Video games: the evolution of console
generations
What’s a vídeo game? A vídeo game is an eletronic
game in which the player interacts through
peripherals connected to the device, such as
controls, with images sent to a monitor.
When was the first video game created? In 1950,
the first two computer games were created at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in the United
States. But the first game to be successful was
Spacewar, created by students from the same
institute, in 1962.
ALL 9 GENERATIONS OF CONSOLES
1ST GENERATION (1972)
Main features:
The first home consoles are created;
Monochrome games and games with a single
fixed screen.
Game exemples:
Computer Space (1971)
Main consoles of this generation:
Magnavox Odyssey Pong Nintendo Color TV
by Magnavox by Atari by Nintendo
Who won in this generation:
2ND GENERATION (1977)
Main features:
The games field could have more than one
screen and colors;
Using cartridges to store data.
Game exemples:
Space Invaders (1978)
Pac Man (1980)
E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Main consoles of this generation:
Atari 2600 Intellivision Coleco Vision
by Atari by Mattel by Coleco
Who won in this generation:
THE CRASH OF 1983
In the year 1983, the American video game market
collapsed, with an absurd amount of games
released on the market, games with low or very
poor quality. The people didn’t want to buy video
games, and video game market imploded.
3RD GENERATION (1983)
Main features:
Controls with directional buttons ;
Sega's entry into the console market.
Game exemples:
Mega Man (1987)
Street Fighter (1987)
Final Fantasy (1987)
Phantasy Star (1987)
Main consoles of this generation:
Famicon (NES) Master System (Sega Mark 3) Atari 7800
by Nintendo by Sega by Atari
Who won in this generation:
4TH GENERATION (1987)
Main features:
Controls with more bottons;
More elaborate colors.
Game exemples:
Super Mario World (1990)
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Mortal Kombat (1992)
Mega Man X (1993)
Chrono Trigger (1995)
Main consoles of this generation:
PC Engine Mega Drive (Sega Genesis)
by NEC by Sega
Neo Geo Super Nintendo (SNES)
Who won in this generation:
5TH GENERATION (1993)
Main features:
The CD-Rom became the main medium;
Atari's departure and Sony's entry into
the console market.
Game exemples:
Super Mario 64 (1996)
Crash Bandicoot (1996)
Grand Thaft Auto (1997)
Final Fantasy 7 (1997)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
The King of Fighters 1998
Main consoles of this generation:
Atari Jaguar Sega Saturn
by Atari by Sega
PlayStation Nintendo 64
Who won in this generation:
6TH GENERATION (1998)
Main features:
Some consoles now have multimedia and
internet access;
Sega's departure and Microsoft's entry into
the console market.
Game exemples:
Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
The King of Fighters 2002
Grand Thaft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
God of War (2005)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (2007)
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 5 (2007)
Main consoles of this generation:
Dreamcast PlayStation 2
by Sega by Sony
Game Cube Xbox
by Nintendo by Microsoft
Who won in this generation:
7TH GENERATION (2005)
Main features:
Blu-Ray media and games with emotion
sensors are created;
Biggest cinematic games investment.
Game exemples:
Wii Sports: Tennis (2006)
Sonic Generations (2011)
Grand Thaft Auto V (2013)
The Last of Us (2013)
Ultra Street Fighter 4 (2014)
Near Automata (2016)
Main consoles of this generation:
Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Wii
by Microsoft by Sony by Nintendo
Who won in this generation:
8TH GENERATION (2012)
Main features:
Increasingly realistic graphics and more
extensive games;
Strengthening subscription plans, online
multiplayer and digital media.
Game exemples:
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 (2016)
Sonic Mania (2017)
Super Mario Bros Odyssey (2017)
Dragon Ball FighterZ (2018)
Final Fantasy 7 – Remake (2020)
The Last of Us Part 2 (2020)
Main consoles of this generation:
Xbox One PlayStation 4 Nintendo Switch
by Microsoft by Sony by Nintendo
Who won in this generation:
9TH GENERATION (2020)
Main features:
Hardware with exclusive processors;
The inclusion of “Ray tracing” in the graphics.
Game exemples:
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kindgom (2023)
Mortal Kombat One (2023)
Street Fighter 6 (2023)
Sonic Superstars (2023)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Final Fantasy 7 – Ribirth (2024)
Main consoles of this generation:
Xbox Series S/X PlayStation 5 Nintendo Switch 2
by Microsoft by Sony by Nintendo
Who won in this generation:
“Gaming is a voluntary activity or occupation,
[...] following freely agreed rules, [...]
accompanied by a feeling of tension and joy
and an awareness of being different from
‘everyday life’.”
Johan Huizinga
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
FIGUEIREDO, Filipe. A história dos videogames. Nerdologia, 2022. Disponível em:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNEvbxIJ3LY>. Acesso em: 11 set. 2023.
MARQUES, Lukas; MOLO, Daniel. Todas as gerações e evoluções dos vídeo games. Você
Sabia?, 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xid6i-BqELQ&t=573s>.
Acesso em: 11 set. 2023.
MARTINS, Thiago. Todas as gerações de consoles (Parte 1) – 1972 até 2002. XP Infinito
Games, 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ-
2RuAs9BQ&t=598s>. Acesso em: 13 set. 2023.
MARTINS, Thiago. Todas as gerações de consoles (Parte 2) – 1998 até 2022. XP Infinito
Games, 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKtewDsOC64>.
Acesso em: 13 set. 2023.
TOPZERO, Ed. A História das Gerações dos Videogames! Aperte Start, 2020. Disponível
em: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWvFg7oDy54&t=461s>. Acesso em: 11 set.
2023.
VELBERAN, Alessandro. A evolução dos videogames. Velberan, 2017. Disponível em:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZOqOCiu9-4>. Acesso em: 11 set. 2023.
Thanks for watching!
