Gaming platforms

• In a world full of choice, we have many different gaming consoles out there. For example Microsoft produces the Xbox range of console and Sony the PlayStation line. Nintendo also produces a large number of gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Switch.

• Each of these gaming consoles differs from the other not just by what games it can play but how the system functions underneath.

• In this lesson we are going to be looking at different gaming platforms and how they differ. 

• There are many different gaming platforms because at the end of the day the gaming industry is very competitive.

• There was a time when it was just Sony vs Nintendo, but then Microsoft saw how lucrative the gaming market was and joined in, adding more competition into the mix.

• Connections such as the standard composite video connectors go out of date and become unsupported and new consoles are developed to support more up to date standards (HDMI).

• None of this brings any benefits to the user since it often means that to access a game the user needs to buy another gaming console (for example, Last Of Us was only available on PS4 and not on Xbox One)

There are several advantages to having multiple platforms.

• Some platforms focus on different fields, for example:

  • Nintendo’s Wii was a totally new idea that required the player to move around to interact with the console. Microsoft’s Kinect was very similar.

  • Nintendo’s Switch was a mobile and home console in one, offering mid range home performance but at the same time supporting high end mobile gaming

• Performance to price

  • Performance can vary, for example you can get a high end console such as PS5 or a Nintendo Switch with much lower performance at a lower price, making gaming more accessible.

• Compatibility

  • Some games consoles offer compatibility with existing games and hardware (for example Nintendo’s Wii can play Nintendo GameCube games too)

• As platforms age, they become redundant and get replaced. This means that the owner needs to put down more money to get a more advanced and up to date system (this is much the same with computer systems).

• Multiple platforms means you’ve got to have multiple systems to play more games, which often means new hardware, including controllers, which of course takes more room