Page 213 - Inventions - A Visual Encyclopedia (DK - Smithsonian)

Home entertainment consoles Console and computer

■ ■ What? Sony PlayStation 2 ■ ■ What? Xbox
■ ■ Who? Sony, Ken Kutaragi ■ ■ Who? Microsoft
■ ■ Where and when? Japan, 2000 ■ ■ Where and when? US, 2001
Another Japanese company, Sony, After years of Japanese domination, the US
entered the video game industry reentered the market in a big way in 2001
in the 1990s. Its first console, the with the launch of the powerful Xbox. The
PlayStation, was released in 1994 streaming service of its successor (Xbox
and was reasonably successful. Controller vibrates One) allows gamers to play Xbox games
with onscreen action.
The real game changer was its follow- remotely on their computer.
up, the PlayStation 2. This could also It would become the biggest selling
play DVDs and CDs, making it an home console of all time, with more
all-in-one home entertainment console. than 150 million shipped. AT HOME

Motion control

■ ■ What? Nintendo Wii helped to popularize controlling the
■ ■ Who? Nintendo game using your motions. This technology
■ ■ Where and when? Japan, 2006 allows gamers to use their remote control
Despite intense competition from Sony and as virtual sporting equipment to play
Microsoft, Nintendo enjoyed major success games such as tennis, golf, and boxing.
in the 2000s with its Wii console, which Xbox game played on a laptop

Player moves the
controller to direct
the action on screen.

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