From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Eighth generation of video game consoles

Gaming generation since 2012

The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch family in 2017.

The generation offered few signature hardware innovations. Sony and Microsoft continued to produce new systems with similar designs and capabilities as their predecessors, but with improved performance (processing speed, higher-resolution graphics, and increased storage capacity) that further moved consoles into confluence with personal computers, and furthering support for digital distribution and games as a service. Motion-controlled games of the seventh generation had waned in popularity, but consoles were preparing for advancement of virtual reality (VR), with Sony introducing the PlayStation VR in 2016. Sony focused heavily on its first-party developers and console exclusives as key selling points, while Microsoft expanded its gaming services, creating the Xbox Game Pass subscription service for Xbox and Windows computers, and its xCloud game streaming service. Microsoft and Sony consoles saw mid-generation refreshes, with high-end revisions PlayStation 4 Pro and the Xbox One X, and lower-cost PlayStation 4 Slim and Xbox One S models that lacked some features. As of September 2023, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One families had sold an estimated 117 and 58 million units, respectively.

Nintendo remained on a separate strategic path from Sony or Microsoft. The Wii U was designed to be a more robust Wii to appeal to dedicated gamers, but its means and intended use cases were lost in how it was marketed. The Wii U substantially undersold Nintendo's projections, selling only 13.5 million units by its discontinuation in 2017, which drove Nintendo to release the Nintendo Switch by 2017, its design and marketing accounting for several of the faults of the Wii U while meeting a broad range of global demographics and possible gaming configurations, including hybrid use between a home and handheld console. Later, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch Lite, a version that lacked the Switch's docking capabilities but had other component optimizations and was otherwise compatible with all games, and the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, a mid-lifetime refreshed model that featured an OLED screen with a built-in Ethernet port for a wired internet connection, though it did not introduce any performance improvements. By June 2025, all Switch models have shipped over 158.92 million units, outselling the Wii and ranking third in all-time console sales.

Handheld consoles fought against increasing pressure of mobile gaming. The Nintendo 3DS and 2DS succeeded the Nintendo DS line, while the PlayStation Vita was the successor to the PlayStation Portable. Combined shipped units of the Nintendo 3DS/2DS family had reached 75 million by September 2019, but the Vita was estimated to have only sold about 10 million by the end of 2015. Sony discontinued the unit in 2019 and stated it had no present plans for handheld systems. Nintendo discontinued the Nintendo 3DS in 2020, ending the Nintendo DS families of systems. The Switch Lite acts as its de facto handheld successor.

The eighth-generation console market was also influenced by the lifting of China's ban on video game consoles in 2015, as well as the growth of the mobile gaming sector. A number of retro microconsoles were also released during this period.

In November 2020, Sony and Microsoft released the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S respectively. Considered to be their highly anticipated next-generation systems, they continue the trend from the eighth generation with overall general improved computational performance, graphical output, and strong backward compatibility support to minimize the disruption of upgrading to the new platform.

Background

This generation was predicted to face competition from smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. In 2013, gaming revenue on Android overtook portable game console revenue, while remaining a distant second to iOS gaming revenue. In fiscal year (FY) 2013 (ending early 2013), Nintendo sold 23.7 million consoles, while Apple sold 58.2 million iPads in FY 2012 (ending late 2012). One particular threat to the traditional console game sales model has been the free-to-play model, wherein most users play free, and either a small number of dedicated players spend enough to cover the rest, or the game is supported by advertising.

The PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U all use AMD GPUs, and two of them (PS4 and XBO) also use AMD CPUs on an x86-64 architecture, similar to common personal computers (as opposed to the IBM PowerPC Architecture used in the previous generation). Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony were not aware that they were all using AMD hardware until their consoles were announced. This shift was considered to be beneficial for multi-platform development, due to the increased similarities between PC hardware and console hardware. It also provided a boost in market share for AMD (which had faced increased competition from Intel in the PC market).

Various microconsoles (which are smaller and mostly Android-based) have been released since 2012, although they are seldom referred to as being part of the eighth (or any) generation of video game consoles. These microconsoles have included the Ouya, Nvidia Shield Console, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation TV, MOJO, Razer Switchblade, GamePop, GameStick, and PC-based Steam Machine consoles. A number of microconsoles that were modeled as scaled-down versions of consoles from previous generations, running a selection of games from that console, were also released. These included the NES Classic Edition, the SNES Classic Edition, the PlayStation Classic, and the Sega Genesis Mini.

Cloud gaming options for the consoles also were developed in the eighth generation. PlayStation Now enables cloud gaming of PlayStation 2, 3, and 4 games to current PlayStation consoles and personal computers. Microsoft began developing a comparable service xCloud for Xbox and Windows games. Google released Stadia, a dedicated cloud gaming platform designed around reduced latency and advanced features not typical of these other cloud gaming options.

Transition

While earlier console generations generally lasted five to six years, the shift from seventh to eighth generation lasted about eight. Unusually, the prior generation's best-selling unit, the Wii, was the first to be replaced in the eighth generation. In 2011, Microsoft and Sony officials said they considered themselves only halfway through a ten-year lifecycle for their seventh-generation offerings. The companies also said the addition of cameras and motion-based controllers like Xbox's Kinect and PlayStation Move extended these systems' lifetimes. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that his company would release the Wii U due to declining sales of seventh-generation home consoles and that "the market is now waiting for a new proposal for home consoles". Sony considered making its next console a digital download-only machine, but decided against it due to concerns about the inconsistency of internet speeds available globally, especially in developing countries.

The introduction of the high-end PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X in 2016 and 2017, respectively, led to some journalists to call these machines part of a "half generation" step within the 8th generation, new consoles that would continue to drive sales without introducing a significantly different line of hardware that would segment their consumer base.

In 2020, Microsoft and Sony released their 9th-generation consoles: Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Both said they wanted a soft transition, meaning that the new hardware plays most or all of the platform's previous games. Microsoft said Xbox Series X can play all Xbox One games, including games from the Xbox 360 and original Xbox console that are playable on the Xbox One, and introduced its Smart Delivery program to update some Xbox One games to enable play on the Xbox Series X. Sony has said the "overwhelming majority" of PlayStation 4 games play on the PlayStation 5, and that many run at higher frame rates and resolutions.

Chinese market

Main article: Video gaming in China#History

The eighth generation of consoles also saw manufacturers re-enter the Chinese market. Since 2000, the Chinese government had banned the sale and distribution of video game consoles, citing concerns on their effect on youth. The ban led console gaming to a niche sector, including a black market for the purchase of these consoles, while also causing personal computing gaming to take off within China, including the spread of Internet cafes and PC bangs. This ban lasted through January 2014, where the Chinese government first opened up to allow the sale of consoles in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone (FTZ). By July 2015, the ban on video game consoles was wholly lifted. Access to the Chinese video game market is lucrative, having an estimated 500 million potential players and representing over in revenues as of 2016.

Microsoft and Sony quickly took advantage of the lifting of the ban, announcing sales of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms within the FTZ shortly after the 2014 announcement. Microsoft established a partnership with BesTV New Media Co, a subsidiary of the Shanghai Media Group, to sell Xbox One units in China, with units first shipping by September 2014. Sony worked with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Media in May 2014 to establish manufacturing in the FTZ, with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita shipping into China by March 2015. CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Andrew House explained in September 2013 that the company intended to use the PlayStation Vita TV as a low-cost alternative for consumers in an attempt to penetrate the Chinese gaming market.

Nintendo did not initially seek to bring the Wii U into China; Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé stated that China was of interest to the company after the ban was lifted, but considered that there were similar difficulties with establishing sales there as they had recently had with Brazil. Later, Nintendo had teamed up with Tencent by April 2019 to help sell and distribute the Nintendo Switch as well as aid its games through the Chinese government approval process led by National Radio and Television Administration.

Home consoles

Wii U

Main article: Wii U

In November 2010, Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Aimé stated that the release of the next generation of Nintendo would be determined by the continued success of the Wii. Nintendo announced its successor to the Wii, the Wii U, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 on June 7, 2011. After the announcement, several journalists classified the system as the first eighth generation home console. However, prominent sources have disputed this because of its comparative lack of power and older disc media type with respect to the announced specifications for PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.

