History MediaNotes / ConsoleWars

Initially, the Series S/X sold far better than the Xbox One, to the point of even outselling the [=PS5=] in some periods and in some territories (mostly thanks to the latter console's scarcity; the Xbox consoles have had this mitigated to a large degree thanks to the cheaper Series S). This, along with the Switch and its updated incarnations still selling very well at the time, saw the market return to the highly competitive state of the Seventh Generation. 2022 and 2023, however, saw drastic decreases in sales for Xbox hardware, with both the Series X and Series S struggling to move units in comparison to the competition. [=PS5=] [[https://gamerant.com/ps5-xbox-series-x-s-2023-sales-comparison-data has outsold Xbox Series X/S by a reported three-to-one margin (as of December 2023)]], and the cheaper Series S has made up most of these Xbox sales. This, along with Microsoft's increasing reliance on Game Pass and other digital services, have left players and press questioning if Xbox will continue with their current hardware structure into the next generation, or if they will move to a more digital, cloud-focused, platform-agnostic future. In February 2024, these concerns seemed to be validated when rumors began to reach fever-pitch that Microsoft was making some significant changes in its competitive strategy. First, ''[[VideoGame/HiFiRush Hi-Fi Rush]]'' was rumoured to be getting a [=PS5=] release. Following this, live service games like ''[[VideoGame/SeaOfThieves Sea of Thieves]]'' were also rumoured to be receiving a [=PS5=] release. Then ''[[VideoGame/GearsOfWar Gears of War]]''. Then ''freaking {{Franchise/Halo}}''. Many are now speculating that Microsoft will go third-party as a game developer and deprioritise the Xbox console lineup, instead prioritising the increased revenue from [=PlayStation=] units and essentially conceding the high-end console market to Sony. Phil Spencer will make an official "business announcement" regarding the future of Xbox in mid-February 2024 where he is expected to clarify this new strategy.

The oddball from this generation's console lineup was the Vectrex, which featured a built-in screen and used monochrome [[VectorGame vector graphics]] rather than the traditional bitmap graphics used by the other systems. While it boasted some great titles and was the most technologically advanced system from this generation (with the possible exception of the Colecovision), consumers were generally unwilling to look past its monochrome graphics, and it launched too near the end of this generation to have had any real chance of success. However, it '''eventually''' got a steady fanbase, which continues to develop games for it even nowadays and even resulted in getting some of the games officially rereleased on iOS. However, unfortunately there weren't many people in this fanbase until a long time after the system's discontinuation.

This generation slowly began to wind down from 2014 onwards, finally coming to an official close in May 2017, with Sony's announcement that they had halted production of the [=PS3=]. The final standings therefore gave the Wii 101.6 million units, the [=PS3=] about 87 million units, and the Xbox 360 more than 84 million. Some stock of the [=PS3=] and 360 continued to trickle out into the wild for a little longer, but in summary, the Wii was the winner of this generation by nearly any objective measure, while Sony moved more units compared to Microsoft and managed an impressive recovery after its early troubles, albeit with Microsoft having the more profitable console thanks to lower R&D costs, along with the massive success of the Kinect managing to largely cancel out their losses from the [=RRoD=] fiasco. In any event, this ended up being a strong contender for the most competitive console war in history, with all three major players being relatively strong at one point or another, and a staggering 280 million consoles being shipped over the course of the war.[[note]](For perspective, the next-highest number of sales in a single console generation is from the sixth generation, where approximately 195 million consoles were sold.)[[/note]]

Competition followed in various forms, including the N-Gage by phone company Nokia, which was capable of graphics approaching that of a [=PlayStation=] 1 but suffered from an uncomfortable grip and a ''vertical'' screen. Further, the first version not only required players to open it and remove the battery to change a game, but also made them look awkward while using it as an actual phone; these were fixed with the "QD" revision, but one wonders how the original ever made it past practical testing. Despite heavy promotion from Nokia, including N-Gage-only stores, it failed to capture the public's imagination. But it did better than the Palm OS-based Zodiac, which caused its owner company, Tapwave, to fold.

Not really at all a competitor was the Tapwave Zodiac, a Palm OS device best described as an N-Gage that's a Palm Pilot instead of a phone. It was dead on arrival thanks to lack of brand recognition and the decision to mainly sell it in office supply stores alongside other Palm OS devices rather than marketing it as a video game platform. Less than 20 games were made.

Later on RCA would release the RCA Studio II, another early example of what most would now recognise as a console, but it ended up failing due to a combination of poor design (including its controllers being two keypads that were built into the body of the system itself) and only offering black and white graphics at a time when even most ''Pong'' systems offered up color graphics, and quickly faded into obscurity.

The Hartung ''Game Master'', the Bit Corp. ''Gamate'', the Watara ''Supervision'', and the Timlex ''Mega Duck'' were all failed attempts to cash in on the Game Boy. Many of their games were just ripoffs of other titles.

The [=TurboExpress=] also failed, despite being the most powerful handheld at that time, largely because it cost $299 on release. A late entry by Sega in the form of the Nomad, a handheld console that could play Genesis games, was a flop -- it came out the year ''after'' the first Platform/PlayStation console.

The NEC PC-FX was NEC's attempt to enter the 32-bit era early by rushing an old, outdated design out the door before its competitors in an attempt to keep the PC-Engine's fanbase. The result was completely underpowered in every respect except for decoding videos, and thus many releases for it were anime-themed {{Interactive Movie}}s, making it the Japanese equivalent of the CD-i. It sold less than 100,000 units and ended NEC's run as a console maker.

If you don't care about any of that noise, just buy the system(s) whose games intrigue you the most, and don't worry about what others think of your gaming interests. If you're looking for any upcoming gaming deals, try reading thru a dedicated webspace that covers video game discounts, gaming news blogs, or the websites of the companies who make the consoles. And if you're on a limited budget, simply do some research on what will give you the most bang for your buck such as deals, console bundles, and consider buying used games and consoles (there's no shame in buying secondhanded games). ''Just stay away from any console "debates"'' -- your sanity will thank you for it.

* '''Winner''': The Wii, by a few waggles -- of your parents -- across the floor of the den.[[note]]The war for second place ended in as close to a tie as ever there was one. Largely dominated by the Xbox 360 for most of the generation, the [=PS3=] surged ahead in the final months despite it's wet fart of a launch. This rivalry ended up setting the stage moving forward far more than the Wii's victory.[[/note]]

* '''Winner''': The Wii, by a few waggles -- of your parents -- across the floor of the den.

More specifically, though, the console wars refer to arguments (usually online) between gamers themselves as to the superiority of the various [[VideoGameSystems systems]] and companies. The console wars for each generation usually begin a year or more before the systems in question are even released. Expect much flaming and quoting of sales figures, but don't hold your breath awaiting an explanation of why these battles are so fierce in the first place. The UsefulNotes/ComputerWars were worse — the Platform/ZXSpectrum vs. Platform/{{Commodore 64}} punch-up still rages in some quarters of the Internet, with the victor depending almost entirely on who you ask — but they faded out in the early 1990s, when geeks made far less noise than today. Could you imagine if people got this worked up about toothpaste brands?

If you really want to rile people up, you can throw in the bickering between [[UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole PC and console owners]]. You're sure to get [[FlameWar enough noise to]] drown out a jet engine.

Basically the UsefulNotes/PepsiChallenge for video games. See also UsefulNotes/ComputerWars. For a game series that has fun with the concept [[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs and runs on drugs with it]], see ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}''. See ''Manga/WorldWarBlue'' for a fantasy manga parody of the Nintendo vs. Sega era. ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' also did a three-parter combining the [=PlayStation=] 4 and [=Xbox=] One rival launches (along with [[RetailRiot Black Friday madness]] in general) with a ''Series/GameOfThrones'' parody. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with [[VideoGame/NintendoWars a series of games titled with the format "(console name) wars"]].

