Timeline of video games

This is a timeline of video games and computer games in reverse chronological order. See history of the video game for a more narrative overview of the subject. See also Chronology of console role-playing games.

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2000s

[Top]

2004

January 12 - Ubisoft acquires Tiwak
February - EA consolidates, rolls most of Maxis and all of Origin Systems into its Redwood Shores, California HQ
March 4 - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame
March 22-26 - Game Developers Conference hosts 4th annual Game Developers Choice Awards and Gama Network's 6th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
July - Square Enix restructures executive branches around the world.
August 30 - Acclaim declares bankruptcy and closes its doors

[Top]

2003

February 27 - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of SEGA to the AIAS Hall of Fame
March 6-9 - Game Developers Conference hosts 3rd annual Game Developers Choice Awards and Gama Network's 5th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
May 14-16 - 9th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) held at Los Angeles Convention Center; 6th annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3
July 16 - The Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) renamed as Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
October 1 - DreamWorks SKG and Tecmo announce a movie adaptation of the video game Fatal Frame has been fast-tracked. Details on the movie released at the 2003 Tokyo Game Show stated that it's a major priority for DreamWorks and that writer/producer John Rogers has signed onto the project as its producer and Steven Spielberg has a first-hand role with the project.
October 20 - The families of Aaron Hamel and Kimberly Bede who were shot by teens William and Josh Buckner who stated to investigators that their actions were inspired by Grand Theft Auto 3 file a USD$246 million lawsuit against Rockstar Games, Take Two Interactive Software, retailer Wal-Mart, and marketer Sony Computer Entertainment America. Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two request the judge to dismiss the lawsuit stating in U.S. District Court on October 29, 2003 that the "ideas and concepts as well as the 'purported psychological effects' on the Buckners are protected by the First Amendment's free-speech clause." The lawyer of the victims dismissed that and is trying to get the lawsuit moved into a state court and taken under consideration of the Tennessee's consumer protection act. The result of this lawsuit is currently pending.
October 31 - BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) announces nominations for the 1st annual BAFTA Games Awards for video game publication and (on November 24) the 6th annual BAFTA Interactive Awards for multimedia technologies; ceremony to be held in February 2004
November - Kazushige Nojima resigns from Square Enix

Hardware

Early 2003 - Nintendo releases the Game Boy Advance SP, an enhanced version of its popular Game Boy Advance handheld game console
Nokia releases the hybrid N-Gage handheld console / mobile phone

Business

February 19 - Microsoft announces a deal to buy Connectix Corp.
Take Two Interactive buys TDK Mediactive, Inc.
Infogrames, Inc., a subsidiary of Infogrames Entertainment SA renames itself Atari
Square Co. and Enix Corporation merge forming Square Enix Co., Ltd.
reports that video games are a USD$10 billion dollar industry
May - 3DO announces bankruptcy
December ? Interplay closes its Black Isle Studios division
Late 2003 - Nintendo buys shares from Japanese toy and animation conglomerate Bandai making Nintendo one of Bandai's top 10 shareholders.
Late 2003 - reports a rebuttal regarding two statements from Nintendo and Bandai execs denying a potential Nintendo takeover of Bandai. According to the story, Nintendo is working with a Japanese banking firm that has Bandai and Nintendo as their corporate clients to try to take over Bandai.

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2002

Acquisitions

Activision acquires Luxoflux Corporation, Gray Matter Interactive Studios, Shaba Games LLC, and Z-Axis Ltd.
Empire Interactive PLC acquires eJay AG (renamed eJay Entertainment GmbH)
Infogrames Entertainment SA acquires Eden Studios and Shiny Entertainment
Microsoft acquires Rare Ltd.
PCCW: Jaleco USA merges with its VR1 Entertainment (renamed Jaleco Entertainment) division
Sony Corporation acquires Aiwa Corporation
Vivendi Universal acquires Massive Entertainment
Bankrupt/Defunct: Encore Software, Inc. (assets acquired by Navarre Corporation)

Established/Renamed

February 19 - Sierra Entertainment, Inc. renamed from Sierra On-Line
.400 Software Studios founded
May 10 ? Tiwak renamed from Yeti Interactive

