History MediaNotes / TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames

** [[/index]]Untitled game developed by Creator/{{Bethesda}} Softworks and Creator/MachineGames[[index]]

* [[/index]]''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'':[[index]]

A new phase of the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars began in November 2020 with the duel between the Platform/PlayStation5 and Platform/XboxSeriesXAndS kicking off this new generation.

Despite boasting similar hardware to not only their predecessors, but also each other, the divergence in business model between Microsoft and Sony that began in UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames continues in full force. Sony remains very much a hardware-first company: [=PS5=] is pushed as a clean break, emphasizing new entries to its first-party [=IPs=] that it claims cannot be done on old hardware, despite its backwards compatibility and plethora of cross-generational games within its launch window. To this end, the system introduced the [=DualSense=], a new controller that significantly abandoned the [=DualShock=]/[=Sixaxis=] design that [=PlayStation=] consoles have used since 1998. Microsoft on the other hand, has chosen a more iterative approach more akin to the smartphone market: buying the newest console will net consumers the best experience, but new games and experiences will continue to work on the Xbox One for at least a few years, while the controller and accessory lineup is largely unchanged. This goes in hand with a shift towards selling Xbox as a broader gaming service with many different entry points across consoles, [=PCs=], and mobile devices via cloud streaming; hence the existence of the cheaper Series S console which lacks the Series X's native 4K and disc drive to offer next-gen performance at a lower price.

Of the entrants who haven't been seen in decades are Creator/{{Atari}}, Platform/{{Intellivision}}, and Creator/{{SNK}}. Despite having little in the way of prominence [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames since the 1980s]], Atari and Intellivision both announced plans to release new hardware towards the end of the previous generation. The Platform/AtariVCS is a Linux-based mircoconsole/mini-PC geared towards playing classic Atari games and smaller indie titles, though its ability for the user to boot a second operating system means owners can also access games on Platform/{{Steam}} and similar PC gaming libraries. Despite a troubled development that had many question if it was really a scam, the console would hit stores in June 2021; but unfortunately for Atari, critics weren't very impressed and consumer response so far has been rather muted. Meanwhile, the Platform/IntellivisionAmico aims to differentiate itself from the competition through a heavily curated gaming library; games for the Amico, which include remakes of classic Intellivision titles, will consist of family-friendly titles (no game for the system will be rated above ESRB E10+ or PEGI 12+) and focus mainly on 2D and TwoAndAHalfD games. Intellivision currently sees skepticism and mockery from gaming pundits, such as WebVideo/PatTheNESPunk, both for its laughable policies, controversial defenses that brand owner Music/TommyTallarico has made to defend the console, and it seeing even more delays than Atari's console. As of 2023, despite the company's claims otherwise, most have fully written the system off as dead-on-arrival if it ever manages to come out. Creator/{{SNK}} also [[https://twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1338783784456527874 plans to release a successor]] to the Platform/NeoGeo in 2021, but no details other than that are currently known. The Platform/ZXSpectrum and Platform/{{Amiga}} came back under ZX Spectrum Next and Amiga A500 Mini. [[https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/10/arcade-manufacturer-zuiki-officially-reveals-x68000-z-mini-console Sharp X68000 would also have its own Mini variant, but release is unknown.]] Meanwhile, [=KFC=] in collaboration with Cooler Master announced the [=KFConsole=]: not a console per se, but rather an Intel Core-based gaming PC that boasts 240fps 4K visuals, 1TB of storage space, and a compartment specifically designed for storing fried chicken to keep warm via the console's natural heat and ventilation system. While it was announced as an actual product, and not a joke, as of early 2023 it remains {{Vaporware}}.

