Computer and video games
This article is about computer and video games. For the magazine see Computer and Video Games (magazine). |
Namco's Pac-Man was a hit, and became a cultural phenomenon. The game spawned merchandise, a cartoon series and pop songs, and was one of the most heavily cloned video games of all-time. |
A
computer game is a
computer-controlled game. A
video game is a computer game where a video display such as a
monitor or
television is the primary feedback device. The term "computer game" also includes games which display only text (and which can therefore theoretically be played on a
teletypewriter) or which use other methods, such as sound or vibration, as their primary feedback device, but there are very few new games in these categories. There always must also be some sort of
input device, usually in the form of
button/joystick combinations (on arcade games), a
keyboard &
mouse/
trackball combination (computer games), or a
controller (
console games), or a combination of any of the above. Also, more esoteric devices have been used for input (
see also Game controller). Usually there are rules and goals, but in more open-ended games the player may be free to do whatever they like within the confines of the virtual universe.
The phrase
interactive entertainment is the formal reference to computer and video games. To avoid ambiguity, this game software is referred to as
"computer and video games" throughout this article, which explores properties common to both types of game
In common usage, a "computer game" or a "
PC game" refers to a game that is played on a
personal computer. "
Console game" refers to one that is played on a device specifically designed for the use of such, while interfacing with a standard
television set. "Video game" (or "videogame") has evolved into a catchall phrase that encompasses the aforementioned along with any game made for any other device, including, but not limited to,
mobile phones,
PDAs, advanced
calculators, etc.
For specific information regarding "computer games", see personal computer game.For specific information regarding "console games", see console game.Beginnings
The first primitive computer and video games were developed in the 1950s and 60's and ran on platforms such as
oscilloscopes,
university mainframes and
EDSAC computers. The earliest computer game, a
missile simulation, was created in 1947 by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. A patent application was filed on January 25th, 1947 and U.S. Patent #2,455,992 issued on Dec 14th, 1948. Later in 1952, was a version of tic-tac-toe named
Noughts and Crosses, created by
A. S. Douglas, as part of his doctoral dissertation at
Cambridge University. The game ran on a large university computer called the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC). In 1958,
William Higinbotham - who previously helped build the first
atomic bomb - created
Tennis for Two at the
Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York to entertain visitors at the lab's annual open house. In 1962
MIT's
Steve Russell created
Spacewar! and
John's Great Adventure. The game ran on a PDP-1 mini-computer. The game spread quickly to universities and research facilities around the country. In 1968
Ralph Baer, who would later be known as the "Father of Video Games", applied for a patent for an early version of a video game console named the "Television Gaming and Training Apparatus." In 1967, Baer created a ping-pong like game for the console that resembled
Tennis for Two (and the future 1972 arcade game
Pong). He worked with
Magnavox to create and release the first console, named the
Magnavox Odyssey, in 1972.
The Golden Age of Arcade Games
|
Pong helped bring computerized video games into everyday life. |
Arcade games were developed in the 1970s and led to the so-called "
Golden Age of Arcade Games". The first coin-operated arcade game was
Computer Space, created in 1971 by
Nolan Bushnell. In these pre-arcade days, the game was placed in bars and taverns. The game required players to read a set of instructions before playing, and never became a hit in the bar scene. In the spring of 1972, Bushnell attended a demonstration of the Magnavox Odyssey system in
Burlingame, California, and played Baer's ping-pong game for the first time. Soon afterwards Bushnell and a friend formed a new company,
Atari (the friend was the same one who came up with the idea for the
Chuck E. Cheese restaurants). Nolan envisioned creating a driving game for arcades. He hired an electronic engineer named
Al Alcorn and directed him to build a
ping-pong game. The game Alcorn created was so much fun that Nolan decided to go ahead and market it. Since the name
Ping-Pong was already
trademarked, they settled on simply calling it
PONG. The intuitive interface led the game to be wildly successful in the bar scene and ushered in the era of arcades.
