Best Buy : Historically Speaking, this is the Biggest Week for Gaming Consoles

In the history of gaming consoles, there is one week that shines above all.

It's traditionally been Nov. 15-22.

Before you can say 'No way, really?' think about favorites like the Xbox, PlayStation 3, the Wii.

Each of them, in addition to other numerous gaming systems, hit shelves during this week-long stretch in November over the past 15 years.

Yes, the newest iterations of gaming consoles haven't fallen within this window - the Xbox One S came out in August and PlayStation 4 Pro arrived Nov. 10.

But that doesn't mean we can't take a stroll down memory lane and remember the consoles that got us to where gaming is now in 2016.

15 years ago

Nov. 15, 2001-Xbox

With the introduction of the Xbox, Microsoft dove into a gaming world that had previously been the territory of Sony's PlayStation 2, Sega's Dreamcast and the Nintendo 64.

Xbox arrived in November and so did Xbox Live, allowing players to compete online with or without a broadband connection.

Who else remembers playing Halo for days on end on the original Xbox? *Raises hand*

Nov. 18, 2001 - GameCube

The fall of 2001 was also home to the launch of Nintendo's latest console, the GameCube - following up on the success of the Nintendo 64.

Moving away from game cartridges, the GameCube discs were smaller than a standard DVD or CD. That was just one of the differences from the Xbox or PlayStation 2.

In addition to the multitude of Mario-focused games that were fan-favorites of GameCube owners, the best-selling GameCube game was Super Smash Bros. Melee.

If you listen closely you can still hear the echoes saying 'Free for all!'

10 years ago

PlayStation 3: Nov. 17, 2006

The next iteration of PlayStation was at E3 2005 and then released to fans in North America in late 2006.

It was the first console to play Blu-ray discs and also featured PlayStation Network, the social game service for Sony gamers.

To the surprise of no one, the most popular game on the PS3 was Grand Theft Auto V, giving everyone a chance to show off their lawlessness side.

Wii: Nov. 19, 2006

Thanks to the Wii, everyone became acutely aware of their living room surroundings - i.e. finding out just how big your swing radius is.

'Wonder if the lamp shade is safe during this game of Wii Tennis?' (Tip: Probably not.)

Competing against the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, the Wii separated itself with controllers that detected 3D movements.

With the Wii, the controller could become a baseball bat, or the controller and nunchucks could become your fists when boxing.

No spoiler alert here: Wii Sports was the No. 1 game on the Wii.

3 years ago

PlayStation 4: Nov. 15, 2013 | Xbox One: Nov. 22, 2013

It's surreal to think just a few years ago these next-generation gaming consoles were all the rage.

From playing Halo 5: Guardians on Xbox One or Uncharted on PS4, gamers flocked to both systems for their high-resolution graphics and gameplay.

Remember: Gamers Club Unlocked members score 20 percent savings on new games and other great perks.
Also, make sure to check out all the gaming deals we offer on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

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