Video games are very profitable. Not only will you need to purchase the game, but you'll also need a video game console to play it. And luckily, gaming consoles are capable of playing all kinds of games, which means owning a gaming console can lend to endless fun.
It wasn't until the mid-90s and the early 2000s that the gaming industry began developing better consoles for the community. Many were produced with unique features, but only a few have been well-received by both fans and critics. Some sold millions while others floundered.
In this article, you'll discover the best selling video game consoles of all time. Read on, and you might be surprised to see who takes the top spot.
- The All-Powerful PlayStation 3
- The Nintendo Wii Revolution that Shattered Expectations
- The Original PlayStation
- The PlayStation 4 Is the Console to Beat
- The Widely Popular PlayStation 2
The All-Powerful PlayStation 3
Can you believe that the PlayStation 3 is the worst-selling video game console from Sony?
And yet, with only 87.4 million units sold worldwide, the PlayStation 3 still belongs to the top five best-selling video game consoles of all time.
This gaming console beat the likes of Microsoft's Xbox and even the very popular Xbox 360 by a few million units sold. This can be attributed to PlayStation 3 being released a year and a half after the release of its tough competitors.
The company was able to observe its highest competition and improve upon its features to make sure that its users are more than satisfied with the product. The best part about the PlayStation 3 is its cheaper price, especially when compared to its competition.
A Home for Gamers Worldwide
The Sony PlayStation 3 brought tons of new features that put other gaming consoles of its time to shame. It is one of the few that built upon the trend of having multimedia features in the console.
The PlayStation 3 offered non-gaming features like the ability to store pictures and play videos and music through its USB port. The PS3 can even support Linux as an additional operating system. But, what truly made the PS3 shine was its capability to surf the internet and play online games.
The PS3 introduced online gaming to consoles. It offers a unique virtual world called Home, where players from all over the world can hang out and talk about their favorite PS3 games. This was an amazing idea that created hundreds of online communities worldwide.
The Nintendo Wii Revolution that Shattered Expectations
The Nintendo Wii took the world by storm. Everyone was shocked and surprised that the technology existed where games could be played using motion control.
It was announced that the Nintendo Wii would be played with a controller that captured motion. Some thought this was an odd gimmick that was attempting to revamp the usual perception of the Nintendo console.
However, things changed when players got their hands on the console. The Nintendo Wii surprised the entire world and proved to its detractors that there is still room for innovation in the world of gaming.
Nintendo Wii was released in 2006 and has sold 101.63 million units to this day. It's a feat that no one has beaten when it comes to bringing a new generation of video game consoles to the market.
The Innovation Brought by the Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii boasts a large library of easily recognizable games. Nintendo staples like Super Mario Brothers, Mario Kart Wii, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl were just some of the most popular games that were played on the console.
However, what drove the sales of the Nintendo Wii were Wii Sports and Wii Fit. Players can now enjoy playing games like tennis and volleyball through the motion controls. The console also features a built-in WiFi adapter that allows users to connect to the internet.
While the console is a tad bit smaller than most on the market, the vertical orientation is innovative. It allows the user to store the console easily which is good for those who are living in smaller spaces.
The Original PlayStation
The Sony PlayStation or as many would call it, PlayStation 1 or PlayStation Classic, is Sony's first gaming console. It is thought to be the console that started the competitive drive amongst companies. Before the PlayStation was released, many other consoles dominated the market.
The release of the PlayStation became a worldwide phenomenon and is considered by many in the gaming world to be the ultimate gamechanger to the market. The introduction of the Sony PlayStation also pushed gaming to a whole new level.
Many of the games that can be played on the console were mostly in 3D graphics. This ushered in a new era of gaming as a whole, and it was all thanks to this classic video game console.
The PlayStation was a hit and has remained to be one of the best consoles to be produced. It reached a whopping 104 million units sold ever since its release in 1994.
A Time Capsule
The classic PlayStation feels much like a time capsule to this day and is still one of the best gaming consoles for its technological advancement. When it was released, the console brought with it popular games such as Resident Evil, Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy, and Spyro.
The original PlayStation featured two PlayStation controllers. A few years down the line, the famous DualShock controller would be introduced, which further changed the landscape in the gaming experience.
While the first PlayStation did not feature analog sticks, it was still a very formidable gaming console, and the feature would soon be added to newer models. The PlayStation was priced at only $100 when it was released.
The PlayStation 4 Is the Console to Beat
The PlayStation 4 is the second best-selling Sony-made gaming console. It is also the second best-selling gaming console to be made by any company, having sold over 116.6 million units which continues to rise to this day.
One of the many reasons why the PlayStation 4 rose to popularity as the top video game console in recent years is that it has a wide array of solid games.
Critically-acclaimed games like Horizon Zero Dawn and the God of War series have placed the PlayStation 4 on the map.
Not only that, the console offers more features and is completely better than its predecessor in many ways.
A Great Improvement From Its Predecessor and Competitor
The PlayStation 4 is an innovative gaming console that further improved upon the features found on the PlayStation 3. The console has improved power efficiency and has better DualShock controllers than its predecessors.
The hardware and design of the PlayStation 4 are not to be trifled with. The console exclusively uses HDMI ports and is WiFi ready for your online gaming needs. Speaking of online games, PlayStation 4 also features PS Plus, an optional feature for its players, unlike most competitors during the time.
Players are able to save their game progress if they ever need to switch between consoles. This feature also allows for a better gaming experience now that games can be updated and bugs are fixed.
The Widely Popular PlayStation 2
The top spot goes to the Sony PlayStation 2. It comes as no surprise that the PlayStation 2 bagged the top spot because of its simplicity.
However, its simplicity should not be overshadowed by its powerful engine. The PS2 was graphically superior to many of its competitors at that time.
One feature that many people might find shocking today is that the PS2 was the first console to ever feature a built-in DVD player.
This made the PS2 a multimedia console where people can use it to watch DVD movies.
A Top-Notch Gaming Console for the Ages
One of its biggest advantages over the competition is the wide selection of available games that were also playable online. Whether you put the console on its side or flat, you can fit it in any space which was a great feature, unlike many other consoles that were overly bulky.
Users also noticed that the graphics in the games were smoother than the classic PlayStation. Everything good with the original PlayStation was carried over to the PlayStation 2 and was then improved upon.
It's no wonder why the PlayStation 2 has sold over 155 million units since its release in 2000.
To Sum Up
It's amazing to think that there have been many gaming consoles sold over the past few decades, but none of them can compare to the five consoles mentioned above. Each of these gaming consoles has made its mark within the industry.
Whether they had a sleek design, powerful engines, or other unique features, these consoles continue to push the boundaries of what gaming technology can do.
