Which console won this generation?

[General Zot]

I think this generation is far enough along to make some judgements, so let's do it. Who do you think won this generation and why? Use whatever critieria you think is relevant, obviously if we went by install base it's a no brainer.

 

IMHO Xbox was the best one of this last generation. Xbox had the most innovation in hardware design and produced some shocking new and polished games. Flame that all you want, but I defy you to find a console game anywhere that stands up in graphics/sound/gameplay to Ninja Gaiden on Xbox.

 

PS2 comes in second just due to the massive install base and the huge amounts of developers that attracts. The captured 2nd tier devs really delivered some great games too, like FFX and the GTA games.

 

GC is last, although game for game it is probably the highest quality system. Lots of 1st tier quality games, a few great 2nd tier dev game (like RE4), and maybe a few good 3rd party games. Xbox and PS2 just roll over the big N in this area and it hobbles the GC. The games may be great, but when your competitors also have great games and they produce them 5:1 or 10:1 to your console, you have a problem.

[foogledricks]

Betweem Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, who has advanced their position in this industry the most in the past four years? Sony no doubt won the battle. But in context of the war, Microsoft clearly won this round.

[Romier S]

Betweem Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, who has advanced their position in this industry the most in the past four years?

 

A bit of an unfair comparison considering Microsoft had not position to advance right out of the gate. Even then the Playstation 2 demolished even the Playstation's worldwide installed base by well over twenty million. I'd say that is quite the advancement.

 

Sony no doubt won the battle. But in context of the war, Microsoft clearly won this round.

 

I'd say it's the other way around. Microsoft won many integral battles this generation, some of which alot of people (including myself) didn't they could do from the first announcement of the Xbox. Battles such as creating real name recognition with Xbox, defeating one of the established players in this industry (Nintendo), and pushing online console gaming years forward with Xbox Live. However at the end of the day, the Playstation 2 still won the war in terms of install base, variety of software and pure out marketing muscle.

[JFo]

I voted for the PS2. I simply don't understand how anyone could say that Sony didn't win this round when looking at the raw numbers. In terms of units sold and number of titles available, the Playstation 2 wins, no questions asked. It's also equally impressive that Sony managed to remain such a dominant force for two consecutive generations -- something which hasn't happened until now.

 

Ultimately though, I think questions like this are rather trite. The fact of the matter is I own three major gaming consoles. All three of them have more great games available to play than I have time to enjoy them. Who won this generation? I did.

[Romier S]

I voted for the PS2. I simply don't understand how anyone could say that Sony didn't win this round when looking at the raw numbers.

 

Well I think Joe was wanting folks to give thier impression of who won the war using whatever criteria they wished to use, not just installed base etc. Jeff. As Joe noted, if you went by just installed base, it's pretty clear cut who won.

 

Flame that all you want, but I defy you to find a console game anywhere that stands up in graphics/sound/gameplay to Ninja Gaiden on Xbox.

 

Sorry but I just have to answer. Panzer Dragoon Orta. Music that is to die for, an entire language created and voiced for the game. One of the most stunningly artistic and technically impressive games this generation and it happens to be one of the best games EVER released in it's genre in terms of gameplay and features. Then again the game IS on the Xbox so I suppose I'm supporting your view of the Xbox having some great games (which it does).

 

I'd personally like to see the "I won" option Jeff mentioned. It's the one I like the most.

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

I voted for Microsoft. Sony met expectations, Nintendo fell short of expectations, and Microsoft drastically exceeded expectations. For Sony to get the 'W', the Xbox needed to be stopped cold. Instead, next gen is a tossup.

 

Look at it in the context of a real war. Sure, the allies lost the numbers game on D-day, but they got that crucial beachhead established. I don't see how allowing enemies/competitors to gain a foothold could be construed as a win, so Microsoft is the clear winner.

[iainl]

I voted Cube, because it's the machine that has had the most use in our house, thanks to the likes of Super Monkey Ball, Animal Crossing and Pikmin among many others.

 

By both worldwide hardware sales and the actual number of titles on my shelf, the PS2 wins (the latter down to the sheer number of cheap games you can get for it, tbh). XBox has probably edged it in terms of technical ability (I'll go on about how gorgeous OutRun2 is again, if you want).

 

So I'm happy with all of them, I suppose.

[ChoiceStriker]

I voted PS2, thinking down the same lines as Jeff - in terms of units moved. But, having said that, I also can't think of any other system where I've found 60 games I thought were worth owning.

[General Zot]

Right on both accounts. Orta is to NG like GTA SA to GTA VC for what I meant. I intended it as a best of xbox showcase vs. best of GC/PS2 showcase game.

