With their PS2 Sony didn't simply win the sixth console generation - their second in a row, mind you. They walked so many victory laps, they were still going until the console's worldwide discontinuation in January 2013, one month before the announcement of the eighth generation console, the PS4. The PS2 went on to sell 155 million consoles worldwide; no other sixth generation console would reach even 30 million. Sony's reign started on March 4th, 2000, when the PS2 first hits store. Launching first in Japan, the PS2 wasted no time making its presence felt and went on to sell one million consoles on the first day.
Microsoft's decision to enter the video game industry during the sixth generation was, in hindsight, brilliant timing. Launching first in North America on November 15th, 2001, the Xbox's 24 million consoles sold indicated a distant second place finish to the PS2. But by making some bold gambles on design, Microsoft changed the landscape of gaming while also planting the seeds for their seventh generation harvest. When Microsoft developed the Xbox, they did so by leveraging their expertise in PCs. Designed from the inside out, like a PC, the Xbox's built-in hard drive and integrated Ethernet port for broadband internet - firsts for the industry - became standard features moving forward.
While 3D was already well tested with the previous generation, PS2 and Xbox games could boost new graphic effects, try new game play mechanics, take full advantage of double-analog controllers, create huge worlds to explore and offer proper online multiplayer to console gamers. This let to the conception of multiple ambitious and interesting games that were too ahead of their times or that were not supported by enough resources or team experience to be completed. In this book we'll take a look at one of the most fascinating generation of lost video games, through a series of promising or curious projects and lost sequels to classic titles.
Description:
With their PS2 Sony didn't simply win the sixth console generation - their second in a row, mind you. They walked so many victory laps, they were still going until the console's worldwide discontinuation in January 2013, one month before the announcement of the eighth generation console, the PS4. The PS2 went on to sell 155 million consoles worldwide; no other sixth generation console would reach even 30 million. Sony's reign started on March 4th, 2000, when the PS2 first hits store. Launching first in Japan, the PS2 wasted no time making its presence felt and went on to sell one million consoles on the first day. Microsoft's decision to enter the video game industry during the sixth generation was, in hindsight, brilliant timing. Launching first in North America on November 15th, 2001, the Xbox's 24 million consoles sold indicated a distant second place finish to the PS2. But by making some bold gambles on design, Microsoft changed the landscape of gaming while also planting the seeds for their seventh generation harvest. When Microsoft developed the Xbox, they did so by leveraging their expertise in PCs. Designed from the inside out, like a PC, the Xbox's built-in hard drive and integrated Ethernet port for broadband internet - firsts for the industry - became standard features moving forward. While 3D was already well tested with the previous generation, PS2 and Xbox games could boost new graphic effects, try new game play mechanics, take full advantage of double-analog controllers, create huge worlds to explore and offer proper online multiplayer to console gamers. This let to the conception of multiple ambitious and interesting games that were too ahead of their times or that were not supported by enough resources or team experience to be completed. In this book we'll take a look at one of the most fascinating generation of lost video games, through a series of promising or curious projects and lost sequels to classic titles.