On the handheld side of things, outside the "Lite" variant of the Nintendo Switch, this generation saw a major boom in handheld gaming [=PCs=]. Due to extreme optimizations of [=CPUs=] for mobile devices (that being the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U), these device are now seen as more viable options than they had been previously. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER all have entered into said market, each having their campaigns on Website/{{Indiegogo}} to massive success. While the GPD Win did have previous iterations, limited technology meant that they struggled to play anything newer than [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation games]]. The AYA NEO and the ONEXPLAYER are both newcomers and have comparable specs to the GPD Win 3, and all three are able to run, for example, ''VideoGame/{{DOOM 2016}}'' at 60 frames per second at minimum settings, which makes it run better than the Platform/NintendoSwitch port, which ran at 30 frames per second (which often would dip) BELOW minimum settings. This performance comes with the caveat that since these are [=PCs=], they are more expensive than other systems, costing in the range of [[NewTechIsNotCheap thousands of dollars]]. Following this, Creator/{{Valve|Corporation}} released the Steam Deck, the successor to their [[Platform/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept, on February 2022. This handheld is powered by an AMD [=SoC=] that consists of a mobile Zen 2 processor and [=RDNA2=] graphics, and has an entry price of $399 US Dollars. Out of the box it will run the Linux based [=SteamOS=] with the ability to run Windows games using a compatibility layer called Proton, but Valve has confirmed it will support installing alternative operating systems including Windows. We have yet to see how the emerging handheld gaming PC market will effect on the gaming industry as a whole, but they quickly formed their own niche and serve as a testament to just how far technology has come and a reminder of how quickly it can advance. Following the Steam Deck's release, a few other companies have joined in with their own AMD-powered handheld pcs, ASUS with the ROG Ally, and Lenovo with the Legion Go.

A new phase of the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars began in November 2020 with the duel between the UsefulNotes/PlayStation5 and UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS kicking off this new generation.

Nintendo, the final member of the "Big Three", was thrown off the standard generational cadence when they threw in the towel on the UsefulNotes/WiiU halfway through the last round in favor of launching the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. By the time the [=PS5=] and new Xbox consoles launched, the Switch had been on the market for over three years and had proven its "hybrid" concept -- wherein the system can be treated as a home console, a dedicated handheld, or both depending on a consumer's need -- to be a successful one. That doesn't seem to be changing any time soon either, as the system continues to sell gangbusters. Nintendo's bold claim around its launch that the console could possibly exceed the sales of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} had long stopped feeling outlandish, especially after the Switch benefitted from a huge spike in sales thanks to [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic a lot of people staying home throughout 2020]] that helped it surpass that goal by the end of 2021 and helped it go on to become the third best-selling gaming console of all-time. A handheld-only variant known as the "Lite" was released in September 2019. An updated "Pro" model was rumored in 2021 by various tech news outlets to have 4K capability and increased hardware power through the integration of NVIDIA's DLSS technology; whether this was false or a change of plans due to computer chip shortages, Nintendo instead released a more premium SKU of the existing Switch called the "OLED model". Rather than be a hardware upgrade similar to the previous generation's [=PS4 Pro=] or [=New Nintendo 3DS=], the "OLED model" is more in line with Nintendo's usual handheld revisions, simply offering an improved and nicer build to appeal to new consumers as opposed to encouraging current ones to upgrade. As for the "Pro" model rumors, they have shifted to rumors of a successor to the Switch releasing in 2024 sporting the same rumored technology.

This generation sees a slew of newcomers to the gaming market, though a few of them are actually returning players from generations past. In this group, the real fresh faces to the gaming market are Website/{{Google}}, Creator/{{Amazon}}, Creator/{{Apple}} and [=nVidia=]. The former two joining through 100% cloud-based services called UsefulNotes/GoogleStadia and Amazon Luna intended to make use of their respective company's ubiquitous Chromecast and Fire TV devices to find a place in people's living rooms, while [=nVidia's GeForce=] Now streams [=PC=] games running on the firm's [=RTX=] graphics cards. One major hurdle that holds back these services in the mobile space is Apple, whose infamous App Store policies, means that xCloud, Stadia, and [=GeForce=] Now were blocked from appearing on [=iOS=] devices like Apple TV. Apple's desire to bolster and promote its own gaming subscription service, UsefulNotes/AppleArcade (launched September 2019), probably plays a factor in this as well. Amazon ,Microsoft, and [=nVidia=] worked around this with web-based versions, but the question will remain of whether Apple will ever loosen up on this front. Unfortunately for Google, the concept of a cloud-only service proved a much harder sell when compared to Xbox offering which supplements the console and PC ecosystem, or even [=GeForce Now=] which is effectively just a cloud-based gaming PC, Stadia was shut down [[ScrewedBytheNetwork in typical Google fashion]] in late 2022, focusing on bringing Steam to Chrome OS and Android apps on [=PCs=][[note]]itself somewhat of a redundant effort as Windows 11 has a native Android subsystem and utilizes the Amazon app store. There's nothing stopping Google from integrating the Play store, they've just chosen not to[[/note]]. Luna has similarly failed to reach a critical mass, but Amazon has seen fit to let it go on largely as a perk for Prime members.

