Seventh generation of video game consoles
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The seventh generation is the era in the history of computer and video games that began on November 21, 2004 with the release of the Nintendo DS. The console portion of the generation began with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005 and continued a year later with the releases of Sony's PlayStation 3 on November 17, 2006 and Nintendo's Wii on November 19 2006 in North America.
Home systems
Having only just formally begun, it is not yet possible to determine which, if any, of the three major consoles will dominate this generation. The Xbox 360 by Microsoft has gained an early lead in terms of market share, due in large part to its launch which came a year before its rivals. Sales figures in North America and Europe have continued to be strong, despite the launch of the PlayStation 3 and Wii. Like its predecessor, the Xbox 360 has struggled in Japan due to a lack of RPGs and the poor reception of some Japanese developed games, such as Ninety-Nine Nights and Every Party. However, the system's form factor has been more generally appreciated and sales have increased in the region recently, due to the release of the highly anticipated Blue Dragon.
It is more difficult to assess whether the Sony's PlayStation franchise will be successful in this generation. It has a comparatively higher price, the PlayStation 3 has been released roughly a year later than its direct competitor, the Xbox 360, and reliance on very new technology such as the Cell microprocessor and Blu-ray format have caused difficulties in manufacturing and, some envisage, in value-engineering the console to make it cheaper in the future. Nonetheless, despite many initial setbacks and delays, Sony demonstrated the capabilities of the PlayStation 3 at Tokyo Game Show 2006, with 27 playable demos and numerous titles ready for launch. It will ultimately be decided by whether or not players feel that the games are worth the higher price of the console.
Nintendo entered this generation with a new business plan with its Wii console. The plan is firstly to capture a new market of 'non-gamers' (and lapsed gamers) through new game play experiences and new forms of interaction with games. If the new market grows sufficiently large, Nintendo hopes that the new control aspect will render current conventionally controlled consoles obsolete, leading to Nintendo capturing a large portion of the existing market as well.[1] Most commentators have judged the Wii launch to be a success, with sales exceeding expectations in all launch regions.[citation needed]
Worldwide sales standings
Console | Units Sold | Units Shipped |
---|---|---|
Xbox 360 | 10.4 million as of January 7 2007[2] | N/A |
Wii | 3.19 million as of December 31, 2006[3] | N/A |
PlayStation 3 | 1.2 million+ as of January 14, 2007 US 687,300+ as of December 31, 2006[4] |
2,485,791+ [6][7] |
Not all consoles have been released worldwide. Sales figures subject to change over time.
Comparison
Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii | |
---|---|---|---|
Launch Price | USD$299.99 (Core) USD$399.99 (Premium) |
USD$499.99 (20 GB) USD$599.99 (60 GB) |
USD$249.99 / GBP £179.99 / Euro €249.99 |
Release Date | November 22 2005 December 2 2005 December 10 2005 Template:Country data World More... |
November 11 2006 November 17 2006 Q1 2007 March 232007 |
November 19 2006 December 2 2006 December 7 2006 December 8 2006 |
Included accessories and extras |
|
|
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Accessories (retail) |
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CPU | 3.2 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"[9]) |
Memory |
512 MB GDDR3 @ 700 MHz shared between CPU & GPU |
256 MB XDR @ 3.2 GHz, 256 MB GDDR3 @ 700 MHz, GPU can access CPU memory. |
24 MB "internal" 1T-SRAM integrated into graphics package, 64 MB "external" GDDR3 SDRAM, 3 MB GPU texture memory |
GPU | 500 MHz codenamed "Xenos" (ATI custom design) | 550 MHz RSX (based on NVIDIA G70 architecture) | 243 MHz ATI "Hollywood" |
Controller |
Xbox 360 Controller (up to 4 wireless or 3 wired) |
SIXAXIS Controller (up to 7 via Bluetooth) PSP via Wi-Fi* or USB |
|
Dimensions |
8.3 cm × 30.9 cm × 25.8 cm |
9.8 cm × 32.5 cm × 27.4 cm (approx.)[10] |
Approx. 5 cm × 11.5 cm × 21 cm |
Weight |
3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)[11] |
||
Online service | Xbox Live Live Arcade Points based store Webcam, headset Xbox Live Video |
PlayStation Network Arcade Currency based store Internet browser Webcam (including PlayStation 2 EyeToy), headset |
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection WiiConnect24 Virtual Console Opera Browser |
Backward compatibility | Selected Xbox games (~30%), additions made with software updates | Most Playstation and Playstation 2 titles (~99%); future firmware updates will provide more compatibility.[15] | Supports all GameCube software and most accessories. Some games from previous systems prior to Nintendo GameCube are available for download via Wii shop. Sega systems are available also. |
System software | Xbox 360 Dashboard | Cross Media Bar (XMB) | Wii Channels |
System software features |
Audio file playback (non-DRM AAC, MP3, WMA) |
Operating Systems can be installed and run via a hypervisor |
Audio file playback (MP3) |
Consumer programmability | Development on PC with XNA Game Studio ($99/year subscription, and no binary distribution)[17]. | Development on console via free Linux platform or PC. | No |
Resolutions | HDTV-capable (480i, 576i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) | HDTV-capable (480i, 576i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) | EDTV-compatible (480i, 576i, 480p) |
Video output | RGB, VGA[18], Component, S-Video, Composite, SCART | RGB, Component, S-Video, Composite, HDMI | Component, S-Video, Composite, RGB SCART[19], D-Terminal[8] |
Network | 100BASE-TX (100 Mbit/s) Ethernet Optional 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi |
1000BASE-T Ethernet Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g (built-in*, optional adapter**) |
Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g Optional Ethernet via USB 2.0 Adapter |
Audio | 5.1 Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby True HD 7.1, DTS HD* 7.1, Dolby Digital Plus.
