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Magnavox Odyssey
Magnavox, with the help of Ralph Baer, invented the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console. It was the first instance of the formation of the video game console industry. -
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First Generation Consoles
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TV Tennis Electrotennis
Epoch releases the TV Tennis Electrotennis, a home version of Pong and Japan’s first console. The console is wireless, utilizing a UHF antenna. -
Christmas Pong
During Christmas, home video games started to pick up in popularity, as the home version of Pong was released. Hundreds of clones were created based on Pong. -
Fairchild VES
Fairchild Semiconductor released the Fairchild VES, which was the world’s first CPU-based video game console. It introduced the cartridge-based game code storage format. -
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Second Generation Consoles
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Atari
Atari released its CPU-based console called the Video Computer System (VCS), which was later renamed as the Atari 2600. Nine games were made for the holiday season, and the Atari become the most popular early console. -
Activision
Activision was created by displeased former Atari programmers. It was the first third-party developer of video games. -
Intellivision
Intellivision was introduced nationally by Mattel and was the first system to pose a serious threat to Atari’s dominance. Atari still sold more units because they had exclusive rights to most of the popular arcade games and the console was cheaper. -
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Third Generation Consoles
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Sega's Master System
Sega’s Master System was introduced and incorporated clear hardware advantages over the NES. The Master System would gain more dominance in European and South American markets, whereas the NES would dominate the American and Japanese markets. -
NES Sales Skyrocket
Nintendo sold seven million NES systems. Nintendo’s popularity was reported to have caused most computer-game companies to have poor sales during Christmas that year, resulting in detrimental financial problems for some. -
Sega Genesis
Sega released the Mega Drive, also known as the Sega Genesis. Sega’s marketing campaign for the Genesis was based around their new mascot Sonic the Hedgehog. -
Sega Dreamcast
The Sega Dreamcast was released. This was the fourth and last home console made by Sega to play video games. After the PS2 was released, Sega decided to stop making them. -
Atari Lynx
Atari Lynx, a 16-bit handheld game console was introduced. It had hardware-accelerated color graphics, a backlight, and the ability to link up to sixteen units together. Since it had a relatively short battery life and had a high price tag, less than 500,000 of these were sold. -
Game Boy
Original Game Boy introduced, which dominated the handheld gaming market. -
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Handhelds are introduced
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SNES
Nintendo released the Super Famicom in Japan, which later led to its release as the SNES in North America, Europe, and Australia. The competition was fierce with the Genesis, but the SNES eventually took the top selling position, selling 49.10 million units all around the world. -
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Fourth Generation Consoles
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Fifth Generation Consoles
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Sega Saturn
The Sega Saturn was first introduced in Japan and spread to the other markets. This was Sega’s entry into the 32-bit console market. Unfortunately, it was not very successful overseas. -
PlayStation
Sony releases the PlayStation worldwide and it became the most successful console of the fifth generation. With attention given by 3rd party developers, it became the first home console to ship 100 million units worldwide. -
Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64 was released. The system’s delays and use of cartridge format while all the competitors used CDs made it unpopular among third party developers. However, many popular 1st party titles allowed it have to strong sales in the U.S., behind the PlayStation. -
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Sixth Generation Consoles
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PlayStation 2
Sony’s second video game console, the PlayStation 2, was released. This is the world’s best-selling console, having sold around 150 million units since it’s release. -
GameCube
The Nintendo GameCube was released. It was the first Nintendo console to use discs to store the games. It was the first Nintendo console to support Internet play and could connect to the Game Boy Advance to allow special features in some games. -
Xbox
Microsoft started to release the Xbox. It could play music, DVDs, and games. -
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Seventh Generation Consoles
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Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 was released by Microsoft. It gained an early lead in market share, mostly due to its established Xbox Live online gaming system, and its early launch date. Strong sales in North America and Europe, whereas in Japan, it was not as widely received because of the lack of content aimed at them. -
PlayStation 3
Sony released the PlayStation 3. Its reliance on new technologies such as the Cell microprocessor and Blu-ray format caused difficulties in manufacturing and consequently shortages. -
Wii
The Nintendo Wii was released. It was intended to attract current hardcore and casual gamers, non-gamers, and lapsed gamers by focusing on new interactions with the games. The demand for the Wii outstripped supply throughout 2007. More than 101 million units sold. -
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Eighth Generation Consoles
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Wii U
The Wii U was released. The Wii U had lifetime sales of about 13 million. Partly due to poor Wii U sales, Nintendo suffered several quarters of financial loss through 2014, at which point they decided to explore the mobile game market and develop their next console more carefully. -
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 was released. It placed heavy emphasis on features surrounding social interaction through the PlayStation Network. -
Xbox One
Microsoft released the Xbox One, which primarily focused on entertainment.
