By Alex Low
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In 2024, Sony updated its lifetime sales figures for the PlayStation 2 to 160 million units, reaffirming its status as the best-selling console in history. The timing was amusing: the announcement arrived just as the Nintendo Switch was closing in on the PS2’s previously reported total. It felt like a high-stakes poker match, with PlayStation saying, “not so fast,” as Nintendo seemed poised to take the lead.
BORN FROM A WISH
If that sounds dramatic, the rivalry’s origin is even more so. In the early 1990s, Nintendo partnered with Sony to create a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The collaboration produced a prototype known as the “Nintendo PlayStation”. In a stunning reversal, Nintendo abruptly abandoned the deal in favour of Philips. Both projects collapsed, but the fallout ignited a clash that would shape the industry for decades.
By then, Nintendo was the dominant force in home gaming. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) had revived the industry after the 1980s crash and introduced icons like Mario, Link, and Samus Aran. Its successor, the SNES, expanded those franchises and became a haven for JRPGs, racers, and action titles. As gaming shifted towards 3D, Nintendo appeared firmly in control of the market it had rebuilt. Sony, still stung by the failed partnership, knew it would need a different strategy.
THE THIRD DIMENSION
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Nintendo’s decision to stick with cartridges proved consequential. Code-named “Project Reality”, the Nintendo 64 marked its full leap into 3D. The hardware was powerful, but cartridges offered limited storage just as games were becoming larger and more cinematic. Many third-party developers found the format restrictive.
Even so, the system produced era-defining titles such as Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and GoldenEye 007, games that helped establish the language of 3D design.
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Sony, meanwhile, embraced CDs without reservation. When the PlayStation launched, it charted a trajectory few predicted. Though the Nintendo 64 was stronger on paper, Sony’s format allowed developers to think bigger. The result was a wave of influential releases including Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill, titles celebrated for cinematic scope and mature themes.
Having reshaped the industry once, Sony entered the next generation with momentum. Nintendo attempted to adapt. For the Nintendo GameCube, it abandoned cartridges for optical media, strengthened its first-party output, and sought to rebuild third-party relationships. On paper, the hardware was impressive.
THE STORAGE SPACE BETWEEN US
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However, Nintendo’s choice of proprietary mini-DVD discs, partly to curb piracy, again imposed storage limits compared to standard DVDs. Though less restrictive than cartridges, the format created friction for some developers, limiting third-party support. Despite these challenges, the GameCube delivered standout first-party titles like Metroid Prime, Luigi’s Mansion, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, which showcased Nintendo’s creativity and reinforced its reputation for innovative, high-quality games. Still, the platform struggled to match the breadth of its rivals’ libraries.
Sony’s approach with the PlayStation 2 was expansive. In addition to backwards compatibility, its adoption of DVDs provided far greater storage capacity, enabling sprawling, cinematic experiences and one of the strongest software libraries in console history. The PS2 also benefited from timing: its launch coincided with the rapid rise of DVD adoption, and the console doubled as an affordable movie player.
Developers delivered landmark titles such as the Grand Theft Auto games, ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Sly Cooper, Okami, and Ratchet & Clank, each pushing the boundaries of storytelling, gameplay, and artistic design. By the end of the generation, PS2 sales had surpassed the combined totals of the GameCube, SEGA Dreamcast, and the original Xbox, cementing PlayStation’s dominance in the industry.
AT A CROSSROADS
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Nintendo, meanwhile, faced a crossroads. With the PlayStation eclipsing it for two consecutive generations, Nintendo needed a bold new approach, one that would rethink what a console could be, expand the gaming audience, and redefine how people interacted with games. This pivotal moment would set the stage for the company’s next generation of innovation and shape the future of the industry.
