svg
Nintendo DSi logo.svg
Nintendo DSi XL logo.svg

PSP Logo.svg

PSP Go logo.svg

192px‎
Launch prices DS:
Japan: ¥15,000
North America: US$149.99
Europe: €149.99
UK: £99.99

DS Lite:

Japan: ¥24,800 (¥26,040 tax incl.):[174]
North America: US$249.99 / CDN$299.99:[175]
Europe: €249 [175]
UK: £179.99
PSP-1000 series Pack:
Japan: ¥19,800 (¥20,790 tax incl.):[176]
North America: US$199.99 / CDN$229.99:[177]
Europe: €199.99 [178]
UK: £179.99

PSP-2000 series Core Pack:

Japan: ¥19,800:[179]
North America: US$169.99 / CDN$199.99:[180]
Europe: €169 / £129.99[181][182]
UK: £129.99

PSP-3000 series:

North America: US$169.99 (core package), US$199.99 (bundle package)

PSP Go (PSP-N1000): US$249.99

iPod Touch
1st Gen: US$299.99 (8 GB), US$399.99 (16 GB), US$499.99 (32 GB)
2nd Gen: US$229.99 (8 GB), US$299.99 (16 GB), US$399.99 (32 GB)
3rd Gen: US$299.99 (32 GB), US$399.99 (64 GB)
4th Gen: US$229.99 (8 GB), US$299.99 (32 GB), US$399.99 (64 GB)
Media Nintendo DS Game Card, Game Boy Advance cartridge (DS, DS Lite only), SD(HC) Card (DSi only) Universal Media Disc (UMD) (PSP-1000, PSP-2000, PSP-3000 series only), Memory Stick Duo (PSP-1000, PSP-2000, PSP-3000 series only), Memory Stick Micro(M2), Flash Memory (PSP Go only), Content delivery via PSN Flash Memory
Best-selling game Nintendogs, 22.27 million, all versions combined (as of March 31, 2009)[105]
New Super Mario Bros., 18.45 million (as of March 31, 2009)[105]
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, 2.7 million (as of January 2009)[183]
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories 2.7 million (as of November 26, 2008)[184][185][186]
Angry Birds, 6.5 million downloads
Doodle Jump
Included accessories and extras
  • Launch model DS: Stylus, wrist strap, Metroid Prime Hunters demo (not in Japan)
  • DS Lite: Stylus, wrist strap (Japan only)
  • PSP-1000 Value Pack: PSP Case, Hand Strap, 32 MB Memory Stick Pro Duo, Headphones with Remote control
  • Earphones (Earphones with Remote & Microphone included with 3rd Gen), USB Cable, Quick Start Guide
Accessories
(retail)
  • Rumble Pak
  • Nintendo DS Headset
  • Nintendo MP3 Player
  • Nintendo DS Browser
  • Nintendo DS Memory Expansion Pak
  • Nintendo DS Digital TV Tuner
  • More...
  • PSP Camera attachment
  • GPS attachment
  • PSP Extended Battery Pack
  • PSP Portable Travel Case
  • LocationFree Player
  • PSP Microphone
  • PSP Media Manager
  • PSP analog AV cable
  • PSP component cable
  • PSP USB cable
  • Earphones with Remote & Mic
  • Wall Charger
  • Cases
  • Remote
CPU DS and DSL: 67 MHz ARM9 and 33 MHz ARM7
DSi: 133 MHz ARM9 and 33 MHz ARM7
MIPS R4000-based; clocked from 1 to 333 MHz (2 of these) 1st Gen:412 MHz Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0
2nd Gen:532 MHz Samsung ARM11 core with internal ARM7 core for Jazelle acceleration
3rd Gen.:600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8
4th Gen.:Apple A4
Memory DS and DSL: 4 MB SRAM
DSi: 16 MB
EDRAM (5 MB reserved for kernel, 3 for music)
PSP-1000: 32 MB
PSP-2000, PSP-3000, PSP Go: 64 MB
1st & 2nd Gen: 128 MB DRAM
3rd Gen: 256 MB DRAM
4th Gen: 512 MB DRAM
Interface
  • D-pad
  • Six face buttons
  • Two shoulder buttons
  • Touch screen
  • Microphone
  • 0.3 Megapixel camera & VGA camera(DSi only)
  • D-pad
  • Six face buttons
  • Two shoulder buttons
  • "Home" button ("PS" button for PSP-3000 series and PSP Go)
  • Analog nub
  • Microphone (PSP-3000 and PSP Go Only)
  • Touch Screen
  • Accelerometer
  • Home Button
  • Sleep/wake button
  • Volume Rocker
Dimensions DS: 148.7 × 84.7 × 28.9 mm (5.85 × 3.33 × 1.13 inches)
DS Lite: 133 × 73.9 × 21.5 mm (5.24 × 2.9 × 0.85 inches)
PSP 1000: 74 mm (2.9 in) (h) 170 mm (6.7 in) (w) 23 mm (0.91 in) (d)
PSP Slim & Lite:71.4 mm (2.81 in) (h) 169.4 mm (6.67 in) (w) 18.6 mm (0.73 in) (d)
PSP Go: 69 mm (2.7 in) (h) 128 mm (5.0 in) (w) 16.5 mm (0.65 in) (d)
1st Gen: 110 × 61.8 × 8 mm (4.3 × 2.4 × 0.31 inches)
2nd & 3rd Gen: 110 × 61.8 × 8.5 mm (4.3 × 2.4 × 0.33 inches)
4th Gen: 111 × 58.9 × 7.2 mm (4.4 × 2.3 × 0.28 inches)
Weight
DS: 275 g (9.7 oz)
DSL: 218 g
DSi: 214 g
DSi XL: 314 g
PSP 1000: 280 grams (9.9 oz)
PSP Slim & Lite 189 grams (6.7 oz)
PSP Go: 158 grams (5.6 oz)
1st Gen: 120g (4.2 oz)
2nd & 3rd Gen: 115g (4.05 oz)
4th Gen: 101g (3.56 oz)
Online service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, DSi Shop (DSi only) PlayStation Network, RSS reader, Skype (PSP-2000 series, PSP-3000 series and PSP Go only), PlayStation Store iTunes Store, App Store, iBookstore
Backward compatibility Plays almost all Game Boy Advance cartridges (DS, DS Lite only). Plays some PS3 games and all PlayStation games through PS3 via remote play or downloaded from PlayStation Store
System software Nintendo DS Menu (DS, DS Lite), Nintendo DSi Menu (DSi) XrossMediaBar (XMB) iOS
Consumer programmability See Nintendo DS homebrew See PlayStation Portable homebrew See iOS Jailbreaking
Resolutions 256 × 192 (both screens) 480 × 272 480 × 320
4th Gen: 960 × 640
Network Wi-Fi 802.11b, Wi-Fi 802.11g (DSi only, only functions with DSi-specific software), wireless ad-hoc with other DS units and Nintendo Wii Wi-Fi (802.11b), IrDA (only for PSP-1000 series), Bluetooth (only for PSP Go), wireless ad-hoc with other PSP units and PlayStation 3 Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP & EDR)
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone jack Stereo speakers, headphone jack Mono speaker, headphone jack
I/O 1 Nintendo DS Game Card slot
1 GBA slot (DS, DS Lite only)
1 SD(HC) card slot (DSi Only)
UMD drive (PSP-1000, PSP-2000, PSP-3000 series only)
1 USB device port
1 Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo slot
1 IrDA (PSP-1000 series only)
Dock Connector
Storage Nintendo DS Game Card, SD(HC) card (DSi only) Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo, Memory Stick Micro(M2) (PSP Go only), 16 GB flash memory (PSP Go only) Flash Memory
Battery life DS, backlight on: 14 hours
DS Lite, minimum brightness setting: 15–19 hours[187]
DSi, minimum brightness setting: 9–14 hours[187]
MP3 playback: 10 hours
Game: approximately 3–6 hours
Video playback: 3–7 hours depending on screen brightness setting
Wi-Fi internet browsing: approximately 3–4 hours
1st Gen, Audio: 22, Video: 5
2nd Gen, Audio: 36, Video: 6
3rd Gen, Audio: 30, Video: 6
4th Gen, Audio: 40, Video: 7
Units sold (all models combined) Worldwide: 128.89 million (as of March 31, 2010)[135]

