Anyone who grew up playing Super Nintendo, SEGA, Nintendo 64, Playstation 1 & 2, will remember that experience, and the carefree sensation of exploring a world without the looming presence of guided gameplay (i.e Achievements). It seems insane to imagine a world where the gaming community doesn’t know about achievements, particularly the younger demographic - yes, I am aware saying eighteen-year-olds are “young” denounce my age, however, gaming dinosaurs such as myself will easily remember an achievement-less world. This new system would serve as a base for subsequent models, and created a fun way for players to engage and explore console or steam games.
Nonetheless, achievements, as we know them, would not become an industry staple, and something constantly expected until Microsoft ushered the concept on their wildly successful Xbox 360 console, with the Gamerscore in 2003. We will use the term Achievements to encompass Xbox Achievements, Playstation Trophies, Steam Achievement, or any similar format. The basic premise of displaying your accomplishments would carry over to current-gen gaming, but social integration features and new ways to display your gaming prowess were added with technology’s advancement.
Proposed challenges were complex, and while challenging at times, they were less overwhelming and anxiety-inducing than what we have now.