Sony, meanwhile, recognized the increasing age bracket of console gamers and tapped into the influential twentysomething "big kid" market, legitimizing console gaming in the eyes of many and laying the foundation for the newcomer's market dominance. One of the greatest assets of the [=PlayStation=]'s victory was that their games were released on UsefulNotes/{{CD}}s. Since at that time, [=CDs=] were widely available to the mass market as writable media containers, the [=PlayStation=] became the first console with a large-scale piracy problem. People would buy [=PlayStation=]s because they could pirate the games for it at less than one-tenth the games' retail price, whereas there was hardly any piracy on the other disk-based systems (and it goes without saying that it was way harder to copy an N64 cartridge).

Despite a whole set of (theoretically) exclusive M-rated games from Capcom — ''VideoGame/{{killer7}}'', ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', a remake of [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil the original]] ''RE'' (followed by eventually the entire main series to that point), and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 a prequel to it]] — along with a few mature non-Capcom games such as ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' and a ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' remake, Nintendo was [[CasualCompetitiveConflict unable to shake off its uncool "kiddie" reputation]]. The [=GameCube=] also didn't play UsefulNotes/{{DVD}}s (unlike the [=PS2=] and Xbox) thanks to using smaller discs in an attempt to ward off piracy (which didn't work), and barely even put out an attempt to do something about online play (a lame adapter was only compatible with two ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar Online'' games released by Sega, and ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' could only be played online via a local area network). Although it took second in Japan, the [=GameCube=] was third in Western markets and Australia. In fact, after a relatively strong first eighteen months, once it became obvious that Nintendo had released all their major franchise games for the system and had no plans for further ones (outside of the endless ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' games, and an occasional one such as ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'') sales of the [=GameCube=] utterly imploded, meaning that for much of its life the console was humiliated to the point of being outsold by the ''original'' Platform/PlayStation in several markets. By about 2004, the system had practically fallen into mainstream obscurity and was largely ignored by the video game press as well (in fact, by about 2005, it was ''completely excluded'' from Spike TV's Computer And Video Game Awards). By the time it was discontinued, the [=GameCube=] sold 21.74 million units worldwide, a little short of the newcomer Xbox. It wasn't a total loss, however, since Nintendo ended up the most profitable company of the Sixth Generation due to never treating the [=GameCube=] as a loss leader.

Throughout this generation, Nintendo's position seemed unassailable — Nintendo of Japan can't make 'em fast enough to keep up with demand in its home country. Meanwhile, the PSP has around 1/3 the total sales. This doesn't sound like much, until you factor in that it's still much more than the sales of either the 360 or [=PS3=], and has massive popularity in Japan. Having said that, much of the promised non-game functionality of the PSP was a dead end: one of the main selling points of the PSP, the ability for it to play movies from the UMD format, didn't really get anywhere due to a price point for the [=UMDs=] that compared unfavorably with UsefulNotes/{{DVD}} versions but lacked any [[DVDBonusContent bonus content]] and did not require squinting at that PSP screen, and unenthusiastic support from non-Sony movie companies.

Rumours continued to brew about Sony reentering the handheld market after the failure of the Vita, until they decided to do something different. Announced as [[https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/24/23736595/sony-project-q-playstation-handheld-official-showcase Project Q in May 2023]], the [=PlayStation=] [[https://blog.playstation.com/2023/08/23/playstations-first-remote-play-dedicated-device-playstation-portal-remote-player-to-launch-later-this-year-at-199-99/ Portal]] released on November 15, 2023 at $199.99 in the US. Why the cheaper price than the Vita? Simple — the Portal, aptly named, contains no actual processor or gaming hardware, and is instead a “remote player” (or portal) with an 8-inch LCD screen and what looks like a [=PS5 DualSense=] controller, but essentially cut in half. The device is designed exclusively for remote playing from a [=PS5=], over Wi-Fi or remotely, and does not game on its own accord. The device was praised for its good performance over Wi-Fi and its gorgeous screen and well-designed ergonomics, but it is very much a LoveItOrHateIt device — and as many reviewers pointed out, the Remote Play functionality is also available on smartphones, making it a niche device. Those that have them tend to love them, however.

Rumours continued to brew about Sony reentering the handheld market after the failure of the Vita, until they decided to do SomethingCompletelyDifferent. Announced as [[https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/24/23736595/sony-project-q-playstation-handheld-official-showcase Project Q in May 2023]], the [=PlayStation=] [[https://blog.playstation.com/2023/08/23/playstations-first-remote-play-dedicated-device-playstation-portal-remote-player-to-launch-later-this-year-at-199-99/ Portal]] released on November 15, 2023 at $199.99 in the US. Why the cheaper price than the Vita? Simple — the Portal, aptly named, contains no actual processor or gaming hardware, and is instead a “remote player” (or portal) with an 8-inch LCD screen and what looks like a [=PS5 DualSense=] controller, but essentially cut in half. The device is designed exclusively for remote playing from a [=PS5=], over Wi-Fi or remotely, and does not game on its own accord. The device was praised for its good performance over Wi-Fi and its gorgeous screen and well-designed ergonomics, but it is very much a LoveItOrHateIt device — and as many reviewers pointed out, the Remote Play functionality is also available on smartphones, making it a niche device. Those that have them tend to love them, however.

[[folder:The Ninth Generation (The Real [=4K=] Era) (current)]]

With the Switch still positively active, Nintendo has continued to stick with it for the time being and has released heavy-hitters like ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom]] even going into the system's seventh year, despite many clambering for an upgraded successor with more graphics capabilities. Rumors swirled in circa-2020 about Nintendo announcing an upgraded 4K version along the lines of the [=PS4 Pro=] and Xbox One X, commonly referred to as the "Switch Pro". [[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-29/nintendo-switch-4k-developers-make-games-for-nonexistent-console?sref=ExbtjcSG Bloomberg even reported]] in September 2020 that Nintendo had pushed developers to prepare 4K games for a Switch Pro, a report which was then [[https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/29/22701435/nintendo-categorically-denies-4k-switch-pro-development immediately denied by Nintendo]] in a rare rebuttal. A premium "OLED" revision of the Switch (with no additional graphics power or 4K) was released in October 2021, featuring an OLED screen, magnesium-alloy body, and several other quality-of-life improvements over the original Switch, such as improved audio, kickstand, and storage.

The [=PS5=] and Series S/X were both launched near the end of 2020, with the Xbox coming first on November 10, and the [=PS5=] quickly following on November 12[[note]]For North America, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The rest of the world got it a week later on the 19th.[[/note]]. This generation soon saw a situation quite unlike any previous one, however, as both the [=PS5=] and Series S/X ended up being almost impossible for most consumers to get hold of, thanks to a combination of production runs being limited by much more complex designs than previous generations, manufacturing being further limited by issues caused by the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, and perhaps most pertinently, scalpers using bots to instantly clean out any retailers who got them in stock (most of whom have made a few token measures to prevent this, but don't really have a reason to make a major effort in this regard, seeing how they get paid either way) and then selling them for obscenely inflated prices on [=eBay=] and other such sites. Thus far, the [=PS5=] has a significant lead in sales.