The Wii U's main controller, the Wii U GamePad, features an embedded touchscreen that can work as an auxiliary interactive screen in a fashion similar to the Nintendo DS/3DS, or if compatible with "Off TV Play", can even act as the main screen itself, enabling games to be played without the need of a television. The Wii U is compatible with its predecessor's peripherals, such as the Wii Remote Plus, the Nunchuk, and the Wii Balance Board.

The Wii U was released in North America on November 18, 2012, in Europe on November 30, 2012, and in Japan on December 8, 2012. It came in two versions, the white Basic Model and the black Deluxe/Premium Model, at the price of $299 and $349 US Dollars, respectively. On August 28, 2013, Nintendo announced the production of the Basic model has ended and expected supplies to be exhausted by September 20, 2013. On October 4, 2013, the Deluxe/Premium model was price cut from US$349 to US$299.

The Wii U was initially expected to have lifetime sales of about over 100 million, comparable to the Wii. However, it only managed to have lifetime sales of about only 13 million, in sharp contrast with the Wii. This financially hurt Nintendo, with several financial quarters running at a loss through 2014. Nintendo had anticipated the Wii U would sell similarly to the Wii, but it ended up selling worse than the GameCube and became Nintendo's least successful home console to date. Nintendo officially discontinued the Wii U on January 31, 2017, due to its commercial failure, to make way for its second competitor, the Nintendo Switch, released one month later.

PlayStation 4

Main article: PlayStation 4

On February 20, 2013, Sony announced the PlayStation 4 during a press conference in New York City. The console places an emphasis on features surrounding social interaction. Gameplay videos can be shared via the PlayStation Network and other services. Users can stream games being played by themselves or others (either through the console, or directly to Twitch). The DualShock 4 is similar to the previous DualShock 3 controller with the addition of a touchpad and a "Share" button along with a Light-emitting diode bar on the front to allow motion tracking. The PlayStation Camera camera accessory is offered for the system, with stereo camera lenses up to 1280×800px resolution with support for depth sensing similar to Microsoft's Kinect. It also remains compatible with the PlayStation Move peripherals. Second screen capabilities are available through mobile apps and the PlayStation Vita, as well as cloud gaming streaming through the Gaikai service.

The PlayStation 4 was released on November 15, 2013, in North America and November 29, 2013, in Australia and Europe at US$399.99, A$549 and €399 respectively.

Xbox One

Main article: Xbox One

On May 21, 2013, Microsoft announced the Xbox One at an event in Redmond, Washington. The console focuses on entertainment, including the ability to pass television programming from a set-top box over HDMI and use a built-in electronic program guide, and the ability for computer multitasking by snapping applications (such as Skype and Internet Explorer) to the side of the screen, similarly to Windows 8. The controller has "Impulse Triggers" that provide Haptic technology feedback, and the ability to automatically record and save highlights from gameplay. An updated version of Kinect was developed with a 1080p camera and expanded voice controls. Originally bundled with the console it has since been excluded.

The Xbox One was released in North America, Europe, and Australia on November 22, 2013, at a launch price of US$499.99, €499 and A$599 respectively with Japan, and was later released in 26 other markets in 2014. It had two mid-generation upgrades, one cheaper option released in 2016 called the Xbox One S, and the other called the Xbox One X which added 4K gaming. Microsoft claimed that the Xbox One X was the "World's most powerful console" and 40% more powerful than any other console at the time of its release.

Production of the Xbox One family of consoles were discontinued shortly after the launch of their successor, the Xbox Series X and S, at the end of 2020.

Nintendo Switch

Main article: Nintendo Switch

Due to the commercial failure of the Wii U, along with competition from mobile gaming, then-president Satoru Iwata sought to revitalize the company by creating a new strategy for Nintendo that included embracing mobile gaming, and developing new hardware that would be attractive to a wider range of audiences. The hardware product was announced under the codename NX in a press conference held with DeNA on March 17, 2015, and fully revealed as the Nintendo Switch on October 20, 2016. It was released worldwide on March 3, 2017, competing with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The Switch is considered by Nintendo a home console that has multiple ways to play. The main unit, the Console, is a tablet-sized device with a touch-sensitive screen. It can be inserted into a Docking Station which allows games to be played on a connected television. Alternatively, two Joy-Con, motion-sensitive controllers comparable to the Wii Remotes, can be slotted onto the sides of the Console so the unit can be played as a handheld. Further, the Console can be set on a kickstand, allowing multiple players to see the screen and play games with separate Joy-Con. Additionally, Nintendo built the Switch on standard industry components, allowing for ease of porting games onto the system using standard software libraries and game engines rather than Nintendo's usual proprietary approaches. This enabled them to bring several third-party and independent game developers on board prior to launch to assure some third-party games in their software library.

Despite the Switch being significantly weaker in terms of processing power than its competitors, it was met with critical praise and commercial success. Nintendo had anticipated selling about 10 million Switches in the first year of release but ended up exceeding this projection with total first-year sales of over 17 million units, exceeding the Wii U's lifetime sales. In late 2017, the Nintendo Switch was the fastest selling console in US history, and in November 2018 it was the fastest selling of all the 8th generation consoles in the US.

A hardware revision, the Switch Lite, was announced on July 10, 2019, and was released on September 20, 2019. The unit integrates the Joy-Con onto the main console with a smaller form-factor, making the unit strictly handheld rather than a hybrid system. Further details are described below under Handhelds. A refreshed model, the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, was announced on July 6, 2021, and was released on October 8, 2021, featuring a 7-inch OLED screen, a wider and adjustable stand, enhanced audio, a wired LAN port built into the dock, and 64 GB of internal storage.

Comparison

This table lists all major consoles and subsequent mid-generation releases, and does not include minor revisions or hardware changes, such as the "slim" revision of the PlayStation 4.

