This era is known for its pivotal role in thevideo game industry's leap from2D to3D computer graphics, as well as the shift in home console games from being stored onROM cartridges tooptical discs. This was also the first generation to featureinternet connectivity: some systems had additional hardware which provided connectivity to an existing device, like theSega Net Link for the Sega Saturn. TheApple Pippin, a commercial flop, was the first system to feature on-board internet capabilities.
For handhelds, this era was characterized by significant fragmentation, because the first handheld of the generation, theSega Nomad, had a lifespan of just two years, and theNintendoVirtual Boy had a lifespan of less than one. Both of them were discontinued before the other handhelds made their debut. TheNeo Geo Pocket was released on October 28, 1998, but was dropped bySNK in favor of the fully backward compatibleNeo Geo Pocket Color just a year later. Nintendo'sGame Boy Color (1998) was the most successful handheld by a large margin. There were also two minor updates of the originalGame Boy: theGame Boy Light (released in Japan only) and theGame Boy Pocket.
There was considerable time overlap between this generation and the next, thesixth generation of consoles, which began with the launch of theDreamcast in Japan on November 27, 1998. The fifth generation ended with the discontinuation of the PlayStation (specifically its re-engineered form, the "PSOne") on March 23, 2006, a year after the launch of the seventh generation.
The32-bit/64-bit era is most noted for the rise of fully3D polygon games. While there were games prior that had used three-dimensional polygon environments, such asVirtua Racing andVirtua Fighter in thearcades andStar Fox on theSuper NES, it was in this era that many game designers began to move traditionally 2D andpseudo-3D genres into 3D on video game consoles. Early efforts from then-industry leadersSega andNintendo saw the introduction of the32X andSuper FX, which provided rudimentary 3D capabilities to the16-bitGenesis and Super NES. Starting in 1996, 3D video games began to take off with releases such asVirtua Fighter 2 on theSaturn,Tomb Raider on thePlayStation and Saturn,Tekken 2 andCrash Bandicoot on the PlayStation, andSuper Mario 64 on theNintendo 64. Their 3D environments were widely marketed and they steered the industry's focus away fromside-scrolling andrail-style titles, as well as opening doors to more complex games and genres. 3D became the main focus in this era as well as a slow decline of cartridges in favor ofCDs, due to the ability to produce games less expensively and the media's high storage capabilities.
After allowing Sony to develop aCD-basedprototype console for them and a similar failed partnership withPhilips,[3] Nintendo decided to make the Nintendo 64 a cartridge-based system like its predecessors. Publicly, Nintendo defended this decision on the grounds that it would give games shorter load times than a compact disc (and would decrease piracy due to a certain chip in the ROM cartridge).[4][5] However, it also had the dubious benefit of allowing Nintendo to charge higher licensing fees, as cartridge production was considerably more expensive than CD production. Many third-party developers likeEA Sports viewed this as an underhanded attempt to raise more money for Nintendo and many of them became more reluctant to release games on the N64.[citation needed]
Nintendo's decision to use a cartridge based system sparked a debate in the video game magazines as to which was better. The chief advantages of theCD-ROM format were (1) larger storage capacity, allowing for a much greater amount of game content;[6][7] (2) considerably lower manufacturing costs, making them much less risky for game publishers;[7][8] (3) lower retail prices due to the reduced need to compensate for manufacturing costs;[6][7][9] and (4) shorter production times, which greatly reduced the need for publishers to predict the demand for a game.[10][11] Its disadvantages compared to cartridge were (1) considerable load times;[6][8][10] (2) their inability to load data "on the fly", making them reliant on the consoleRAM;[6] and (3) the greater manufacturing costs of CD-ROM drives compared to cartridge slots, resulting in generally higher retail prices for CD-based consoles.[6][8] A Nintendo Power ad placed aSpace Shuttle (representing cartridges) next to a snail (representing a CD), as an analogy for their respective speeds, stating that "the future doesn't belong to snails".[12]
Almost every other contemporary system used the new CD-ROM technology. Consequent to the storage and cost advantages of the CD-ROM format, many game developers shifted their support away from the Nintendo 64 to the PlayStation. One of the most influential game franchises to change consoles during this era was theFinal Fantasy series, beginning withFinal Fantasy VII, which was developed for the PlayStation instead of the N64 due to storage capacity issues;[13] priorFinal Fantasy games had all been published on Nintendo consoles – either theNES orSuper NES, with the only other entries being on theWonderswan, or computers like theMSX.
