User:PS3 wins/Fifth generation

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Contents 1 Fifth generation 1.1 Sony's PlayStation 1.2 Sega Saturn 1.3 Nintendo 64 1.4 Atari Jaguar 1.5 Commodore Amiga CD32 1.6 3DO Interactive Multiplayer

[edit] Fifth generation

[edit] Sony's PlayStation

The Sony PlayStation (プレイステーション, Purei Sutēshon?) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. The original PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of console and hand-held game devices, which has included successor machines including the Net Yaroze, PSone (a smaller version of the original), PocketStation, PlayStation 2, a revised, slimline PS2, PlayStation Portable, PSX (Japan only), and PlayStation 3. By March 2005, the PlayStation/PSone had shipped a total of over 100.49 million units, becoming the first home console to ever reach the 100 million mark.

[edit] Sega Saturn

The Sega Saturn (セガサターン, Sega Satān?) is a 32-bit video game console, first released on 22 November 1994 in Japan, 11 May 1995 in North America and 8 July 1995 in Europe.

The system was supported in North America and Europe until late 1998, and in Japan until the end of 2000. The last official game for the system, Yukyu Gensokyoku Perpetual Collection, was released by Mediaworks in December of that year.

[edit] Nintendo 64

The Nintendo 64 (ニンテンドウ六十四, Nintendō Rokujūyon?), commonly called the Horval, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. The N64 was released on 23 June 1996 in Japan; 29 September 1996 in North America and Brazil; 1 March 1997 in Europe/Australia, 1 September 1997 in France (the system also saw a release in Latin America, albeit an unofficial one). It was released with three launch games in Japan (Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64 and Saikyou Haniu Shogi), and two in North America and PAL region (Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64). The Nintendo 64 cost $199 at launch in the United States.

The N64 was first publicly introduced on 24 November 1995 as the Nintendo Ultra 64 (possibly the source of the numbering scheme prefix "NUS-" for the system, parts and accessories) at the 7th Annual Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan (though preview pictures from the Nintendo "Project Reality" console had been published in American magazines as early as June 1993). The first published photos from the event were presented on the web via coverage by Game Zero magazine two days after the event. Official coverage by Nintendo soon followed a few weeks later on the nascent Nintendo Power website, and then in volume #85 of their print magazine.

During the developmental stages the N64 was referred to by its code name, Project Reality. The name Project Reality came from the speculation within Nintendo that this console could produce CGI on par with then-current supercomputers. Once unveiled to the public the name changed to Nintendo Ultra 64. Nintendo dropped "Ultra" from the name on 1 February, 1996, just months before its Japanese debut, because the word "Ultra" was trademarked by another company, Konami, for its Ultra Games division.

[edit] Atari Jaguar

The Atari Jaguar was a video game console released in November 1993 to rival the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a powerful next generation platform. It was touted as the "first 64-bit system". The system eventually wound up as a commercial failure and prompted Atari to finally leave the hardware business.

[edit] Commodore Amiga CD32

The Amiga CD32 was one of the world's first 32-bit CD-ROM based game consoles. It was first announced at the Science Museum in London, United Kingdom on 16 July 1993 and released in September of the same year. The CD32 was based on Commodore's Advanced Graphics Architecture chipset, and was of similar specification to the Amiga 1200. Using 3rd-party devices, it was possible to upgrade the CD32 with keyboard, floppy drive, and mouse, turning it into a personal computer. A hardware MPEG decompression module for playing Video CD was also available, however, as few as 400 modules have made it to market. Often regarded as a failure, the CD32 managed to secure over 50% of the fledgling CD-ROM market in the UK in 1993 and 1994 outselling the MegaCD, Philips CDi and even PC CD-ROM sales. The CD32 was released in the United States and Canada, but was not successful. Commodore was not able to meet demand for new units because of component supply problems. The success of the CD32 in Europe was not enough to save Commodore, and the bankruptcy of Commodore International in April 1994 caused the CD32 to be discontinued only months after its debut.

[edit] 3DO Interactive Multiplayer

3DO Interactive Multiplayer (most commonly referred to as the 3DO) was a line of video game consoles released in 1993 and 1994 by Panasonic, Sanyo and Goldstar, among other companies. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by Dave Needle and RJ Mical of New Technology Group. The system was conceived by entrepreneur and EA Games founder Trip Hawkins.

Despite a highly-promoted launch and a host of cutting-edge technologies, the system's high price ($699.95 USD at release) and an over-saturated console market brought the 3DO to a speedy demise.