Japan: 30.4 million (as of March 31, 2010)[135]
United Kingdom: 8.8 million (as of January 3, 2009)[188]
United States: 28 million (as of January 31, 2009)[189]

Worldwide: 60 million (as of December 31, 2009)[190]

Japan: 11,078,484 (as of December 28, 2008)[191][192][192]
United Kingdom: 3.2 million (as of January 3, 2009)[188]
United States: 10.47 million (as of January 1, 2008)[193][194][195]

Worldwide: 20 million (as of September 9, 2009)

Note: First year of release is the first year of the system's worldwide availability.

Other systems

Static

2D graphics consoles

Most of the 2D graphics consoles are made in China and have a similar name and design of the known consoles - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. Names of such a consoles - Vii, WiWi, MiWi, iSport, MyGame, PolyStation, PX 3600. Apart from these consoles, there are 2D consoles that aren't produced by Chinese companies, such as HyperScan and Game Wave Family Entertainment System.

3D graphics consoles

Name Manufacturer Release date
EVO Smart Envizions Computer Entertainment October 20, 2006
Zeebo Zeebo Inc. Brazil - May 25, 2009
HyperScan Mattel 2006

Handheld

Name Manufacturer Release date
Ez MINI Mitac or Mio China - 2005
Gizmondo Tiger Telematics March 19, 2005
GP2X GamePark Holdings November 10, 2005
Pelican VG Pocket Pelican Accessories August, 2006
iPod touch Apple Inc. September, 2007
Leapster 2 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. 2008
GP2X Wiz GamePark Holdings March 2009
Dingoo A320 Shenzhen Dingoo Digital Co., Ltd. March 2009
Zune HD Microsoft September, 2009
Mi2 console Planet interactive Netherlands - November, 2009
Gemei X760+

Remakes

Name Manufacturer Release date
Atari Flashback 2 Atari July 2005
FC Twin Video Game System Yobo November 20, 2006
Generation NEX Messiah Entertainment Inc. 2005

Gaming on demand services

Name Manufacturer Product family Release date Predecessor Suggested retail price
OnLive OnLive June 17, 2010 TBD
Gaikai Gaikai
OTOY OTOY
Playcast

Milestone titles

Superhero Genre

War Genre

Crime Genre

Science Fiction Genre

Fantasy Genre

Fighting Genre

Sports Genre

Western Genre

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