 

And yeah, who won in your mind for whatever reason. By money made, Sony kicked mucho butt, Nintendo did very well and MS was so-so to poor. But for me as a gamer, the Xbox has been the big surprise and the most enjoyed console from this gen. So for me it wins...

 

 

 

 

Well I think Joe was wanting folks to give thier impression of who won the war using whatever criteria they wished to use' date=' not just installed base etc. Jeff. As Joe noted, if you went by just installed base, it's pretty clear cut who won.

 

 

 

Sorry but I just have to answer. Panzer Dragoon Orta. Music that is to die for, an entire language created and voiced for the game. One of the most stunningly artistic and technically impressive games this generation and it happens to be one of the best games EVER released in it's genre in terms of gameplay and features. Then again the game IS on the Xbox so I suppose I'm supporting your view of the Xbox having some great games (which it does).

 

I'd personally like to see the "I won" option Jeff mentioned. It's the one I like the most.[/quote']

[Ricky G]

I own the Big 3, so no bias here.

 

X-box won big, in terms of market share gained from the beginning of it's life cycle. Nintendo lost for the same reason, lost market share.

[JFo]

Well I think Joe was wanting folks to give thier impression of who won the war using whatever criteria they wished to use, not just installed base etc. Jeff. As Joe noted, if you went by just installed base, it's pretty clear cut who won.

 

I realize that. However, I think that a more accurate question would be, "Which console was your favorite this gen?" Asking which console "won" for me has more to do with market share, profits, and overall games than personal preference. Just because I may want the GameCube or Xbox to win doesn't mean that Sony didn't destroy both in overal install base and number of games. Otherwise, everyone will base their answer on which console they have the most games for and which one they play the most. If that were the case, I'd end up saying that the GameCube won while Brian (dogbert) would say that the Dreamcast won. Neither statement would be accurate, but I think you see my point.

[Covak]

I can't decide between Xbox (because of Live) and GameCube (because of all the great single-player and party games).

[GreenMonkey]

I would say none, as far as their perceived goals.

 

Nintendo failed to edge Sony back out of the top spot.

Microsoft failed to catch up to Sony at all, or even crush Nintendo (maybe in the US they are ahead in terms of hardware sales, but hardly a crushing victory)

Sony failed to consolidate their lead into a true monopoly like all big companies like. They still have 2 very viable competitors - Xbox did well enough (despite the program bleeding cash left and right at points) to stay in for the next round, and Nintendo is still up and running with almost always profits. In the last generation they had one competitor : Nintendo with the N64. This generation they have 2 (and that after the DC died off).

 

Of course, Sony did manage to crush Sega's hopes with the Dreamcast, so maybe I could call that a victory for Sony, but then again, Sega did a lot of that in previous generations by making people leery of their systems (Sega 32X, Saturn). Plus how much of the Dreamcast's demise was due to Microsoft/Nintendo?

[Jon W H]

Everyone else already listed the reasons for my vote: XBox. I thought it expanded a lot of horizons with Live and downloadable content. Market share was a tough row to hoe, and Microsoft did manage that very well. Name recognition in mainstream: accomplished. In terms of being poised for a stronger launch next generation, to me, Microsoft holds better cards than the other two.

[JoeyN]

Sales wise Ps2. Games wise Xbox.

 

capt

[Tom]

I own the Big 3' date=' so no bias here.

 

X-box won big, in terms of market share gained from the beginning of it's life cycle. Nintendo lost for the same reason, lost market share.[/quote']

 

I can agree with the latter statement. But the former, I have problems with. From a pure mathematical sense, yes MS gained market share (from 0 to 1 is mathematically a gain). But the problem I have is, IMHO I didn't see MS put much a chink in Sony's giant armor. They released well before MS or Nintendo, and when the Cube and XBox dropped, really did little maneuvering to stave off the challenges. Sure they dropped a broadband adaptor, but they didn't support it. Sure there was the hard drive addon, but they didn't really care. And you know what? They still outsold MS and Nintendo combined most of the time. All that given Sony was hardly even trying with the PS2 anymore, and had moved onto the PSP.

 

Now, Sony was playing with loaded dice. They did have the head start on the competition. They had great negotiations with certain developers (you know they love their Rockstar/TakeTwo contract) for exclusive rights to games obviously didn't hurt either. They had a popular pre-established marketbase leftover from the PS1 days. Maybe with more of that, XBox will be a contender in this next round.

 

I guess I'm a bit confused as to which question people are answering. Who won the war this time? Or which console they like to play games on the most? The latter is a very personal decision, and is often never linked to the former question's answer.

