The commercial video game industry has been around since at least 1972 with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey. While the power players like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have risen to prominence in the decades since, the big three have always had to contend with other companies too, ranging from startups to other massive conglomerates. Both before and after the major gaming industry crash of 1983, various electronics and toy manufacturers have been throwing their hats into the ring, trying to get a little piece of this booming sector.
Obviously, since most people's attention is on the big three and PC gaming these days, few to none of these contenders have made much of a dent over the years. But the sheer experimental spirit that went into their creation makes them fascinating parts of gaming history. If you fancy yourself a collector of vintage hardware, we can think of at least five strange, obscure consoles that could find a place on your shelf, if not under your TV or in your hands.
Considering the breakout success Microsoft has had in the gaming sector, both with the rise of PC gaming and its own Xbox series of consoles, it'd make sense to wonder if its archrival Apple could pull off the same thing. Apple has, after all, been on the scene for about as long and targets similar audiences with home electronics, and some of the industry's earliest hits were either made on, or sold for, the Mac. So why hasn't it made a traditional game console? Well, the company actually di.