Ninth generation of video game consoles: Difference between revisions

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Ninth generation of video game consoles
Designer Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, various
Manufacturer Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, various
CPU various
Graphics various
Memory various
Media Blu-ray, CD, digital distribution, DVD, Ultra HD Blu-ray, SD Card
Released March 3, 2017 - present
Added to Museum See below

The Ninth generation of video game consoles began with the release of the Nintendo Switch on March 3, 2017.

The three major console manufacturers

Like the previous two generations, the three main video game console manufacturers are Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. In this generation, Microsoft released the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, Nintendo released the Switch, and Sony released the PlayStation 5.

Nintendo Switch

The Switch was released in 2017, which was only five years after the release of the Wii U. The latter sold poorly and Nintendo wanted to recover from its losses.

Nintendo continued with its business model to release a console with a unique design that only has a modest increase in processor power, memory, and graphics capabilities.

The Switch combined portable and home consoles with a handheld system that can be played on a television set through HDMI when plugged into a charging dock. Because of this, the Switch was the successor of not just the Wii U, but of the New Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 2DS handheld consoles as well.

The Nintendo Switch supports playing games on a physical Game Card and also supports purchasing games over the internet through digital distribution.

Microsoft Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

In 2020, three years after the release of the Nintendo Switch, Microsoft released its own ninth-generation console as an update to the Xbox One.

Unlike Nintendo, Microsoft's offering had much higher processor, memory, and graphics capabilities than the previous generation.

Unlike Nintendo's console, Microsoft opted to go strictly for the home market without a portable option. The console line came in two different options, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S.

The Xbox Series X has a built-in Blu-ray drive and also supports purchasing games over the internet through digital distribution.

The Xbox Series S lacks a Blu-ray drive so games can only be purchased over the internet through digital distribution.

A Blu-ray drive add-on is not available so the Xbox Series S can not be upgraded to the capabilities of the Xbox Series S.

Sony PlayStation 5

In 2020, nine days after the release of the Microsoft Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Sony released its own ninth-generation console as an update to the PlayStation 4.

Like Microsoft, Sony's offering had much higher processor, memory, and graphics capabilities than the previous generation.

The PlayStation 5 console line came in two different options, the standard PlayStation 5 and the and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.

The PlayStation 5 has a built-in Blu-ray drive and also supports purchasing games over the internet through digital distribution.

The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition lacks a Blu-ray drive so games can only be purchased over the internet through digital distribution.

Like Microsoft's offerings, a Blu-ray drive add-on is not available so the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition can not be upgraded to the capabilities of the standard PlayStation 5.

Sales numbers

The Switch was the highest-selling console worldwide from 2018 through 2022. Because the Nintendo Switch had a headstart compared to the release of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S systems, it was the only ninth-generation console available on the market until 2020.

From 2020 to 2022, the strong sales of the Nintendo Switch were partly due to the fact that the Microsoft and Sony consoles had persistent stock shortages. The manufacturing process and the supply chain were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Console models

Title Release Added to museum Notes
Nintendo Switch 2017 July 29, 2017 6.2-inch LCD screen.
Digital distribution and Game Card
Nintendo Switch Lite 2019 Not yet 5.5 inch-inch LCD screen. Portable only.
Digital distribution and Game Card
Microsoft Xbox Series S 2020 Not yet Digital distribution only.
Microsoft Xbox Series X 2020 Not yet Digital distribution and Blu-ray.
Sony PlayStation 5 2020 Not yet Digital distribution and Blu-ray.
Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition 2020 Not yet Digital distribution only.
Nintendo Switch OLED model 2021 Not yet 7-inch OLED screen.
Digital distribution and Game Card

Other consoles

Although Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have the highest sales numbers, some companies also released consoles and gaming platforms in the ninth generation.

Title Release Added to museum Notes
Google Stadia 2019 October 9, 2022 Cloud-based gaming service that shut down in 2023.
Stadia controllers patched for Bluetooth connection to other systems.

Retro consoles

Companies also continued to release consoles for the retro video game market. These consoles ran video games through emulation from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and early 2020s, or newer video games either created on consoles from those time periods or games developed in the style of those games.

Title Release Added to museum Notes
Blaze Entertainment Evercade Portable 2020 May 1, 2021 Portable console with games on ROM Cartridges.
Blaze Entertainment Evercade VS. 2021 Not yet Home console with built-in games, digital distribution, and ROM Cartridges.
Blaze Entertainment Evercade EXP 2022 December 30, 2022 Portable console with built-in games, digital distribution, and ROM Cartridges.
Nintendo Famicom Mini: Shonen Jump Version 2018 June 10, 2019 Mini console with built-in Famicom games.
Nintendo SNES Classic Edition 2017 March 16, 2018 Mini console with built-in SNES games.
Nintendo Super Famicom Mini 2018 October 31, 2017 Mini console with built-in Super Famicom games.
Retro-Bit Generations II 2017 July 4, 2020 Mini console with built-in arcade, Famicom, Game Boy, and Super Famicom games.
Retro-Bit Super Retrocade 2017 June 19, 2019 Mini console with built-in arcade, Famicom, Genesis, and Super Famicom games.
Retro Games THEC64 Mini 2018 April 24, 2019 Mini console with built-in C64 and VIC-20 games.
Retro Games THEVIC20 2020 June 2, 2022 Home console with built-in C64 and VIC-20 games.
Sony PlayStation Classic 2017 December 5, 2018 Mini console with built-in PlayStation games.