[secretvampire]

I would say, for many of the reasons Jeff stated, that Sony won this generation hands down. I own all three consoles + Dreamcast, I don't have any biases. Sony maintained their huge market share, sold an unbelievable amount of consoles (hell, they are even still selling PS1s), and as we've seen, simply maintaining your position in this market is a feat in itself. One that Nintendo has certainly failed at over the years, I'm sad to say.

[Josh]

My vote went to PS2 both for gaming experience and sheer numbers.

 

ICO, Dark Cloud 2, MGS2, MGS3, Ratchet & Clank 1-3, Sly Cooper 1-2, Jak 1-3, Rez (granted this was a Dreamcast game back in the day, but I play it on PS2), SOCOM.

 

...all some of the best and most original games I've ever played.

 

Xbox may have the gloss and Live, but to me, they're all me-too titles. I dig my Xbox, but it doesn't have the same appeal in terms of gameplay to me. Halo, Halo 2, Rainbow Six, KOTOR, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Splinter Cell - all great games, just not my favorites.

 

You can throw all the bells and whistles and graphics and 5.1 surround and Live play on mediocre games, and they're still mediocre games.

[Romier S]

they're all me-too titles

 

Yes, Playstation 2 has none of those.

 

Furthermore games like Panzer Dragoon Orta need no gloss to shine my friend. It's gameplay does enough. I'll also take 40 hours of Knights of the Old Republic over any 100 hour game of some 13 year old kid and his crew saving the worlds "gaia" from "long haired feminine" guy #3,128.

[Josh]

Yes' date=' Playstation 2 has none of those.

 

Furthermore games like Panzer Dragoon Orta need no gloss to shine my friend. It's gameplay does enough. I'll also take 40 hours of Knights of the Old Republic over any 100 hour game of some 13 year old kid and his crew saving the worlds "gaia" from "long haired feminine" guy #3,128. [/quote']

 

Totally agree, and didn't mean to imply that all Xbox titles are me-too's. I should have left it at the first paragraph and walked away silently. Wait. I don't think I've ever done that.

 

Anyway, PDO and KOTOR were great, no doubt. I also can't wait for Jade Empire. All solid games. I just spent more time appreciating the creativity of games on the PS2 than I did any other system.

[Romier S]

I just spent more time appreciating the creativity of games on the PS2 than I did any other system.

 

I know Josh. Just giving you some hell since you mentioned a game that forces a defensive stance when I see it in print (Panzer Dragoon.) .

[Tom]

Halo' date=' Halo 2, Rainbow Six, KOTOR, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Splinter Cell - all great games, just not my favorites.

 

You can throw all the bells and whistles and graphics and 5.1 surround and Live play on mediocre games, and they're still mediocre games.[/quote']

 

The games on Xbox are not mediocre. That's probably a bit unfair to say. Maybe they just don't play well on the console platform. I think out of that list of games there I could say that most of them I prefer (or would perfer) to play on a PC. Just certain things call for a mouse (HALO, KOTOR, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell) when I am playing them. That is just a product of the fact I was a PC Gamer first, and adapting to use the analog sticks to do the moving and looking on a platformer has not worked for me on XBox, PS2, or Gamecube.

 

The only magical thing the XBox holds for me is TopSpin. I'm a tennis junkie, and it was dreamy. :rock

[AnthonyVolpe]

PS2 won if you're talking numbers. Duh. But XBox is a VERY serious 2nd place and hopefully with this whole XNA thing they're whoring around, they'll slowly but surely close the gap.

 

Nintendo needs to quit trying to push superfluous gaming trends like connectivity and the DS touch-pad onto the U.S. market and get more in touch with us if they expect to survive here. I'm all for innovation, but not unproven stuff that's in place of obvious things like online capability. Nintendo's higher-ups can pooh-pooh the concept all they want and call it a "trend" - to me it's as senseless as calling the joystick a trend and forcing everyone who owned a GameCube to use a microphone to play all their games. If Nintendo were able to get games like Super Monkey Ball, Mario Kart and Mario Tennis online, they'd be all the better for it. And so would we, because we wouldn't have to try to meet up in someone's house just to play Mario Kart when we can go online and do it.

 

On a personal note, I got tired of the console wars a few years ago, bought all three current-gen systems, and buy whatever game I like regardless of what system it's on, so I win no matter what. The only exception to this rule is waiting for PC games like Half-Life 2, Far Cry, and Painkiller to come to the consoles. I blow way too much money on this crap as it is and I shouldn't have to worry about plunking hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on an upgrade to my computer just so I can play Doom 3. One console, one architecture, less bombs and crashes if any.