Events

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Will Wright of Maxis to the AIAS Hall of Fame
BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) holds 5th annual BAFTA Interactive Awards for multimedia technologies; 10 of 21 awards go to video games; awards Ian Livingstone the BAFTA Interactive Special Award
8th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo); the 5th annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3
Eidos Interactive selects Dutch model Jill De Jong as the new digitized Lara Croft character
G4 Media, LLC (subsidiary of Comcast Corporation) launches the G4 cable television video game network channel
Gama Network hosts the 4th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
Game Developers Conference hosts the 2nd annual Game Developers Choice Awards
SEGA establishes the Sega Mobile division to develop, produce, and distribute video games for mobile phones and PDAs; establishes the Sega.com Business Solutions division to service video game developers and publishers
Rockstar Games embroiled in moral panic for its Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City video games
March 22 - The Sims overtakes Myst as all-time best-selling computer game, having sold 6.3 million units

[Top]

2001

Acquisitions

Activision acquires Treyarch Invention LLC
PCCW (Pacific Century CyberWorks Japan Co., Ltd.) acquires VR1 Entertainment

Established/Renamed/Merged Events/News

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame
BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) hosts the 4th annual BAFTA Interactive Awards for multimedia technologies; 15 of 21 awards go to video games
7th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo); the 4th annual Game Critics Awards For The Best Of E3
Gama Network hosts the 3rd annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
Game Developers Conference hosts the 1st annual Game Developers Choice Awards
Midway Games announces that it will no longer manufacture arcade games
Reuters reports that the Sega Dreamcast console has an estimated 800,000 online users playing its various online games already by midyear
- reports that Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and SEGA are cooperating to allow online users for the Playstation 2 and Dreamcast consoles to play each other via the 1st ever cross-console network
Sony cooperates with AOL to incorporate Internet features with the Playstation 2 console; which include a browser, email, and instant messaging capabilities
SEGA announces that it will no longer develop home consoles, in order to focus on game development
- 2nd annual Sega Dreamcast Championships (featuring the Crazy Taxi 2 video game)
  - 1st place: Lindsay Gall ($15,000 & Jamaica resort trip)
  - 2nd place: Michael Pirring ($10,000)
  - 3rd place: Roger Mogle ($5,000)

Lawsuits

Sega of America Inc. v. Kmart Corporation; Sega sues Kmart over an unpaid debt of over USD$2 million dollars
Uri Geller v. Nintendo; Geller sues Nintendo over his resemblance to a Pokemon character. The suit is dismissed.

New hardware

GamePark Inc.: GP32 (GamePark 32) wireless-multiplayer multimedia handheld console
Indrema's L600 Entertainment System multimedia home console
Microsoft's Xbox home console
Nintendo:
- GameCube home console
- Game Boy Advance (GBA) backwards-compatible handheld console
Panasonic's Q multimedia console

Significant Software

Infogrames Entertainment SA releases Atari Anniversary Edition collection for the Dreamcast console and PC
Nikkei News reports that the video game Phantasy Star Online (for Sega Dreamcast) has had 300,000 worldwide users login already by midyear

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2000

Acquisitions

Electronic Arts Inc. acquires DreamWorks Interactive, LLC (games division of DreamWorks SKG)
Infogrames, Inc. acquires Hasbro Interactive, Inc. (including the Game.com division and the rights to the Atari label); Infogrames also acquires Paradigm Entertainment, Inc.
Microsoft Corporation acquires Bungie Software Products Corp.
nVidia Corporation acquires 3Dfx Interactive, Inc.
Sony Corporation acquires Verant Interactive, Inc.
THQ Inc. acquires Volition
Ubi Soft Entertainment, Inc. acquires Red Storm Entertainment, Inc.

