7th Gen Consoles - Discover This Class of Gaming Consoles

The 7th generation of video game consoles began November 22, 2005. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 release marked the beginning of this generation. It was then followed by the PlayStation 3 by Sony Computer Entertainment released on November 17, 2006 and lastly the Wii

Xbox 360 introduced high definition (HD) video games while PlayStation 3 introduced HD movie playback using a built-in 3D Blu-ray disc player. Wii on the other hand focused more on integrating controllers using joysticks and movement sensors.

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Players of the 7th generation games were introduced to real-world actions in games. Read on to learn more about these influential gaming consoles.

7th Gen Consoles - Discover This Class of Gaming Consoles
Image Source: PCMag

Motion Devices

Motion devices and software were first introduced in the 7th generation consoles. The PlayStation Move was released by Sony Computer Entertainment in September 2010. 

It featured a motion-sensing game that is similar to that of the Wii. In the same vein, Microsoft released the Kinect to use together with the Xbox 360. 

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Instead of Kinect using controllers, it used cameras to capture the body motion of the player and used that to direct gameplay. This enabled players to act as the game controllers.

Handheld Consoles

The 7th generation began earlier than home consoles to make handheld consoles. For instance in 2004, Nintendo introduced the Nintendo DS (NDS) while the PlayStation Portable (PSP) was released in December of the same year. 

The NDS features an in-built microphone, touch screen and supports wireless standards. The first handheld game to have an optical disc format was the PSP. 

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The PSP also had internet connectivity and connectivity with PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and other SPS's. Despite all the features, PSP sales have always lagged behind those of the NDS.

Xbox 360

It is a home video game console produced by Microsoft. It succeeded the Original Xbox and is the second in the Xbox Series. It's main competitors were Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3. 

Officially released on May 12, 2005, Xbox 360 features Xbox Live, an online service that was expanded from its predecessor. With this console, you can download games, play games online, buy and stream films, music and television programs.

PlayStation 3

Sony’s PlayStation 3 was released on November 11, 2006, succeeding the PlayStation 2. It is part of the PlayStation consoles and competes with Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in the 7th generation video game consoles. 

It introduced video game players to social gaming services integration and was the first console to be controlled via a handheld console. It is controlled using its remote that connects to PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Portable.

In 2009, the slim PlayStation model was introduced which stopped the hardware’s capability to run PSP games. This model was thinner and lighter compared to the original version. It featured a marketing design, redesigned logo, and a start-up change in software.

Wii

7th Gen Consoles - Discover This Class of Gaming Consoles
Image Source: The Guardian

The Wii – sometimes called the Nintendo Wii – was released on November 19, 2006 as one of the home video game consoles. When it was released, it stated that it's target was a broader demographic than it's competitors. 

Sure to it's target, in the first quarter of 2016, it was leading in worldwide sales. The Wii was the first console to introduce a remote controller that can be used as a handheld pointing device.

Some of the best games you can play with the Wii included the Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and Metroid, among many other games. You can also browse through the core Wii games that include Wii Sports, Wii Music, and Wii Play, etc.

Conclusion

The 7th generation console was born on November 22, 2005. This generation was started by the release of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 followed by PlayStation 3 by Sony Computer Entertainment.