Gaming in this time period reached a new millennium. Better Graphics, better control, stronger gaming ideas, and advanced digital development. These aspects in this time period of gaming have lead to a more realistic feel to games. Illustrations have also improved drastically due to advanced software development over these years alone. Everything is no longer really done by hand in this present era. I also remember that there were so many consoles for so many companies. Now, gaming is narrowed and revolved around just three consoles; The Nintendo Wii, The Xbox and The PlayStation leading this present era into the future of gaming. These advances tactics will eventually lead us into the future of gaming, which will be digital gaming.
In the year 2000, SONY wanted change in the new millennium. With the PlayStation 1 being a hit with games such as the Street Fighter Alpha Series, Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo and Final Fantasy; SONY decided to elevate their gaming status to a new level with the launch of the PlayStation 2. According to Time.com A History in Video Game Consoles, the PlayStation 2 became the most popular console in the 128-bit era. It also stated that this console raised the popularity of playing games in high-speed Internet connections. This console came out with some of the greatest series of games in gaming history. Games such as Grand theft Auto, Final Fantasy, God of War and Kingdom Hearts and Marvel vs Capcom. It was also the first console to function as a DVD player. This console helped elevate SONY because of all of it’s functions and how versatile the was by allowing it to still play PS1 games. Nintendo also revolutionized gaming in 2000 when the Game Boy was launched. Microsoft did however counter in 2001 with the Xbox. The Xbox was the first console ever created by Microsoft. Created with PC technology, the Xbox was one of the consoles that allowed people to play online with one another. Whether if it was with friends or with strangers all over the world, this console was one of the first consoles to lead to the rise of online play. Their greatest game ever created was Halo. Although the Xbox had a good function as far as communication, it did not outsell the PS2. Nintendo also launched the Nintendo GameCube in 2001. This Console is best known for it’s tiny 3-inch discs and continued enhancing its franchise gaming titles such as Mario, Zelda and Metroid. The greatest game ever created for this console was Super Smash Bros. Melee. This game was an advancement of the first Super Smash Bros. It is a combination of a combat/fighting game. This game is still played all over the world and big international gaming tournaments are still thrown for this game. 2001 was also the year that SEGA announced that it will no longer manufacture hardware due to its failed experiment; The SEGA Dreamcast. In 2002, Nintendo launched the Game Boy Advance. This console was portable for Game Boy Color and Game Boy games what made this unique was its LCD screen. It allowed it to display over 32,000 colors. From the years 2002-05, gaming companies focus solely on portable gaming devices such as the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and the PlayStation Portable (PSP). However, the face of gaming changed when Microsoft solidified its greatness with the launch of the Xbox 360 in late 2005. This console had advance online service, better graphics and rendered realistic gaming physics. It was the first console with USB ports to use MP3 players to charge MP3s and play music while enjoying video game experience along with digital cameras, iPods and many other electronic devices According to Time.com A History in Video Game Consoles.
In 2006, Nintendo also enhanced their gaming abilities with the launch of the Nintendo Wii. This console renovated the art of the controller with abilities like swinging a tennis racquet, swinging a baseball bat, shooting a basketball, a steering wheel and more. However, the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 fell victim to SONY again when it launch the PlayStation 3. The PS3 was and expensive console for good reason because it had the ability of 3D gaming, save photos, videos, movies and it also displayed games in a revolutionized quality. The one thing that the Xbox 360 and the PS3 have in common was the rise of digital stores. Xbox 360 had the Xbox Live Arcade, which allowed users to buy classic Arcade games such as Street Fighter 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Ms. Pacman and more. The PS3 had the PlayStation Store allowed users to not only purchase games but movies as well. In 2008, Nintendo enhanced its gaming with the release of WiiFit Sports; A game for all ages from toddlers to elders. Social gaming also rose as games like Angry Birds and Farmville took over social media attracting millions of Facebook users. These social media games also led to the evolution of mobile gaming. In 2009, WiiFit Sports became the greatest selling video game of all time.
In 2013, SONY and Microsoft revolutionized their consoles with the launches of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. These two consoles both have the ability to download apps, watch TV shows, movies, buy games digitally and it is the new face of online competition. The PS4 has also incorporated social media heavily by having a share button on their controllers. The PS4 and Xbox One function more differently to me because everything is more digital. Pretty soon, Games will no longer be sold in stores, GameStop will stop selling hard copies of games and everything will be revolved inside of consoles.
Present Gaming has transcended into future gaming. I believe the next phase of gaming will be that everything will revolve inside of the console. 5 years from now I truly believe that physical game copies will become extinct and games will have to be bought online. Video game consoles have also become pretty close to computers because you have access to the Internet and you can pretty much obtain information through video game consoles. Accessing games digitally will be the next phase of gaming. Technology will keep enhancing gaming’s visuals to also make gaming a 99% realistic environment. The problem with this is that making games too realistic takes away the fun of gaming and users will not want to play. However, gaming is in great hands and with gaming console technology evolving day by day, gaming will be accessed digitally.
Present gaming has transcended into what gaming is today. I feel that gaming is now and incorporation of all the consoles put together into one strong masterpiece. Mobile gaming is a new sensation. According to TechTimes.com’s Gaming On-The-Go: The Future Of Mobile Gaming vs. Consoles, Smartphones and tablets have become what gaming is today. SONY and Nintendo blame poor sales of the Nintendo 3DS and the PS Vita due to the fact that mobile gaming has become the new sensation of gaming. Mobile games are much simpler and can be played from toddler to elder. Games such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Temple Run and Clash of Clans have become the new face of gaming. Mobile gaming has expanded online as well. One example is the game Clash of Clans. I remember in my old job, 90% of my co-workers played this game. They would often play together or sometimes against different clans all over the world. According to According to TechTimes.com’s Gaming On-The-Go: The Future Of Mobile Gaming vs. Consoles, 35 percent of today’s present gaming uses tablets and smartphones. Since smartphones are very popular and with mobile gaming on the rise, this percentage will keep increasing because phones will only be renovated into even better versions of the last and the games will improve. The one thing that intrigues me the most is the emulator apps that have been released for mobile gamers. Apps such as Snes 9x; an app that allows users to download ALL games for the Super Nintendo. Games like Megaman, Super Mario, Street Fighter, Duck Hunt and more. Furthermore, MegaN64x; the app that allows users to download games for the Nintendo 64. These apps are gold because sometimes current gaming does get boring and sometimes people would like the experience to actually go back and experience games they grew up playing. Games like Pokemon Stadium, Super Smash Bros, Super Mario, Donkey Kong and others.
Present gaming is the middle child of gaming. Of course gamers need to know what is the next phase of gaming and need to know the first steps gaming took. But it is important that gamers know what is trending right now. At times, gamers tend to segregate themselves from each other into 3 groups. The gamers that only like old school games, gamers that only love new games and just casual gamers that tend to just go with the flow. If the gaming community can come together as one, gaming can become fun again. Some games are too generic and some games are too realistic. There is no real balance in gaming right now but if the gaming community looks for outside sources to adapt to their products, gaming would be more versatile and would make more sense. Gaming is going in a good direction, it just needs a little more simplicity and new ideas.
References
http://content.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2029221,00.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/25764
www.Techtimes.com/Gaming On-The-Go: The Future Of Mobile Gaming vs. Consoles
http://ps4daily.com/2013/09/top-10-most-exciting-features-of-playstation-4/