The fifth generation was characterized by an unusually high number of console formats. More competing consoles comprised this generation than any other since thevideo game crash of 1983, leading video game magazines of the time to frequently predict a second crash.[14]
The3DO Interactive Multiplayer was one of the earliest fifth generation consoles and was released in October 1993. Despite having massive[citation needed] third-party support and an unprecedented amount of hype for a first-time entrant into the industry, it had early difficulties due to software development delays and its high price. For its initial release, the 3DO had a $700 retail price tag and only a single available game ready for market. The 3DO would be discontinued only three years later. While generally regarded as a failed system, the 3DO was this generation's fourth best-selling console in a crowded field with sales of 2 million units.
TheSega Saturn was Sega's entry into the stand-alone 32-bit console market. It was released in Japan simultaneously with the 32X in November 1994, although it would not have a North American release until six months later.[3] It became Sega's most successful console in Japan. In America and Europe however, a disastrous launch and anMSRP of $399 compared to the PlayStation's $299 caused it to be a commercial failure,[15] selling far fewer units than theMaster System andMega Drive/Genesis before it.
ThePlayStation, released in early December 1994, was the most successful console of this generation. With attention given by third-party developers and a more mature marketing campaign aimed at the 20–30 age group enabling it to achieve market dominance, it became the first home console to ship 100 million units worldwide.[citation needed]
TheNintendo 64, originally announced as the "Ultra 64", was released in 1996. The system's delays and use of the expensive cartridge format made it an unpopular platform among third-party developers.[citation needed] Several popular first-party titles allowed the Nintendo 64 to maintain strong sales in the United States, but it remained a distant second to the PlayStation.[citation needed]
TheAmiga CD32 was released in September 1993 and sold in Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil. It was never released in the United States due toCommodore's bankruptcy and court-ordered import restrictions.[16][17] Despite promising initial sales, the console was hampered by poor software quality with many titles being simply re-releases of older games.[18] Production of the Amiga CD32 was discontinued after only eight months.[17]
TheAtari Jaguar was released in November 1993 and was marketed as the world's first 64-bit system. However, sales at launch were well below the incumbent fourth generation consoles, and a small games library rooted in a shortage of third-party support made it impossible for the Jaguar to catch up, selling below 250,000 units. The system's 64-bit nature wasalso questioned by many. Its only add-on, theJaguar CD, was released in 1995 and was produced in limited quantities due to the low install base of the system.[citation needed] The 32-bitAtari Panther, set to be released in 1991, was canceled due to unexpectedly rapid progress in developing the Jaguar.[19]
TheSega 32X, an add-on console produced by Sega for theGenesis, was launched in November 1994. TheSega Neptune, a standalone version of the 32X, was announced but ultimately canceled. Sega failed to deliver a steady flow of games for the 32X platform. With customers anticipating the PlayStation on the horizon, and with Sega's more technically advanced Saturn already competing on the market in Japan, sales of the 32X were poor.[20]
NEC, creator of theTurboGrafx-16 of the previous generation, entered the market with thePC-FX in late December 1994. The system had a 32-bit processor, 16-bit stereo sound, and video capability. Despite its impressive specifications, it did not have a polygon processor and was marketed as a platform for 2D andfull motion video games. The PC-FX game library was criticized for being low in quality, and having titles that relied more on animation than gameplay.[21][22] Due to low expected sales, it was never released outside of Japan.