Initially, the Series S/X are sold far better than the Xbox One, to the point of even outselling the [=PS5=] in some periods and in some territories (mostly thanks to the latter console's scarcity; the Xbox consoles have had this mitigated to a large degree thanks to the Series S). This, along with the Switch and its updated incarnations still selling very well at the time, saw the market return to the highly competitive state of the Seventh Generation. 2022 and 2023, however, saw drastic decreases in sales for Xbox hardware, with both the Series X and Series S struggling to move units. This, along with Microsoft's increasing reliance on Game Pass and other digital services have left players and press questioning if Xbox will continue with their current hardware structure into the next generation, or if they will move to a more digital, cloud-focused, platform-agnostic future.

As mentioned, Xbox continued to have significant troubles in moving units, with [=PS5=] outselling Xbox Series X/S by a reported three-to-one margin as of December 2023, and the cheaper Series S making up most of these Xbox sales. In February 2024, rumors began to reach fever-pitch that Microsoft was making some significant changes in its competitive strategy. First, Hi-Fi Rush was rumoured to be getting a [=PS5=] release. Following this, live service games like Sea of Thieves were also rumoured to be receiving a [=PS5=] release. Then Gears of War. Then Halo. Many have now questioned Xbox’s continued viability in the “console war” and are now speculating that Microsoft appears to be going third-party akin to Sega in the 90s, prioritising the increased revenue from [=PlayStation=] units and acknowledging the low sales of Xbox Series consoles.

With the OLED revision selling 19.71 million units as of September 2023, it has become clear that it will be the final Switch model, and Nintendo is now gearing up for a proper and long-awaited system successor, rumoured to release in [[https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sources-nintendo-switch-2-targets-2024-with-next-gen-console/ late 2024]]. All Switch sales combined have now passed ''139.36 million'' units, and Nintendo expects it to [[https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/02/switch-sales-pass-139-million-will-be-main-business-heading-into-2024-says-nintendo-president remain the company's core business in 2024]], meaning the console is now in very real contention to possibly eclipse Nintendo's own DS as the best-selling handheld ever, and the [=PlayStation 2=] as the best-selling console ever period.

* '''Minor Sides''': Playdate, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, potential Xbox handheld, other PC handhelds.

[[https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/an-xbox-handheld-isnt-just-likely-to-happen-for-microsoft-its-absolutely-necessary A future Xbox handheld system continues to be widely-rumoured,]] even as the Xbox Series consoles struggle in the marketplace to defend themselves against the [=PlayStation 5=]. Even putting aside these continual rumours about an Xbox handheld, Microsoft has continued to work with handheld manufacturers like ASUS and Lenovo on devices such as the ROG Ally on issues such as game and driver support. The ROG Ally may be the closest thing we have to an Xbox handheld at this stage.

Rumours continued to brew about Sony properly reentering the handheld market until they decided to do SomethingCompletelyDifferent. The [=PlayStation Portal=] released on November 15, 2023 at $199.99 in the US. Why the cheaper price than the Vita? Simple — the Portal, aptly named, contains no actual processor or gaming hardware, and is instead a “remote player” (or portal) with an 8-inch LCD screen and what looks like a [=PS5 DualSense=] controller, but essentially cut in half. The device is designed exclusively for remote playing from a [=PS5=], over Wi-Fi or remotely, and does not game on its own accord. The device was praised for its good performance over Wi-Fi and its gorgeous screen and well-designed ergonomics, but it is very much a LoveItOrHateIt device — and as many reviewers pointed out, the Remote Play functionality is also available on smartphones, making it a niche device. Those that have them love them however.

Still, rumours persist about Sony properly reentering the market at some point with a device codenamed "Vita 2" (exactly what it says on the tin), although these rumours have not been substantiated as of yet. Many continue to clamber for a new dedicated Sony handheld as the [=PS5=] continues to dominate its high end console market and has now effectively knocked Microsoft out of the race.

* '''Winner''': The [=PlayStation=] 4 by four country miles, thanks to Microsoft's missteps and Nintendo's [[NecessaryFail face-plant]] -- though the battle continues in the "Eight-and-a-Halfth generation".

[[folder:The Ninth Generation (current)]]

With the Switch still being positively active, Nintendo will be sticking with it for the time being, and it's unlikely to be replaced with a successor anytime soon. Rumors continue to swirl about Nintendo announcing an upgraded version along the lines of the [=PS4 Pro=] and Xbox One X, but nothing has yet been announced on that front, with the most that Nintendo has done thus far being to create a "premium" model with an OLED screen.

While the main console players weren't yet ready to move to streaming gaming, the predicted future of gaming nonetheless materialized as part of this generation anyway, courtesy of Google, who launched their Stadia Service near the start of 2020. This only requires a compatible platform (basically either a PC, a tablet that runs Android, or a TV that has either integral support or is connected to a Chromecast device) and solid internet connection, with all the processing being handled on Google's end, and input and display being handled on the user's end.

Thus, the Stadia became the first of the announced major players to have been released. However, reception has been fairly muted, with criticisms over the games not really being noticeably superior to those offered by existing consoles -- generally they tend to be somewhere between the [=PS4=] Pro and Xbox One X in graphical quality -- the pricing structure[[note]]Unlike other cloud gaming services, players have to buy the individual games on top of the Stadia hardware instead of paying a subscription fee for an entire library of games.[[/note]], and most seriously, often-significant input latency that can make fighting games and twitch shooters all but unplayable (and all that's if you've got a ''good'' internet connection; if you live somewhere where you can't get a decent connection, then you're just all kinds of screwed). Additionally, Stadia is only launched in a handful of first world countries with Google being quiet on whether it will launch elsewhere, meaning if you live in a second- or third-world country, you won’t get to use Stadia either. Early opinions on the service were that while it could certainly have been much worse, it just proved that the concept was still a long ways away from being ready to be the main way to play. Google seemed to tacitly admit defeat in terms of promoting the Stadia as a traditional console-type platform in early 2021 by pulling the plug on a range of planned exclusives, keeping it active only as a way of playing PC games.

The [=PS5=] and Series S/X were both launched near the end of 2020, with the Xbox coming first on November 10, and the [=PS5=] quickly following on November 12[[note]]For North America, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The rest of the world got it a week later on the 19th.[[/note]]. This generation soon saw a situation quite unlike any previous one, however, as both the [=PS5=] and Series S/X ended up being almost imposible for most consumers to get hold of, thanks to a combination of production runs being limited by much more complex designs than previous generations, manufacturing being further limited by issues caused by the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, and perhaps most pertinently, scalpers using bots to instantly clean out any retailers who got them in stock (most of whom have made a few token measures to prevent this, but don't really have a reason to make a major effort in this regard, seeing how they get paid either way) and then selling them for obscenely inflated prices on [=eBay=] and other such sites. Thus far, the [=PS5=] has a significant lead in sales. Initially, the Series S/X are sold far better than the Xbox One, to the point of even outselling the [=PS5=] in some periods and in some territories (mostly thanks to the latter console's scarcity; the Xbox consoles have had this mitigated to a large degree thanks to the Series S). This, along with the Switch and its updated incarnations still selling very well at the time, saw the market return to the highly competitive state of the Seventh Generation. 2022 and 2023, however, saw drastic decreases in sales for Xbox hardware, with both the Series X and Series S struggling to move units. This, along with Microsoft's increasing reliance on Game Pass and other digital services have left players and press questioning if Xbox will continue with their current hardware structure into the next generation, or if they will move to a more digital, cloud-focused, platform-agnostic future.

September 2022 saw the first casualty of this generation's war, with Google announcing that Stadia would discontinue operation the following year's January, and that they would fully refund anyone who bought any hardware or software relating to the service.

On July 31st of 2023, rumors began to swirl that Nintendo were planning their next console. This machine, typically known as the "Switch 2" for lack of a better name ("Swiitch"?), is planned for a [[https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sources-nintendo-switch-2-targets-2024-with-next-gen-console/ second-half-of-2024]] release.