Console	Wii U	Nintendo Switch	Nintendo Switch – OLED Model	PlayStation 4	PlayStation 4 Pro	Xbox One	Xbox One S	Xbox One X	Logo	[[File:WiiU.svg	x40px	frameless	upright=0.6]]	[[File:Nintendo Switch logo, horizontal.png	x40px	frameless	upright=0.5]]	[[File:PlayStation 4 logo and wordmark.svg	x40px	frameless	upright=0.8]]	[[File:X Box One logo.svg	x40px	frameless	upright=0.8]]	Manufacturer	Image	Release dates	Launch prices	US$	€	GBP	A$	JP¥	Current prices	US$	€	GBP	A$	JP¥	Discontinued	Sales	Shipped	Sold	Best-selling game	Media	Game media	Other	Regional lockout	Backward compatibility	CPU	Type	ISA	Clock speed	L1 cache	L2 cache	L3 cache	Process	Secondary	GPU	Type	Clock speed
Nintendo	Sony Interactive	Microsoft
[[File:Wii U Gamepad schwarz.JPG	55px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Deluxe Set black Wii U GamePad]][[File:Nintendo-Wii-U-Console-FL.jpg	65px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Deluxe Set black Wii U console]] [[File:Wii U Console and Gamepad.png	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Basic Set white Wii U console and GamePad]]	[[File:Nintendo-Switch-Console-Docked-wJoyConRB.jpg	Nintendo-Switch-Console-Docked-wJoyConRB	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Nintendo Switch in docked mode with Neon Blue & Neon Red Joy-Con controllers in grip]] [[File:Nintendo-Switch-wJoyCons-BlRd-Standing-FL.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Nintendo Switch in handheld mode with Neon Blue & Neon Red Joy-Con controllers]]	[[File:Nintendo Switch OLED Model 3-18-2025.png	Nintendo Switch OLED	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Nintendo Switch – OLED Model in docked mode with White Joy-Con controllers in grip]] [[File:Nintendo Switch – OLED-Modell-Konsole 20230506 HOF01643 RAW-Export.png	Nintendo Switch OLED	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A Nintendo Switch – OLED Model in handheld mode with White Joy-Con controllers]]	[[File:PS4-Console-wDS4.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A PlayStation 4 console and DualShock 4 controller]] [[File:PlayStation 4 Slim 8504.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A white PlayStation 4 Slim console and a white DualShock 4 controller]]	[[File:Sony-PlayStation4-Pro-Console-FL.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=A PlayStation 4 Pro console]]	[[File:Microsoft-Xbox-One-Console-Set-wKinect.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=An Xbox One console, wireless controller and Kinect sensor]]	[[File:Microsoft-Xbox-One-S-Console-wController-L.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=An Xbox One S console and controller]]	[[File:Microsoft-Xbox-One-X-Console-Set.jpg	85px	frameless	upright=0.6	alt=An Xbox One X console]]
			PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 Slim
		(all digital edition)
			PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 Slim
			PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 Slim
			PlayStation 4
			PlayStation 4
			PlayStation 4
Discontinued}}	{{cite news	last=Roth	first=Emma	date=1 August 2025	title=Nintendo Switch prices are going up after this weekend	work=The Verge	publisher=Vox Media	access-date=3 August 2025}}		Same as launch prices}}	Discontinued}}	Discontinued}}
Same as launch prices}}
	In production}}
(All-Digital version discontinued July 16, 2020)
13.56 million	153.10 million (all models)	117.2 million	58 million
	Not reported}}	113.5 million
Mario Kart 8, 8.46 million	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 48.41 million	God of War (2018), 19.50 million	PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, 8.00 million
List of best-selling Wii U video games	List of best-selling Nintendo Switch video games	List of best-selling PlayStation 4 video games	List of best-selling Xbox One video games
{{Unbulleted list	Wii U Optical Disc (25 GB) (5x CAV)	Nintendo Switch game card (1-32 GB)	Blu-ray (25/50 GB) (6x CAV)	Blu-ray (25/50/66/100 GB)
Wii Optical Disc (4.7/8.5 GB) (6x CAV)	colspan="2"	Blu-ray, DVD	Blu-ray, DVD, CD	Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, CD
	Unrestricted}}	Almost fully}}
Only DLC is region locked	Unrestricted}}
	Select games from previous generations are available for digital purchase and download on Nintendo's eShop. This is limited to games published by third parties, or specifically ported to the Nintendo Switch. No Virtual Console system exists, and no legacy games purchased on previous consoles may be transferred to the Nintendo Switch, as they could be from the Wii to the Wii U.}}	PlayStation Now cloud support for selected PlayStation 3 games began in January 2015 for North America. Subscription required.}}	Select Xbox 360 and Xbox games; Requires download of digital version of game at no additional charge to existing owners of the game.}}
Tri-Core IBM PowerPC Espresso	Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57, quad-core ARM Cortex-A53	Octa-core AMD Jaguar-based	Octa-core AMD Jaguar-based	Octa-core AMD Jaguar-based	Octa-core AMD Jaguar-based
PowerPC	ARMv8-A	x86-64	1.24 GHz	1.02 GHz	1.60 GHz	2.13 GHz	1.75 GHz	2.30 GHz
192kB	576kB	512kB	512kB
3 MB eDRAM @ 1.24 GHz (CPU)	2.5MB	4MB	4MB
32MB eDRAM @ 550MHz (70.4GB/s)	rowspan="2" colspan="2"	rowspan="2" colspan="2"	32MB eSRAM @ 853MHz (204GB/s)	32MB eSRAM @ 914MHz (219GB/s)	url=https://gamingbolt.com/how-the-removal-of-esram-will-help-games-development-on-xbox-one-scorpio	title=How The Removal of eSRAM Will Help Games Development On Xbox One Scorpio	access-date=February 8, 2019	archive-date=February 9, 2019	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180107/https://gamingbolt.com/how-the-removal-of-esram-will-help-games-development-on-xbox-one-scorpio	url-status=live}}
3MB eSRAM
45nm	20nm	16nm	PlayStation 4
28nm
PlayStation 4 Slim
16nm	16nm	28nm	16nm
ARM9 processor (for background tasks)	colspan="2"	ARM processor (for background tasks)		colspan="3"
AMD Radeon-based "Latte"	Nvidia GM20B Maxwell-based	AMD Radeon-based "Liverpool"	url=https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/playstation-4-pro-gpu.c2876	title=AMD Playstation 4 Pro GPU Specs	website=TechPowerUp	access-date=February 10, 2019	archive-date=March 24, 2023	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324060812/https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/playstation-4-pro-gpu.c2876	url-status=live}}	AMD Radeon-based "Durango"	AMD Radeon-based "Scorpio Engine"
550 MHz	307.2-768 MHz	800 MHz	800 MHz	911 MHz	853 MHz	914 MHz	1,172 MHz
320	256	1152	2304	768	url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/11250/microsofts-project-scorpio-more-hardware-details-revealed	title=Microsoft's Project Scorpio: More Hardware Details Revealed	first=Ian	last=Cutress	work=AnandTech	access-date=June 21, 2017	archive-date=July 1, 2017	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701101600/http://www.anandtech.com/show/11250/microsofts-project-scorpio-more-hardware-details-revealed	url-status=dead}}
0.352	0.157-0.393	1.843	4.198	1.310	1.404	6.001
16	16	72	144	48	160
8.8GTexel/s	4.9-12.3GTexel/s	57.6GTexel/s	131.2GTexel/s	40.9GTexel/s	43.8GTexel/s	187.5GTexel/s
8	16	32	64	16	32
4.4GPixel/s	4.9-12.3GPixel/s	25.6GPixel/s	29.15GPixel/s	last=Demerjian	first=Charlie	title=XBox One details in pictures	url=http://semiaccurate.com/2013/08/26/xbox-one-details-in-pictures/	work=SemiAccurate	date=August 26, 2013	access-date=August 27, 2013	archive-date=August 26, 2013	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826182317/http://semiaccurate.com/2013/08/26/xbox-one-details-in-pictures/	url-status=live}}	14.6GPixel/s	37.5GPixel/s
5	2	18	36	12	40
40nm	20nm	PlayStation 4
28nm
PlayStation 4 Slim
16nm	16nm	28nm	16nm
2GB DDR3 SDRAM	4GB LPDDR4 SDRAM	8GB GDDR5 SDRAM	8GB GDDR5 SDRAM	8GB DDR3 SDRAM	12GB GDDR5 SDRAM
800MHz (1600MHz effective)	1600MHz (3200MHz effective)	1700MHz (6800MHz effective)	1375MHz (5500MHz effective)	1700MHz (6800MHz effective)	1066.5MHz (2133MHz effective)	1700MHz (6800MHz effective)
12.8GB/s	25.6GB/s	176.0GB/s	217.6GB/s	68.3GB/s	326.4GB/s
1GB	1GB	3.5GB	3GB
	colspan="2"	256MB DDR3 RAM	1GB DDR3 RAM	colspan="3"
8GB/32GB eMMC flash memory (non-replaceable)
1GB flash memory (reserved for the OS)	32GB eMMC NAND flash memory (non-replaceable)	64GB eMMC NAND flash memory (non-replaceable)	500GB HDD or 1TB HDD (user replaceable)	1TB HDD or 2TB (user replaceable)	500GB HDD, 1TB HDD (non-replaceable)
8GB flash memory (reserved for the OS)	500GB HDD, 1TB HDD, 2TB HDD (non-replaceable)
8GB flash memory (reserved for the OS)	1TB HDD, (non-replaceable)
8GB flash memory (reserved for the OS)
Supports up to 32GB SDHC cards
Supports up to 2TB USB HDD (Wii U Mode only)	Supports microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC up to 2 TB	Supports USB HDD over 240 GB up to 8TB (with System Software 4.50 or higher)	Supports USB 3.0 HDD larger than 256GB up to 16 TB
Only downloaded games can be installed to storage	Downloaded games can be installed to internal memory or SD card	All games must be installed to a connected HDD	All games must be installed to a connected HDD
	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi @ 2.4and 5.0GHz	PlayStation 4
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi @ 2.4GHz
PlayStation 4 Slim
802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi @ 2.4GHz	802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz	802.11a/b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi @ 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz	802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi @ 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz
Fast Ethernet	Fast Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet
When lying down on its side:
Width: 172mm (6.7in)
Height: 46mm (1.8in)
Length: 268.5mm (10.5in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)	Console laying flat:
Width: 102 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Length: 203.1 mm (Console only)
239 mm (Joy-Con attached)
(must be oriented vertically)	Console laying flat:
Width: 102 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Length: 203.1 mm (Console only)
239 mm (Joy-Con attached)
(must be oriented vertically)	PlayStation 4
When lying down on its side:
Width: 275mm (10.8in)
Height: 53mm (2.0in)
Length: 305mm (12.0in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)
PlayStation 4 Slim
When lying down on its side:
Width: 265mm (10.4in)
Height: 39mm (1.5in)
Length: 288mm (11.3in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)	When lying down on its side:
Width: 295mm (11.6in)
Height: 55mm (2.2in)
Length: 327mm (12.9in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)	When lying down on its side:
Width: 309mm (12.1in)
Height: 83mm (3.2in)
Length: 258mm (10.1in)
(must be oriented horizontally)	When lying down on its side:
Width: 295mm (11.6in)
Height: 64mm (2.5in)
Length: 227mm (8.9in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)	When lying down on its side:
Width: 300mm (11.8in)
Height: 60mm (2.4in)
Length: 240mm (9.4in)
(can be oriented vertically using a stand)
1.5 kg	0.297 kg (Console only)
0.398 kg (Joy-Con attached)	0.319 kg (Console only)
0.420 kg (Joy-Con attached)	PlayStation 4
2.8 kg
PlayStation 4 Slim
2.1 kg	3.3 kg	3.2 kg	2.9 kg	3.8 kg
75W (external power supply)	4,310mAh, 3.7V lithium-ion battery	PlayStation 4
Max. 223W (internal power supply)
PlayStation 4 Slim
Max. 163W (internal power supply)	(PSU)}}
Max. 220W (external power supply)	Max. 125W (internal power supply)	Max. 245W (internal power supply)
1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p	720p (undocked)	720p (undocked)	1080p, 1080i, 720p, and 480p	4K 2160p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p, and 480p	url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/3112749/heres-how-the-xbox-one-s-stacks-up-to-the-original.html	title=Here's how the Xbox One S stacks up to the original It's smaller and supports 4K video streaming, but not 4K gaming	first=Frank	last=Blair	work=PC World	access-date=August 28, 2016	archive-date=August 28, 2016	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828064419/http://www.pcworld.com/article/3112749/heres-how-the-xbox-one-s-stacks-up-to-the-original.html	url-status=live}}
	colspan="2"	colspan="2"	url=https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/188205-august-xbox-one-system-update-brings-3d-remote-downloads	title=August Xbox One system update brings 3D, remote downloads – ExtremeTech	last=Brunner	first=Grant	date=August 18, 2014	website=ExtremeTech	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805024409/https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/188205-august-xbox-one-system-update-brings-3d-remote-downloads	archive-date=August 5, 2017	url-status=live	access-date=March 28, 2018}}
Wii U GamePad (bundled with console)	colspan="2"	PlayStation Vita
PlayStation App on iOS and Android devices	Xbox Console Companion on Android, iOS, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Phone
Local game streaming via Off-TV Play to Wii U GamePad for some games	colspan="2"	Local and remote game streaming via Remote Play to PS Vita, macOS and Windows, or selected Sony Xperia smartphone for all games,
except those that require the PS Camera or PS Move	Local game streaming via Xbox App to Windows 10 PC
Wii U GamePad includes an integrated resistive touchscreen	Console includes multi-touch capacitive touchscreen	DualShock 4 controller includes an integrated 2 point capacitive touchpad	colspan="3"
Wii U GamePad camera (bundled with all consoles)	colspan="2"	PlayStation Camera	Kinect	Kinect (adapter required to use)
Nintendo Network	Nintendo Switch Online	PlayStation Network	Xbox Live
Downloads games and automatic updates in the background via SpotPass	Downloads automatic updates in the background	Downloads games and automatic updates in the background	Downloads games and automatic updates in the background
	1=Paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription required for online multiplayer, except for free-to-play titles}}	1=Paid PlayStation Plus subscription required for online multiplayer and cloud saves except for free-to-play titles}}	1=Paid Xbox Live Gold subscription required for online multiplayer, except for free-to-play titles free cloud saves}}
Screenshots with Miiverse integration (can be shared to Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Tumblr)	Screenshots with Facebook and Twitter integration	Screenshots with Twitter integration	Screenshots with Twitter integration
Gameplay replays with YouTube integration (select games only)	Up to 30 seconds of gameplay with Facebook and Twitter integration	Up to 1 hour of gameplay with Dailymotion, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube integration; 720p for all PS4 models, 1080p for PS4 Pro	Up to 5 minutes of gameplay; 1080p for all Xbox One models, 4K for Xbox One X (external storage required)
	colspan="2"	Live streaming with Dailymotion, Twitch, Ustream and YouTube Gaming integration	Live streaming with Mixer and Twitch integration
	Free}}	Free}}	Paid subscription to Xbox Live Gold required}}
List of Wii U games	List of Nintendo Switch games	List of PlayStation 4 games	List of Xbox One games
Wii U system software	Nintendo Switch system software	PlayStation 4 system software	Xbox One system software
Updates are downloaded and installed automatically in Standby Mode	Automatic updates can be enabled by turning on Automatic Software Updates in System Settings	Updates are downloaded and installed automatically in Rest Mode	Updates are downloaded and installed automatically in Instant-on Mode

