Console wars is a term used to refer to the various competition between video game consoles. It can be used to refer to which of the consoles is the most successful and also the arguments between the fanboys of each system. Due to different manufacturers releasing consoles at different times the different wars are not exact definitions. The fanboy aspect of console wars originally started in the 1980s with the many home computer systems availabe at the time particularly the Spectrum and Commodore leading to rampant fanboyism as people would staunchly defend their purchasing decisions even against the obvious knowledge that another computer was the technically superior. The manufacturers aspect of the console wars is the same as competition in any other potentially profitable industry though it is also backed up by the single format publications of the various consoles often childishly insulting the other consoles.

The 8-bit era: Sega Master System vs. Nintendo Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System

The NES came out on top in North America and Japan, partially due to its earlier release, and the fact that Nintendo banned developers from releasing their games on other systems if the game was released on the NES. This put a damper on third party support for the Master System, and, indeed, the rest of Nintendo's competition. However, in Europe and South America, the Master System clearly came out on top. Many more games were released in Europe and South America than in North America, and the Master System had a very long shelf-life in South America, finally "dying" in the mid-1990s.

The handheld wars: Nintendo Game Boy vs. Sega Game Gear

Despite its technical inferiority, the Game Boy came out well on top here and far out lived the Game Gear, becoming one of the most successful consoles of all time. The Game Boy's victory is generally attributed to the Game Gear's very short battery life. However, the Game Boy also had many ports of popular Nintendo franchises. It was also launched with the extraordinarily popular puzzle game Tetris as a pack-in. Many other companies attempted to get in on the handheld market and they could also be added into this category especially with the Atari Lynx as it was released at around the same time as the Game Gear and Game Boy. The only other major challengers were the Neo Geo Pocket and the WonderSwan (though the latter was in Japan only).

The 16-bit era: Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis vs. Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom

There was no clear cut winner here. The Mega Drive came out three years earlier than the SNES, however its first few years were not very successful and it was not until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog that it really started to sell. The Mega Drive outsold the SNES in Europe. In Japan the Super Famicom outsold the Mega Drive. In the United States, the Genesis roughly outsold the SNES by 5%, but for the most part, they were about even.

The 32/64-bit era: Sony PlayStation vs. Sega Saturn vs. Nintendo 64

The Saturn, although a technically advanced console, suffered from poor marketing and comparatively limited third-party support. Sega's decision to use dual processors has been roundly criticised, and some believe the second CPU was added as a "panic" response to the PlayStation's specifications. It has been said that only Sega's first-party developers were ever able to utilize the second CPU effectively. The Saturn was not as strongly designed for 3D as the PlayStation or Nintendo 64 (N64), a severe disadvantage at the dawn of 3D games.

Sony took an early advantage by tapping the mass market and positioning the PlayStation as a "lifestyle accessory" for males in the late teens to late twenties. Sega and Nintendo's offerings were characterized as appealing more to children (both companies, for instance, featured mascots that appeared in Saturday morning cartoons). The securing of this new market is widely credited as the key to the system's success. With greater hardware sales came greater third party support; ultimately the PlayStation dominated the era. Sony carried this momentum over into the release of the PlayStation 2 (see below).

The N64 was released two years later than its competitors, and its use of cartidge media rather than compact discs alienated developers and publishers due to the space limits and relative cost involved. In addition, the initially high suggested retail price of the console may have driven potential customers away, and many early adopters of the system who had paid the initial cost were angered by Nintendo's decision to reduce the cost of the system within a few months of its initial release.

The next generation era: Sony PlayStation 2 vs. Microsoft Xbox vs. Nintendo GameCube

This era is currently drawing to a close; it appears to be a sales victory for the PlayStation 2, with the Xbox and GameCube tied behind for second place (although Nintendo and Microsoft each claim to be ahead of the other). Also included in this era was the Sega Dreamcast, which arrived prior to all of the others. However, the impending and much-hyped PS2 competed with the Dreamcast before it was even released, which combined with Sega's bad marketing policies, the rapid development of piracy on the machine and the shadow of the Saturn's downfall led to the Dreamcast's early demise. The brand Sony had established with the original PlayStation was a major factor in their victory here, both in terms of securing a consumer base and attracting third party developers; the gradual increase in one tending to reinforce the other. The PS2 was also able to play DVDs and was backwards-compatible with PSX games which many say helped the former's sales. Any user considering buying a DVD player or PlayStation could view the PS2 as a sensible alternative, and the system effectively had a back catalogue available before it even went on sale.

The Xbox, despite the formidable financial backing of Microsoft and its status as the most powerful of the consoles, has failed to significantly threaten the PS2's place as market leader. However, it has attracted a large fanbase in the United States and Europe and has become a recognisable brand amoungst the mainstream. In Japan its sales are far poorer, possibly due to Microsoft's brand image and inability to acquire many major Japanese developers or their franchises as excusives for the platform (contrast with Microsoft's multi-million dollar acquisition of UK developer Rare). There is still a niche fanbase there, however.

The GameCube's international sales are comparable to those of the Xbox; while Nintendo are still struggling with their own conflicting brand images, particularly the family-friendly one developed during the 1990s, Nintendo's arsenal of franchises and history in the industry have given them an advantage against the Xbox's standing start. The GameCube is comfortably in second place in Japan, and is according to official sales from Nintendo effectively tied with the Xbox in the US and Europe. Other sales results, however, suggest that the GameCube is narrowly in third place in the United States and well behind in Europe. The majority of games shops have begun to severely limit the space afforded to the console, particularly non-specialist retailers: this worryingly mirrors the massmarket decline of the Dreamcast. In spite of this, GameCube's profits per console sold are likely to be better than those of the other two consoles. Nintendo have recently made a point of selling hardware at profit (this includes the Game Boy Advance variants and the GameCube), and there is a distinct lack of piracy in comparison to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

The current worldwide sales stand at around 15 million for the Gamecube, 20 million for the Xbox and in excess of 100 million for the PS2.

The future

At the end of 2004 a new handheld war looks set to start with Nintendo releasing a new type of handheld called the Nintendo DS, and with Sony entering the handheld market with the PSP. While both manufacturers protested that their systems were not in competition at the early stages of their development, they have since begun openingly criticising each other's work in the press.

Also, in 2005 the PlayStation 3, Xbox 2, and a new Nintendo console (codenamed Project Revolution) are expected to be released which will herald a new generation of consoles.