In later years, advances in mobile [=CPUs=] spurred on by smartphones (such as the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U) have made the production of handheld gaming [=PCs=] a reality. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER entered the market on the backs of successful crowdfundinging campaigns, and in 2021, Creator/{{Valve}} threw their hat into the ring with the Steam Deck, a handheld iteration of their [[Platform/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept. These handheld gaming [=PCs=] are capable of playing most PC games out of the box, with varying degrees of compromises to frame rate and resolution depending on the complexity of the game. The higher prices and limited availability of these handheld gaming [=PCs=] means that they have little chance of challenging the dominance of Nintendo or mobile gaming, but their relative success has proven that there is still a profitable market for handheld gaming outside of those ecosystems.

[[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames See here]] for more information.

Ultimately, this war culminated in UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, where the bottom fell out of the market. Atari ended up being the only company to fully survive the crash, once a takeover by Jack Tramiel had secured them financially; Mattel liquidated their Mattel Electronics branch and switched to handling distribution in Europe and South America for other console manufacturers, and the others either went out of business or left the market. Somehow, the 2600 managed to survive the decade, outlasting the more technologically advanced consoles of its generation. Ironically enough, the Crash actually ''helped'' the video game industry — post-Crash, Creator/{{Nintendo}} dropped their line of arcade-machine boards in favor of the Nintendo Entertainment System, which made its debut two years later and single-handedly revived the market.

[[UsefulNotes/The8bitEraOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/The16bitEraOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

[[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames See here]] for more information.

Microsoft, rather upstaged, nonetheless went public with the details of its Platform/XboxOne. The presentation featured the console, a slightly redesigned controller, new Kinect functions and details about launch games and some exclusives. The One was heavily positioned as an all-in-''one'' entertainment center, hoping to change their target demographic; instead of marketing to "hardcore gamers", the [=XB1=] could be shown to "anyone who does multiple things--cable, Netflix, DVD, Blu-ray, Skype or [=FaceTime=], and... [[OutOfFocus oh yeah!]]: video games--on their television," a number that is ''much'' bigger. As such, there were a number of interesting announcements made, one of the biggest being that Creator/StevenSpielberg would be helping them present a ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' television series exclusively for the device, though unfortunately that last plan didn't pan out[[note]]The ''Series/{{Halo|2022}}'' series would end up being stuck in DevelopmentHell before finally seeing release in 2022, nearly nine years after this presentation, as a Creator/ParamountPlus exclusive[[/note]]; open-minded analysts suggested that Microsoft was actually hoping to compete with Apple and their promise to simplify your entertainment clutter with its equally VaporWare [=iTV=] system. The Xbox One was released a week after the [=PS4=], on November 22, marking the official beginning of UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.

* '''Winner''': Nintendo DS by several taps.

* '''Sides''': ''Platform/NintendoSwitch (OLED, Lite)'' vs. ''Sony Platform/PlayStation5'' vs. ''Platform/XboxSeriesXAndS'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/GoogleStadia'' vs. Nintendo's Next Console

Atari attempted a comeback with their 7800 — a souped-up, backward-compatible version of the 2600; while the 7800 secured a decent third-place finish in this war, the damage Atari's reputation had taken ensured it never had much chance of challenging Nintendo or Sega, though one small consolation was that the 7800 at least outsold the Master System in North America. Atari also continued to sell a more compact version of the 2600 as a budget console, and released the XEGS (a version of the Atari 65XE computer repackaged as a game console) in a failed attempt to revive interest in its [[UsefulNotes/Atari8bitComputers 8-bit computer game lineup]].

More specifically, though, the console wars refer to arguments (usually online) between gamers themselves as to the superiority of the various [[VideoGameSystems systems]] and companies. The console wars for each generation usually begin a year or more before the systems in question are even released. Expect much flaming and quoting of sales figures, but don't hold your breath awaiting an explanation of why these battles are so fierce in the first place. The UsefulNotes/ComputerWars were worse — the UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum vs. UsefulNotes/{{Commodore 64}} punch-up still rages in some quarters of the Internet, with the victor depending almost entirely on who you ask — but they faded out in the early 1990s, when geeks made far less noise than today. Could you imagine if people got this worked up about toothpaste brands?

The most famous Console War was between the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super NES]] and UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis in TheNineties (see Fourth Generation folder below), spurred on by some {{Competing Product Potshot}}s on Creator/{{Sega}}'s part. However, internet-related debating (which is [[InternetJerk usually much more heated than what you see in a grade or high school cafeteria]]) didn't really take off until the Fifth Generation; where the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 (and briefly the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn) squared off against one another. These days (the Seventh Generation onward), it's largely the [=PlayStation=] series vs. Microsoft's Xbox line; Nintendo still exists as a third major competitor, but their TakeAThirdOption approach following the UsefulNotes/GameCube, and the fact that they often don't get the third-party titles that Sony and Microsoft do, means they're often excluded from direct console vs. console comparisons (though this has changed somewhat with the release of the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, which has seen a Renaissance of third-party publishing for a Nintendo system, as it's garnered a strong install base).

* '''Sides''': UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey vs early ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' consoles

The infancy of the home video-gaming industry began with the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey. This era is most famous for the arcade game ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' and its clones (both on and off of home consoles). What is not well known is that many other games also existed, such as ''VideoGame/ComputerSpace'', ''VideoGame/{{Breakout}}'', and even some [[Main/LightGunGame light gun games]] for the Odyssey. Granted, many of the games which existed in this era didn't make it to the consoles just yet, but there was indeed more than just ''Pong''.

Towards the end, more advanced consoles started to show up, such as a failed sequel to the Odyssey (hint: it wasn't UsefulNotes/Odyssey2). However, these are mostly forgotten.

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/Atari2600'' vs. all comers, mainly ''UsefulNotes/{{Colecovision}}'', ''UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}}'', ''Fairchild Channel F'', ''Magnavox UsefulNotes/Odyssey2'', ''Bally Astrocade'', ''UsefulNotes/{{Vectrex}}'', the ''RCA Studio II'' and ''Interton VC-4000''

Magnavox tried their hand again by releasing the UsefulNotes/Odyssey2, a console that combined gaming with some rudimentary home computer functions. Unfortunately the system wasn't significantly better than the 2600 on the gaming side, and its computing features were badly underdeveloped. As a result, the system never took off, and Magnavox left the market. Another early competitor was the Bally Astrocade, which was one of the first ''and'' most advanced systems from this generation, but it was expensive and not backed properly by Bally, meaning that it remained a niche product. Probably the weakest of the major competitors was Emerson Radio's Arcadia 2001, which boasted abilities similar to the Intellivision, but suffered an awful game library, a system architecture that was outdated and awkward to work with, and being released near the end of the generation, ensuring that it was blown into the stratosphere by the Colecovision.

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem'' (NES, aka Famicom) vs. ''Platform/SG1000'' and ''Platform/SegaMasterSystem'' vs. ''Platform/Atari7800'', plus the ''UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}'' in Japan vs. RDI Halcyon vs. LJN Video Art

* '''Minor Sides''': Platform/PhilipsCDi vs. Amstrad Platform/GX4000 vs. SNK UsefulNotes/NeoGeo vs. Platform/SuperACan vs. Capcom CPS Changer vs. Commodore 64 GS.