;Notes

Handheld systems

A trend starting from the eighth generation of handheld systems was the general shift from dedicated handheld gaming consoles to mobile gaming on smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets. As such, smart devices had eroded sales of dedicated handheld gaming consoles, with analysts of the time predicting that smart devices would have replaced handheld gaming consoles.

Nintendo 3DS

Main article: Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Nintendo DS. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software. Announcing the device in March 2010, Nintendo officially unveiled it at E3 2010, with the company inviting attendees to use demonstration units. The console succeeds the Nintendo DS series of handheld systems, which primarily competes with PlayStation Portable. It competes with Sony's handheld, the PlayStation Vita.

The Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on February 26, 2011; in Europe on March 25, 2011; in North America on March 27, 2011; and in Australia on March 31, 2011. On July 28, 2011, Nintendo announced a major price drop starting August 12. In addition, as of September 2011 consumers who bought the system at its original price have access to ten Nintendo Entertainment System games before they are available to the general public, after which the games may be updated to the versions publicly released on the Nintendo eShop. In December 2011, ten Game Boy Advance games were made available to consumers who bought the system at its original price at no charge, with Nintendo stating it has no plans to release to the general public.

On June 21, 2012, Nintendo announced a bigger model of the 3DS called the Nintendo 3DS XL. Both screens are 90% larger than the original 3DS, but the resolution is the same. It also has a slightly longer battery life. It was released on July 28, 2012, in Europe and August 19, 2012, in North America as well as Australasia on August 23, 2012, and Brazil on September 1, 2012.

On August 28, 2013, Nintendo announced a low cost, 2D version of the 3DS called the Nintendo 2DS. This redesign plays all Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS games, albeit without a stereoscopic 3D option. Unlike previous machines of the DS family, the Nintendo 2DS uses a slate-like design instead of a clamshell one. The console launched on October 12 in both Europe and North America as well as Australasia.

On August 29, 2014, Nintendo announced an enhanced revision of the 3DS called the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL. The newer system uses microSD cards rather than full-sized and has a second analog "nub" input, the C-stick, Super-Stable 3D™ (face-tracking technology that allows the glasses-free stereoscopic 3D display to constantly adapt to the user's exact eye position as the player shifts his or her arms and body) and an upgraded processor that allows for more advanced NN3DS-exclusive games (e.g., a 3D port of acclaimed Wii game Xenoblade Chronicles) which cannot be played on the original Nintendo 3DS/2DS, although New Nintendo 3DS can still be played with all 3DS and most DSi games. It was released in Japan on October 11, 2014; in Australasia on November 21, 2014; in Europe on February 13, 2015; in North America on February 13, 2015, for the XL version. The smaller version for North America was released on September 25, 2015, bundled with the game Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. In April 2017, Nintendo announced the New Nintendo 2DS XL, released in Japan on July 13, 2017, and in North America on July 28, 2017. It is a streamlined version of the New Nintendo 3DS XL, with identical screen sizes, but with a thinner build and without stereoscopic 3D.

The 3DS family was formally discontinued in September 2020.

PlayStation Vita

Main article: PlayStation Vita

The PlayStation Vita is the second handheld game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation Portable as part of the PlayStation brand of gaming devices. It was released in Japan on December 17, 2011 and was released in Europe and North America on February 22, 2012.