Consoles and beyond
The 1970s saw the release of the first home
video game consoles. The patent for Ralph Baer's
Magnavox Odyssey was granted in 1972, and paved the way for the next wave of home consoles. The late 1970s to early 1980s brought about the improvement of home consoles and the release of the
Atari 2600,
Intellivision and
Colecovision. They enjoyed a successful number of years on the market, especially the Atari 2600. However that soon came to an end.
The
video game crash of 1983, which was brought forth due to the oversaturation of the video game market by 3rd party support of these systems, specifically the Atari systems, produced a
dark age in the market. Another factor that led to the demise of the home gaming market was the fact that many of these games that were being produced were just ill produced games with no play value whatsoever, all in order to take advantage of the game craze.
Nintendo's Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) reached North America in 1985 single handedly brought back the home gaming market.
Sega released its
Master System, but it never reached the level of popularity as the NES did, at least not in America. Nintendo went on to create some of America's most well known characters, with games such as
Mario Bros. and other Nintendo franchises, many of which are still popular today. One of the main factors that Nintendo regulated, to prevent another crash, was the limiting of 3rd party supporters for the NES by limiting the number of games they could produce for their system, which was 5 a year. Subsequently gaming houses such as Konami and others created subsidiary companies to go around the regulations. Nintendo also created its Seal of Approval to games to help gamers make decisions on games that met the standards of Nintendo.
The last two decades of game history have been marked by separate markets for games on
video game consoles,
home computers and
handhelds. See the article on
Console wars for additional information on that facet of game history.
In 1989, Nintendo released the
Game Boy, the first popular
handheld console. Included with the system was
Tetris, which became a popular puzzle game. Several rival handhelds also made their debut around that time, including the
Sega Game Gear and
Atari Lynx. While some of the other systems remained in production until the mid-90s, the Game Boy remained at the top spot in sales throughout its lifespan.
The North American market was dominated by the
Sega Genesis early on after its debut in 1989, with the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System proving a strong, roughly equal rival in 1991. The
NEC TurboGrafx 16 was the first 16-bit system to be marketed in the region, but did not achieve a large following, partly due to a limited library of English games and effective marketing from Sega. In Japan, the
PC Engine's (Turbografx 16) 1987 success against the
Famicom (SNES) and
CD drive peripheral allowed it to fend off the
Mega Drive (Genesis) in 1988, which never really caught on to the same degree as outside Japan. The PC Engine eventually lost out to the
Super Famicom, but retained enough of a user base to support new games well into the late 1990s. CD-ROM drives were first seen in this generation, as add-ons for the PC Engine in 1988 and the Megadrive in 1991. Basic
3D graphics entered the mainstream with flat-shaded polygons enabled by additional processors in game cartridges like
Virtua Racing and
Starfox.
In 1994-1995, Sega released
Sega Saturn and
Sony made its debut to the video gaming scene with the
PlayStation. Both consoles used
32-bit technology; the door was open for 3D games. After many delays, Nintendo released its
64-bit console, the
Nintendo 64 in 1996, selling more than 1.5 million units in only three months. The flagship title,
Super Mario 64, became a defining title for 3D platform games. Nintendo's choice to use
cartridges instead of
CD-ROMs for the Nintendo 64, unique among the consoles of this period, proved to have negative consequences. In particular,
SquareSoft, which had released all previous games in its
Final Fantasy series for Nintendo consoles, now turned to the PlayStation;
Final Fantasy VII (1997) was a huge success, establishing the popularity of role-playing games in the west and making the PlayStation the primary console for the genre. By the end of this period, Sony had dethroned Nintendo, the PlayStation outselling the Nintendo 64. The Saturn was moderately successful in Japan but a failure in North America, leaving Sega outside of the main competition.