Another important factor in the SNES' victory over the long term was its ''tremendous'' library of games — especially in its native Japan, where the console released anime {{licensed game}}s at bargain prices. Whereas Sega catered mainly to a "hardcore" gamer market of young males, especially with sports or fighting games (with the SNES derided as the bloodless ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' system), the SNES could simply saturate the market with games targeting ''every'' demographic, including the casual gamer that would make Nintendo such a success a decade later. The differences between these strategies began the first-ever CasualCompetitiveConflict in the home market. Much like the NES before them, and later the [=PS2=], games were being released for the systems long after the next-generation systems like the UsefulNotes/PlayStation or N64 had condemned the systems to eventual obsolescence, with some still releasing new games as late as 2000.

Another contender was the NEC UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 (aka PC-Engine). The system was very popular in Japan (outselling the NES and consistently ahead of the Mega Drive) but poor marketing (although further research also unearthed proof that Sega had proactively sabotaged the console's launch and reputation in the US through a series of targeted ads that only aired in the console's test and initial launch markets), a bad pack-in game, and a lack of exports of some of the more popular titles condemned it to obscurity in North America. However, it still played a major role in reshaping the console market during the turn of the 1990's, with its surprise success against the Famicom being Nintendo's main motivator to release a successor to their 8-bit juggernaut. Consequently, while the [=TurboGrafx=] was only a minor competitor in the Western market, its undeniable impact on the Japanese market and the effect that impact had on the West makes it hard to brush off as "just another game console".

Unlike the Genesis and the [=TurboGrafx-16=], the SNES had no CD drive peripheral, though one was planned. To make a [[UsefulNotes/{{SNES CDROM}} long story]] short, Nintendo broke deals with Sony and Philips. As part of the settlement, Philips won the right to make several Mario and Zelda games for its CD-i system. The CD-i had been originally sold as a multimedia system until Philips realized that only the games were actually selling. But the CD-i turned out to be poorly situated as a game console, since game developers had to deal with a slow, buggy interface and a controller that lagged badly and could only support two "functions", no matter the number of buttons. Nevertheless, the CD-i's limited success in kiosk and interactive-multimedia markets allowed it to stay in production until 1998. As for the CD-i's Mario and Zelda games, [[VideoGame/HotelMario the less said about]] [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames them here the better]]. As for Sony, it turned its half of the CD peripheral into an independent console, something called a "[=PlayStation=]." We'll get to that in a bit...

The real losers were the Amstrad [=GX4000=], a console based on the UsefulNotes/AmstradCPC computer line which had a library consisting mostly of overpriced ports of CPC games; it was only released in Europe, and lasted less than a year and the Commodore 64 GS, which failed in a similar fashion.

The oddball was the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo. Released in 1990 (the same year as the SNES), it was way more expensive than the other 16-bit consoles and was there so that fans with lots of money could play the exact same arcade game at home. Since SNK used the very same hardware in their arcade machines it made porting cheap, and thus new UsefulNotes/NeoGeo games continued to trickle out as late as ''2004''. The only true competitor for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo, Creator/{{Capcom}}'s CPS Changer, had no third-party support and less than a dozen releases[[note]]The CPS Changer somewhat stretches the definition of console - it has no processors or RAM, all the hardware is contained in the individual games themselves, which are basically full arcade boards in a shell. It's been described as a "glorified supergun" because all the CPS Changer does is provide an output to the TV and inputs in form of SNES-compatible controllers (the system was bundled with the Capcom CPS Fighter joystick). The photos towards the bottom of [[http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg90-capcom.htm#page=models this page]] demonstrate how this worked, the large grey box is the game, the much smaller black box on top is the CPS Changer[[/note]].

The UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar was an infamous case of mismanagement and general corporate stupidity. Unlike most of the other new systems being released at this time, the Jaguar used cartridges rather than [=CD's=], but that was probably the least of its problems. Atari's claim of 64-bit power and an initial huge list of third-party support impressed the public, but any hopes of Atari taking back the industry were crushed by the Jaguar's infamously-complicated and buggy coding structure, and an initial wave of games that sucked and only looked slightly better than comparable 3D SNES games using the Super-FX chip. And the system's advertising campaign was... offensive, to say the least. As a result, most of the third-party bailed out and sales were lackluster. Atari tried to counter the arrival of the newer 32-bit systems with an ill-thought-out CD add-on, but that didn't do anything and the Jaguar fell — taking Atari with it.

* '''Major Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn'' vs. ''{{Creator/Sony}} UsefulNotes/PlayStation''

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast'' vs ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation2'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo GameCube}}'' vs. ''Microsoft UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}''.

The [=PS2=], meanwhile, proceeded to grab up the majority of the market early on and hold it, despite being less powerful than the later [=GameCube=] and Xbox consoles. Once again, a factor outside of its game library helped the [=PS2=] achieve victory — at the time of its launch, it was the cheapest DVD player on the market. The system has shown rather outrageous longevity as well, being manufactured and having titles released for it in ''2013''--the same year [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 its successor's successor]] released--whereas the Xbox and [=GameCube=] had largely faded out by 2007. With nearly ''4000 games'', it has the largest library in console history. In the end, the [=PS2=] has sold nearly three times the ''combined'' sales total of its two main rivals, making this easily the biggest CurbStompBattle since the NES took on the Master System and Atari 7800. At 153.6 million sales, it is the most successful home console of all time.

Despite a whole set of (theoretically) exclusive M-rated games from Capcom — ''VideoGame/{{killer7}}'', ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', a remake of [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil the original]] ''RE'' (followed by eventually the entire main series to that point), and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 a prequel to it]] — along with a few mature non-Capcom games such as ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' and a ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' remake, Nintendo was [[CasualCompetitiveConflict unable to shake off its uncool "kiddie" reputation]]. The [=GameCube=] also didn't play UsefulNotes/{{DVD}}s (unlike the [=PS2=] and Xbox) thanks to using smaller discs in an attempt to ward off piracy (which didn't work), and barely even put out an attempt to do something about online play (a lame adapter was only compatible with two ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar Online'' games released by Sega, and ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' could only be played online via a local area network). Although it took second in Japan, the [=GameCube=] was third in Western markets and Australia. In fact, after a relatively strong first eighteen months, once it became obvious that Nintendo had released all their major franchise games for the system and had no plans for further ones (outside of the endless ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' games, and an occasional one such as ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'') sales of the [=GameCube=] utterly imploded, meaning that for much of its life the console was humiliated to the point of being outsold by the ''original'' UsefulNotes/PlayStation in several markets. By about 2004, the system had practically fallen into mainstream obscurity and was largely ignored by the video game press as well (in fact, by about 2005, it was ''completely excluded'' from Spike TV's Computer And Video Game Awards). By the time it was discontinued, the [=GameCube=] sold 21.74 million units worldwide, a little short of the newcomer Xbox. It wasn't a total loss, however, since Nintendo ended up the most profitable company of the Sixth Generation due to never treating the [=GameCube=] as a loss leader.

The Xbox entered the fray last and, despite initial skepticism, carved out a niche for itself thanks largely to KillerApp ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', popularizing PC-style games including many WesternRPG and FirstPersonShooter games, and the UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade system that helped popularize online gaming on consoles (as well as filling Sega's vacant role; indeed, cross-compatibility between the Xbox and Dreamcast was discussed -- Microsoft had helped with the Dreamcast -- but it ultimately didn't happen). In Japan, however, it barely made a dent and relied on Microsoft to back it up financially, as the company treated it as a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_leader loss-leader]] rather than a source of revenue in its own right. One place where it became oddly popular was in the Linux community, who exploited its PC roots to create an early version of the modern-day Home Theatre PC. Despite strong sales in North America, Microsoft struggled to make a profit off of the console itself, due to its high manufacturing cost. With its initial retail price of $299, Microsoft lost about $125 for every system sold, which cost $425 to manufacture. Ultimately, Microsoft lost an accumulative total of $4 billion on the Xbox, only managing to turn a profit at the end of 2004. By the end of the generation, the original Xbox sold 24 million units - a little more than the [=GameCube=] but still far behind the [=PS2=].