The handheld includes two analog sticks, a 5 in OLED/LCD multi-touch capacitive touchscreen, and supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and optional 3G. Internally, the PS Vita features a 4-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor and a 4-core SGX543MP4+ graphics processing unit (GPU), as well as LiveArea software as its main user interface, which succeeds the XrossMediaBar.

The device is backward-compatible with a subset of the PSP and PS One games digitally released on the PlayStation Network via the PlayStation Store. The graphics for PSP releases are upscaled, with a smoothing filter to reduce pixelation.

Lifetime sales of the Vita have not been released by Sony but have been estimated between 15 and 16 million. Sony discontinued the PlayStation Vita on March 1, 2019, and has no plans for a successor.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Main article: Nintendo Switch Lite

Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch Lite, a hardware revision of the Switch, worldwide on September 20, 2019. Designed as a less expensive version of the Switch, the Switch Lite integrates the Joy-Con onto the hardware unit itself, eliminating some of the Joy-Con's features, which prevents a small number of games in the Switch's library that exclusively require television or tabletop modes from being used on the Switch. Additionally, the Switch Lite cannot be docked. The unit is smaller and lighter than the main Switch console, and uses updated lower-powered hardware that improves its battery performance. It otherwise supports all other features of the Switch, including its communication capabilities.

Handheld comparison

Product line	Nintendo 3DS family	PlayStation Vita	Nintendo Switch Lite	Console	Nintendo 3DS/
Nintendo 3DS XL	Nintendo 2DS	New Nintendo 3DS/
New Nintendo 3DS XL /
New Nintendo 2DS XL	PCH-1000 /
PCH-2000	Nintendo Switch Lite	Logo	[[File:Nintendo 3DS logo.svg	frameless	120px	class=skin-invert]]	[[File:PlayStation Vita logo.svg	frameless	120px	class=skin-invert]]	[[File:Nintendo Switch logo.svg	frameless	100px	class=skin-invert]]	Manufacturer	Image	Release dates	Launch prices	Current prices	Discontinued	Units shipped	Best-selling game	Regional lockout	Backward compatibility	Display	Autostereoscopy (3D)	CPU	GPU	RAM	Camera	Audio	Storage	Media	User interface	Battery	Connectivity	Console Connection	Stylus	Weight	Dimensions	Online services	Preloaded applications	List of games	System software
Nintendo	Sony (SCE/SIE)	Nintendo
[[File:Nintendo-3DS-AquaOpen.jpg	100px]] [[File:Nintendo-3DS-XL-angled.jpg	100px]]	[[File:Nintendo-2DS-angle.jpg	100px]]	[[File:New Nintendo 3DS.png	100px	New Nintendo 3DS]] [[File:New-3DS-XL-Black.jpg	100px	New Nintendo 3DS XL]] [[File:New Nintendo 2ds XL.png	95px	New Nintendo 2DS XL]]	[[File:PlayStation-Vita-1101-FL.jpg	100px]] [[File:PlayStation-Vita-2001-FL.jpg	100px]]	[[File:Nintendo Switch Lite representation.png	Nintendo Switch Lite representation	120px]]
Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo 3DS XL:		New Nintendo 3DS:	PCH-1000:
			Wi-Fi / Wi-Fi+3G:	US$229.99
		{{No	New Nintendo 3DS: July 2017
75.94 million		21.02 million
Mario Kart 7, 18.97 million units ()
Uncharted: Golden Abyss, 500,000 units	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 45.33 million units
Region locked}}
Nintendo DS / Nintendo DSi	PlayStation Portable (digitally downloaded games only)
Top Screen:	Top Screen:	Top Screen:	PCH-1000: 5 in OLED capactive touchscreen 960 × 544 px
PCH-2000: 5 in IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen 960 × 544 px
Approximately 16.77 million colors	Approximately 16.77 million colors	Approximately 16.77 million colors
5 brightness levels}}
Yes
Yes, with 'Super Stable 3D' technology	No	Yes (New 3DS, New 3DS XL only)
No (New 2DS XL only)	No	No
Dual-core ARM11 MPCore & Dual-core VFP Co-Processor	Quad-core ARM11 MPCore & Quad-core VFP Co-Processor	url=http://www.vg247.com/2011/01/27/sony-outs-tech-specs-for-ngp/	title=Sony outs tech specs for NGP	publisher=VG247	date=January 27, 2011	access-date=August 4, 2011	archive-date=January 30, 2011	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130043127/http://www.vg247.com/2011/01/27/sony-outs-tech-specs-for-ngp/	url-status=live }}	Quad-core Cortex-A57 + quad-core Cortex-A53 @ 1.02 GHz
Digital Media Professionals PICA200	PowerVR SGX543MP4+	Nvidia GM20B Maxwell-based GPU
128 MB FCRAM, 6 MB VRAM	256 MB FCRAM, 10 MB VRAM	url=http://www.sys-con.com/node/1947549	title="PlayStation®Vita" Expands Its Entertainment Experience by Introducing Various Applications for Social Networking Services and Communications	publisher=SYS-CON Media	date=August 17, 2011	access-date=September 4, 2011	archive-date=September 17, 2011	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917052726/http://www.sys-con.com/node/1947549	url-status=live}}	4 GB LPDDR4
One front-facing and a set of two rear-facing 3D 0.3 MP (VGA) camera sensors	Front and rear 0.3 MP (VGA) camera sensors
1 GB internal flash memory	1 GB internal flash memory (PCH-2000 only)	32 GB eMMC
Supports up to 32 GB SD/SDHC cards	Supports up to 32 GB microSD/microSDHC cards	Supports 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB proprietary removable memory cards	Supports up to 2 TB microSD/HC/XC cards
2 GB SD card included (3DS only)
4 GB SDHC card included (3DS XL)	4 GB SDHC card included	4 GB microSDHC card included
Nintendo 3DS Game Card (1–8 GB) / Nintendo DS Game Card (8–512 MB)
Digital distribution	PlayStation Vita Game Card (2–4 GB)
Digital distribution	Nintendo Switch Game Card
				3570 mAh lithium-ion battery
3–7 hours
Determined by screen brightness, Wi-Fi, sound volume, and whether 3D is active (3DS models only)}}
Wii / Wii U	PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4
3DS: Extendable up to 100 mm long
3DS XL: 96 mm long	96 mm long	New 3DS: 76.5 mm long
New 3DS XL/New 2DS XL: 86 mm long
3DS: 235 g
3DS XL: 336 g	260 g	New 3DS: 253 g
New 3DS XL: 329 g
New 2DS XL: 260 g	Wi-Fi: 260 g
Wi-Fi+3G: 279 g
PCH-2000: 219 g	280 g
Nintendo Network	Sony Entertainment Network	Nintendo Switch Online
Full game download/installation and automatic updates in the background via SpotPass	Full game download/installation in the background	Full game download/installation and automatic updates in the background
colspan="3"
		Nintendo eShop
List of Nintendo 3DS games	List of PlayStation Vita games	List of Nintendo Switch games
Can only play games that support handheld mode
Nintendo 3DS system software	PlayStation Vita system software	Nintendo Switch system software