In 1995, Nintendo released theVirtual Boy, a supposedly portable system capable of displayingtrue 3D graphics, albeit in monochromatic red and black. Despite being marketed as a portable system, it is not actually portable in practice due to the lack of a head strap.[23] Also, because of the nature of its display, the system reportedly caused headaches and eye strain.[23] It was discontinued within a year,[24] with fewer than 25 games being released for it.[23] Although it sold over 750,000 units, Nintendo felt that it was a failure compared to consoles such as the Super Nintendo, which sold over 20 million.[24]
By the end of the 1995Christmas shopping season, the fifth generation had come down to a struggle between the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, and the upcoming Nintendo 64. The Amiga CD32 had already been discontinued; the Jaguar, Genesis 32X, and Virtual Boy were still on the market but were considered a lost cause by industry analysts; theNeo Geo CD had proven to appeal only to a niche market; and industry analysts had already determined that the yet-to-launchApple Bandai Pippin was too expensive to make any impact in the market.[25] Moreover, even the leading fifth generation consoles were still facing sluggish sales. Combined sales for the PlayStation, Saturn, and 3DO barely topped 1 million units for the Christmas shopping season, as compared to combined sales of 4 million for the Sega Genesis and Super NES.[26]Focus groups showed that most children under 12 years old were equally happy playing on fourth generation consoles as they were playing on fifth generation consoles, making the fourth generation consoles more appealing to adults buying gifts for children, since they were cheaper.[8] Industry analysts began putting forth the possibility that the fifth generation of consoles would never overtake the fourth generation in sales, and become superseded by a new generation ofDVD player consoles before they could achieve mass acceptance.[27]
1996 saw the fifth generation consoles' fortunes finally turn around. With the Saturn, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 all showing dramatic increases in sales over the previous year, they claimed a combined 40% of the retail market for hardware and software, putting them in position to finally overtake the fourth generation consoles in 1997.[28]
The Sega Saturn suffered from poor marketing and comparatively limited third-party support outside Japan.[3] Sega's decision to use dual processors was roundly criticized, as this made it difficult to efficiently develop for the console.[29] Sega was also hurt by the Saturn's surprise four-month-early U.S. launch; third-party developers, who had been planning for the originally scheduled launch, could not provide launch titles and were angered by the move. Retailers were caught unprepared, resulting in distribution problems; some retailers, such as the now defunctKB Toys, were so furious that they refused to stock the Saturn thereafter.[30]
Due to numerous delays, the Nintendo 64 was released one year later than its competitors. By the time it was finally launched in 1996, the PlayStation had already established its dominance, the Saturn was starting to struggle, and the 3DO and Jaguar had been discontinued.[citation needed] Its use of cartridge media rather than compact discs alienated some developers and publishers due to the space limits, the relatively high cost involved, and a considerably longer production time.[citation needed] In addition, the initially high suggested retail price of the console may have driven potential customers away, and some early adopters of the system who had paid the initial price may have been angered by Nintendo's decision to cut the price of the system by $50 six months after its release.[31] However, the Nintendo 64 turned out to be a commercial success, particularly in the United States, where it sold 20.63 million units, nearly two thirds of its worldwide sales of 32.93 million units. It was also home to highly successful games such asStar Fox 64,Mario Kart 64,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask,Super Mario 64,GoldenEye 007,Banjo-Kazooie, andSuper Smash Bros. While Nintendo 64 sold far more units than the Sega Saturn, Atari Jaguar, and 3DO combined, it posed no challenge to thePlayStation's lead in the market.
By 1997, 40% to 60% of American homes played on video game consoles.[further explanation needed] 30% to 40% of these homes owned a console, while an additional 10% to 20% rented or shared a console.[32]
On May 14, 1999, Hasbro Interactive announced that all rights to the Atari Jaguar were released into thepublic domain,[36] thus declaringthe platform open; this allowed anyone to freely create and publish games for the Jaguar without endorsement or licensing from Hasbro Interactive. Since then,homebrew developers began to release uncompleted Jaguar games as well as several brand new titles to satisfy the system'scult following.[37]
Sega's loss of consumer confidence (coupled with its previous console failures), along with their financial difficulties, set the company up for a similar fate in the next round of console wars.
From 1996 to 1999 (when the PlayStation, N64 and Saturn were the major 5th-generation consoles still on the market) Sony managed a 47% market share of the worldwide market, followed by Nintendo with 28% (with a percentage of that figure from the 16‑bitSuper NES), while Sega was third with 23% (with a percentage of that from theDreamcast).[82]
Production of the Sega Saturn was discontinued in 1998. Its demise was accelerated by rumors that work onits successor was underway; these rumors hurt the systems' sales in the west as early as 1997.[citation needed] The N64 was succeeded by theGameCube in 2001, but continued its production until 2004; however,PlayStation production was not ceased as it was redesigned as the PSone, further extending the life of the console around the release of the follow-upPlayStation 2. The PlayStation console production was discontinued in 2006, the same year that thePlayStation 3 was released in Japan and North America.
Dragon Warrior VII (PlayStation) byHeartbeat,ArtePiazza, andEnix was the number one best-selling title on the PlayStation in Japan, released in 2000.[88] The game was the first main installment of Japan's national RPG series released in 5 years.
Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation, PC) bySquare Product Development Division 1 andSquare is one of the PlayStation's most acclaimed and popular titles, selling around 10 million copies worldwide.[89] It was the first game in theFinal Fantasy series to make use of full motion videos (FMVs) and is credited with allowing console role-playing games to gain mass-market appeal outside of Japan.[90]Final Fantasy became one of the biggest franchises in video gaming, withFinal Fantasy VII in particular having several spin-offs known asCompilation of Final Fantasy VII.
GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo 64) byRare andNintendo is a critically acclaimed game that helped make thefirst-person shooter a potential popular genre on consoles. The game has subsequently become credited alongsideShiny Entertainment'sMDK for pioneering and popularising the now-standard inclusion of scoped sniper rifles in video games.[91]
Nights into Dreams (Saturn) bySonic Team andSega was bundled with the Saturn's analog controller, which was almost essential to the gameplay. With its innovative gameplay and graphics,Nights, an exclusive title, aided in the selling of a number of Saturns.[98]
Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn) byTeam Andromeda and Sega is the highest-rated Saturn title on Game Rankings with a score of 92.87%,[99] and has been cited as one of the greatest games ever made.[85][100][101]
Pokémon Red andBlue (Game Boy) by Game Freak and Nintendo was a critical and financial success when the games debuted on the Game Boy and putting another Nintendo franchise on the map. By the end of this console generation, the games sold about 31 million units worldwide.[102][103][104][105]
Pokémon Gold andSilver (Game Boy Color) also developed by Game Freak and Nintendo garnered critical acclaim from various gaming critics, are considered by many to be the best games in the Pokémon franchise.[106]
Quake (PC, Saturn, Nintendo 64) byid Software built upon the technology and gameplay of its predecessorDoom,[107] andits engine offered full real-time 3D rendering and had early support for 3D acceleration throughOpenGL, in addition to various multiplayer option compared to its predecessor. The game was critically acclaimed upon release and is considered one of the best video games of all time.[108][109][110]
Rayman (Jaguar, PlayStation, Saturn, PC) byUbisoft was highly praised for its animated 2D graphics, atmosphere, soundtrack, and high difficulty, and was the number one best-selling title on the PlayStation in the UK, released in 1995.[111] The game has since spawned over 45 additional entries in the series.
Resident Evil (PlayStation, Saturn) byCapcom received critical acclaim and is credited for popularizing the survival horror genre.[112]
Sega Rally Championship (Arcade, Saturn, PC) by Sega AM5 and Sega was the firstrally racing game.[113] It broke new ground by incorporating different surfaces with different friction properties,[114][115] and has been cited as one of the greatest racing games ever made.[114][116]
Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64) by Nintendo EAD and Nintendo is the firstNintendo 64 game to use the Nintendo 64Rumble Pak, which was bundled with the game. It was a success and sold 3 million copies worldwide.[117]
Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64) byNintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (Nintendo EAD) andNintendo is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time, particularly for its use of a dynamiccamera system, the implementation of its 360-degree analog control, and open world design.[118]Super Mario 64 is one of the best selling home console games of the era, selling 11.62 million copies worldwide.[119]
Tekken 3 (arcade, PlayStation) byNamco is considered not only to be the greatest installment of theTekken series, but remains as one of the greatest fighting games of all time according to PlayStation Magazine.[120] It has aMetacritic score of 96, and is the 12th highest rated game ever according toGameRankings.[121]Its predecessor achieved similar feats until its succession,[122] andthe first game in the franchise was the first PlayStation game to sell over a million units.[123]
Virtua Fighter (Arcade, Saturn, PC) by Sega AM2 and Sega created the 3D fighting game genre.[129] The console port, which was nearly identical to the arcade game, sold at a nearly 1:1 ratio with the Saturn hardware at launch.[130] The original arcade version also had a major influence on the PlayStation becoming a 3D-focused console.[131]
Virtua Fighter 2 (Arcade, Saturn, PC) by Sega AM2 and Sega was heralded at the time as "the ultimate arcade translation" and "the best fighting game ever".[132] The title remains the highest selling Saturn game in Japan with 1.7 million copies.[133]
Wipeout (PlayStation, PC, Saturn) byPsygnosis received critical and financial success for its futuristic setting, weapons designed to both stall and destroy opponents and its marketing campaign designed by Keith Hopwood andThe Designers Republic, in addition to unique licensed music from established electronica acts for PAL versions. The game has been described as being synonymous with Sony's debut gaming hardware and as an early showcase for 3D graphics in console gaming.[134]
^The fifth generation of video game consoles began whenPanasonic released the3DO Interactive Multiplayer on October 4, 1993, in the American market.[1] Then the fifth generation of video game console ended when the last console of the generation, theSony PlayStation, was discontinued on March 23, 2006.[2]
^abcd"10 Reasons Why Nintendo 64 Will Kick Sony's and Sega's Ass (& 20 Reasons Why it Won't)".Next Generation. No. 20.Imagine Media. August 1996. pp. 39–41.