Bankrupt/Defunct

Established/Renamed

Summer - 21-6 Productions founded
Sega Rosso renamed (formerly SEGA's AM5 team)
Smilebit founded (formerly SEGA's AM6 R&D division)
Yeti Interactive founded

Events

June 26 - International Game Developers Association renamed from Computer Game Developers Association
Reuters reports that the Sony Playstation 2 console will export controls by Trade Ministry of Japan since the PS2 is sophisticated enough for military application
NPD Group, Inc. reports that Electronic Arts ranks 1st in third-party video game publishing in the USA, ahead of Infogrames Entertainment SA
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards inducts Hironobu Sakaguchi of Square Enix to the AIAS Hall of Fame
BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 4th annual BAFTA Interactive Awards for multimedia technologies; 7 of 20 awards go to video games; awards David Bowie in part for his contributions to the video game PC)
6th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo); the 3rd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3
Gama Network hosts the 2nd annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
Mattel, Inc. sells Learning Co. to Gores Technology Group
Nintendo sells its 100,000,000th Game Boy handheld console
- spends over USD$80 million issuing gloves to over a 1,000,000 children after numerous reports of serious hand injuries from the controllers while playing certain stages of Mario Party (for N64)
Midway / Williams announces to cease the Atari Games label
Sega.com launches SegaNet, their online console gaming network
- 1st annual Sega Dreamcast Championships (featuring the Sonic Adventure video game)
All of SEGA's the internal consumer research & development divisions become individual developer companies
Maxis publishes Will Wright's The Sims, which goes on to be the best-selling computer game of its time

New Hardware

Bandai's Wonderswan Color handheld in Japan
SEGA's Naomi 2 arcade console
Sony's Playstation 2 (PS2) home console
Toymax's Activision TV Games controller/console

Lawsuits

Nintendo of America, Sega America, Electronic Arts, Inc v. Yahoo!, Inc.; The lawsuit is over piracy negligence and profiting from counterfeit video game products sold on Yahoo Auctions. The lawsuit is fully dropped in 2001 in order to cooperate against piracy.

Significant Software

Electronic Arts's Ultima Online video game has over 150,000 online users by the end of February
SEGA's ChuChu Rocket video game released as the 1st online console game; NFL 2K1 video game, the 1st online console sports game; Phantasy Star Online video game, the 1st online console RPG

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1990s

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1999

Acquisitions

Activision acquires Elsinore Multimedia, Expert Software, and Neversoft Entertainment
Infogrames Entertainment SA acquires Accolade, Gremlin Interactive (renamed Infogrames Sheffield House), GT Interactive Software (GTIS), and Ozisoft
Take Two Interactive acquires TalonSoft

Established/Renamed

3d6 Games, Inc. founded (closes November 1, 2002)
October ? 7FX founded as subsidiary of a Czech company
7 Studios founded
BAM! Entertainment, Inc. founded
Bohemia Interactive Studio founded
April - Liquid Entertainment founded

Events

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Sid Meier of Firaxis to the AIAS Hall of Fame
BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) hosts the 2nd annual BAFTA Interactive Awards
Billy Mitchell scores a perfect 3,333,360 points on the Pac-Man arcade game
5th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo); the 2nd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3
Gama Network hosts the 1st annual Independent Games Festival (IGF)
March 15-19 - Game Developers Conference (formerly Computer Game Developers Conference); moves to San Jose, California where it stays for six consecutive years; hosts the 1st annual Independent Games Festival
June 18 - Minh Le and Jess Cliffe release the Counter-Strike mod for Half-Life

New hardware

Nintendo's Game Boy Light (GBL) handheld console in Japan only
SEGA Dreamcast, an Internet-ready 128-bit home console
SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld
Tiger Electronics Game.com Pocket Pro handheld

Lawsuits

Nintendo v. Bung Enterprises Ltd.; Nintendo sues Bung over patent infringement
Sony Corporation v. Bleem LLC

Significant Software

Bleem releases the Bleem! emulator for Playstation for an IBM-compatible PC
Connectix Corporation releases the Virtual Game Station emulator for Playstation for a Macintosh

[Top]

1998

Acquisitions

Activision acquires CD Contact Data and Head Game Publishing
Eidos Interactive acquires Crystal Dynamics
Electronic Arts Inc. acquires Virgin Studio and Westwood Studios, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc. acquires Atari Corporation (from JTS Corp.), Microprose, and Tiger Electronics

Bankrupt/Defunct

JTS Corp. (Atari Corporation)

Established/Renamed

BreakAway Games, Ltd. founded
Elixir Studios Ltd. formed
Lego Media established by Lego Group
Metro3D, Inc. founded
Rockstar Games founded
WildTangent, Inc. founded