Other handhelds

References

(2019-06-05). "PlayStation Boss: 'One In 20' PS4 Buyers Also Bought PSVR".
(2019-06-10). "Data Point of the Week: 5 Million PSVRs?".
(2025-06-30). "Dedicated Video Game Sales Units".
Cull, James. (June 20, 2011). "Nvidia Tegra: The Future of Android Gaming". appstorm.net.
(July 27, 2011). "Mobile Gaming is Dominating the Gaming Industry". Geekaphone.
Alpeyev, Pavel. (June 19, 2011). "Nintendo May Fail to Replicate Wii Success as IPhone Games Bloom". Bloomberg.com.
Gallagher, Dan. (June 21, 2011). "Sony, Nintendo Place Big Bets on Handhelds". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
Agnello, Anthony John. (February 9, 2012). "Will Smart TVs End the Game Console Business?". InvestorPlace.
Stuart, Keith. (January 4, 2013). "PlayStation 2 manufacture ends after 12 years". [[The Guardian]].
App Annie, IDC. "App Annie & IDC Portable Gaming Report Q2 2013: iOS & Google Play Game Revenue 4x Higher Than Gaming-Optimized Handhelds".
(July 30, 2013). "Consolidated Sales Transition by Region". Nintendo.
(October 25, 2012). "Apple Hardware Sales In FY 2012: 125.04M iPhones, 58.23M iPads, 18.1M Macs And 35.2M iPods". [[TechCrunch]].
Kubba, Sinan. (May 9, 2013). "Sony, Microsoft going 'heavily' on free-to-play next-gen, says Epic VP Rein".
Gorman, Michael. (June 12, 2013). "AMD's Saeid Moshkelani on building custom silicon for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U". [[Engadget]].
(June 21, 2013). "AMD won the next-gen console war, and PC gamers could reap the reward". [[The Verge]].
(January 13, 2013). "Can Android consoles Ouya, Project Shield challenge PlayStation, Xbox?". DigitalSpy.com.
Kelly, Tadhg. (January 10, 2013). "With Ouya, GameStick, Steam Box and more, will 2013 be the year of the 'microconsole'?". Edge Online.
Pereira, Chris. (January 15, 2013). "Digital and Nontraditional: Breaking Down Ouya, Steam Box, And Other New Wave Systems".
Brightman, James. (May 26, 2011). "PlayStation 4 in the Works, Sony Confirms". Eurogamer Network Ltd..
Ewalt, David M.. "PlayStation Chief Jack Tretton: How To Sell Vita, Navigate Clouds, and Debut The PS4". [[Forbes]].
Brightman, James. (March 7, 2011). "Microsoft Hiring Engineers for Next Xbox". Eurogamer Network Ltd..
Yoon, Andrew. (June 24, 2011). "Microsoft: Xbox 360 'about halfway' through generation". Shacknews.com.
Robinson, Martin. (June 4, 2009). "E3 2009: 360 to Stick Around Until 2015". IGN.
Yin-Poole, Wesley. (January 27, 2012). "Nintendo: market is now waiting for new home consoles".
(May 30, 2012). "Sony Rejects Web-Based PlayStation Console". The Wall Street Journal.
Fahey, Rob. (November 10, 2017). "Softly, softly: The Xbox One X Launch". [[GamesIndustry.biz]].
Pino, Niko. (January 16, 2019). "PS4 Pro vs Xbox One X: which 4K console is better?". [[TechRadar]].
Warren, Tom. (2019-06-10). "Microsoft ends Xbox backward compatibility, but Project Scarlett will run Xbox One games".
Bankhurst, Adam. (June 10, 2019). "Xbox Project Scarlett to Support 4 Generations of Games – E3 2019". [[IGN]].
Rubin, Peter. (April 16, 2019). "Exclusive: What to Expect From Sony's Next-Gen PlayStation".
(8 Oct 2019). "次世代コンソールゲーム機「プレイステーション 5」に名称決定". Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Wales, Matt. (March 20, 2020). "Sony clarifies "overwhelming majority" of PS4 games will be backward compatible on PS5". [[Eurogamer]].
2010-07-15, [http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/07/why-are-consoles-banned-in-china/ Why Are Consoles Banned In China?] {{Webarchive. link. (June 7, 2014 , Kotaku)
Carsten, Paul. (January 6, 2014). "China suspends ban on video game consoles after more than a decade". [[Reuters]].
Yan, Sophia. (July 27, 2015). "China eliminates all restrictions on gaming consoles". [[CNN]].
(April 21, 2016). "The Global Games Market Reaches $99.6 Billion in 2016, Mobile Generating 37%". newzoo.com.
Nayak, Malathi. (April 29, 2014). "Microsoft's Xbox One console to go on sale in China in September". [[Reuters]].
(April 29, 2014). "BesTV and Microsoft to bring Xbox One to China in September". Xbox Marketing, Microsoft.
(May 27, 2014). "Sony sets up PlayStation plant in China". [[BBC]].
(May 17, 2017). "SONY PLAYSTATION IN CHINA – TWO YEARS IN".
2013-09-12, [http://www.videogamer.com/news/sony_not_planning_to_release_playstation_vita_tv_in_us_or_europe_at_this_point.html Sony not planning to release PlayStation Vita TV in the US or Europe 'at this point'] {{Webarchive. link. (October 29, 2013 , Videogamer)
Dudley, Brier. (June 11, 2014). "E3: Nintendo boss on Wii U beating Xbox and PlayStation". [[The Seattle Times]].
(April 18, 2019). "Tencent wins key approval to sell Nintendo's Switch in China". [[Reuters]].
Dent, Steve. (August 2, 2019). "Tencent is at the center of Nintendo's Switch launch in China". [[Engadget]].
Fleming, Ryan. (November 16, 2010). "Nintendo to talk next-gen consoles after selling 15 million more Wii systems". [[Digital Trends]].
"Official Press Release From Nintendo Details The Wii U And Gives Information on New Titles". Gameon.co.uk.
Radd, David. "Nintendo's Project Cafe: Will Gamers Feel The Buzz?". [[Business Insider]].
Saenz, Aaron. (June 7, 2011). "Nintendo's New Wii U Wows at E3, and Changes Gaming Forever…Again". singularityhub.com.
Dickinson, Derek. "Nindendo Wii 2, Project Cafe: the Milestone of Next Generation". brothersoft.com.
Tassi, Paul. (February 4, 2013). "EA CEO Doesn't Think Wii U is a 'Next Gen' Console". [[Forbes]].
Leadbetter, Richard. (February 5, 2013). "Wii U graphics power finally revealed".
"Wii U technical specs". Nintendo of America.
Hussain, Tamoor. (August 28, 2013). "Wii U price cut in North America, Wind Waker HD hardware bundle announced".
(July 7, 2016). "Wii U was expected to sell 100 million units".
(April 23, 2014). "Wii U has sold just over half of what the GameCube did in the same span". NintendoToday.
(January 31, 2017). "Final Wii U models discontinued in Japan – Polygon".
Bishop, Bryan. (February 20, 2013). "Sony announces the PlayStation 4". The Verge.
Conditt, Jessica. (February 21, 2013). "PS4 Eye has two cameras: One to watch you, one to make you pretty".
(May 21, 2013). "Xbox One: a next-gen console with a focus on interactive TV and apps". The Verge.
(May 21, 2013). "Xbox One guide brings HDMI in/out, overlays for live TV". Engadget.
"Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2015".
(2015-03-17). "Nintendo announces new gaming hardware platform codenamed NX".
Robert Purchese. (December 18, 2018). "Nintendo Switch the fastest-selling US console this generation".
Sliva, Marty. (January 12, 2017). "Nintendo Switch Price and Release Date Revealed". IGN.
Sledge, Kyle. (September 7, 2016). "PS4 Slim Price and Release Date Revealed".
"PS4 Pro: Specs, Release Date, and Price Confirmed".
(June 14, 2013). "21 launch countries listed for Xbox One".
Makuch, Eddie. (April 23, 2014). "box One hits Japan Sept. 4 -- Will it find success where Xbox 360 did not?". [[GameSpot]].
Warren, Tom. (June 11, 2017). "Xbox One X is Microsoft's next game console, arriving on November 7th for $499".
Goldfarb, Andrew. (June 10, 2013). "E3 2013: PlayStation 4 Launching for $399". IGN.
House, Andy. (September 7, 2016). "PS4 Pro and slimmer, lighter PS4 revealed".
Purchese, Robert. (June 15, 2016). "Microsoft announces the Xbox One S price and release date – UPDATE: UK pricing revealed".
Kolokythas, Panagiotis. (November 7, 2017). "Xbox One X jetzt erhältlich – alle Infos zum Launch".
Frank, Allegra. (January 31, 2017). "Final Wii U models discontinued in Japan".