* '''Sides''': ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation3'' vs. ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'' vs. ''Microsoft UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}''.

The Wii was outselling both the Xbox 360 and [=PlayStation=] 3 ''combined'' for about the first four years of its lifespan. Eventually by 2011, the Wii's sales lead started to trail off, while the Xbox 360 received a boost from the massively successful Kinect add-on. While Sony's [=PlayStation=] Move has been more critically acclaimed in terms of games, it didn't capture the public imagination as much as the others due to being seen (rightly or wrongly) as being just a more advanced version of the Wii's control scheme. This trend continued in 2012, with the Wii often outsold by its competition at a ratio of 4-1; as the UsefulNotes/WiiU approached, Nintendo's only major releases of the year were ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven Fever'' and ''VideoGame/EpicMickey 2''. As of October 2013, the Wii officially ceased production in Japan (though not elsewhere) as Nintendo drove most of its focus on its next-gen console.

* '''Major Sides''': ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/{{Wii U}}'' vs. ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4'' vs. ''Microsoft UsefulNotes/XboxOne (S)''
* '''Minor Sides''': The ''UsefulNotes/{{Ouya}}''[[note]]Both the company and the console are each called ''Ouya.''[[/note]]

This generation was met with a fair amount of competition from tangent industries. Cellular phones and handheld computers had advanced to the point of being able to play simple but graphically appealing games; this took a huge chunk out of the casual market, as such games were cheap, could be played for a few minutes at a time, and--assuming the player already had a cell phone (which at that point was like assuming the player needed oxygen)--didn't require additional hardware. Meanwhile, as consoles became more full-featured and started to offer non-gaming services, while PC services like UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} (whose short-lived line of Steam Machines, released in late 2015, seriously blurred the line between PC and console gaming) standardized the buying, installation, and customer support processes, the two camps found themselves in closer competition for consumer dollars.

So it was up to Nintendo to upset the applecart. They announced the UsefulNotes/WiiU at E3 2011, with a release in Nov 18 (NA) and Dec 6 (JPN). It would be backwards-compatible with all Wii games, controllers and accessories, but not [=GameCube=] ones. The console itself resembled a downsized Xbox 360 in appearance, but that's because all the supposed excitement was in the controller. The [=GamePad=] was the lovechild of a Wiimote and an iPad — in addition to rumble, motion control, and all the buttons and thumbsticks you'd expect, it featured a touch-screen (single-touch only), a camera with video chat support, and could display both secondary outputs (non-important information) ''or'' be used to play the game directly while someone else used the TV to, say, watch TV. However, it was ''not'' a handheld system; without a set-top box to think for it, the controller accomplished little on its own. Response to this reveal was mixed; Nintendo stocks went down noticeably in the days following the announcement over doubts regarding the (relatively) astronomical cost of controllers, the revised market strategy (going high-tech in comparison to the Wii's {{everyman}} approach; focusing on games that only supported one [=GamePad=] at a time, with others required to use Wiimotes), and the lack of innovation in comparison to the Wii. Just like the Wii, the UsefulNotes/WiiU catered heavily to families and "casuals", thanks to games such as ''VideoGame/NintendoLand''.

During the lull between the Wii U's launch and Sony's and Microsoft's announcements, an indie developer tried to throw their hat in the ring. The '''UsefulNotes/{{Ouya}}''' launched a Website/{{Kickstarter}} campaign and saw a whopping 3.7 ''million'' USD in donations in only two days. In 2013 the console officially went on sale, making it the first crowdfunded console (to our knowledge). Unfortunately for Ouya, though, a number of controversial decisions regarding the system's marketing and design crippled its already lukewarm third-party support, and the console was discontinued in 2015 when Razer purchased the company.

The UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 conference showcased some very promising footage: the next ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'' game; ''VideoGame/{{Knack}}'', a new IP and platformer/brawler hybrid; the astounding news that Creator/{{Bungie}} Studios' then-new MMO-FPS, ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'', would be available on the console; the somewhat-less-exciting news that ''VideoGame/{{Diablo III}}'' would as well; and the [[ForegoneConclusion non-surprise]] that Creator/SquareEnix was working on a new ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' game (though they did manage to drop a few jaws by announcing that it was the infamously borderline-{{Vaporware}} ''Final Fantasy Versus XIII'', re-branded as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'', as well as the long-awaited ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII''). It confirmed that the [=PS4=] controller would have a touch interface. It also confirmed a theory concerning the [=PS4=]'s nickname, "Orbis": when placed alongside the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita, you get the PretentiousLatinMotto for "circle of life", which was Sony's way of teasing that the Vita would be to the [=PS4=] what the Wii U's [=GamePad=] was to the U: a fully-functioning private screen. What did ''not'' make an appearance was the console itself, any hard technical specs about it (aside from 8 GB of RAM), its price or its release date. That information was delayed until E3 - the price point was established at $399, $100 cheaper than the [=XB1=]; the [[http://kotaku.com/the-ps4-has-a-500gb-hard-drive-and-other-misc-details-512521805 specs were released]]; and the console itself was put on display, free of any kind of DRM. It was released on November 15, 2013 in the US and November 29th 2013 for Europe.

Microsoft, rather upstaged, nonetheless went public with the details of its UsefulNotes/XboxOne. The presentation featured the console, a slightly redesigned controller, new Kinect functions and details about launch games and some exclusives. The One was heavily positioned as an all-in-''one'' entertainment center, hoping to change their target demographic; instead of marketing to "hardcore gamers", the [=XB1=] could be shown to "anyone who does multiple things--cable, Netflix, DVD, Blu-ray, Skype or [=FaceTime=], and... [[OutOfFocus oh yeah!]]: video games--on their television," a number that is ''much'' bigger. As such, there were a number of interesting announcements made, one of the biggest being that Creator/StevenSpielberg would be helping them present a ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' television series exclusively for the device, though unfortunately that last plan didn't pan out[[note]]The ''Series/{{Halo|2022}}'' series would end up being stuck in DevelopmentHell before finally seeing release in 2022, nearly nine years after this presentation, as a Creator/ParamountPlus exclusive[[/note]]; open-minded analysts suggested that Microsoft was actually hoping to compete with Apple and their promise to simplify your entertainment clutter with its equally VaporWare [=iTV=] system. The Xbox One was released a week after the [=PS4=], on November 22, marking the official beginning of UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch (Lite)'' vs. ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 Pro'' vs. ''Microsoft UsefulNotes/XboxOne X''
%%* '''Minor Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/AtariVCS''

Finally, Creator/{{Atari}} has announced that they would re-enter the race for the first time since the Jaguar with something called the UsefulNotes/AtariVCS, originally planned for release by Spring 2018. Little is currently known about it, other than it being some sort of mid-ground between gaming console and open-source PC, and that it will come pre-loaded with a vast majority of the company's backlog. Unfortunately, it's been missing its release deadlines and, as of November 2019, seems to be becoming {{Vaporware}}. UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} has also announced plans to re-enter the race, with details surrounding their upcoming Platform/IntellivisionAmico console being... [[http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/07/04/first-details-on-the-intellivision-reboot-console-controller-and-games interesting]], to say the least; though it likely won't release until about the time the Ninth Generation starts.