Events

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo to the AIAS Hall of Fame
BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) hosts the 1st annual BAFTA Interactive Awards
4th annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo); the 1st annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E3
Game One channel (subsidiary of Canalplus); Infogrames Entertainment SA and Canal+ launch the Game One television channel

New Hardware

Bandai's Wonderswan handheld in Japan
Majesco Sales Inc.'s Genesis 3 home console
Nintendo:
- Game Boy Color (GBC) handheld console
- Camera & Printer accessories for the Game Boy handheld console
SEGA's Naomi arcade console and Dreamcast home console
SNK's Neo Geo Pocket (NGP) handheld

Significant Software

Nintendo releases Pokemon video game for Game Boy
Sierra On-Line publishes Valve Software's Half-Life

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1997

Acquisitions

Activision acquires CentreSoft Ltd. and Raven Software
Electronic Arts Inc. acquires Maxis

Bankrupt/Defunct

Gametek

Established/Renamed/Merged

2015 Inc. founded
4D Rulers Software, Inc. founded
September - 4HEAD Studios created
Bungie Studios West formed by Bungie Software Products Corp.
Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation founded
Crave Entertainment, Inc. formed
August - Human Head Studios, Inc. formed
Illusion Softworks, a.s. founded
April 15 - Irem Software Engineering Inc. founded
Irrational Games LLC founded
Mythic Entertainment renames itself from Interworld Productions after name dispute with another "Interworld" company
THQ renamed from Toy Head-Quarters, Inc.
Warthog PLC founded

Events

3rd annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo)
Gunpei Yokoi (1941-1997) dies after a double car accident
ZSNES, a Super Nintendo emulator, first released

Hardware

Nintendo releases NES 2 compact home console and SNES 2 compact home console
Sony releases Playstation development software for PC
Tiger Electronics releases Game.com

Lawsuits

Nintendo v. Games City; Nintendo sues Games City for selling the Game Doctor and Doctor V64 backup devices for the SNES and N64 consoles. Nintendo wins the suit.
Nintendo v. Prima Publishing; Nintendo sues Prima over copyrights to map of the N64 video game GoldenEye 007. Nintendo loses the suit

[Top]

1996

Acquisitions

February - Blizzard Entertainment acquires development group known as Condor, renames it Blizzard North
Eidos acquires Core Design
Infogrames Entertainment SA acquires Ocean Software Ltd.
Midway Games, Inc. (subsidiary of WMS Industries, formerly known as Williams Electronics) acquires Atari Games Corp from Warner Communications Inc. (AOL Time Warner in 2000)

Bankrupt/Defunct

Technos Japan Corporation, originator of the Nekketsu Kouha Kunio Kun series and Double Dragon series (assets acquired by Atlus Corporation)

Established/Renamed/Merged

John Romero and Tom Hall leave id Software and form Ion Storm in Dallas, Texas
Atari Corporation merges with JTS Corp.
Black Isle Studios forms as a division by Interplay; doesn't use Black Isle name until 1998
Game Park Inc. founded in Korea
The company formed by Microprose and Spectrum Holobyte in 1993 starts branding using only the Microprose name
Overworks, Ltd. formed
November - Red Storm Entertainment, Inc.
Zed Two Limited formed

Events

DigiPen Institute of Technology receives accreditation, first school in the world to offer college degrees in video game development.
2nd annual E3
Gunpei Yokoi resigns from Nintendo
First console emulators appear

Hardware

Bandai's Tamagotchi virtual pet handheld
Nintendo:
- Nintendo 64 (N64) 64-bit console
- Game Boy Pocket (GBP) handheld console (30% smaller version of the previous Game Boy handheld console)
SEGA's Net Link modem for the Sega Saturn home console
SNK's Neo Geo CDZ in Japan only
Namco's Alpine Racer arcade game, including a new type of user interface

Lawsuits

Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Computer & Entertainment, Inc.