Robinson, Andy. (January 5, 2021). "Sony Japan confirms PS4 Pro and 'all but one' PS4 model have been discontinued". [[Video Games Chronicle]].
"The Xbox One Is Now an Ex-Box".
Warren, Tom. (2022-01-13). "Microsoft has discontinued all Xbox One consoles".
Warren, Tom. (July 16, 2020). "Microsoft discontinues Xbox One X and Xbox One S digital edition ahead of Series X launch". [[Vox Media]].
(December 31, 2017). "IR Information : Sales Data – Dedicated Video Game Sales Units". Nintendo Co., Ltd..
Strickland, Derek. (May 16, 2024). "Nintendo Switch breaks 141 million sales, expected to beat DS by March 2025". TweakTown.
(May 10, 2022). "PS5 shipments top 19.3 million; PS4 tops 117.2 million". Gematsu.
"Xbox Series X/S Has Sold 21 Million Units, Xbox One at 58 Million, as Per Microsoft Brazil Presentation". Gaming Bolt.
"Business Data & Sales".
"IR Information : Financial Data – Top Selling Title Sales Units – Wii U Software". Nintendo.
"IR Information : Sales Data – Top Selling Title Sales Units".
Ramsey, Robert. (October 20, 2021). "God of War Sales Hit a Staggering 19.5 Million Copies on PS4".
(July 4, 2018). "PUBG Has Sold 8 Million Copies on Xbox One".
Spencer. (September 13, 2012). "Wii U Has 2 GB of Main Memory, Discs Are 25 GB".
Yin-Poole, Wesley. (March 13, 2017). "Why Nintendo Switch games are ending up more expensive".
(February 21, 2013). "Spec Analysis: PlayStation 4". Eurogamer.net.
"Xbox One S Review".
(September 24, 2012). "Wii U Will Be Region-Locked". IGN.
Smith, Mat. (June 11, 2013). "The PS4 won't be region-locked". Engadget.
"DLC you buy will need to match the region of the game." [https://www.androidcentral.com/are-playstation-4-digital-games-region-locked Are PlayStation 4 digital games region locked?]
(June 19, 2013). "Your Feedback Matters – Update on Xbox One". Xbox.com.
MacGregor, Alice. (May 7, 2015). "Xbox One firmware update removes 'Region Lock' in China". The Stack.
Crecente, Brian. (January 5, 2015). "PlayStation Now all-you-can-play subscriptions hit next week for $20 a month, $45 for three months". [[Polygon (website).
(June 15, 2015). "Microsoft is bringing Xbox 360 games to the Xbox One".
(June 15, 2015). "Xbox One will play Xbox 360 games, preview members can try it today". AOL Inc..
(June 15, 2015). "Xbox 360 backward compatibility coming to Xbox One". Conde Nast Digital.
Mudgal, Kartik. (November 29, 2012). "Wii U CPU and GPU Clock Speeds revealed, slower than PS3/360". GamingBolt.com.
Schiesser, Tim. (December 19, 2016). "Nintendo Switch reportedly runs a lot slower when undocked". TechSpot.
"The PS4, with a clock speed of 8 x 1.6 GHz (or 43X the PS2).2 + 2 doesn't…". Sony UK.
Soper, Taylor. (September 3, 2013). "Xbox One now in full production with improved CPU performance". GeekWire.
Plunkett, Luke. (June 12, 2017). "Here Are The Xbox One X's Specs".
(May 23, 2013). "AMD's Jaguar Architecture: The CPU Powering Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Kabini & Temash". [[Anandtech]].
"The Xbox One: Hardware Analysis & Comparison to PlayStation 4".
(February 23, 2014). "Wii U's Memory Bandwidth, GPU More Powerful Than We Thought?".
Leadbetter, Richard. (August 2, 2016). "Xbox One S performance boost revealed".
"How The Removal of eSRAM Will Help Games Development On Xbox One Scorpio".
(November 8, 2016). "PS4 Pro vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4: 2,5 Konsolengenerationen im Hardware-Vergleich [Update]".
(April 30, 2018). "TSMC is rumoured to be creating a new 7nm console chip | OC3D News".
(November 15, 2013). "PlayStation 4 Teardown". [[iFixit]].
(June 7, 2011). "AMD and Nintendo Join Forces in Creating A New Way to Enjoy Console Gaming Entertainment". Marketwire.com.
"AMD Wii U GPU Specs".
Leadbetter, Richard. (February 25, 2017). "New performance mode boosts Switch mobile clocks by 25 per cent". Eurogamer.net.
"NVIDIA Tegra X1 Specs".
"AMD Playstation 4 Pro GPU Specs".
Leadbetter, Richard. (May 9, 2019). "Switch's 'boost mode' tested: what is it and how does it work?".
"AMD Xbox One X GPU Specs".
"MNR 486: Marc Whitten updates us on the progress of Xbox One". Xbox Live's Major Nelson.
Leadbetter, Richard. (August 2, 2016). "Xbox One S performance boost revealed".
Cutress, Ian. "Microsoft's Project Scorpio: More Hardware Details Revealed". AnandTech.
"AMD Wii U GPU". TechPowerUp.
"AMD Liverpool GPU". TechPowerUp.
Demerjian, Charlie. (August 26, 2013). "XBox One details in pictures". SemiAccurate.
"Nintendo Wii U Teardown". AnandTech.
(February 25, 2017). "Switch RAM specs revealed: Samsung LPDDR4 with 25 GB/s bandwidth – NintendoToday". NintendoToday.
[https://www.ign.com/wikis/wii-u/Wii_U_Tech_Specs Wii U Tech Specs] {{Webarchive. link. (September 3, 2019 . IGN. Retrieved on January 25, 2014.)
Goldfarb, Andrew. (July 26, 2013). "3.5GB of PlayStation 4 RAM Reportedly Reserved for OS". IGN.
Sarkar, Samit. (June 8, 2017). "Xbox Scorpio developers now have 1 GB of extra RAM".
Plunkett, Luke. (June 11, 2013). "Specs Sheet Says The PS4 Has A 500 GB Hard Drive, Camera Not Included".
Yoshida, Shuhei. "And yes, PS4's HDD is upgradable like PS3 <3". twitter.com.
Stevens, Tim. (May 21, 2013). "Xbox One has non-replaceable hard drive, external storage is supported". Engadget.
"| Wii U Internal Storage Space Information". Nintendo.
"Technical Specs – Nintendo Switch™ Official Site – System hardware, console specs".
Gartenberg, Chaim. (February 3, 2017). "The PS4 will support external hard drives in upcoming update". [[The Verge]].
(May 21, 2014). "Xbox One June Update Bringing External Storage and Real Names". [[IGN]].
(December 8, 2017). "How to choose and use an Xbox One external hard drive". Mobile Nations.
Shuman, Sid. (October 30, 2013). "PS4: The Ultimate FAQ – North America". [[PlayStation Blog]].
(October 30, 2013). "PS4: The Ultimate FAQ – North America – PlayStation.Blog". PlayStation Blog.
Gurry, Lisa. (August 8, 2013). "Unboxing Xbox One". Xbox Wire.
"Benefits of upgrading to Xbox One X or Xbox One S". Xbox Support.
Brown, Peter. (September 19, 2013). "Microsoft on Xbox One vertical orientation: "Do it at your own risk"".
(June 15, 2017). "Xbox One X can be placed vertically with optional stand".
(September 7, 2016). "PS4 Pro: Specs, Release Date, and Price Confirmed".
Hachman, Mark. (May 6, 2014). "Study: Xbox One, PS4 consume ridiculous amounts of unnecessary power". PC World.
Blair, Frank. "Here's how the Xbox One S stacks up to the original It's smaller and supports 4K video streaming, but not 4K gaming". [[PC World]].
"About TV resolutions and Xbox One". Microsoft.
(March 3, 2018). "How to enable Xbox One 1440p support for Xbox One X and Xbox One S". Mobile Nations.
Brunner, Grant. (August 18, 2014). "August Xbox One system update brings 3D, remote downloads – ExtremeTech".
(September 3, 2014). "PS4 Remote Play is coming to Sony Xperia Z3 phones and tablets this November". Polygon.
(June 26, 2013). "Updated Sony Confirms Vita Remote Play For PS4 Games Is (Mostly) Mandatory".
Gilbert, Ben. (June 13, 2013). "Sony's Shuhei Yoshida talks Remote Play ubiquity on PlayStation 4, not bundling the Eye with the console". Engadget.
Orland, Kyle. (January 21, 2015). "Windows 10 includes in-home game streaming from Xbox One". Ars Technica.
(November 21, 2013). "Xbox One iFixit Teardown".
Sakr, Sharif. (May 21, 2013). "Xbox One hardware and specs: 8-core CPU, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive and more". Engadget.
(August 3, 2016). "Xbox One S Teardown". iFixit.
(October 8, 2014). "Wii U GameCube controller adapter compatible with more than just Smash Bros.".