Dolby Digital and DTS for HD DVD drive |
5.1 Dolby Digital, 5.1 DTS*, 6.1/7.1 Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD
PS3 outputs all of these formats in PCM via HDMI. |
Dolby Pro Logic II, Mono speaker in controller. |
I/O | 2.4 GHz radio Infared for remote 2x Memory Card slots 3x USB 2.0 ports One Ethernet port |
Bluetooth 2.0 4x USB 2.0 ports One Ethernet port 1 Memory Stick slot Pro/Duo SD/mini SD Compact Flash |
Bluetooth 2x USB 2.0 ports Four controller and two memory card ports (GameCube) 1 SD Card slot[20] Sensor Bar port |
Media | 12x (65.6–132 Mbit/s) DVD, CD, HD DVD (Add-on, for movie use only) | 2x BD-ROM (72 mbit/s), 8x DVD, 24x CD, 2x SACD | Proprietary DVD, Nintendo GameCube Game Disc, DVD-Video playback announced for Japan 2007[21] |
Storage | Included* / Optional** detachable SATA non-upgradeable 20 GB hard drive, with 14 GB available to user. Xbox 360 memory cards USB mass storage (AV content) |
2.5" upgradeable SATA 20** / 60 GB* hard drive with 14 and 54 GB available to user respectively Memory Stick, SD, & Type I/II CompactFlash (60GB modell) USB mass storage |
512MB built-in flash memory SD card GameCube Memory Cards |
Handheld game systems
For video game handhelds, the seventh generation began roughly with the release of the Nintendo DS. This handheld was based on a design fundamentally different from the Game Boy and other video game systems. The Nintendo DS offered new modes of input over previous generations: a touch screen and a microphone. Around the same time, Sony released its first handheld, the PlayStation Portable, in Japan. Although released around the same time, the PlayStation Portable was marketed to a different audience from the Nintendo DS. Also in 2005 was the release of the Gizmondo from Tiger Telematics. However, the Gizmondo sold poorly and Tiger Telematics was forced into bankruptcy by February 2006; the Gizmondo was discontinued.
2005 and 2006, respectively, saw the release of the GP2X from Gamepark Holdings and the formal announcement of the XGP from GamePark. Both handhelds follow a completely different market strategy from either the Nintendo DS or the PlayStation Portable. They utilize a Linux-based operating system on an open-source architecture for emphasis on portable software emulation and homebrew games. The GP2X is a 2D handheld that focused on stored media content such as user-uploaded music and videos. The XGP will be a 3D handheld similar to the PlayStation Portable, designed for commercial games. It promises the same open-source Linux architecture, while also supporting Windows CE. The XGP will be a much more advanced handheld than the GP2X, offering the same stored-content features while integrating advanced live-content features such as T-DMB mobile television and Wi-Fi. The release of the XGP may spark renewed controversy over the two GamePark companies that split from the one mother company, GamePark, over disagreements about the successor to the GP32 handheld (which eventually became the two handhelds mentioned). The two handhelds mark South Korea's official entry into the seventh generation handheld market.
Worldwide sales standings
Console | Units Sold | Units Shipped | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Nintendo DS | 35.61 million (inc. 17.33m DS lite sales)[22] | N/A | November 21, 2004 |
PlayStation Portable | 11.21 million in United States and Japan only[23][24] | 22.94 million [25] | December 12, 2004 |
-
Nintendo DS
2004-2006 -
Nintendo DS Lite
2006–Present -
PlayStation Portable
2005–Present
Note: First year of release is the first year of the system's worldwide availability.
Remakes
Other
Game Wave Family Entertainment System (ZAPiT Games), ? ?-Present
HyperScan (Mattel), October 2006-Present
See also
References
- ^ Nintendo Corporation - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006
- ^ Rojas, Peter (2007-01-07). "Live from the Bill Gates keynote". Engadget. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|month=
and|coauthors=
(help) - ^ "Consolidate Financial Statements" (PDF). Nintendo. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- ^ Brightman, James (2007-01-11). "Updated: Breaking: U.S. Video Game Industry Totals $12.5 Billion in 2006". GameDaily Biz. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|month=
and|coauthors=
(help) - ^ "2007 January 8th - January 14th weekly software & hardware rankings" (in Japanese). Media Create. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ^ http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/top/ps3-launch-outsells-xbox-360-launch-226742.php
- ^ http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/070116e.pdf
- ^ a b "周辺機器 - Wii".
- ^ "IGN's Nintendo Wii FAQ".
- ^ a b "PLAYSTATION®3 LAUNCHES ON NOVEMBER 11, 2006 IN JAPAN" (PDF).
- ^ "Xbox 360 Technical Specifications".
- ^ "About Playstation®3 - Technical Specifications".
- ^ "A Closer Look at the Nintendo Wii".
- ^ "A closer look at the Nintendo Wii".
- ^ "PS3 Backwards Compatibility Issues - New system has some problems with past titles".
- ^ "Wii - File Types".
- ^ "XNA Game Studio Express".
- ^ "Product information - Xbox 360™ VGA HD AV Cable".
- ^ "New Wii Accessory Pictures - Images reveal RGB SCART compatibility".
- ^ "Wiiの概要 (Wii本体)".
- ^ "Nintendo confirms Wii DVD playback only for Japan, for now".
- ^ "Nintendo - Consolidated Financial Highlights" (PDF). Nintendo. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ Brightman, James (2007-01-11). "Updated: Breaking: U.S. Video Game Industry Totals $12.5 Billion in 2006". GameDaily Biz. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|month=
and|coauthors=
(help) - ^ "Sony Misses PS3 Targets in Japan". IGN. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
- ^ "Sony cumulative shipment figures". Sony. Retrieved 2006-10-26.