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| − | '''Console wars''' is a term used to refer to the various competition between [[video game console]]s. It can be used to refer to which of the consoles is the most successful and also the arguments between the fanboys of each system. Due to different manufacturers releasing consoles at different times the different wars are not exact definitions. The fanboy aspect of console wars originally started in the 1980s with the mess of there being so many home computer systems at the time leading to rampant fanboyism as people would staunchly defend their purchasing decisions even against the obvious knowledge that another computer was the technically superior. The manufacturers aspect of the console wars is the same as competition in any other potentially profitable industry though it is also backed up by the single format publications of the various consoles often childishly insulting the other consoles.
| + | #REDIRECT [[sega:Console wars]] |
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| − | ==The [[8-bit era]]: Sega Master System vs. NES==
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| − | The [[NES]] came out on top in North America and Japan, partially due to its earlier release, and the fact that Nintendo banned developers from releasing their games on other systems if the game was released on the NES. This put a damper on third party support for the [[Sega Master System|Master System]], and, indeed, the rest of Nintendo's competition. However, in Europe and South America, the Master System narrowly came out on top. Many more games were released in Europe and South America than in North America, and the Master System had a very long shelf-life in South America, finally "dying" in the mid-1990s.
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| − | ==Handhelds: Game Gear vs. Gameboy==
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| − | Despite its technical inferiority, the [[Game Boy]] came out well on top here and far out lived the [[Sega Game Gear|Game Gear]], becoming one of the most successful consoles of all time. The Game Boy's victory is generally attributed to the Game Gear's very short battery life. However, the Game Boy also had many ports of popular Nintendo franchises. It was also launched with the extraordinarily popular puzzle game Tetris as a pack-in. Many other companies attempted to get in on the handheld market and they could also be added into this category especially with the Atari Lynx as it was released at around the same time as the Game Gear and Game Boy. The only other major challengers were the Neo Geo Pocket and the WonderSwan (though the latter was in Japan only).
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| − | ==The [[16-bit era]]: Mega Drive vs. SNES==
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| − | There was no clear cut winner here. The [[Sega Genesis|Mega Drive]] came out three years earlier than the [[SNES]], however its first few years were not very successful and it was not until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog that it really started to sell. The Mega Drive outsold the SNES in Europe. In Japan the Super Famicom outsold the Mega Drive. In the United States, the Genesis roughly outsold the SNES by 5%, but for the most part, they were about even.
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| − | ==The [[32-bit era]]: Saturn vs. PlayStation vs. N64==
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| − | The [[Sega Saturn|Saturn]], although a technically advanced console, suffered from ill-advised marketing and comparatively limited thirdparty support. Sega's decision to use dual processors has been roundly criticised, and some believe the second CPU was added as a "panic" response to the PlayStation's specifications. It has been said that nobody outside of Sega was able to use both CPUs effectively. The Saturn was the best console of its time for 2D graphics however the hardware was not as strongly designed for 3D as the PlayStation or N64, a severe disadvantage at the dawn of 3D games.
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| − | Sony took an early advantage by tapping the massmarket and positioning the PlayStation as a "lifestyle accessory" for males in the late teens to late twenties, while Sega and Nintendo's mascots appeared in Saturday morning cartoons. The securing of new markets (the "post pub" gamer, UK clubs) is widely credited as the key to the system's success. With greater hardware sales came greater thirdparty support; ultimately the PlayStation dominated the era, with Sony become market leaders. They carried this momentum over into the release of the PlayStation 2 (see below).
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| − | The N64 is also generally grouped here despite being technically a 64-bit console. The N64 was released two years later than its competitors, and its use of cartidges rather then compact discs alienated developers and publishers due to the space limits and relative cost involved. By the time of the N64's release the PlayStation had already just about won here. The high price of the N64 put off any chance of suceding it had and Nintendo's rapid decision to knock £100 of the price barely a month after its release angered those who had bought the console on its release.
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| − | ==The [[128-bit era]]: Dreamcast vs. PlayStation 2 vs. GameCube vs. Xbox==
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| − | This era is currently drawing to a close; it appears to be a sales victory for the [[PlayStation 2]], with the [[Xbox]] and [[GameCube]] tied behind for second place (although Nintendo and Microsoft each claim to be ahead of the other). Also included in this era was the [[Sega Dreamcast]], which arrived prior to all of the others. However, the impending and much-hyped PS2 competed with the Dreamcast before it was even released, which combined with Sega's bad marketing policies, the rapid development of piracy on the machine and the shadow of the Saturn's downfall led to the Dreamcast's early demise. The brand Sony had established with the original PlayStation was a major factor in their victory here, both in terms of securing a consumer base and attracting third party developers; the gradual increase in one tending to reinforce the other. The PS2 was also able to play DVDs and was backwards-compatible with PSX games which many say helped the former's sales. Any user considering buying a DVD player or PlayStation could view the PS2 as a sensible alternative, and the system effectively had a back catalogue available before it even went on sale.
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| − | The Xbox, despite the formidable financial backing of Microsoft and its status as the most powerful of the consoles, has failed to significantly threaten the PS2's place as market leader. However, it has attracted a large fanbase in the United States and Europe and has become a recognisable brand amongst the mainstream. In Japan its sales are far poorer, possibly due to Microsoft's brand image and inability to acquire many major Japanese developers or their franchises as exclusives for the platform (contrast with Microsoft's multi-million dollar acquisition of UK developer Rare). There is still a niche fanbase there, however.
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| − | The GameCube's international sales are comparable to those of the Xbox; while Nintendo are still struggling with their own conflicting brand images, particularly the family-friendly one developed during the 1990s, Nintendo's arsenal of franchises and history in the industry have given them an advantage against the Xbox's standing start. The GameCube is comfortably in second place in Japan, and is according to official sales from Nintendo is effectively tied with the Xbox in the US and Europe. Other sales results, however, suggest that the GameCube is narrowly in third place in the United States and well behind in Europe. The majority of games shops have begun to severely limit the space afforded to the console, particularly non-specialist retailers: this worryingly mirrors the massmarket decline of the Dreamcast. In spite of this, GameCube's profits per console sold are likely to be better than those of the other two consoles. Nintendo have recently made a point of selling hardware at profit (this includes the [[Game Boy Advance]] variants and the GameCube), and there is a distinct lack of piracy in comparison to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
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| − | [[Category:General Interest]]
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