Network now...FEATURE
How Consoles Die
Headstone:
Super NES
1991-1999
"The King is Dead... Long Live Cartridges."
Cause of Death: natural
The SNES wasn't able to capture the astronomical sales of its predecessor because of a more formidable opponent in the Sega Genesis, but in the end, it was the victor in the at times ugly 16-bit console war. Death was kind to the SNES, and the console is still revered for its games library. But Nintendo didn't abandon the SNES' cartridge format as it should have (and almost did)--one reason that the Nintendo 64 had to play second-fiddle to newcomer PlayStation.
Headstone:
3DO
1993-1996
“It’s Over, For R.E.A.L.”
Cause of death: complications from morbid (price) obesity
At best, the 3DO was simply too ambitious and far ahead of its time. At worst, the machine was doomed from the start—a bloated waste of plastic and silicon that was destined for failure. The box itself was decent enough, sporting CD-based technology and other features intended to make it the set-top-box for all your entertainment needs. But the lack of strong developer support, and most of all, the outrageously swollen launch price of $699 pushed the 3DO into an early grave.
Once Sega and Sony launched their 32-bit disc-based systems for hundreds less, it was time for 3DO to pull the plug on its ill-fated experiment. Trip Hawkin’s 3DO Company wouldn’t see the release of another console, and finally went bust in 2003.
Headstone:
Atari Jaguar
1993-1996
“No One Did the Math”
Cause of death: underdeveloped brain
“Do the Math,” Atari marketers demanded of the gaming public. But gamers ultimately didn’t buy into the hype of a “64-bit” console in an era 16- and 32-bit would suffice. And when Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation finally came to market with half the bits and sexier games, not even Tempest 2000 or Alien vs. Predator could save Atari’s all-meow-no-bite venture into next-gen gaming.
The Jaguar didn’t have the software or the technological chops to stand up to competitors, nor the commercial success to warrant a successor—and that ridiculous controller didn’t help either. Atari was out of the console hardware business.
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I agree that the Dreamcast was a very nice machine that did die a premature death. It had a lot going for it and appeared just about as powerful as the PS2.
I remember comparing Crazy Taxi on both the DC and the PS2 and noting that it played and looked better on the DC. The controllers were a bit different but with the LCD insert and screen had the potential for additional and interesting game features. The machine had great potential. Too bad there wasn't an backer in place to help it fight the Sony machine with its hype and money.
...no Turbo Graffix? Colecovision?
...no CDi, no game gear? Kris Graft who wrote the feature stated he didn't include systems that had little to no impact on the games industry and didn't share the same dramatic death some of the bigger more known consoles did. There are a ton of systems omitted. Those systems died pretty much on arrival, sold so few systems that their mention seemed not necessary. At least that's my interpretation from his post
Kris Graft's quote,
"Omitting the Master System wasn't an accident. It didn't have significant market impact or the spectacularly gruesome death as the consoles featured here. We wanted to be somewhat selective about what to include."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles
There's your list of consoles and their sales numbers.
"The Sony hype machine didn’t help Dreamcast’s prospects either, as execs promised PS2 graphics on par with the CG movie Toy Story."
That never happened, but Microsoft's execs did actually promise that;
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-250632.html
"One of the basic premises of the Xbox is to put the power in the hands of the artist," Blackley said, which is why Xbox developers "are achieving a level of visual detail you really get in 'Toy Story.'"
- Seamus Blackley, head of Microsoft's Xbox division
That did happen.
edit: It seems that the absolute truth to that statement is debatable. Sony may or may have not said that the PS2 will provide toy story quality graphics, but I don't think anyone can "prove" they did or didn't. But as far as being overpromising and underdelivering? I think we all can agree on that one.
Sony DID say that the PS3 could pump out 1080p at 120 frames per second if they wanted to with the PS3, underdeliver/overhype? I think so.
Great memories. Makes me feel old though. Born, raised and still living in the Caribbean (29yrs old) but still owned the Atari 2600 (Pitfall, Missile Command, Space invaders, still have it) and 7800 (loved Pole Position, still have it), NES (punchout), SNES (Super Mario World Yeah), Genesis (preferred over SNES, Mortal Kombat, Sonic), Sega Saturn (a waste, there was this 1 XMen fighter i liked), PSX (scratched disks and weak disc motor), N64 (preferred over PSX Mario 64 was great, Ocarina of time brilliant, still have it), Dreamcast (I loved this console and the games, and the fact that games could be downloaded and burnt SSHH! LOL), XBOX (favorite system ever, my 8yr old son is still milking it for all its worth. Modchip. SSHHH!). Got a system as a gift once. One of these Japanese things. Amil Computer I think it was called. Came with a cartridge with about 32 games. Controller was like an NES.
I wouldn't call the Megadrive exactly dead. It's still popular in Brazil and EA are releasing some new games for it.
What?! You are kidding me, are they releasing Tiger Woods PGA Tour'09 in 16-bit format!!
Eh, yeah, you have Tec Toy's thing, but that doesn't even play carts. Really interesting piece of hardware though, but not enough to convince me that the Genesis/Megadrive isn't clinically dead.
The tragedy of the Dreamcast, imo, is that it never had a chance to fulfil its potential. I guess like all good heroes, it did the decent thing and died prematurely, so guaranteeing its legend in the halls of gaming fame. I still have my beloved DC, still have the official DC racing wheel I bought expressly for MSR, as well as - thankfully - a pretty varied game library for the machine. Every so often I fire the little beauty up, fawn over it, stroke it lovingly and remind it there are still a few of us left in the world who will always love it for what it is and for what it never got the chance to be...
There will always be reason to fire up a DC as long as Marvel vs. Capcom 1 and 2 exist.
And speaking of DC racing games--that Le Mans 24 Hours game was brilliant for its time (oooooo... hot glowing brake rotors--that blur!)
Test Drive Le Mans was indeed an awesome game. I think about playing that game every so often, even when I have GT5 Prologue. I remember it was the first game that I had ever played that used the triggers for gas and brake, making it easier to brake properly.
Man, good times:)
DC: "Cause of death: Peter Moore, apparently"
Just laughed, then cried a bit, then laughed again.
Omitting the Master System wasn't an accident. It didn't have significant market impact or the spectacularly gruesome death as the consoles featured here. We wanted to be somewhat selective about what to include.
But I did have good times with Great Baseball, Space Harrier and Phantasy Star, for sure.
I think they didn't mention the master system because of the little amount of impact it had. Alpunk, maybe it was a 50/50 split at your specific location, but I don't believe it was anything near that overrall.
Did some research (bored at work) looks like the Sega sold 13 million master systems worldwide, and there were 62 million NESs sold. I think the impact on the market the master system had was too minimal (or they just accidentally omitted the master system from the list). But there are a ton of systems they didn't mention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles
This makes me feel old and nostalgic. And yeah, where is the Master System?! The NES didn't have it all its own way. At my school it was almost a 50/50 split.
I'm so glad my dad wouldn't let me buy a Jaguar.
It's like looking back at old friends! Where is the Master System though!!!
Can you do a look into the future and predict the deaths of the current consoles and why and when you think it will happen?