Think this holiday season is the first time that big-name video-game makers have fought for the dollars and hearts of shoppers? Not a chance. Yes, Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 are set to battle each other this holiday season. But, as a recent story by PCMag.com shows, video-game console wars are nothing unusual. Here’s a brief background of the battles between video-game companies.
Quiet times
The Atari 2600 dominated the home video-game industry in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. As PCMag says, this console — despite its rather limited graphics and game-play power — did not have many serious contenders. Mattel experimented with the Intellivision, taking on the Atari in a series of attack ads. But the Intellivision never caught on like the Atari 2600.
Sega takes on Nintendo
Nintendo has long been a video-game heavyweight. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company enjoyed long-running success with its NES and Super Nintendo home-gaming systems. But Sega was a strong competitor with its Genesis home system. Sega never backed down from taking potshots at its rival, including an infamous “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” ad campaign. Still, Nintendo consistently ranked as the top gaming company of this period.
The modern age
Today, the home-gaming battle is a three-way battle. Microsoft, with its Xbox series, and Sony, with its PlayStations, typically fight for the dollars of hardcore gamers. Nintendo is taking a different approach with its Wii consoles, targeting casual and family gamers. Which system is the fan’s favorite? We’ll find out more this holiday shopping season.