Week 4 – The History Of Computer Games 2000 To Present

We began in the 1950’s where the great man Ralph Bear had an idea to put a video game inside of a television set and marvelled at coin operated arcade machines. Then came the NES, Atari and Sega Master System, bringing entertainment on a next generation level. Then into the 90’s bringing the second generation of gaming, SNES, Sega Mega Drive, Dreamcast, N64 and Playstation. This is what you called major league gaming consoles (at the time). It brought gaming to another level with storylines, game play and music, then with 3d graphics, even more dramatic storyline and enhanced game play.

Now where at the 21st century of gaming, I mean this is where the gaming industry has become force to be reckoned with in terms revenue, creators, designer and celebrity status among the gaming community. At the start of 2000 there are three major video game consoles, Playstation 2(the daddy) Xbox(I didn’t like) and Nintendo Gamecube(quality but underrated). These companies began to compete with one and other for popularity and money, this was come to known as the console war. Which was previously Sega vs. Nintendo, is now Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.




Sony came into the gaming market with a bang with its quality Playstation. Then releasing on March and November 2000 in both Japan and Europe was the mighty Playstation 2, with its new design and gaming capabilities. Games such as Metal Gear Solid – Sons Of Liberty, Shadow Of The Colossus and Final Fantasy Series (to name a few) gave the gaming community a huge sugar rush in terms of wanting more.

Then came the Nintendo Gamecube (I honestly thought this console was amazing and should challenged the Playstation 2 with more of a fight) in May 2001, with its new design, which resembled a cube hence Gamecube, and new interface, which was completely different from its predecessor the N64. With games such as Super Smash Bros Melee, Zelda series, Mario and Mario Kart gave the Nintendo fans their fix that they were waiting for. Graphically the console was amazing if anyone has played Resident Evil on the Gamecube then you will know what I am talking about.

Then came the infamous Xbox(I hated that console so much) with its massively large design and crappy rip of a Dreamcast controller. The console didn’t seem to click with the audience simply because of its late release and Playstation 2 and Gamecube doing so well at the time. They did have exclusive games to that console which was quiet impressive but still didn’t seem to win the hearts of the gamers. They did slash the price of the console dramatically but didn’t succeed. Games such a Forza, Ninja Gaiden and Halo (don’t even get me started with that game) did give the people at Microsoft some hope for the future.

Inevitably the three would go to war with one and other to become the best in the games industry, but during the third generation Playstation 2 eventually (when I say eventually I mean inevitably) came out on top. But the war wasn’t over because then came the fourth generation of gaming with release of Xbox 360 in 2005, Playstation 3 in 2007 and Nintendo Wii also in 2007 gave the gaming community another shock.

All I can see for the future of games is that its just going to get better and better. Designers are going to be a lot more fresh with new and crazy idea, interactivity will one of the main things that will be worked on in the future, in terms of allowing people to become more involved in games i.e. actually being in then game. But there will be an argument to say that it’s an extreme form of escapism and that people would eventually lose touch on reality, but I personally think that’s the only way the gaming can become a lot better. Technologies will be a lot more advanced, polygon counts will not even exist and that it will just keep improving.