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch (OLED, Lite)'' vs. ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation5'' vs. ''Microsoft UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/GoogleStadia'' vs. Nintendo's Next Console

* '''Sides''': ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/AtariLynx'' vs. ''Sega UsefulNotes/GameGear'' vs. ''NEC [=TurboExpress=]'' (aka PC Engine) vs. ''Sega Nomad'' vs. ''Hartung Game Master'' vs. ''Bit Corp. Gamate'' vs. ''Watara Supervision'' vs. ''Timlex Mega Duck''.

The [=TurboExpress=] also failed, despite being the most powerful handheld at that time, largely because it cost $299 on release. A late entry by Sega in the form of the Nomad, a handheld console that could play Genesis games, was a flop — it came out the year ''after'' the first UsefulNotes/PlayStation console.

* '''Sides''': ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor'' vs. ''SNK UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket[=/=]Pocket Color'' vs. ''Tiger Electronics UsefulNotes/GameCom/UsefulNotes/RZone'' vs. ''Bandai UsefulNotes/{{Wonderswan}}/Wonderswan Color''.

The cultural dominance of the UsefulNotes/GameBoy was immense, and continued to be bought by thousands for years after its initial release. But as the hardware aged, its competition saw a chance to strike. The UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket ([[Main/NoExportForYou Released in Europe, but not in North America most likely due to the Game Boy Color releasing]]) and UsefulNotes/GameCom were both attempts to knock the monochrome bleeper off its feet. But Nintendo had another trick up its sleeve; the original Game Boy was swapped out for the streamlined, sharper-screened Game Boy Pocket and later the color-screened, backwards-compatible UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor was put on the market. Combined with the burgeoning ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' phenomenon, which was just beginning to make noise outside of Japan, the Game Boy kept its feet until it was relieved by its successor in 2001.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color was released to compete, and while its library of classic Neo Geo adaptations saw it gain a mild amount of success, it never managed to make any real headway against Nintendo's established brand name and backwards compatibility. Japan also saw the introduction of the hugely-popular Wonderswan, created by [[Creator/GunpeiYokoi the Game Boy's original designer]] as what was his final project before his tragic death, but it never made it outside Japan. The Game.com was easily the least successful handheld from this generation; it had a touch screen and online features, but they were clumsily implemented and the overall hardware was badly underpowered (it actually had a similar CPU to the original Game Boy, despite being released ''eight years later''), consigning it to failure in the marketplace. Tiger Electronics would see a similar failure with the UsefulNotes/RZone, which managed to sell even worse than not only its Game.com, but also the UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy, which the R-Zone is generally a ShoddyKnockoffProduct of, and which had three equally disappointing different versions and graphics that can't even exceed the quality of those of the Virtual Boy.

* '''Sides''': ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance[=/Advance SP/Micro=]'' vs. ''Game Park [=GP32=]'' vs. ''Tapwave Zodiac'' vs. ''Nokia Platform/NGage QD'' vs. ''Bandai [=WonderSwan=] Crystal'' vs. ''Tiger Telematics UsefulNotes/{{Gizmondo}}'' vs. ''Time Top [=GameKing=]''.

A very minor competitor was Time Top's Game King console. Its design was intentionally made to look like the Game Boy Advance, with two later models taking the look of the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable. Many of its games were ripoffs of other titles, and it was still a '''black-and-white''' system (with the exception of the Game King III, which uses full color). The Game King III was not released outside of Asia.

* '''Major Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/NintendoDS[=/DS Lite/DSi=]'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable'' (aka PSP)/''PSP-Go''
* '''Minor Sides''': ''Game Park [=GP2X=]'' vs. UsefulNotes/{{iOS Games}}[=/=]UsefulNotes/AndroidGames.

This generation saw Nintendo's first serious competition for the handheld spot since Sega launched its Game Gear in 1990. The PSP, Sony's first foray into the handheld market, was marketed with top-of-the-line technical power. The PSP has much more raw power and greater non-gaming functionality. However, the dual-screened DS chose to concentrate on pure gaming, appealing to casual gamers with the intuitive touch-screen, microphone, excellent battery life, and lots of games targeted toward really young children. This particular handheld war had some major bleedover from the sixth-generation of console wars. Especially in Western markets, many predicted an easy victory for the PSP, with graphics that were comparable to the [=PS2=], games that appeared more "mature" than Mario and Kirby, and its much-vaunted portable media functionality. On the flipside, Nintendo seemed hopelessly out-of-touch, and much of the criticism that the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] got was also applied to the DS through its early lifespan. However, by the end of 2005 (the first full year of the DS's lifespan, and the majority of that of the PSP), Nintendo retained a notable commercial and critical lead over Sony. This turned out to be a surprise for everyone who thought the odd little device was dead in the water.

In Fall 2008, Nintendo announced the [=DSi=], a third model of the DS. It no longer has UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance compatibility (and by extension, no support for the portable ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' games, which use the GBA port for their guitar grip peripheral), but has a (not particularly impressive) built-in camera, and SD card reader to play media. It also has built-in wi-fi and an online shop for games, similar to UsefulNotes/{{WiiWare}}. Priced the same as the PSP, it was released worldwide as of April 5, 2009, [[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6207644.html selling over 600,000 units in its first two days.]]

An odd twist of this generation is the invention of smartphones--Apple {{iProduct}}s and Android phones by Website/{{Google}}--which have become competitors in their own right. UsefulNotes/{{iOS Games}} and UsefulNotes/AndroidGames are download-only games and are popular among some gamers — particularly for simple, low-cost games. Major third-party developers, such as Creator/{{Konami}}, Creator/{{Capcom}}, and Creator/{{Square|Enix}}, have all launched classic as well as new/exclusive titles in the App Store, proving that it's being taken seriously. Also, the App Store has brought many other budding companies to the surface, such as Creator/GameLoft. But it remains to be seen how big a presence this new market is in the Console Wars, because we can't measure their impact yet.

* '''Major Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 3DS}}[=/2DS/New 3DS=]'' vs. ''Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita''
* '''Minor Sides''': ''Android''/''[=iOS=]''/''Windows Phone'' (i.e., mobile devices), Handheld gaming [=PCs=] (i.e. [[UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Steam Deck]], GPD Win 3, ONEXPLAYER, AYA NEO).

In March 2010, Nintendo announced plans to release the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS. More details about the system were made available at the 2010 E3 trade show; features included a wider upper screen, which is capable of full, scalable, glasses-free 3D effects (similar to those seen in films like ''Film/{{Avatar}}''), an analog nub in place of the D-Pad (which is still present, but placed lower on the left side of the unit), and has graphics capabilities on par with the Wii, and sometimes the [=X360=] and [=PS3=]. (Let's put it this way: ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' has graphical fidelity surpassing ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' with a higher polygon count then ''Brawl'' — 60 million polygons at E3-2010 and 96 million polygons in its final version compare to Brawl's 48 million polygons — was highlighted at the event, while freaking '''''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater's''''' Demo at E3-2010 was looking as good as [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 ever]], but now in 3D — was both used as a tech demo and promised by Creator/HideoKojima to be ported to the new console.) Other features include an expanded "sleep mode" which can accept communications between other 3DS units, regardless of what the 3DS was doing when it was put in sleep mode, and showcasing trailers for movies like ''WesternAnimation/{{How to Train Your Dragon|2010}}'' or ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'' in full 3D, just like the theaters. It was released at the end of February 2011 in Japan and in March for the rest of the world, kick-starting the next generation of handhelds in the process. A 3DS XL saw release in 2012, quelling some complaints over a small screen and hand cramps. The console's final major releases occurred in Q2 2019, and the system itself saw its production discontinued in September 2020.

