What was the fifth generation of video game consoles?
Q: What was the fifth generation of video game consoles?
A: The fifth generation of video game consoles began in 1993 and ended in 2003. It was also called the 32-bit, 64-bit or the 3D generation of video game consoles.
Q: What were some of the most popular video game consoles during this era?
A: The most popular video game consoles during this era included the Sega Saturn (1994), Sony PlayStation (1994), and Nintendo 64 (1996).
Q: How successful were handhelds during this time period?
A: Handhelds were not very successful during this time period. The first handheld, Sega Nomad had a lifespan of two years and Virtual Boy only had less than one year before they were discontinued. Nintendo's Game Boy Color became the best-selling handheld console of the fifth generation.
Q: What did "bits" refer to in console names?
A: In console names, "bits" referred to the CPU word size. It had been used by hardware marketers as a "show of power" for many years.
Q: How did emulation affect gaming in this era?
A: Emulation increased significantly in this era due to development of the Internet which made it possible to save and download tape and ROM images of older games. This led seventh generation consoles to make many older games available for purchase or download.
Q: What other systems were part of this generation besides those that were successful?
A: Other systems that were part of this generation but weren't very successful included 3DO, Atari Jaguar, Amiga CD32, PC-FX and others.