1998 saw the releases of the Sega
Dreamcast in Japan (1999 in the US) and the
Game Boy Color from Nintendo. In 2000 Sony released the widely anticipated
PlayStation 2. In 2001
Microsoft entered the videogame console industry by releasing its new home console, the
Xbox. Its flagship game,
Halo: Combat Evolved, was available at the system's launch. Nintendo released their successor to the Nintendo 64, the
GameCube, and the first all-new Game Boy since the console's inception, the
Game Boy Advance. Sega realized they could no longer compete especially with Sony's new PS2, and announced they would discontinue the Dreamcast and no longer manufacture hardware, becoming a
third-party developer in 2002.
Nokia entered the handheld market with its N-Gage game-phone
hybrid in 2003. It was criticised for being poorly designed, and flopped. In 2004 Nokia released a re-designed N-Gage, called the
N-Gage QD, which didn't fare much better. The other two more technically advanced handhelds to be released in 2004, the
Nintendo DS and the
PlayStation Portable (PSP) (2005 in the US), didn't help the N-Gage. The Nintendo DS is a highly innovative handheld, the PSP is much more powerful and also includes limited media capabilities. In Western countries the consoles have had similar levels of success but in Japan the DS has been a huge hit, vastly outselling the PSP.
The end of 2005 saw the release of the
Xbox 360 - the first of the seventh generation of video game consoles.
Publication Cycle
The process by which new games appear on the market, and what happens to old games, was completely novel, differing from that of books, magazines, television shows, and feature films. There have been old bookstores for centuries, and though magazines are disparaged, they are saved for the information in their articles and also resalable. Television shows have been re-run in domestic markets and often translated to be broadcast in foreign lands decades after their first release. With the appearance of the VHS tape and the DVD, both these shows and cinema have periodically appeared on the market.
Not so with computer games. Their release is driven by the urge to make the most money of a given investment, and re-release of old titles is seen as a drain on the market. There aren't "old computer game stores" comparable to old book stores, and even though a CD disk costs far less to produce than a paperback, there are few reprints. Further, the firm which programs the game is not necessarily that which releases it, and so there are quite a number of games whose legal ownership is uncertain. It has only been with the appearance of hand-held systems (Game Boy, etc.) that re-release has taken place.
Computer games are not treated as "works of art" as most other popular forms of entertainment have gotten to be considered; rather, they are driven by the image-processing technology and are far more trendy than any other form of entertainment, even music singles (which used to be 45's). And so they are discarded, and their history is disparaged, the players in effect colluding with the releasing firms to hype only the latest craze.
The future of gaming
Platforms
2006 will see the continuation of the next generation of console gaming in the form of two new consoles.
Sony with the
PlayStation 3 and
Nintendo's
Wii (aka 'Revolution') will join
Microsoft with the already released
Xbox 360 in this year's "
console war".The Xbox 360 is powered by a multi-core
CPU, the PlayStation 3 will be powered by
Cell processor technology and will have a motion sensing controller rather than the
dualshock controller, and
Wii will allow the gamer to interact with the game via a wireless motion sensing controller (such as using the controller in driving game by moving it left or right, or using it as a light saber in a Star Wars game) and promises more innovations. All the next-generation consoles are starting the transition from traditional media-based games (e.g. on a cartridge or DVD-ROM) to be able to utilize streamed content that is downloaded. This innovation is possible due to the increasing ubiquity of broadband internet access and availabilty of large storage mediums on the consoles. The PC is said to be the ultimate (albeit most expensive) gaming platform. PC gamers eagerly await Windows Vista with Direct X 10, which promises a brighter future in cross-platform gaming. PC gaming's superiority comes through graphics cards, constantly upgraded hardware, gameboards (instead of gamepads), hardware acceleration, upgrading software, massive multiplayer, memory, speed, moding, & patching.
Hardware
As computers get faster in the future, games will have better graphics, more realistic details, shorter load times, and fewer glitches. Games on consoles will not require installation nor licence agreement (like PC games), as the game can be played straight from the disc. Future discs will hold more memory for bigger, deeper game worlds. Wider age groups will play games, as new types of games in other fields appear that appeal to those ages. Games will be used to teach kids and adults (for job training) in school and at home making learning fun and 'hands on', a process that has already begun. Battle simulation games are expanding into driving and car repair simulation, electronics repair simulation, war training, surgery simulation, etc.