Of the entrants who haven't been seen in decades are Creator/{{Atari}}, UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}}, and Creator/{{SNK}}. Despite having little in the way of prominence [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames since the 1980s]], Atari and Intellivision both announced plans to release new hardware towards the end of the previous generation. The UsefulNotes/AtariVCS is a Linux-based mircoconsole/mini-PC geared towards playing classic Atari games and smaller indie titles, though its ability for the user to boot a second operating system means owners can also access games on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and similar PC gaming libraries. Despite a troubled development that had many question if it was really a scam, the console would hit stores in June 2021; but unfortunately for Atari, critics weren't very impressed and consumer response so far has been rather muted. Meanwhile, the Platform/IntellivisionAmico aims to differentiate itself from the competition through a heavily curated gaming library; games for the Amico, which include remakes of classic Intellivision titles, will consist of family-friendly titles (no game for the system will be rated above ESRB E10+ or PEGI 12+) and focus mainly on 2D and TwoAndAHalfD games. Intellivision currently sees skepticism and mockery from gaming pundits, such as WebVideo/PatTheNESPunk, both for its laughable policies, controversial defenses that brand owner Music/TommyTallarico has made to defend the console, and it seeing even more delays than Atari's console. As of 2023, despite the company's claims otherwise, most have fully written the system off as dead-on-arrival if it ever manages to come out. Creator/{{SNK}} also [[https://twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1338783784456527874 plans to release a successor]] to the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo in 2021, but no details other than that are currently known. The UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum and UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} came back under ZX Spectrum Next and Amiga A500 Mini. [[https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/10/arcade-manufacturer-zuiki-officially-reveals-x68000-z-mini-console Sharp X68000 would also have its own Mini variant, but release is unknown.]] Meanwhile, [=KFC=] in collaboration with Cooler Master announced the [=KFConsole=]: not a console per se, but rather an Intel Core-based gaming PC that boasts 240fps 4K visuals, 1TB of storage space, and a compartment specifically designed for storing fried chicken to keep warm via the console's natural heat and ventilation system. While it was announced as an actual product, and not a joke, as of early 2023 it remains {{Vaporware}}.

On the handheld side of things, outside the "Lite" variant of the Nintendo Switch, this generation saw a major boom in handheld gaming [=PCs=]. Due to extreme optimizations of [=CPUs=] for mobile devices (that being the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U), these device are now seen as more viable options than they had been previously. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER all have entered into said market, each having their campaigns on Website/{{Indiegogo}} to massive success. While the GPD Win did have previous iterations, limited technology meant that they struggled to play anything newer than [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation games]]. The AYA NEO and the ONEXPLAYER are both newcomers and have comparable specs to the GPD Win 3, and all three are able to run, for example, ''VideoGame/{{DOOM 2016}}'' at 60 frames per second at minimum settings, which makes it run better than the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch port, which ran at 30 frames per second (which often would dip) BELOW minimum settings. This performance comes with the caveat that since these are [=PCs=], they are more expensive than other systems, costing in the range of [[NewTechIsNotCheap thousands of dollars]]. Following this, Creator/{{Valve|Corporation}} released the Steam Deck, the successor to their [[UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept, on February 2022. This handheld is powered by an AMD [=SoC=] that consists of a mobile Zen 2 processor and [=RDNA2=] graphics, and has an entry price of $399 US Dollars. Out of the box it will run the Linux based [=SteamOS=] with the ability to run Windows games using a compatibility layer called Proton, but Valve has confirmed it will support installing alternative operating systems including Windows. We have yet to see how the emerging handheld gaming PC market will effect on the gaming industry as a whole, but they quickly formed their own niche and serve as a testament to just how far technology has come and a reminder of how quickly it can advance. Following the Steam Deck's release, a few other companies have joined in with their own AMD-powered handheld pcs, ASUS with the ROG Ally, and Lenovo with the Legion Go.

