Gaming console

Article

July 5, 2022

A game console (or game console, game console, game console[source?]) is a specialized electronic device designed and built to play video games. Most often, the output device is a TV or, less often, a computer monitor. Originally, game consoles differed from personal computers in a number of important ways: game consoles assumed the use of a television as the primary display device and did not support most of the standard peripherals designed for personal computers, such as a keyboard or modem. However, in the world of the development of game consoles, the difference between them and personal computers began to gradually blur — some consoles can allow the connection of a keyboard, a hard disk and the launch of the Linux operating system on them.

Major manufacturers

Sony (PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita) Microsoft (Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series) Nintendo (Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite)

A generation of game consoles

There are different generations of game systems, currently there are eight of them. The most famous representatives of the generations are listed.

1st generation

The first home game systems (1972-1980). Magnavox Odyssey

2nd generation

Early 8-bit consoles with cartridge games (1976-1992). Atari 2600 was discontinued in 1992.

3rd generation

The era of 8-bit gaming systems (1983-2003). In 2003, the NES was discontinued in Japan. Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom), known in the CIS by its Taiwanese clone Dendy. Sega Master System Atari 7800 Amstrad GX4000

4th generation

The era of 16-bit game consoles (1987-2003). In 2003, the SNES was discontinued in Japan. PC Engine Sega Mega Drive / Genesis (1988) Super Nintendo Entertainment System Neo-Geo.

5th generation

32- and 64-bit gaming systems (1993-2006). PlayStation was discontinued in 2006. Panasonic 3DO (1993) Atari Jaguar Sega Saturn (1995) PlayStation (1994) Nintendo 64 (1996)

6th generation

Period: 1998—2013. PlayStation 2 was discontinued in 2013. Sega Dreamcast (1998) Sony PlayStation 2 (2000) and the 2004 remaster. Nintendo GameCube (2001) Microsoft Xbox (2001)

7th generation

Period: 2004 - ongoing Nintendo DS (2004) PlayStation Portable (2004) Xbox 360 (2005) PlayStation 3 (2006) Nintendo Wii (2006)

8th generation

Period: 2011 - ongoing Stationary: Nintendo Wii U (2012) PlayStation 4 (2013) Xbox One (2013) Portable: Nintendo 3DS (2011) PlayStation Vita (2011) Nvidia Shield (2013) Nintendo Switch (2017)