In the history of video games, the seventh generation primarily focuses on the consoles released since 2005 by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony (i.e. the current generation).
For home consoles, the seventh generation began on November 22, 2005 with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and continued with the release of Sony's PlayStation 3 on November 11, 2006, and Nintendo's Wii on November 19, 2006. Each new console introduced a new type of breakthrough technology. For example, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 offered high-definition graphics and the Wii focused on integrating controllers with movement sensors as well as joysticks (the PlayStation 3 also employs motion sensitivity, but to a lesser degree). Most of the consoles have wireless controllers (with detachable wires), while the Xbox 360 also has wired controllers as an alternative.
For handheld consoles, the seventh generation began on November 21, 2004 with the North American introduction of the Nintendo DS as a "third pillar", alongside Nintendo's existing Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles. The Nintendo DS features a touch screen and built-in microphone, and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards. More recently, the new DSi features many new things including two built in cameras, the ability to download games from the DSi store, and a web browser. The PlayStation Portable, released later the same year on December 12, 2004, followed a different pattern. It became the first handheld video game console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage media. Sony also gave the PlayStation Portable robust multi-media capability, connectivity with the PlayStation 3 and other PSPs, and Internet connectivity. The Nintendo DS likewise has connectivity to the internet through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and Nintendo DS Browser, as well as wireless connectivity to other DS systems and Wii consoles. Despite high sales numbers for both consoles, PlayStation Portable sales have consistently lagged behind those of the Nintendo DS; nonetheless, the PlayStation Portable has the distinction of being the best-selling non-Nintendo handheld gaming system.
Home consoles
Wii
Main article: WiiNintendo entered this generation with a new approach embodied by its Wii console. The company planned to attract current hardcore and casual gamers, non-gamers, and lapsed gamers by focusing on new gameplay experiences and new forms of interaction with games rather than cutting edge graphics and expensive technology. This approach was previously implemented in the portable market with the Nintendo DS. Nintendo expressed hope that the new control schemes it has implemented will render current conventionally controlled consoles obsolete, leading to Nintendo capturing a large portion of the existing market as well.
This strategy paid off, with demand for the Wii outstripping supply throughout 2007. Since Nintendo profited on each console right from the start unlike its competitors, it has already achieved very positive returns. With only a few exceptions, monthly worldwide sales for the Wii have been higher than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, eroding Microsoft's early lead and widening the gap between its market share and Sony's. On September 12, 2007, it was reported by the British newspaper Financial Times that the Wii's sales had surpassed the Xbox 360, which was released one year previously, and became the market leader in worldwide home console sales for the current generation.
As in previous generations, Nintendo has provided strong support for its new console with popular first-party franchises like Mario , The Legend of Zelda , Metroid , and Pokémon , among others. To appeal to casual and non-gamers, Nintendo developed a group of core Wii games, consisting of Wii Sports , Wii Play , Wii Fit , and Wii Music , where players make use of the motion-sensing abilities of the console and its peripherals to simulate real world activities. With the exception of Wii Music , the games and their sequels have all been highly successful.
Publishers such as Ubisoft, EA, Capcom, and Majesco continue to release exclusive titles for the console, but the Wii's strongest titles still remain within its first-party line-up. Analysts speculated that this will change in time as the Wii's growing popularity persuades third-party publishers to focus on it; however, some third party developers are beginning to express frustration at low software sales. Goichi Suda, developer of No More Heroes for the Wii, noted that "only Nintendo titles are doing well. This isn't just because of the current situation in Japan, as this is happening outside Japan. I am very surprised about the reality about Wii, because before I was making this game, I wasn't expecting that Wii would be a console targeted only for non-gamers. I expected more games for hardcore gamers. The reality is different to what I expected." Conversely, the PAL publisher of No More Heroes Rising Star Games were greatly impressed with the game's sales. Goichi Suda later retracted his comment, saying his "point was that No More Heroes , unlike a lot of Nintendo Wii titles currently available is the kind of product which will attract a different kind of consumer to the hardware, i.e. gamers who are looking for a different genre to the products which have been successful on this platform thus far."
In early 2008, the NPD Group revealed sales data showing that, while the Wii's life-to-date attach rate is low, in December 2007, it reached 8.11—higher than the attach rates for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in that month. The Wii's low overall attach rate could be explained by reference to its rapidly increasing installed base, as financial analysts have pointed to the Xbox 360's high attach rates as indicative of an unhealthy lack of installed base growth, and warned that what actually benefits third-party developers is “quicker adoption of hardware and a rapidly growing installed base on which to sell progressively more game units,” which tends to lower the attach rate of a product.
On September 23, 2009, Nintendo announced its first price drops for the console. In the United States, the price was reduced by fifty dollars resulting in a new MSRP of $199.99, effective September 27, 2009. For Japan, the price dropped from ¥25,000 to ¥20,000, effective October 1, 2009. In Europe (with the exception of the United Kingdom), the price of a Wii console dropped from €249 to €199.
Xbox 360
Main article: Xbox 360Microsoft's Xbox 360 gained an early lead in terms of market share, largely due to its established Xbox Live online gaming system, and its early launch date which was one year before its rivals. Sales in North America and Europe have continued to be strong, even after the release of the Wii and PlayStation 3. Like its predecessor, the Xbox 360 received a muted reception in Japan, attributed to the lack of content aimed at Japanese gamers.
This early launch did come with some trouble, as technical problems appeared in a portion of Xbox 360 units sold. The most well known problem is the "red ring of death", which received a great deal of attention due to some users' claims of having to replace their consoles multiple times. Microsoft addressed this by offering a three year warranty on all affected consoles and repairing them free of charge. It also retroactively reimbursed owners of affected systems who paid for repairs. According to The Mercury News , new models of the console featuring 65-nanometer technology will address this and other issues; the new technology is expected to reduce heat production, which will lower the risk of overheating and system failures; although, this has never been officially confirmed by Microsoft.
As they share many cross-platform games and compete for the same audience as their predecessors, frequent comparisons are made between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The PS3 uses the Blu-ray format, while the Xbox 360 uses a standard DVD9. The Xbox 360 is less expensive to produce, and analysts expect that a mid-revision will allow Microsoft to break-even on manufacturing costs, while industry consensus is that the Xbox 360's conventional architecture is easier to develop for.
At the end of first half of 2007, the console stabilized at 11.6 million units shipped as sales dropped 60% while its rival, Wii, gained momentum and Sony announced a competitive price drop on the PlayStation 3. Microsoft's strategy to boost sales with the release of the highly anticipated Halo 3 in September 2007 paid off, outselling the Wii that month in North America. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division experienced a huge increase in revenue, largely driven by the release of Halo 3 , and posted a quarterly profit for the first time in two years.
The Xbox 360's advantage over its competitors has been its quantity and quality of titles. The 2007 Game Critics Awards honored the platform with 38 nominations and 11 wins – more than any other platform. By March 2008, the Xbox 360 had reached a software attach rate of 7.5 games per console in the US – a record for any console in history; the rate was 7.0 in Europe, while its competitors were 3.8 (PS3) and 3.5 (Wii), according to Microsoft. At the 2008 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft announced that it expects over 1,000 games available for Xbox 360 by the end of the year. The Xbox 360 has managed to gain a simultaneous release of titles which were initially planned to be PS3 exclusives, including Devil May Cry , Ace Combat , Virtua Fighter , Grand Theft Auto IV <
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