Sony officially released one next-generation hardware platform, the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita. The Vita sports dual analog sticks, a rear-mounted touch panel, a larger screen, 3G internet, and of course more power (rumors claim it's as powerful as the [=PS3=], but with a refined design). Games include new entries in the ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'', ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', and ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' franchises. And it's [[http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/01/ngp.ars gone back to cartridges.]] The Vita would be released in Japan in December of 2011, and to most of the rest of the world in February 2012. Every critic that got their hands on it liked it a lot, but [[CriticalDissonance few people are buying it]], due to its huge price tag and anemic roster of games. The inevitable price drop, and release of a "Slim" version, seems to have finally done Sony some favors, with the Vita actually ''selling out'' at some vendors as of the July 4th 2014 weekend--though, given its previous sales rates, and thus its likely manufacture rates, that might not be saying much.

* Phones, tablets, and smartphone based portable media players running [=iOS=], Android, and Windows Phone [=OSes=] are largely considered by mainstream press to be competitors against Nintendo and Sony. With a plethora of free and cheap games on devices you're already going to have, it's fairly easy to see why mainstream press suggested these were going to be the "Nintendo and Sony Killers", although Nintendo and Sony dedicated portable gaming consoles still continue to exist. Probably the biggest reason why dedicated handhelds are still going strong is that their competitors continually rely on touch controls, which isn't always the best control type to play with. (As a very simple example: {{UsefulNotes/NES}} emulators exist for these phones, but the D-pad and A & B buttons are simulated using the touchscreen, forcing you to either: buy a controller peripheral, block your own view to play, or make the game take up even ''less'' of the already-pretty-small screen. There's also the fact that phones aren't typically designed to be held the way a video game controller is, and can be uncomfortable or result in you doing things you didn't want to do -- where exactly is the Power button again?)

The [=3DS=] got off to a rocky start with not much in the way of software its first few months, the high point being an UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' in June 2011. Soon afterward in August, Nintendo announced that they were slashing the system price by $70 (and offering 20 retro games - 10 from the UsefulNotes/{{NES}}, 10 from the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance - to early adopters as an apology). Many took this to be a giant red flag as to the system's future, but in actuality it did the trick, as sales shot up to surpass the first-year numbers of the ''original'' DS. On top of that, the system is considered to have hit its stride that holiday season thanks to system updates and true {{Killer App}}s like ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter3Tri Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate]]'', and downloadable titles such as ''VideoGame/{{Pushmo}}''. In March 2012, ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' was finally released, [[KillerApp which managed to please those who were dissatisfied with the Mario titles]]. ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter4'', ''Shin Megami Tensei IV'', and ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault'' are only some examples of the major third party support the handheld has received. And then [[KillerApp came]] ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]]'', and a portable version of the latest entry in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series. Variations of the system include the Nintendo 2DS, a cheaper, non-clamshell design that lacks 3D functionality and the ''New'' 3DS, which follows in the steps of the [=DSi=] by adding a better processor, a second analogue pad, a few extra buttons and better 3D. Sales of the system remained strong throughout the generation, though with the launch of the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2017, it was generally accepted that the 3DS was in its twilight years, with software development largely winding down and transferring to the Switch. This became solidified with the release of the Switch Lite in 2019, a hardware revision built solely for handheld play. While the 3DS ultimately became Nintendo's lowest-selling handheld system by the time of its discontinuation in September 2020, they can probably live with that.

And finally, there's the fact that the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch may have derailed the Portable Wars by combining Nintendo's set-top-box and handheld lines into a single console. This creates some really weird snags, like the idea that Nintendo, by releasing the New 2DS XL alongside the Switch, appeared to compete ''against themselves''. But with the victory for this seemingly final handheld generation secured to them, this scenario ended up being a non-issue for them.

In later years, advances in mobile [=CPUs=] spurred on by smartphones (such as the Intel Tiger Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U) have made the production of handheld gaming [=PCs=] a reality. The GPD Win 3, AYA NEO, and the ONEXPLAYER entered the market on the backs of successful crowdfundinging campaigns, and in 2021, Creator/{{Valve}} threw their hat into the ring with the Steam Deck, a handheld iteration of their [[UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} Steam Machine]] concept. These handheld gaming [=PCs=] are capable of playing most PC games out of the box, with varying degrees of compromises to frame rate and resolution depending on the complexity of the game. The higher prices and limited availability of these handheld gaming [=PCs=] means that they have little chance of challenging the dominance of Nintendo or mobile gaming, but their relative success has proven that there is still a profitable market for handheld gaming outside of those ecosystems.

On the other side of the Pacific was an odd thing called the FM Towns Marty, which was the ''first'' 32-bit CD-ROM-based console... It was a console variant of the respectable UsefulNotes/FMTowns, an early Fujitsu attempt to create a multimedia-centered PC, and predating Xbox by a full seven years it used a custom PC hardware centered around an AMD 386 variant. But unlike the desktop FM Towns machines it wasn't able to run DOS software, was plagued with compatibility problems, and was very expensive (72,000 Yen at release, about $700), next to no Japanese third-party support (most companies that made games for it, such as Creator/LucasArts and Creator/OriginSystems were Western and did not appeal to the Japanese consumer at all, [[NoExportForYou making you wonder why they did not want to release it in the West]], especially when [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Western console collectors give it a "Holy Grail" status]]) ...and proceeded to bomb.

Finally, Creator/{{Atari}} has announced that they would re-enter the race for the first time since the Jaguar with something called the UsefulNotes/AtariVCS, originally planned for release by Spring 2018. Little is currently known about it, other than it being some sort of mid-ground between gaming console and open-source PC, and that it will come pre-loaded with a vast majority of the company's backlog. Unfortunately, it's been missing its release deadlines and, as of November 2019, seems to be becoming {{Vaporware}}. UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} has also announced plans to re-enter the race, with details surrounding their upcoming UsefulNotes/IntellivisionAmico console being... [[http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/07/04/first-details-on-the-intellivision-reboot-console-controller-and-games interesting]], to say the least; though it likely won't release until about the time the Ninth Generation starts.

Another footnote could be added for the UsefulNotes/SuperACan. Its games were largely [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WDwMsUC-rAU ripoffs of other games]] and it was never released outside of Taiwan.

* '''Sides''': ''[[UsefulNotes/ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer 3DO]]'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar'' vs. ''Pioneer [=LaserActive=]'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} [=CD32=]'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/FMTowns Marty'' vs. ''Memorex VIS'' vs. ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy''.

* '''Major Sides''': UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem and NES (a.k.a. Super Famicom and Famicom) vs. UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis (a.k.a. Mega Drive) vs. NEC UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 (a.k.a. PC Engine)
* '''Minor Sides''': UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi vs. Amstrad Platform/GX4000 vs. SNK UsefulNotes/NeoGeo vs. UsefulNotes/SuperACan vs. Capcom CPS Changer vs. Commodore 64 GS.

* '''Sides''': ''UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem'' (NES, aka Famicom) vs. ''UsefulNotes/SG1000'' and ''UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem'' vs. ''UsefulNotes/Atari7800'', plus the ''UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}'' in Japan vs. RDI Halcyon vs. LJN Video Art

* '''Sides''': ''Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance[=/Advance SP/Micro=]'' vs. ''Game Park [=GP32=]'' vs. ''Tapwave Zodiac'' vs. ''Nokia UsefulNotes/{{NGage}} QD'' vs. ''Bandai [=WonderSwan=] Crystal'' vs. ''Tiger Telematics UsefulNotes/{{Gizmondo}}'' vs. ''Time Top [=GameKing=]''.

* '''Minor Sides''': ''Apple UsefulNotes/{{Pippin}}'' vs. ''NEC PC-FX''.