Virtual Reality visors and suits, that create an illusion of fuller game immersion, may eventually come into common use when their tech problems are solved and their prices lowered.
 |
Gamers are becoming more demanding when it comes to graphics and physics, as demonstrated by modern games like Nexuiz. |
Gameplay Trends
Yet another distinct form of evolution in video gaming are the trends of popular
gameplay. Natural progression of and
consumer demand for increased complexity has gradually forced game
software companies to be more creative and expansive in their design of new games. Video games have moved forward not only in the visual dimension, but also in the very concept of restrictive goals and objectives of the game. Patterns in contemporary gameplay continue to show less distinction between "levels" or "areas"
. Furthermore, the linear aspect of video games has shown a popular and somewhat constant push towards non-linear or explorative gameplay.
The acceptance of less restrictive and more wide-open gaming can be seen in the growing popularity of
massively multiplayer online gaming (which, since the founding days of
MUDs, has been a pioneer platform of never-ending objectives) as well as the
Grand Theft Auto series, among numerous other examples. Such "
sandbox" games lead to games where the main plot can be ignored completely for hundreds of hours, as in
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and
MUSH-inspired non-games like
Second Life.
In computer and video gaming, gameplay (sometimes called "Game mechanics") is a general term that describes player interaction with a game. It includes direct interaction, such as controls and
interface, but also
design aspects of the game, such as
levels and graphics.
Although the use of this term is often disputed, as it is considered too vague for the range of concepts it describes, it is currently the most commonly used and accepted term for this purpose when describing video games.{IGN}
To visit a site all about Video and Computer Games, go to
the ultimate website for Sega GamesGames, like most other forms of media, may be categorized into
genres based on gameplay, atmosphere, and various other factors. In fact, games are often much easier to classify by genre than films, music, or books. Due to gaming's relatively short history, technical limitations, and the commercial pressures currently affecting the North American and Japanese markets, electronic games are ensconced in a period of extreme
formalism. Recently, video games have begun to explode in popularity, a rise which coincides with an increase in production value, and thus, development cost. As gamers come to expect talented voice acting, enormous, meticulously-constructed worlds and Hollywood-quality sound effects, production costs rise, and owing to the tremendous investment required by publishers (who want to maximize profits), most choose to make games based upon "tried-and-true" ideas, borrowing heavily from previous games and concepts.
This is most evident in the fact that publishers' tend to establish "franchises", which often recycle the same characters, situations, conflicts, gameplay mechanics, and themes for any number of sequels. Therefore, though many games may combine genres, very few exist outside the paradigm of previously established genres, with notable exceptions.
The most common genres in use today include:
*
platformer*
adventure *
role-playing game (RPG)*
(MMORPG) *
(MMOSG)*
first person shooter (FPS)*
third person shooter*
sports*
racing*
shooting*
fighting*
novel or
manga*
action*
puzzle *
Sim *
turn-based strategy game (TBS)*
Real Time Strategy (RTS) *
Stealth-based game*
Tactical shooter*
Action adventureMost games nowadays are a combination of two or more genres (e.g action/RPG). There are also number of genres, which are mostly unpopular today, that were hybrid forms of other media, such as books or movies; the most familiar being
interactive fiction and
interactive movies.
The increase in the popularity of
online gaming has also resulted in sub-genres being formed, such as
massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).
There have also been a collection of
Christian video games which feature Christian themes and can be made in any of the generes above.
The popularity of computer and video games, as a whole, has been increasing steadily ever since the 1984-1987 drop-off caused by the
video game crash of 1983, and the popularity appears to be continuing to increase. The average age of the video game player is now 30
, belying the myth that video games are largely a diversion for
teenagers.