The most significant impact of all however was the act of simply acquiring any of the new hardware. To accommodate social distancing, retailers opted to not carry the new consoles on store shelves, offering them only for order online to be either shipped or picked up. Without the option of camping out before a store opens, any attempt to purchase a [=PS5=] or new Xbox was at the mercy of functioning servers and a hope that they wouldn't sell out immediately before scalpers running automated shopping bots get to them first. Scalping has always been an issue with new consoles but the lack of brick and mortar availability, the bots, and a sophisticated network of scalpers selling access to those bots created what is effectively a pyramid scheme keeping consoles out of the hands of normal folks. It wasn't just the newcomers either, with the now 4 year old Switch disappearing from shelves for stretches at a time, and PC hardware, particularly graphics cards, becoming exceptionally rare as they were being swiped up for crypto mining. Retail prices of the [=NVidia=] 3000 and [=AMD=] 6000 cards which were already increased from their previous generation, got further inflated by [=OEMs=] and retailers, and then getting scalped. If you weren't lucky enough to get in on the small allotment of reference design cards sold directly from the chipmakers, you could expect to be paying well over $1000 for even a mid-range card. All of that started '''before''' the full effect of the global supply chain meltdown even hit and disproportionally affected [=AMD=] as the chips for both Sony and Microsoft's consoles plus their own [=CPUs=] and [=GPUs=] sharing the same production capacity. As of early 2022, the only positive development is more consistent availability of the Xbox Series S, due to its significantly smaller APU allowing more to be produced at one time compared to the X and [=PS5=]. This was an unexpected boon for Microsoft, with their bet on offering a low-end [=SKU=] paying off and allowing them to discontinue the UsefulNotes/XboxOne family (by ceasing development of new first-party games for the system) and free up even more production capacity, while Sony was forced to continue production of the [=PS4=] until at least 2023, which along with cross-generation titles and [=PC=] ports has diminished the original marketing narrative of the [=PS5=] as the only way to experience new games, although that clearly hasn't stopped people from buying it.

* UsefulNotes/AppleArcade

* UsefulNotes/GoogleStadia (discontinued)

* Untitled Creator/{{SNK}} console[[note]][[FanNickname referred to as]] the "UsefulNotes/NeoGeo 2" by fans[[/note]]

* UsefulNotes/AtariVCS
* UsefulNotes/{{Evercade}}

* UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch[[note]]Continuing from Gen 8.5[[/note]]
* UsefulNotes/PlayStation5
* UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS

* UsefulNotes/IntellivisionAmico

Of the entrants who haven't been seen in decades are Creator/{{Atari}}, UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}}, and Creator/{{SNK}}. Despite having little in the way of prominence [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames since the 1980s]], Atari and Intellivision both announced plans to release new hardware towards the end of the previous generation. The UsefulNotes/AtariVCS is a Linux-based mircoconsole/mini-PC geared towards playing classic Atari games and smaller indie titles, though its ability for the user to boot a second operating system means owners can also access games on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and similar PC gaming libraries. Despite a troubled development that had many question if it was really a scam, the console would hit stores in June 2021; but unfortunately for Atari, critics weren't very impressed and consumer response so far has been rather muted. Meanwhile, the UsefulNotes/IntellivisionAmico aims to differentiate itself from the competition through a heavily curated gaming library; games for the Amico, which include remakes of classic Intellivision titles, will consist of family-friendly titles (no game for the system will be rated above ESRB E10+ or PEGI 12+) and focus mainly on 2D and TwoAndAHalfD games. Intellivision currently sees skepticism and mockery from gaming pundits, such as WebVideo/PatTheNESPunk, both for its laughable policies, controversial defenses that brand owner Music/TommyTallarico has made to defend the console, and it seeing even more delays than Atari's console. As of 2023, despite the company's claims otherwise, most have fully written the system off as dead-on-arrival if it ever manages to come out. Creator/{{SNK}} also [[https://twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1338783784456527874 plans to release a successor]] to the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo in 2021, but no details other than that are currently known. The UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum and UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} came back under ZX Spectrum Next and Amiga A500 Mini. [[https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/10/arcade-manufacturer-zuiki-officially-reveals-x68000-z-mini-console Sharp X68000 would also have its own Mini variant, but release is unknown.]] Meanwhile, [=KFC=] in collaboration with Cooler Master announced the [=KFConsole=]: not a console per se, but rather an Intel Core-based gaming PC that boasts 240fps 4K visuals, 1TB of storage space, and a compartment specifically designed for storing fried chicken to keep warm via the console's natural heat and ventilation system. While it was announced as an actual product, and not a joke, as of early 2023 it remains {{Vaporware}}.

