Microsoft and Connected Consoles: Crash Course Games #10

Today, we wrap up our discussion of the console wars by taking a look at Microsoft’s Xbox which was announced in 2001. The early 2000s saw a lot of innovation in hardware and games and we’ll cover some of that, but one significant change that would heavily influence the industry was actually pioneered by that doomed Sega Dreamcast was Internet connectivity. Sony’s Playstation 2, released in 2000, and Nintendo’s GameCube, released in 2001, would also include ways to get online, but Xbox’s implementation of a fully unified network that allowed gamers to compete across consoles was the first of its kind. Now, PCs gamers had been playing across networks, particularly within the popular MMORPG genre, since the mid 90s and we’ll spend a couple episodes taking a closer look at the PC's influence, but today we’re going to focus specifically on how the Internet on consoles helped lead to the prevalence of the competitive gaming and online gaming communities we see today.

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[crashcourse]

Hey guys, from your comments on the last episode it’s pretty clear that you want us to talk about PC gaming, and we’re going to. We very intentionally made this episode about online networks and competitive gaming within CONSOLES to wrap up the big picture evolutions that have happened within that space, but we haven’t forgotten about the PC. The role of PCs in gaming is huge… so huge in fact that we’re giving them a couple episodes. -brandon (producer/director/editor)

[leannyly]

Imagine my excitement as a 7 year old when I put a PS1 disc into a CD player and it started playing the game's music files. Mind was blown.

[Navesblue]

I want to personally extend my thanks and gratitude for this series. I work in a retro collectibles shop where we sell all of the merchandise you talk about here for like the past 5-6 episodes, and sadly I'm not very video game literate. This series has greatly helped me improve my familiarity and basic knowledge of the video gaming world. Seriously. This is going to make my job a lot easier now. Thank you guys.

[angeldude]

Supposedly the name "X-Box" actually came from "DirectX-Box" and one of Microsoft's major incentives to develop for it was their new DirectX graphics API where developer could make their games for this API and have it run on PCs and X-Boxes without having to code directly for the specific GPU in the system, a trend that has become standard in the 3D graphics and gaming industries.

[Zales]

Wait. The WII U came out in 2012!?!?!? No way, wasn't it just, like a year ago or something?

[ztoxtube]

The graphic art in these Crash Course videos is frickin' amazing.

[mustardsfire]

The GameCube is and always will be my favorite ever system.

[Poochamoo]

Once again, this has been a GREAT episode. Andre is such a natural speaker and enthusiast!

[georgescg]

1:12 , 15 years later and now you have to pay for backwards comparability in playstation, nice to see console gaming evolving.

[shopgirlkc]

As I say every week, I love this show. Thanks Andre and everyone who works on it. You all are amazing, and I love every single episode. I will be waiting with bated breath for the next one.

[danaisduhbom]

I'm so glad you guys are telling this history. It's so relevant to me because games are my biggest passion. I don't generally like history lessons, but this is a history I witnessed and was affected by, and besides bringing up a lot of nostalgic feelings, it adds a lot of detail that I didn't learn or understand fully at a young age.

[JuanAntonioHerreraC]

Can't stop watching, I just watched all series in one

[DenisRyan]

Whoever does your cartoon graphics is amazing, and deserving of a raise! That bit while discussing Halo where one guy accidentally shoots his buddy was great!

[AshtarteD]

Feel like this should have commented on the Dreamcast during the PS2 segment, since it beat the PS2 out the door in both being a 128bit system and being online connected. Difference was the online connection was in the Dreamcast by default and thus much better supported. Phantasy Star Online was the entry point for countless players into the MMO genre.

[Harry_S._Plinkett]

'Vice Principal Michael Hunt'
Poor guy...

[Theokamisenpai]

A sequel series on game design would be nice, and maybe even one on the slowly evolving field of game criticism, although this would be difficult because many games have not gotten the same treatment as films when it comes to artistic critics

[leytonjay]

I was a hardcore NES gamer, but have only dabbled in PS2/3 since then but I find these videos really insightful, entertaining and well researched! Thank you.

[scottalanmiller]

Very glad to see Fable included. I think that that might be the first adventure game that I've seen included in the series in any way. A quick mention, but definitely an incredible game with a lot of influence.

[mingthemerciless]

I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you.
He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"

He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!"

Northern Conservative†Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

[joeytje]

Since we've now passed the year 2000 I was really wondering when or if MUDs or MMORPGs would come by on this crash course. So, I'm happy to hear the announcement at the end.

Now hopefully they'll start discussing *my* childhood: RuneScape