Sales
 |
A typical retail display (in Geneva, Switzerland) with a large selection of games for several major consoles |
The two largest markets for computer and video games are the
United States and
Japan. Other significant markets include
Australia, the
United Kingdom,
Canada,
Spain,
Germany,
South Korea,
Mexico,
France and
Italy. Both
India and
China are considered emerging markets in the video game industry and sales are expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
Sales of different types of games vary widely between these markets due to local preferences. Japanese consumers avoid computer games and instead buy video games, with a strong preference for games catering to Japanese tastes. In South Korea, computer games are preferred, especially
MMORPG games and
real-time strategy games; there are over 20,000
PC bang Internet cafes where computer games can be played for an hourly charge.
The
NPD Group tracks computer and video game sales in the United States. It reported that
as of 2004:
* Console and portable software sales: $6.2 billion, up 8% from 2003
* Console and portable hardware and accessory sales: $3.7 billion, down 35% from 2003
* PC game sales: $1.1 billion, down 2% from 2003
These figures are sales in dollars, not units; unit shipments for each category were higher than the dollar sales numbers indicate, as more software and hardware was sold at reduced prices compared to 2003.
Retail PC game sales have been declining slightly each year since about 1998, but this fact should be taken with a grain of salt: the retail sales numbers from NPD do not include sales from online downloads, nor subscription revenue for games like
MMORPGs.
The game and film industries are also becoming increasingly intertwined, with companies like
Sony having significant stakes in both. A large number of summer blockbuster films spawn a companion game, often launching at the same time in order to share the marketing costs.
What the player gains
Perhaps the most visible values of computer and video gaming are simply its artistic and entertainment values. As a form of
multimedia entertainment, modern video games contain a highly unique fusion of 3D art, CG effects, architecture, artificial intelligence, sound effects, dramatic performances, music, storytelling, and, most importantly, interactivity. This interactivity enables to the player to explore what amounts to a stylized, artistic depiction and simulation of some three-dimensional environment (something no other form of entertainment can allow) with the actions of the player operating as a single, irreducable variable. In this respect, every game scenario will play out a slightly different way every time, since the player is a constant variable. Even if the game is highly scripted, this can still feel like a large amount of freedom to the person who is playing the game. Consider, for example, a game such as
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, where the objective is often to eliminate German squads by commanding a group of soldiers from a first-person perpective. Many aspects of the game are highly controlled-- the number of Germans and the places they originate from does not vary, nor does the strength and armament of friendly or enemy troops. The maps are meticulously designed in such a way as to provide clear paths and cover at key locations. And still, the overall strategy, the tactics, and the execution will vary every time. Within the rather broad boundaries of the game, the player is able to exercise far more freedom and control than in traditional forms of entertainment or art.
A related property is that of
emergent behavior. While many games including card games and sports rely on emergent principals, games are able to create simulated story worlds where emergent behavior occurs within the context of this world. This also is very appealing to players. In discussing the issue, game designer
Warren Spector has used the term "emergent narrative" to describe how, in a simulated environment, storyline can be created simply by "what happens to the player." [
1]
In
Steven Johnson's book, "
Everything Bad Is Good For You," he argues that video games in fact demand far more from a player than traditional games like Monopoly. In order to experience the game, the player must first determine the objectives, as well as how to complete them. They must then learn the game controls and how the human-machine interface works, including menus and
HUDs. Beyond such skills, which after some time become quite fundamental and are taken for granted by many gamers, video games are based upon the player navigating (and eventually mastering) a highly complex system with many variables. This requires a strong analytical ability, as well as flexibility and adaptability. To emphasize the point, Johnson notes that that the strategy guide for
Grand Theft Auto III is 53,000 words long. He argues that the process of learning the boundaries, goals, and controls of a given game is often a highly demanding one that calls on many different areas of cognitive function. Indeed, most games require a great deal of patience and focus from the player, and, contrary to the popular perception that games provide instant gratification, games actually delay gratification far longer than other forms of entertainment such as film or even many books. [
2] Some research
suggests videogames may even increase player's attention capacities.
Multiplayer games, which take advantage of the fact that computer games can use the internet, provide players with the opportunity to compete with other players from across the globe, something that is also unique to electronic gaming.
