Ever Heard of the Magnavox Odyssey?

If you answered yes to the title you should still read this post. And if you answered no, the Magnavox Odyssey was one of the first ever household gaming consoles. And if you didn't read the title, please do. In 1972, the Odyssey was released to the market for consumers to bring to their households. The console's journey didn't last long, but those same consumers, better referred to today as 'gamers,' have stayed to continue their odyssey in the gaming market.

And thus, the gaming revolution commenced. Every change to the components and the details of the new gaming consoles brought us to the level we are at today. I opened the newspaper today, specifically the tech section, to find that there is a new Wii U. Just yesterday, Nintendo announced  its new version of the Wii video-game console, called the Wii U. It is a hand-held touch screen unit which, "...can also display high-definition graphics; the current version of the Wii cannot." That's the catch! The idea that the Wii console sitting in your house cannot do what this new gaming technology can drives gamers everywhere to their laptops to buy the new product on the Nintendo online store! Well they will have to wait till 2012 which is when this new product will be released to the world of gamers just like all the past gaming devices were. "WERE," that is the key word here!

Ever since I can remember, gaming consoles have been constantly introduced and then thrown away! First there was the Sony PlayStation. As fun as it may have been, Sony then introduced the PlayStation 2. Later on, the PS2 was updated and finally Sony has arrived with its PS3! Paralleling Sony, Microsoft distributed the X-Box and the X-Box 360, both of which took their turn in the market. Nintendo, also running the same race, has traveled from the renowned Nintendo 64 to the Game Cube and then to the prevalent Wii.

Now we have to include the Wii U, which may be on everyones wish-list during the birthdays of next year. Don't get me wrong here, I totally support innovation in technology form, but it is clear to me there is no end to the 'game.' And if there is no stopping the gaming industries from inventing, then how do we know that this is the product to buy and not the next one? How can someone like myself, who enjoys her Wii console so much, decide whether or not to invest in the Wii U if I know the likelihood of the emerging Wii 'class' a Wii V...Wii W...Wii X...Wii Y...and Wii Z?

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, introduced the Wii U video game system Tuesday at the E3 gaming convention in Los Angeles.