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1995-Present:
SIXTH GENERATION (32/64-bit era)
A number of
new systems became available in the 32/64-bit era. In 1994, (14)
Sega released a 32 bit ($180) peripheral, allowing Genesis to
run 32 bit games. In 1995, the Sega Saturn was launched. Such
games as Daytona USA, Panzer Dragoon and Virtual Fighter
appeared, but sales were low. In 1996, Sega announced Virtual
Fighter 3, a high performance polygon processor for arcade and
Saturn machines. Sales in Japan were up but not in America. Such
games as Tekken and Soul Edge appeared and did well. Street
Fighter EX appeared but did not do as well as others had.
Simulation games, i.e. Skiing, Snowboarding and Jet Ski, also
started enjoying popularity.
- Year:
1995
- Company:
SEGA
- Program:
SATURN
- Type:
32 bit Home Version
- Debut
Price: $400
 
In 1991, (15)
Sony and Nintendo announced plans for the Playstation. In 1992,
Nintendo released Super Game boy ($60), an adapter that lets SNES
run Game Boy cartridges and Super Game Boy enhanced games. In
1995, Nintendo released the Virtual Boy ($180), a 32 bit portable
game console.
- Year:
1995
- Company:
NINTENDO
- Program:
GAMEBOY COLOR
- Type:
32 bit Portable Version
 
The Playstation
appeared late in 1995 but at a good price ($300 - $100 less than
expected), and sales were strong. As a result, in 1996, Sony dropped
the price of the Playstation to $200, and in 1997, the price was
$150.
- Year:
1995
- Company:
SONY & NINTENDO
- Program:
PLAYSTATION
- Type:
32 bit Home Version
- Debut
Price: $300.
 
In 1996, Nintendo
announced the release of Nintendo 64, nearly causing riots in
Japan; however, with an improved system of distribution, people
were able to buy the system at local convenience stores, thus
subduing the hysteria. Soon Nintendo was sold out, but after a
few weeks sales vanished due to lack of software. Software
seems to be the driving force for video games and since PCs and
their new, faster moving hardware are open and easier to program
for, developers and gamers start questioning whether stand-alone
stations will last any longer.
In 1997, Sony
released the Net Yaroze ($750), a Playstation that enables designers
to develop code libraries in conjunction with a PC. Meanwhile,
volumes of PC-based games became prolific utilizing special, PC
based hardware.
- Year:
1996
- Company:
NINTENDO
- Program:
NINTENDO 64
- Type:
64 bit Home Version
 
Since 1995,
various manufacturers have developed Video Graphics Hardware for
PCs that enhance the general purpose PC into a game station at
a fraction of the price, as long as one has a PC. With PC proliferation,
even this obstacle does not exist any more.
  
This became
obvious to Microsoft, whose Windows O/S was being used to run
the games.
 
Microsoft
entered the game-developing arena.
Macintosh
also developed game licenses, but they have not been at quite
the same level as games available for Windows.
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