"Controller Pairing FAQ {{pipe}} Nintendo Support".
(July 29, 2013). "Vita as a PS4 Controller Clarified". [[IGN]].
(August 2, 2016). "How to claim your free Kinect adapter for the Xbox One S". Mobile Nations.
Jackson, Mike. (May 21, 2013). "Next-gen Xbox Live details: Background downloads, skill tracking, 1000 friends". Computer and Video Games.
"Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official site – Online gaming, multiplayer, voice chat".
(June 10, 2013). "PS4 online multiplayer gaming requires PlayStation Plus subscription".
[https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5060/~/ps4-online-multiplayer-requirements PS4 online multiplayer requirements] {{webarchive. link. (February 1, 2015 , support.us.playstation.com, November 3, 2014.)
(13 October 2020). "Cloud saves on Xbox 360 will soon no longer require an Xbox Live Gold subscription".
"How to Edit and Post Screenshots to Facebook or Twitter {{pipe}} Nintendo Switch {{pipe}} Nintendo Support".
"How to Capture and Edit Gameplay Video {{pipe}} Nintendo Switch {{pipe}} Nintendo Support".
"How to Share Captured Gameplay Videos {{pipe}} Nintendo Switch {{pipe}} Nintendo Support".
"Xbox One will soon capture your epic plays in full HD". Engadget.
"Game DVR on Xbox One X will support up to 4K recording with HDR". Neowin.
[http://gengame.net/2013/07/xbox-one-can-capture-up-to-5-minutes-of-gameplay-ps4-can-store-up-to-15/ Xbox One Can Capture Up to 5 Minutes of Gameplay, PS4 Can Store Up to 15] {{webarchive. link. (July 29, 2013 . Gengame (July 22, 2013). Retrieved on August 23, 2013.)
"Downloading Nintendo Switch software updates". Nintendo.
Makuch, Eddie. (October 23, 2015). "How Microsoft Will Report Xbox Numbers Going Forward".
McFerran, Damien. (May 1, 2013). "Smartphones, and tablets to be gamer's primary screen in 2017".
(March 23, 2010). "Launch of New Portable Game Machine". Nintendo.
Tabuchi, Hiroko. (March 23, 2010). "Nintendo to Make 3-D Version of Its DSi Handheld Game".
Tabuchi, Hiroko. (March 23, 2010). "Nintendo to Make 3-D Version of Its DS Handheld Game". The New York Times.
Alexander, Leigh. (January 15, 2010). "Analyst: DS Successor To Hit In Next 15 Months?". Think Services.
(September 16, 2011). "Nintendo 3DS vs. PS Vita: Handheld Wars, The Next Generation". Eurogamer Network Ltd..
(January 19, 2011). "Nintendo's 3DS Hits the U.S. On March 27 for $249.99".
(January 19, 2011). "Nintendo's 3DS Hits Europe on March 25".
(July 28, 2011). "What Do You Think About Nintendo's Big 3DS Announcement?". IGN.
(June 22, 2012). "Nintendo Reveals 3DS XL – IGN".
(July 2021). "Nintendo 3DS family comparison chart". Nintendo of Europe.
(August 29, 2013). "Nintendo Announces a New Member to the Nintendo 3DS Family". Nintendo Australia.
(August 31, 2015). "Nintendo announces two New Nintendo 3DS systems coming this fall". Nintendo of America.
Purchese, Robert. (June 7, 2011). "NGP becomes PlayStation Vita".
Moriarty, Colin. (September 14, 2011). "TGS: Sony Reveals Vita's Release Date". IGN.
Grant, Adam. (October 19, 2011). "PlayStation Vita Launches From 22 February 2012". Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Tretton, Jack. (October 18, 2011). "Get Ready: PS Vita is Coming February 22nd". Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Savov. (January 27, 2011). "Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP". [[Engadget]].
(October 14, 2011). "Sony US FAQ". Sony.
Robinson. (June 2, 2011). "NGP's backwards compatibility unveiled".
Baker, Chris. (June 28, 2017). "PlayStation Vita's Rebirth as a Boutique Platform".
Kim, Matt. (September 20, 2018). "PS Vita Production in Japan Will End in 2019, No Successor Planned".
Liptak, Andrew. (March 2, 2019). "Sony has officially stopped producing the PS Vita".
(September 20, 2018). "PlayStation Vita Production To End In 2019 With No Successor Planned".
(September 24, 2018). "Sony will exit portable gaming market in 2019, leaving market open to Nintendo". [[Business Insider]].
Kaluszka, Aaron. (January 19, 2011). "3DS North American Price, Date, Colors Set". Nintendo World Report.
[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6286493.html $250 3DS launching March 27] {{Webarchive. link. (December 5, 2011 GameSpot)
Vuckovic, Nick. (February 8, 2011). "Nintendo 3DS launches in Australia on March 31st for $349". Vooks.net.
Plunkett, Luke. (April 28, 2017). "Nintendo Announces The New 2DS XL". [[Kotaku]].
"New Nintendo 2DS XL portable system to launch in Australia & New Zealand on June 15!".
Munir, Bob. (June 6, 2011). "E3: Sony's PlayStation Vita due end of 2011 for $249". destructoid.com.
"11 October 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2013". Au.playstation.com.
(July 28, 2011). "3DS price cut 40% in Japan, now $169.99 in the U.S. – Video Games Reviews, Cheats". Geek.com.
"An exciting message for people who own a Nintendo 3DS and those who want to". Nintendo.com.
Reilly, Luke. (August 20, 2013). "IGN. 2013-08-20. Retrieved 2013-08-22". Ign.com.
Lester, Jonathan. "Dealspwn. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013". Dealspwn.com.
Cosimano, Mike. (January 5, 2015). "Nintendo has seemingly discontinued the original 3DS". [[Destructoid]].
Hilliard, Kyle. (November 30, 2014). "Japan To Discontinue 3DS XL Soon". [[Game Informer]].
"Nintendo 3DS Family".
"ニンテンドー3DSシリーズ｜任天堂".
(September 17, 2020). "Nintendo has discontinued the 3DS".
Frank, Allegra. (July 13, 2017). "New Nintendo 3DS production ends in Japan". [[Polygon (website).
Phillips, Tom. (July 14, 2017). "New Nintendo 3DS discontinued". [[Eurogamer]].
"Compare Nintendo 3DS Vs. Nintendo 2DS – Nintendo 3DS Family of Systems".
(September 30, 2019). "IR Information : Sales Data – Hardware and Software Sales Units". Nintendo Co., Ltd..
(May 9, 2023). "Consolidated Financial Highlights – Q4 FY2023". [[Nintendo]].
(March 31, 2019). "IR Information : Sales Data – Top Selling Software Sales Units – Nintendo 3DS Software". Nintendo Co., Ltd..
(June 3, 2012). "Uncharted: Golden Abyss sells over 500,000 units worldwide".
(January 11, 2011). "Nintendo 3DS Region Locked – IGN". Uk.ign.com.
Pereira, Chris. "Vita is Not Region Locked, Says Sony Exec". 1up.com.
"Nintendo 3DS Hardware Specs". Nintendo of America.
"Hardware – 3dbrew".
(January 27, 2011). "Sony outs tech specs for NGP". VG247.
(August 17, 2011). ""PlayStation®Vita" Expands Its Entertainment Experience by Introducing Various Applications for Social Networking Services and Communications". SYS-CON Media.
Cullen, Johnny. (January 24, 2011). "Sony outs tech specs for NGP". [[VG247]].
McFerran, Damien. (October 12, 2013). "Nintendo 2DS review". Eurogamer.
Lowe, Scott. (December 22, 2011). "How Good is the PS Vita's Battery Life?". IGN.
"Official PlayStation website: PlayStation Vita, PS Vita – Specifications for PlayStation®Vita".
(May 6, 2014). "Sony PS Vita Slim review – Pocket-lint".
"Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official site – Online gaming, multiplayer, voice chat".
[http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/news/24879/ Nintendo 3DS features Game Coins system] {{webarchive. link. (April 6, 2011 aussie-nintendo)
link. (July 11, 2011 GoNintendo)

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

eighth-generation-video-game-consoles video-game-consoles-by-generation 2010s-in-video-gaming 2010s-toys 2020s-in-video-gaming 2020s-toys

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Eighth generation of video game consoles — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report