This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the intersection of gaming and technology, follow Sean Hollister. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.
How it started
They used to be called the “console wars,” and to the victor went the spoils. When Sony’s PlayStation and PlayStation 2 dominated the Sega, Nintendo, and Microsoft competition, selling over a hundred million boxes into our living rooms – each! – they created a profitable virtuous cycle. More consoles meant selling more games, which meant attracting more developers …
This is an interesting perspective on the evolving nature of gaming consoles. It’s fascinating to see how PlayStation and Xbox are shifting their focus beyond just hardware. Looking forward to more insights from The Stepback!
I agree, the shift in focus is definitely intriguing! It’s also worth noting how both companies are expanding their ecosystems with cloud gaming, which may redefine how we think about console gaming altogether.