Wii lsn 3 Flashcards
What was the first home video game console, when was it introduced, and what were some of its limitations?
The first home video game console was the Magnavox Odyssey, introduced in 1972. It had some limitations, including the need for a television screen to project its very limited action, and it came with 12 games on printed circuit boards. Its appeal proved limited due to uninspired marketing and distribution decisions, and sales quickly declined
Who created the arcade game Pong, and what was its initial success?
The arcade game Pong was created by Nolan Bushnell and his company Atari. Pong was an immediate success, selling 8,500 arcade consoles in its first year. The game was simple, featuring two players batting a ball of light back and forth between on-screen paddles
How did Atari revolutionize the home video game market, and what was their pricing strategy?
Atari developed a home version of Pong in 1974, which Sears sold 150,000 units of by the end of 1975. In 1977, Atari introduced the Video Computer System (VCS) 2600 with interchangeable cartridges and a joystick. Atari’s strategy was to sell the console at a low margin and make profits from game cartridges, which were inexpensive to manufacture but sold for a high price
What caused the video game market crash of 1983, and what were some of its consequences?
The video game market crashed in 1983 due to a proliferation of cheap and uninspired game software. Many independent software houses collapsed, and unsold game cartridges were sold at very low prices, driving down demand for all games. Atari, the industry leader, was the biggest casualty of the crash, and had to dump six million ET game cartridges into a landfill
How did Nintendo revive the home video game industry after the 1983 crash?
Nintendo revived the industry with its Famicom system in Japan in 1983, and then released it in the U.S. as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985. Nintendo focused on developing one or two hit games per year and also closely monitored the quality of games sold on its platform. They used an authentication chip on cartridges to control the supply of games and extract royaltie
How did Sega challenge Nintendo’s dominance in the early 1990s?
Sega launched its Genesis console with a 16-bit microprocessor in 1988, more than two years before Nintendo released its own 16-bit Super NES. Sega priced the Genesis lower than the Super NES and bundled the popular Sonic the Hedgehog game with the console. Sega promoted the Genesis as the “cool” alternative to Nintendo
How did Sony’s PlayStation overtake Sega and Nintendo in the mid-1990s?
Sony launched the PlayStation in 1995, targeting a more mature audience than the traditional core gamer market. Sony was willing to license any software that didn’t crash the console, leading to a proliferation of game titles. They also provided unprecedented development tools and used CD-ROMs, which were cheaper than cartridges
What were the key features of the PlayStation 2, and how did it build on the success of the original PlayStation?
The PlayStation 2 was released in 2000 with DVD-playing capability and Internet connectivity. It was also backward-compatible with the original PlayStation. It was widely expected to be the 128-bit bestseller due to Sony’s existing consumer base and strong relationships with game developers
How did Microsoft enter the video game console market, and what was its initial strategy?
Microsoft entered the console market with the Xbox in 2001, driven by the concern that console games might supplant the PC as the electronic platform of choice in the home. Microsoft initially tried to create PC-like business arrangements with no royalties, but eventually adopted the industry norm. Microsoft also acquired Bungie Software to ensure high quality games at launch
What were some of the key features of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and how did they compare to the Nintendo Wii?
The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were technologically advanced with features like high-definition graphics, online gaming, and multimedia capabilities. The Xbox 360 had the ability to stream digital media and interact with other Windows platforms. The PlayStation 3 had ten times the power of a PC and was a spearhead in the Blu-Ray format war. The Nintendo Wii, in contrast, had lower graphics processing power but introduced innovative motion-sensing controllers and appealed to a broad audience
What was the key innovation of the Nintendo Wii, and how did it affect the video game market?
the Nintendo Wii’s key innovation was its wireless, motion-sensing controllers, which allowed players to control on-screen actions through physical movements. The Wii appealed to a wider audience, including non-traditional gamers, making the console a hit with various demographics
What were some of the questions facing Sony in 2008 as they considered how to respond to the success of the Nintendo Wii?
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What should be the target consumer audience for PlayStation in the future?
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To what degree should Sony pursue the new segments of gamers that Nintendo had unlocked with the Wii?
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Should Sony continue to position the PlayStation as the ultimate hub for the digital living room?
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How could Sony reclaim leadership of the videogame industry?
What was the impact of independent game developers like Activision on Atari?
Independent game developers like Activision, founded by ex-Atari programmers, created games that outperformed what the console was originally intended to do. Initially, Atari saw these developers as a threat and sued Activision. However, they were eventually forced to allow any independent game designer to market games for the VCS, which led to a proliferation of games of variable quality and a lack of royalty enforcement for Atari
what is the difference btn competitor and complementor
a player is your competitor if your customers value your product less when they have the other players product while complementor is if the customers value your product more when they have the other players product.