This generation sees a slew of newcomers to the gaming market, though a few of them are actually returning players from generations past. In this group, the real fresh faces to the gaming market are Website/{{Google}}, Creator/{{Amazon}}, Creator/{{Apple}} and [=nVidia=]. The former two joining through 100% cloud-based services called UsefulNotes/GoogleStadia and Amazon Luna intended to make use of their respective company's ubiquitous Chromecast and Fire TV devices to find a place in people's living rooms, while [=nVidia's GeForce=] Now streams [=PC=] games running on the firm's [=RTX=] graphics cards. One major hurdle that holds back these services in the mobile space is Apple, whose infamous App Store policies, means that xCloud, Stadia, and [=GeForce=] Now were blocked from appearing on [=iOS=] devices like Apple TV. Apple's desire to bolster and promote its own gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade (launched September 2019), probably plays a factor in this as well. Amazon ,Microsoft, and [=nVidia=] worked around this with web-based versions, but the question will remain of whether Apple will ever loosen up on this front. Unfortunately for Google, the concept of a cloud-only service proved a much harder sell when compared to Xbox offering which supplements the console and PC ecosystem, or even [=GeForce Now=] which is effectively just a cloud-based gaming PC, Stadia was shut down [[ScrewedBytheNetwork in typical Google fashion]] in late 2022, focusing on bringing Steam to Chrome OS and Android apps on [=PCs=][[note]]itself somewhat of a redundant effort as Windows 11 has a native Android subsystem and utilizes the Amazon app store. There's nothing stopping Google from integrating the Play store, they've just chosen not to[[/note]]. Luna has similarly failed to reach a critical mass, but Amazon has seen fit to let it go on largely as a perk for Prime members.

* Apple Arcade

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesKuroNoKiseki''

** ''Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth''

Nintendo, the final member of the "Big Three", was thrown off the standard generational cadence when they threw in the towel on the UsefulNotes/WiiU halfway through the last round in favor of launching the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. By the time the [=PS5=] and new Xbox consoles launched, the Switch had been on the market for over three years and had proven its "hybrid" concept -- wherein the system can be treated as a home console, a dedicated handheld, or both depending on a consumer's need -- to be a successful one. That doesn't seem to be changing any time soon either, as the system continues to sell gangbusters. Nintendo's bold claim around its launch that the console could possibly exceed the sales of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} had long stopped feeling outlandish, especially after the Switch benefitted from a huge spike in sales thanks to [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic a lot of people staying home throughout 2020]] that helped it surpass that goal by the end of 2021 and helped it go on to become the third best-selling gaming console of all-time. A handheld-only variant known as the "Lite" was released in September 2019. An updated "Pro" model was rumored in 2021 by various tech news outlets to have 4K capability and increased hardware power through the integration of NVIDIA's DLSS technology; whether this was false or a change of plans due to computer chip shortages, Nintendo instead released a more premium SKU of the existing Switch called the "OLED model". Rather than be a hardware upgrade similar to the previous generation's [=PS4 Pro=] or [=New Nintendo 3DS=], the "OLED model" is more in line with Nintendo's usual handheld revisions, simply offering an improved and nicer build to appeal to new consumers as opposed to encouraging current ones to upgrade.

On the handheld side of things, outside the "Lite" variant of the Nintendo Switch, this generation saw a major boom in handheld gaming [=PCs=]. Due to extreme optimizations of [=CPUs=] for mobile devices (that being the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U), these device are now seen as more viable options than they had been previously. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER all have entered into said market, each having their campaigns on Website/{{Indiegogo}} to massive success. While the GPD Win did have previous iterations, limited technology meant that they struggled to play anything newer than [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation games]]. The AYA NEO and the ONEXPLAYER are both newcomers and have comparable specs to the GPD Win 3, and all three are able to run, for example, ''VideoGame/{{DOOM 2016}}'' at 60 frames per second at minimum settings, which makes it run better than the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch port, which ran at 30 frames per second (which often would dip) BELOW minimum settings. This performance comes with the caveat that since these are [=PCs=], they are more expensive than other systems, costing in the range of [[NewTechIsNotCheap thousands of dollars]]. Following this, Creator/{{Valve|Corporation}} released the Steam Deck, the successor to their [[UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept, on February 2022. This handheld is powered by an AMD [=SoC=] that consists of a mobile Zen 2 processor and [=RDNA2=] graphics, and has an entry price of $399 US Dollars. Out of the box it will run the Linux based [=SteamOS=] with the ability to run Windows games using a compatibility layer called Proton, but Valve has confirmed it will support installing alternative operating systems including Windows. We have yet to see how the emerging handheld gaming PC market will effect on the gaming industry as a whole, but they quickly formed their own niche and serve as a testament to just how far technology has come and a reminder of how quickly it can advance.