MMORPG's take the concept much further with the establishment of vast, online communities existing in persistent, virtual worlds. Millions of players around the globe are attracted to video gaming simply because it offers such unprecedented ability to interact with large numbers of people engaged simultaneously in a structured environment where they are all involved in the same activity (playing the game).
Even simple games offer potential benefits to the player. Games like
Tetris and
Pac-man are well-designed games that are easy to pick up but difficult to master, in ways not unlike
chess or even
poker. Despite their simplicity, simple games may also feature online capabilities or powerful AI. Depending on the game, players can develop and test their techniques against an advanced computer player or online against other human players.
More obvious benefits to the player can come in the form education on the game's subject matter. For example, a
RTS set during the
Civil War may feature the use of period armies engaging in historical battles, and outwitting an opponent such as
Robert E. Lee.
Controversy
|
The scene from Night Trap which sparked controversy in 1992 |
Like related forms of media, computer and video games have been the subject of frequent controversy and
censorship, due to the depiction of graphic
violence, ,
advertising, consumption of illegal
drugs, consumption of
alcohol or
tobacco,
propaganda, or
profanity in some games. Among others, critics of video games sometimes include parents' groups,
politicians, organized
religion groups, and other
special interest groups, even though all these can be found in all forms of entertainment and media. Various games have been accused of causing
addiction to such and even
violent behavior.
Video game censorship is defined as the use of state or group power to control the playing, distribution, purchase, or sale of video games or computer games. Video game controversy comes in many forms, and censorship is a controversial subject, as well as a popular topic of debate. Proponents and opponents of censorship are often very passionate about their individual views.
Historically, this type of controversy and criticism is not unique to video games. The same situation has been applied to
Comic books,
motion pictures and to some extent
music. Moreover, it appears to be a question of age. Since these art forms have been around longer, the backlash against them occurred farther in the past, beyond the remembrance of today's youth. In both cases, the attempts at censorship in the
United States were struck down as a violation of
First Amendment rights, and they have gone on to become fully integrated facets of society.
Games that have sparked notable national controversy in the United States include
Mortal Kombat,
Night Trap,
Doom, the
Grand Theft Auto series and, most notably,
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' infamous
Hot Coffee mod fiasco which boosted the game's
ESRB rating from M (Mature) to AO (Adults Only).
Video games are made by
developers, who used to do this as individuals or small teams in the 80's. Now, development commonly requires a large team consisting of
designers,
graphic designers and other
artists,
programmers,
sound designers,
musicians, and other technicians; all of which are managed by
producers. The visionary for any game may come from any of the roles outlined. Development by committee rarely works.
With the start of the 21st century we can see a major boom in the numbers of game developing teams and studios. This business, although tough and risky, proves to be a goldmine for the determined groups. Previous industry giants like EA Games, Valve, and Rockstar are slowly being displaced by newer studios with smaller budgets yet more determined and younger members who have developed a passion for video gaming throughout their whole lives. Most of these studios are modding existing engines and games until they get enough media attention and sponsors to start a new project from scratch. Prime examples of such teams are Dimension Studios and Turtle Rock Studios. Both of these provide content for already existing games and are making a fortune out of it. An older team, Gearbox Software, started out in a similar fashion by modding the original Half-Life engine; now it is one of the major video game developers.
Video games are developing fast in all areas, but the problem is of cost, and how developers intend to keep the costs low enough to attract publisher investment. Most video game console development teams number anywhere from 20 to 50 people, with some teams exceeding 100. The average team size as well as the average development time of a game have grown along with the size of the industry and the technology involved in creating games. This has led to regular occurrences of missed deadlines and unfinished products;
Duke Nukem Forever is the quintessential example of these problems.
See also: video game industry practices.
Game modifications
Games running on a PC are often designed with end-user modifications in mind, and this consequently allows modern computer games to be modified by gamers without much difficulty. These
mods can add an extra dimension of replayability and interest. The
Internet provides an inexpensive medium to promote and distribute mods, and they have become an increasingly important factor in the commercial success of some games. Developers such as
id,
Valve, and
Epic ship their games with the very development tools used to make the game in the first place, along with documentation to assist mod developers, which allows for the kind of success seen by popular mods such as
Counter-Strike.
