Welcome to a new short speech for consecutive and conference interpretation training. This one focuses on videogame history, more specifically, the 16-bit console war between Nintendo and Sega that took place in the 90s. Note: The Speech starts STRAIGHT AWAY!
Topic(s): Videogames
Terms: home gaming systems, Sega, Nintendo, NES, Super Mario, Sega Genesis, Mega Drive, 16-bit processor boards, graphics, playability, Sonic the Hedgehog, SNES, Super Nintendo, add-ons, console wars, Sony, PlayStation, Microsoft, Xbox
Sources:
Also check these books to learn and practice interpreting.
Good For Practicing:
- Interpreting note-taking
- Simultaneous Interpreting
- Conference Interpreting
- Australian accent
Also available on Speechpool.
If you’ve found this post helpful or think it could be useful to a friend who perhaps is – or is planning to become – an interpreter, please kindly consider buying me a coffee by using the button below:
I put all my heart and soul into the content I produce in order to help my fellow linguists set foot in the industry. Most of what I do is available to everyone for free.
Donating is 100% optional, but greatly appreciated. A short espresso will do! ☕
Script*:
*Please check the script only after you’ve done the note-taking exercise, otherwise that’s cheating! 🙂
‘Playing video games is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. The video game industry came into existence in the 70s and has been growing in popularity ever since. As of 2020, the global video game market has estimated annual revenues of 159 billion US dollars, which makes it larger than the film and music industries put together.
When it comes to home gaming systems, several video game companies have competed against each other for decades. One of the most interesting chapters in the history of the so-called ‘console wars’ took place in the 90s, when Sega and Nintendo fought for dominance of the global video game market.
Until the late 80s, Nintendo reigned supreme with their incredibly successful NES console and the highly popular Super Mario game series. That was until 1988, when their main rivals released what at the time was seen as a revolutionising new console: the Sega Genesis, also know as Mega Drive outside the US.
The Genesis was the first major console to use 16-bit processor boards, which allowed for better graphics, improved playability and a huge range of exciting new games. The most popular of all featured an iconic blue character that could run faster than the speed of light… you guessed it: Sonic the Hedgehog.
For the first time in years Nintendo lost their dominant position in the video game market. So, after recognising that their old NES system was no longer capable of competing with Sega’s superior console, they decided it was time to level up their game – no pun intended. In 1990, they released the SNES, also known as Super Nintendo, a move that eventually allowed them to recoup their crown as the greatest video game maker in the world.
Facing a renovated – and more intense than ever – level of competition, Sega started to trail behind Nintendo. For years, they kept releasing add-ons and new features to keep the Genesis fresh and exciting, but their attempts never achieved the desired results. Sega never managed to recover the lead they once held, and eventually lost the 16-bit console wars. In 2001, after several years of internal struggles, the company quit producing video game systems altogether.
What about Nintendo? Well, they remain one of the major video game producers to this day but have found new arch enemies to compete with: Sony with their PlayStation consoles, and Microsoft with the Xbox.
This Era of gaming is fondly remembered by many to this very day. It was a time before the internet when exciting new advancements in video game production were being brought to the table almost on a yearly basis. Fun times, simpler times.’
Interpreting Training Exercise | Economics – Tech Giants