Alternate history: Sony don't join the console race

[RolStoppable]

SeaDaVie said:

How does being in the EU help with importing of goods manufactured in Asia? The benefits of the EU were in interacting with other EU countries primarily.

The Wii was also a super important part of the historical market growth, a system that introduced gaming to a way more casual audience that Sony had ever reached. Why is that even relevant though, it’s not like the 2 are mutually exclusive facts or something.

Also, we’re talking about a 130% growth rate, that’s not something that just happens naturally without some seismic shift.

The European single market is this seismic shift because all sorts of goods became cheaper, meaning that Europeans could afford more of everything.

Let's look at Gameboy sales: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/nintendo-historical-shipment-data-1983-present.701305/

Up to and including the fiscal year ending March 1995, shipments had reached 15.32m. The PS1 launched later in 1995 and the GB's remaining life until March 2003 aligns quite closely with the lifecycle of the PS1. During that timeframe the GB shipped an additional 27.29m which constitutes growth of ~80% despite the inclusion of a slow period that lasted from April 1995 until the launch of the GB Pocket revision in 1996.

The late 1990s changed video game consoles in Europe from a luxury to a commodity. But you wouldn't know, because you aren't old enough to have been there.