Popular mods are very occasionally bought by the developers of the game. This was the case with Valve's
Half-Life. Valve bought a number of popular mods including
Counter-Strike and
Day of Defeat. After the release of
Half-Life 2 Valve developed these mods for the sequel and sold them through their Internet
digital distribution software,
Steam.
Recently, computer games have also been used as a
digital art . See
artistic computer game modification and
Machinima medium. One of the most well known games that have awakened people to the digital art is the game
Half-Life 2.
Non-gamers use several
umbrella terms for console, PC, arcade, handheld, and similar games since they do not agree on the best name. For many, either "computer game" or "video game" describes these games as a whole. Other commonly used terms include "entertainment software," "interactive entertainment media," "electronic interactive entertainment," "electronic game," "software game," and "videogame" (as one word).Gamers are quite happy to use the vague term "games", or "videogame/video game" to distinguish them from board games and card games when necessary. In the past, it was common for parents and/or elderly people, who were unfamiliar with video games, to refer to all of them as "
Nintendo games" due to Nintendo's overwhelming popularity in the late 80's and 90's (this is comparable to the public referring to all brands of
facial tissue as
Kleenex).Computer and video games are a subset of
interactive media, which includes
virtual reality,
flight and
engineering simulation,
multimedia and the
World Wide Web.
The
Dreamcast, the first of the then "next generation" 128-bit video games consoles, was released by
Sega in Japan in 1998, and in the
U.S. and
Europe in 1999. This did not play DVDs, which were still quite new and expensive and relatively unpopular at the time. Instead, it used a proprietary 1 Gb 4.75 inch disc known as a
GD-ROM disc. By 2000, DVD was getting more popular and a
redesign was mooted to add in DVD capabilities. Instead, a free DVD player was offered with the machine in some regions, including
Europe and
Japan. In 2000,
Sony released its
PlayStation 2 console in
Japan. In addition to playing
Video Games developed for the system, it was also able to play DVD movies. This proved to be a huge selling point because the
PS2 cost less than most DVD players but could of course play video games too. As a result, many electronic stores that normally did not carry
video game consoles carried
PS2s. Despite many reports of poor and bad playback and green screens, this proved popular and was often used as a primary DVD player until the prices of good standalone players went down. In keeping with this approach,
Sony will incorporate Sony's competing successor to DVD,
Blu-ray, into its next console, the
PlayStation 3. Problems with implementing this and its Digital Rights Management are the official reason for the delay in launching the system.
Microsoft's
Xbox, released on March 13, 2002 in
Europe and in 2001 in the
U.S., had the capability to play DVD discs with an add-on
remote control kit, cementing DVD's place in
video game consoles.
Nintendo's
GameCube, released on May 3, 2002 in
Europe and on November 18, 2001 in the US, cannot play DVDs but uses a proprietary 3-inch optical disc for its game media. However, a version of the
GameCube known as the
Panasonic Q (sold only in
Japan) plays DVDs. With the
Xbox 360, the successor to the
Xbox, which was released worldwide in November 2005, DVD playback is
built in. While a
HD-DVD Drive add-on is to be be released in late 2006 to play HD-DVD movies, there will be no games released in this
format. DVD playback will be available on the upcoming
PlayStation 3 as standard, but the
Nintendo Wii, which will use a
proprietary 4.5 inch disc for its game
media, will require an add-on
dongle for DVD playback. Currently, both the
Wii and the
PlayStation 3 are to be launched in November 2006.
*
Computer and video game articles by topic*
List of computer and video games*
Computer and video game articles by category*
Computer and video game industry*
List of cancelled video games*
List of vaporwares*
List of commercial failures in computer and video gaming*
Last Lap Syndrome*
Artistic computer game modification*
:Category:Video Game Universities
