Gaming Timeline

The Gaming Timeline covers Ricardo Neudorfer's complete gaming history, beginning with a PSP in 2016 and continuing to the current dual PC and PlayStation 5 setup. It documents every platform in sequence, with context for each transition.

2016 — PSP

The PlayStation Portable was the first gaming device, received in early 2016. Sony released the original PSP in Japan in December 2004, followed by worldwide launches in 2005. Despite being discontinued in 2014, the PSP retained a strong library and remained capable hardware.

The PSP used proprietary UMD (Universal Media Disc) physical media alongside digital downloads from the PlayStation Store. Its 4.3-inch LCD screen, analogue nub, and full button layout made it a proper gaming device rather than a simplified handheld. Battery life under gameplay was typically 4–6 hours depending on brightness and disc access.

The PSP introduced a genuine habit of gaming — long sessions, a growing understanding of different genres, and a sense of what made a game worth playing. It remained in use alongside the Nintendo handhelds acquired in 2018.

2018 — Nintendo 3DS and 2DS

A Nintendo 3DS and 2DS were acquired in 2018. Nintendo launched the 3DS in 2011 as the successor to the DS line. Its headline feature was a glasses-free stereoscopic 3D upper screen achieved through a parallax barrier display — the 3D effect was visible at the correct viewing angle without any accessories.

The 2DS, released in 2013, was a budget variant designed for younger users and those who didn't want the 3D feature. It used a flat slate form factor rather than the 3DS clamshell, ran all the same software, and cost significantly less.

The library

The 3DS library spanned from 2011 to approximately 2019 and covered a wide range of genres. First-party Nintendo titles included:

Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, and their variants
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fates
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Ocarina of Time 3D
Mario Kart 7
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

The eShop also provided access to Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance titles through the Virtual Console service.

Regional differences

The 3DS was initially region-locked, meaning cartridges from one region (Japan, North America, Europe) could not be played on a console from a different region. This was a significant restriction compared to the PSP, which had no region locking on games.

2020 — PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3

A PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 were acquired in 2020. The decision to buy both simultaneously gave immediate access to two full generations of PlayStation's library.

PlayStation 2 (2000–2013)

The PS2 is the best-selling home console ever made, having shipped over 155 million units worldwide. Its library exceeded 4,000 titles across its production life from 2000 to 2013. Games from this era included some of the most influential titles in the medium:

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, God of War, Ratchet & Clank, Jak and Daxter, Burnout 3, Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3, Silent Hill 2, Ico, and hundreds more. The PS2 had strong libraries across every genre — action, RPG, sports, racing, fighting, horror.

PlayStation 3 (2006–2017)

The PS3 was Sony's first HD console, capable of displaying output at up to 1080p. It included a Blu-ray drive, making it a capable media player alongside a gaming device. PlayStation Network on the PS3 introduced online multiplayer and digital game purchases to the PlayStation ecosystem.

The PS3 library covered the 2006–2017 period — a significant era for gaming that included Grand Theft Auto IV and V, The Last of Us, Uncharted 1–3, Red Dead Redemption, Metal Gear Solid 4, Demon's Souls, and many more.

2024 — PlayStation 4

A PlayStation 4 was added in 2024. Sony launched the PS4 in 2013 as its 8th generation console. By 2024, the PS4 had a mature, complete library spanning 2013–2021 with over 4,000 titles.

The PS4 brought a significant hardware step up from the PS3 — 8 GB GDDR5 RAM, an 8-core AMD processor, and GPU capabilities that enabled stable 1080p gaming across most titles. The DualShock 4 controller introduced a touchpad, lightbar, and share button.

Games played on the PS4 included titles from the library that hadn't been accessible on earlier hardware — Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War (2018), Horizon Zero Dawn, Spider-Man, and others from the PS4 generation.

Late 2025 — PC and PlayStation 5

The most significant hardware change in the gaming history occurred in late 2025: a move to PC gaming alongside the acquisition of a PlayStation 5.

PC

The PC opened access to five separate storefronts simultaneously, each with their own libraries, sales, and exclusive titles:

Steam — The dominant PC gaming platform. 13 games in the current library.
Epic Games Store — Free game rotation and some exclusives. 5 games in the library.
Ubisoft Connect — Ubisoft's storefront for their own titles. 3 games.
EA App — EA's storefront, successor to Origin. 1 game.
Microsoft Store — Microsoft's Windows storefront. 1 game.

The PC also enabled higher frame rates and resolutions than console gaming and better modding support for games like Euro Truck Simulator 2.

PlayStation 5

The PS5, launched by Sony in November 2020, is Sony's current-generation console. Key features include:

An NVMe SSD that dramatically reduces load times compared to PS4 (seconds vs minutes in some cases)
The DualSense controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers that physically resist or vibrate based on in-game context
Backwards compatibility with the vast majority of PS4 titles
Ray tracing support and performance modes targeting 60fps or 120fps in supported games

The PS5 runs alongside the PC as the current dual setup.

Current setup

The current gaming configuration as of 2025–2026:

Platform	Status
PC (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, EA, Microsoft)	Active — primary
PlayStation 5	Active — primary
PlayStation 4	Retired from active use
PlayStation 3	Retired from active use
PlayStation 2	Retired from active use
Nintendo 3DS / 2DS	Retired from active use
PSP	Retired from active use