^Ryan, Michael E."'I Gotta Have This Game Machine!' (Cover Story)".Familypc 7.11 (2000): 112. MasterFILE Premier. Web. July 24, 2013.
^ab"The Future of Consoles: Sony, Nintendo, and Sega Talk Back".Next Generation. No. 34.Imagine Media. October 1997. p. 53.
^Johnston, Chris (April 8, 2000)."Atari Goes to Hasbro".GameSpot.Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. RetrievedMay 20, 2020.
^"Hasbro Releases Jaguar Publishing Rights". Hasbro Interactive.Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. RetrievedMay 14, 2008.Beverly, MA (May 14, 1999) – Leading entertainment software publisher, Hasbro Interactive announced today it has released all rights that it may have to the vintage Atari hardware platform, the Jaguar.
^"ARM60 Data Sheet – Preface"(PDF).ARM60 Data Sheet. Zarlink Semiconductor.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 14, 2018. RetrievedAugust 14, 2018.
^Zackariasson, Peter; Wilson, Timothy L.; Ernkvist, Mirko (2012). "Console Hardware: The Development of Nintendo Wii".The Video Game Industry: Formation, Present State, and Future. Routledge. p. 158.ISBN978-1138803831.
^Stuart, Keith (2014). Sega Mega Drive Collected Works. Read-Only Memory. ISBN 9780957576810. "Finally with regards the launch of the 32X Shinobu Toyoda of Sega of America recalls, "We had an inventory problem. Behind the scenes, Nakayama wanted us to sell a million units in the US in the first year. Kalinske and I said we could only sell 600,000. We shook hands on a compromise - 800,000. At the end of the year we had managed to shift 600,000 as estimated, so ended up with 200,000 units in our warehouse, which we had to sell to retailers at a steep discount to get rid of the inventory."
^Poole, Steven (2000).Trigger Happy: The Inner Life of Videogames. London: Fourth Estate. p. 207.ISBN1-84115-121-1.... the tangible connection between the controls in your physical hands and the action of the little toy on screen is a clever semiotic trick that fools you into ever-increasing absorption into the cartoon world. A similar trick is worked by the videogame paradigm of the sniper rifle, introduced by MDK (1997), perfected by Goldeneye (1997) and then cropping up everywhere—for example in Metal Gear Solid (1999) and Perfect Dark (2000). This gadget zooms in on an area and lets you view it in close-up, usually for the purpose of delivering an exquisite head shot to a bad guy. A virtual environment that reveals more detail when viewed telescopically is naturally more convincing than one which only works on one informational scale.
^abGuinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2009, page 103.
^Edge Staff,"The Making Of: Colin McRae Rally"Archived October 12, 2013, at theWayback Machine,Edge, February 5, 2010:"The basic premise for the game was based around the car handling in Sega Rally,' confirms Guy Wilday, producer of the first four CMR games. 'Everyone who played it loved the way the cars behaved on the different surfaces, especially the fact that you could slide the car realistically on the loose gravel. The car handling remains excellent to this day and it's still an arcade machine I enjoy playing, given the chance."
^PlayStation: The Official Magazine asserts in its January 2009 issue thatTekken 3 "is still widely considered one of the finest fighting games of all time". See "Tekken 6: A History of Violence",PlayStation: The Official Magazine (January 2009): 46.
^Gard, Toby; Smith, Jeremy Heath;Livingstone, Ian (interviews);Hawes, Keeley (narrator) (2007).Unlock the Past: A Retrospective Tomb Raider Documentary (Tomb Raider Anniversary Bonus DVD).Eidos Interactive /GameTap. Also known asTen Years of Tomb Raider: A GameTap Retrospective
^Feit, Daniel (September 5, 2012)."HowVirtua Fighter Saved PlayStation's Bacon".Wired.Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. RetrievedOctober 9, 2014.Ryoji Akagawa: If it wasn't forVirtua Fighter, the PlayStation probably would have had a completely different hardware concept.
^"Platinum Pick: Virtua Fighter 2".Next Generation. Vol. 2, no. 13. Imagine Media. January 1996. p. 179.
