2010s in video gaming
| 2000s .2010s in video gaming .2020s |
| Other events: 2010s . Games timeline |
The 2010s is the current decade of video gaming and the fifth decade in the industry's history. Thus far, the decade has become notable for producing the first truly "3D" games and consoles, introducing cloud gaming to consumers, and the rising influence of tablet-based and mobile casual games. The industry remains heavily dominated by the actions of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, but it remains unforeseen how their dominance will be affected by the growing smartphone and tablet market. A Yahoo article published in 2012 predicted that video game consoles will not be around in 2020, but will instead be built-in features to televisions.
The seventh generation of gaming consoles entered the market in the mid-2000s with the release of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Nintendo Wii. These three consoles dominated the gaming scene throughout much of the early-2010s as well. Each console brought with them a new breakthrough in technology. The Xbox 360 offered games rendered natively at HD resolutions. In addition to HD games, Sony's PlayStation 3 featured a built in Blu-ray player. Nintendo, having opted out of the HD race, focused more on mobility and interaction. All three major consoles expanded their overall use by doubling as media centers, featuring Wi-fi internet connectivity, and allowing gamers to use apps.
Regarding the handheld market, Nintendo's evolving DS series of handhelds and Sony's PSP dominated the market throughout much of the late-2000s. The Nintendo DS introduced a dual screen, as well as touchscreen gaming. The PSP was Sony's first attempt at competing with Nintendo and featured multiple ports to other devices, improved graphics, and is known for being the first handheld gaming device to use an optical disc format.
The eighth generation of gaming consoles followed a longer than usual console cycle. Nintendo was the first of the big three companies to announce their next generation console, doing so at E3 2011 with the unveiling of the Wii U, the successor to the Wii. The Wii U was released in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand in November 2012 and in Japan the following month. Reception to the console was mixed, with many reviewers criticising the limited choice of launch games available.
...
Wikipedia