Technology Legends of Tech: Nintendo Wii: The Non-Gamer's Game Console

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https://www.techspot.com/article/2854-legends-nintendo-wii/

One way to describe a casual gamer is someone who doesn't own a dedicated gaming device but only plays on multi-purpose devices like a phone or a laptop. This definition was shattered by the Nintendo Wii, the most popular home console of the late 2000s.

After falling behind the PlayStation and especially the PlayStation 2 with the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube, Nintendo began development on a new console under the codename GameCube Next (later called "Revolution"). The new console would be designed to be compact and affordable like its predecessor, but its gameplay experience needed to be very different if Nintendo wanted to survive in the market of TV-connected consoles.

Nintendo's choice was motion controls. Two-dimensional motion controls already existed on the PlayStation 2 with the EyeToy camera but weren't very intuitive or engaging.

The Wii used an accelerometer to replicate real-world movement in 3D games. With this new way to play games, it captured demographics that the PlayStation and Xbox couldn't even dream of.

Nintendo Wii: The Non-Gamer's Game Console

The Nintendo Wii redefined casual gaming by introducing motion controls and capturing a wide demographic, setting it apart from Sony and Microsoft's traditional game consoles.

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