* ''VideoGame/{{Stray}}''

* ''VideoGame/GothamKnights''

Despite boasting similar hardware to not only their predecessors, but also each other, the divergence in business model between Microsoft and Sony that began in UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames continues in full force. Sony remains very much a hardware-first company: [=PS5=] is pushed as a clean break, emphasizing new entries to its first-party [=IPs=] that it claims cannot be done on old hardware, despite its backwards compatibility and plethora of cross-generational games within its launch window. To this end, the system introduced the [=DualSense=], a new controller that significantly abandoned the [=DualShock=]/[=Sixaxis=] design that [=PlayStation=] consoles have used since 1998. Microsoft on the other hand, has chosen a more iterative approach more akin to the smartphone market: buying the newest console will net consumers the best experience, but new games and experiences will continue to work on the Xbox One for at least a few years[[note]](skeptics claim that this will "hold back" the new hardware, while Microsoft claims the devkit was designed to scale games across different specs ala PC gaming, but it will be a few more months before consumers can truly see this in practice)[[/note]], while the controller and accessory lineup is largely unchanged. This goes in hand with a shift towards selling Xbox as a broader gaming service with many different entry points across consoles, [=PCs=], and mobile devices via cloud streaming; hence the existence of the cheaper Series S console which lacks the Series X's native 4K and disc drive to offer next-gen performance at a lower price.

On the handheld side of things, outside the "Lite" variant of the Nintendo Switch, we have handheld gaming [=PCs=]. Due to extreme optimizations of [=CPUs=] for mobile devices (that being the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U), these device are now seen as more viable options than they had been previously. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER all have entered into said market, each having their campaigns on Website/{{Indiegogo}} to massive success. While the GPD Win did have previous iterations, limited technology meant that they struggled to play anything newer than [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation games]]. The AYA NEO and the ONEXPLAYER are both newcomers and have comparable specs to the GPD Win 3, and all three are able to run, for example, ''VideoGame/{{DOOM 2016}}'' at 60 frames per second at minimum settings, which makes it run better than the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch port, which ran at 30 frames per second (which often would dip) BELOW minimum settings. This performance comes with the caveat that since these are [=PCs=], they are more expensive than other systems, costing in the range of [[NewTechIsNotCheap thousands of dollars]]. Following this, Creator/{{Valve|Corporation}} released the Steam Deck, the successor to their [[UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept, on February 2022. This handheld is powered by an AMD [=SoC=] that consists of a mobile Zen 2 processor and [=RDNA2=] graphics, and has an entry price of $399 US Dollars. Out of the box it will run the Linux based [=SteamOS=] with the ability to run Windows games using a compatibility layer called Proton, but Valve has confirmed it will support installing alternative operating systems including Windows. We have yet to see how the emerging handheld gaming PC market will effect on the gaming industry as a whole, but they are a testament to just how far technology has come and a reminder of how quickly it can advance.

** ''[[VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaGameMakerREvolution Neptunia GameMaker R:Evolution]]''

** ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaSistersVsSisters''
** ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaGameMakerREvolution''

The most significant impact of all however was the act of simply acquiring any of the new hardware. To accommodate social distancing, retailers opted to not carry the new consoles on store shelves, offering them only for order online to be either shipped or picked up. Without the option of camping out before a store opens, any attempt to purchase a [=PS5=] or new Xbox was at the mercy of functioning servers and a hope that they wouldn't sell out immediately before scalpers running automated shopping bots get to them first. Scalping has always been an issue with new consoles but the lack of brick and mortar availability, the bots, and a sophisticated network of scalpers selling access to those bots created what is effectively a pyramid scheme keeping consoles out of the hands of normal folks. It wasn't just the newcomers either, with the now 4 year old Switch disappearing from shelves for stretches at a time, and PC hardware, particularly graphics cards, becoming exceptionally rare as they were being swiped up for crypto mining. Retail prices of the [=NVidia=] 3000 and [=AMD=] 6000 cards which were already increased from their previous generation, got further inflated by [=OEMs=] and retailers, and then getting scalped. If you weren't lucky enough to get in on the small allotment of reference design cards sold directly from the chipmakers, you could expect to be paying well over $1000 for even a mid-range card. All of that started '''before''' the full effect of the global supply chain meltdown even hit and disproportionally affected [=AMD=] as the chips for both Sony and Microsoft's consoles plus their own [=CPUs=] and [=GPUs=] sharing the same production capacity. As of early 2022, the only positive development is more consistent availability of the Xbox Series S, due to its significantly smaller APU allowing more to be produced at one time compared to the X and [=PS5=]. This was an unexpected boon for Microsoft, with their bet on offering a low-end [=SKU=] paying off and allowing them to discontinue the UsefulNotes/XboxOne family and free up even more production capacity, while Sony was forced to continue production of the [=PS4=] until at least 2023, which along with cross-generation titles and [=PC=] ports has diminished the original marketing narrative of the [=PS5=] as the only way to experience new games, although that clearly hasn't stopped people from buying it.

