The 5th generation consoles

The fifth generation of consoles, better known as the “32-bit era” although occasionally some people refer to this generation as the “64-bit era” since Nintendo would launch two years later a system that would break that nickname, it is the Nintendo 64 console; rarely it is also called the “3D era”.

This is a generation that marked the transition from 2D to 3D (three-dimensional) environments and began in 1994 when SEGA launched its Sega Saturn and Sony launched its PlayStation, which marked the debut of this company in the world of video games.

Basically the market was dominated by three consoles, Sega Saturn (1994), PlayStation (1994) and Nintendo 64 (1996). The demographics in console sales varied considerably, but the top seller was PlayStation making a name for itself, achieving the worldwide fame that would make it synonymous with video gaming. The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, FM Towns Marty, NEC PC-FX, Apple Pippin, Atari Jaguar and the Virtual Boy were also part of this era, but their marketing was poor and they failed to make an impact. This era also saw two updated versions of Nintendo's Game Boy: the Game Boy Color and the Game Boy Light (Japan only).