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The Visual Rhetoric of...
Video Game Consoles
Images for educational purposes only.
An English 361 Final Project brought to you by Rob Larsen.
History
Now that we have a basic understanding of where games started, we can skip a few generations forward. The second generation was more of the same from the first, it mainly saw improvements in the actual technology powering the games. The third generation is the time frame in video game history where consoles in the home are not only a nice fun activity for the family, but you were out of the loop if you didn’t have one. The Nintendo Entertainment System (original NES) had sold over 60 million units as of 2007. The success found in the third generation lead to some major changes for the fourth generation of consoles, and how they would display themselves to the masses.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, something interesting started to happen with the video game consoles people were purchasing for their homes. No longer was it just a brick of plastic with some more plastic coating. The consoles became something that developers actively tried to influence consumers with.
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Genesis
The Sega Genesis, released in the United States in 1989, was far different then most of the consoles before it. In fact, it was even far different from the console it replaced at Sega. The Genesis was slick, cutting edge, the future of technology; and not just the graphics. The consoles construction itself is sleek. The gloss black finish with slanted edges instead of a boxed frame, the round raised platform that proudly displays Sega’s 16-Bit processing capabilities which other mainstream consoles lacked at the time. The font used to spell out its name is sharp, bold, and giant on the console. The words “High Definition Graphics” follow the cartridge bay, letting a consumer know that Sega has the power others lack. In fact, one of their marketing ploy’s for the Genesis was that “Genesis does what Nintendon’t,” taking a stab at the aging NES console. All of the things that Sega did for the Genesis really begin the physical console making a statement, rather than game companies just selling you on graphics, price, and selection.
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Super Nintendo
Nintendo would be quick to follow suit in the same manner that Sega did in the late 1980s when they released their Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In fact, Nintendo creates two very different looking consoles for the SNES; one to market to Japan and the other to North America and Europe. This console is dramatically different than the original NES. Instead of the giant block that once was, Nintendo gave the unit subtle bevels with buttons that integrate almost seamlessly into the new smooth design. The game cartridges also follow suit by having basically the same basic design principles as the console itself, which gives off product recognition while looking at either the console or a game for the unit. The controller follows the same color scheme as the console too. They are silver with dark grey present, and the purple that gives color without being to over the top for its new subtle design.
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PlayStation
The next generation of consoles proved however how much design and the ability to market the physical brand would prove to be needed. Sega came out with a rather lackluster console, the Saturn, that did not push any of the design and self marketing principles the Genesis had. Enter Sony’s PlayStation.
Sony’s PlayStation was probably the perfect storm for the video game industry at the time. Many things contributed to its success, being able to hold market share in both the US and Japan, easy to develop games allowing a wider selection to users, long shelf life, and so on. The console’s construction however should be noted. The PlayStation was designed to be the centerpiece of a home entertainment unit. The console is cut, trim, and slim. In all honestly the unit looks “fast” in the same way that a supercar would. The disk tray pops open vertically like the doors on a Lamborghini. The buttons fit flawlessly and seamlessly into the actual unit, leaving nothing sticking out to mess with the flow. Even the beveled edges on the side are actually slanted towards the back, giving the console the appearance of moving forward. Even the controller for the unit shows significant advancements in design. The controller is curved to be easily held by a user, and maintains the cutting edge technology looks of the console itself.
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PlayStation 2
Sony wasn’t content with the near global domination they experienced with the PlayStation however, and they released its follow up, the PlayStation 2, in 2000. Everything about the PS2 expanded on the foundations laid by the PlayStation. The console was still sleek, the controller and memory card ports almost hidden within its new black finish. The buttons were small and off to the side, as to not distract from the unit as a whole. Even the disk tray was now changed to an eject-able computer like tray, which keeps the console looking complete and self contained. The unit was also able to play on its side or flat, giving it versatility and the ability to fit well into any consumer’s home. The logo itself called for respect as next generation, something no console had ever seen before. The new text on the console simply said “PS2” in futuristic text, instead of spelling the entire name out. Sony really stepped into the same realms that cars and other technologies had been using for years before. It wasn’t just about the engine, wasn’t just about the accessories or the add-ons; Sony had officially made a self contained brand. You didn’t just look at the PS2 and say, “Hey that’s a video game console,” you said “Hey, that’s a PlayStation 2.”
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Xbox
Microsoft first came on to the home console scene in 2001, with the launch of the Xbox. The Xbox changed many of the rules in console design, even though the PS2 had had so much success both critically and commercially. The Xbox was made with off the shelf computer parts, which required a different type of design most consumers were not used to at the time of its release. The Xbox was, to put it bluntly, giant. The first release controllers were huge, the box was huge, and everything about the unit was big. This was not an accident however. The original Xbox was designed to make a statement, and went through countless secret internal designs before the last design was officially decided. It was designed to be the giant focal point of a users entertainment center. Microsoft was new on the scene, and just like Sony had to make a strong initial impression with its PlayStation, Microsoft had to make an equally strong statement as it tried to enter the realm of hardware. Not every gamer was a fan of the new giant Xbox however, in fact many despised it. They called it to big, gaudy, said the controllers were far too large. Critics said that there was an absurd waste of plastic in its design. None of this deterred Microsoft however, as they made a giant dent in the console market with their first product.
The console for the Xbox created the brand almost single handedly. The box is giant, black, and is literally a large “X” to be displayed for all to see. The console includes beveled ridges on either side, giving it an elongated look. The front of the Xbox follows the contour of the X on top, leaving the controller ports forward, with the power and eject buttons recessed. This also gives the front of the console the same look as the top if it is tucked into an entertainment center. The eject button lights up green, which follows the same design principle as the Xbox “jewel” logo on the top of the unit. All of this creates a feel for the Xbox that no other console had acquired in the past. The Xbox was the “American” gaming console. It was built by Microsoft in the US, and that’s the market they initially targeted, and they did it in the American way. The console is big, following the principles that sold well in 1950s-1970s American cars. Its bold, it’s cocky, and even a little full of itself. This entire philosophy extends into the original controllers for the system as well. They are huge, bigger even than the Sega Dreamcast controllers. Everything about the physical construction of the unit says that it is the most powerful, the muscle car, the must have American machine; and it got its message across amazingly well, outselling long time console contender Nintendo during this generation of consoles (in even less release time).
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