** ''VideoGame/Disgaea7''

** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld + VideoGame/BowsersFury''

* [[/index]]''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'':[[index]]

Nintendo, the final member of the "Big Three", was thrown off the standard generational cadence when they threw in the towel on the UsefulNotes/WiiU halfway through the last round in favor of launching the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. By the time the [=PS5=] and new Xbox consoles launched, the Switch had been on the market for over three years and had proven its "hybrid" concept -- wherein the system can be treated as a home console, a dedicated handheld, or both depending on a consumer's need -- to be a successful one. That doesn't seem to be changing any time soon either, as the system continues to sell gangbusters. Nintendo's bold claim around its launch that the console could possibly exceed the sales of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} no longer seem outlandish, especially after the Switch benefitted from a huge spike in sales thanks to [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic a lot of people staying home throughout 2020]] that helped it surpass that goal by the end of 2021. A handheld-only variant known as the "Lite" was released in September 2019. An updated "Pro" model was rumored in 2021 by various tech news outlets to have 4K capability and increased hardware power through the integration of NVIDIA's DLSS technology; whether this was false or a change of plans due to computer chip shortages, Nintendo instead released a more premium SKU of the existing Switch called the "OLED model". Rather than be a hardware upgrade similar to the previous generation's [=PS4 Pro=] or [=New Nintendo 3DS=], the "OLED model" is more in line with Nintendo's usual handheld revisions, simply offering an improved and nicer build to appeal to new consumers as opposed to encouraging current ones to upgrade.

Of the entrants who haven't been seen in decades are Creator/{{Atari}}, UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}}, and Creator/{{SNK}}. Despite having little in the way of prominence [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames since the 1980s]], Atari and Intellivision both announced plans to release new hardware towards the end of the previous generation. The UsefulNotes/AtariVCS is a Linux-based mircoconsole/mini-PC geared towards playing classic Atari games and smaller indie titles, though its ability for the user to boot a second operating system means owners can also access games on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and similar PC gaming libraries. Despite a troubled development that had many question if it was really a scam, the console would hit stores in June 2021; but unfortunately for Atari, critics weren't very impressed and consumer response so far has been rather muted. Meanwhile, the UsefulNotes/IntellivisionAmico aims to differentiate itself from the competition through a heavily curated gaming library; games for the Amico, which include remakes of classic Intellivision titles, will consist of family-friendly titles (no game for the system will be rated above ESRB E10+ or PEGI 12+) and focus mainly on 2D and TwoAndAHalfD games. Intellivision currently sees skepticism and mockery from gaming pundits, such as WebVideo/PatTheNESPunk, both for its laughable policies, controversial defenses that brand owner Music/TommyTallarico has made to defend the console, and it seeing even more delays than Atari's console. Creator/{{SNK}} also [[https://twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1338783784456527874 plans to release a successor]] to the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo in 2021, but no details other than that are currently known. The UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum and UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} came back under ZX Spectrum Next and Amiga A500 Mini. [[https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/10/arcade-manufacturer-zuiki-officially-reveals-x68000-z-mini-console Sharp X68000 would also have its own Mini variant, but release is unknown.]] Meanwhile, [=KFC=] in collaboration with Cooler Master announced the [=KFConsole=]: not a console per se, but rather an Intel Core-based gaming PC that boasts 240fps 4K visuals, 1TB of storage space, and a compartment specifically designed for storing fried chicken to keep warm via the console's natural heat and ventilation system. While it was announced as an actual product, and not a joke, as of earl 2023 it remains {{Vaporware}}.