From Brown Box to PS4: The evolution of gaming consoles, in infographic form

We’re all getting a bit hot under the collar waiting for the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the new objects of our gaming desires. Super-powerful machines capable of recreating near-photo real graphics, they’re set to take over gamers’ living rooms the world over come their launches a little ahead of Christmas.

But how did we get to these new dizzy heights of gaming complexity? Home gaming consoles now enjoy a long and storied history, going all the way back to 1966’s Brown Box. This handy infographic charts the rise of pretty much every home gaming console ever made, right up to the soon-to-be-released next-gen machines.

And there are some real gems in there too, some I’ve never even heard of! Anyone who can prove they owned (or own even!) a Bandai Playdia will get a shout out on the Tech Digest Twitter feed!