The fifth-generation era (also known as the 32-bit era, the 64-bit era and the 3D era) refers to computer and video games, video game consoles and video game handhelds from approximately 1993 to 2001. For home consoles, the best-selling console was the Nintendo Playstation 64 by a wide margin, followed by the Sega Dreamcast (Code named Neptune), and then the Atari Jaguar. For handhelds, this. Fifth Generation Consoles 1993 Atari re-enters the home console market with the introduction of the Atari Jaguar. Also this year, 3DO Company releases the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, which even if very advertised is not as successful as the Atari Jaguar, because it costs so much.

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Many of the most popular esports games today are PC games rather than console games. However, titles such as Call of Duty, Halo and Street Fighter remain important on the competitive video gaming scene. Consoles still have a big role to play in esports, and in video gaming in general, too.

There’s an ongoing debate in the gaming community about whether PC gaming or console gaming is “better”. It’s a pointless argument, really. Neither is definitively better than the other, as it’s ultimately a matter of personal preference. There will always be those who prefer to game on a PC, and there will always be those who prefer to use consoles.

PC gaming seems to have the slight edge right now, but who knows what will happen in the future? If there’s one thing we know for sure about consoles, it’s that they’re constantly evolving. There’s every chance that they’ll continue to improve, and there may well come a time when console gaming leads the way once again.

In this article, we take a look at how home video game consoles have evolved over the years. We start by explaining how it all began with the Magnavox Odyssey. Then, we go through each subsequent generation of consoles, right up to today’s models.

The Rise of 3D Gaming With a leap in computer technology, the fifth generation of video games ushered in the three-dimensional era of gaming. In 1995, Sega released in North America its Saturn. This is a list of home video game consoles in chronological order. This list includes the very first video game consoles ever created, such as first generation pong consoles, from the first ever cartridge console Odyssey, ranging from the major video game companies such as Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft to secondary market consoles. The list is divided into eras which are named based. The fifth generation of video games was arguably the most transformative era in gaming history, thanks to the widespread adoption of CD-Rom technology and a shift from sprite-based 2D games.

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1. Fifth Generation: 1989-1995

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Fifth Generation: 1989–1995

The fifth generation of home video game systems featured 16-bit processors, more detailed graphics, and more imaginative games. This generation was dominated by Nintendo and Sega.

NEC TurboGrafx-16

Videogaming's fifth generation was ushered in by the 1989 American release of NEC's TurboGrafx-16. (The system was launched in Japan in 1988 as the PC Engine.) Although the TurboGrafx-16 was advertised as a 16-bit system, it actually used an 8-bit microprocessor, assisted by a 16-bit graphics chip and 64K RAM; it was notable as the first game console to have a CD player attachment. Unfortunately, a lack of games doomed the TurboGrafx-16 in the marketplace, and it was discontinued within four years of its initial release.

Sega Genesis

More formidable was the Sega Genesis game system (sold as the Mega Drive in Japan). Released to the U.S. market in 1989, Genesis was the first true 16-bit game system, using a Motorola 68000 microprocessor. Genesis was priced at $199 and ran excellent translations of Sega arcade hits; sales received a significant boost with the 1991 release of the Sonic the Hedgehoggame.

SNK NEO GEO

In 1989, third-party software developer SNK released a programmable video game system for arcades, dubbed the MVS (Multi-Video System). SNK ported this system to the home in 1990 as the NEO GEO system. The NEO GEO used both 16-bit and 8-bit microprocessors. Unfortunately, the high price of both the console ($650) and the game cartridges ($200) doomed the NEO GEO to an early death.

Nintendo Super NES

To compete with the Sega Genesis, Nintendo launched its own 16-bit system in 1991. The Super NES(known as the Super Famicon in Japan) sold for $199 and included the Super Mario World cartridge. The initial U.S. production run of 300,000 units sold out overnight; over the course of its product life, more than 46 million Super NES units were sold worldwide.

Philips CDi

In 1991, Philips (who, along with Sony, co-developed the then-emerging compact disc format) decided to leverage its compact disc technology into a 'multimedia' system capable of playing audio CDs, CDi and CD+G software discs, VCD video CDs, and Karaoke CDs. This multiformat machine confused the public, so in 1992, Phillips relaunched the CDi as a 16-bit video game console. This iteration was also unsuccessful because of the console's high price and lack of quality games.

3DO

Another early CD-based video game system was the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. This system was unique because Trip Hawkins's 3DO company licensed the technology to other companies to create consoles and games; the first 3DO console was released by Panasonic in 1993, with Goldstar releasing a similar unit soon afterward. 3DO was the first 32-bit system released in the United States; it sold for $699. Despite the system's stunning graphics, the high price ensured its status as a niche system. The 3DO system was removed from the market in 1996.

Atari Jaguar

In December 1993, a full six years since the release of its last game console, Atari attempted to re-enter the fray by releasing a 64-bit video game system. The CD-ROM-based Atari Jaguar promised to be a revolutionary machine but was hampered by a lack of game cartridges and practically nonexistent marketing. In 1996, Atari officially killed the Jaguar—and dropped out of the video game market altogether—when it merged with JTS, a manufacturer of computer hard drives.

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