Significant Software

Sony releases Crash Bandicoot video game
Tomb Raider video game released for the Sega Saturn console

[Top]

1995

Established/Renamed/Merged

Frog City Software, Inc. established
Interworld Productions established (renamed Mythic Entertainment in 1997)
Talonsoft established
BioWare founded

Events

The 1st annual E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) held

Hardware

Nintendo releases:
- Game Boy Play-It-Loud (GBPIL) color/clear versions of Game Boy
- Virtual Boy (by Gunpei Yokoi) 32-bit console
- Satellaview BS-X accessory for the Famicom console in Japan only
SEGA releases:
- Sega Saturn home console in North America
- Sega 32X add-on for the Sega Megadrive in Europe
September 9 - Sony releases the PlayStation console United States

Lawsuits

Nintendo v. Samsung Electronics; Nintendo sues Samsung for promoting software piracy. The suit is settled.
Nintendo of America, Inc. v. NTDEC

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1994

Aiwa releases the CSD-GLM Mega Drive multimedia home console in Japan only
Apogee establishes the 3D Realms Entertainment division
Bandai releases the Playdia multimedia home console
Blizzard Entertainment is renamed from Silicon & Synapse
NEC releases the PC-FX multimedia home console
Nintendo releases the Super Game Boy adapter for the SNES home console; releases the Donkey Kong Country video game
- Alpex sues Nintendo over patent infringements. Nintendo loses the case.
- Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Dragon Pacific Intern
SEGA:
- introduces the cable TV Sega Channel in cooperation with Time Warner (AOL Time Warner); the subscription service provides Sega Genesis games via cable box to customers
- releases the 32X adapter for the Sega Genesis in North America and the Sega Megadrive in Japan
- releases the Nomad handheld console in North America
- releases the Sega Saturn home console in Japan
- releases the Daytona USA arcade game
SNK releases the Neo Geo CD home console
April - Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) founded (name changed to the Entertainment Software Association in 2003); IDSA founds Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
November 10 - William Higinbotham, inventor of the video game, dies at 84
December 3 - Sony releases the PlayStation console in Japan
Defunct companies: Commodore

[Top]

1993

Atari releases the Jaguar home console
Broderbund releases the Myst video game, which goes on to become one of the bestselling games of all time
Commodore releases the Amiga CD32 multimedia home console
id Software releases the DOOM computer game
Magnavox is acquired by the Carlyle Group
Microprose Inc. is acquired by the Spectrum Holobyte
Midway embroiled in moral panic for its game Mortal Kombat.
Nintendo releases the Star Fox video game (the 1st game to use the Super FX Chip)
Panasonic releases 3DO, the first 32-bit home console
Pioneer releases the Laseractive multimedia home console
SEGA's Mega-CD released in Europe and Australia; releases the Virtua Fighter (by AM2) arcade game, which is later displayed at the Smithsonian Institution; releases the Night Trap video game for the Sega CD console
Tandy releases the Video Information System (VIS) multimedia Internet home console
New companies: nVidia Corporation, 3DO Company, Take Two Interactive Software Inc., Croteam Ltd.

[Top]

1992

Atari Games Corp. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.
JVC releases the Wondermega console
Midway Home Entertainment releases the Mortal Kombat arcade game
Philips releases the CD-I multimedia home console
Super Nintendo released in Europe
- Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.
SEGA releases the Sega CD home console in North America; releases the Virtua Racing arcade game
Taito Corporation creates the Wowow home console (unreleased)
TTI (Turbo Technologies Inc.) releases the Wow Entertainment Inc. (AM1)

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1991

Fujitsu releases the FM Towns Marty home console
Super Nintendo released in North America
- New York State v. Nintendo lawsuit: the state attorney general sues Nintendo over the monopoly of the video game industry. Nintendo loses the suit and offers customers a $5 rebate on Nintendo games
SEGA releases
- Sega Mega CD in Japan
- Sonic the Hedgehog in (by AM8, later Sonic Team) video game for the Sega Genesis in North America, and for the Sega Megadrive in Europe and Japan
September - S3 launches with the 86C911, often regarded as the first significant graphics accelerator chip
New companies: Vicarious Visions, Inc, id Software, Bungie Software, Silicon & Synapse

[Top]

1990

Camerica releases the Game Genie adapter in Canada (1991 in the USA)
NEC releases the TurboExpress handheld console
Nintendo releases the Super Mario Bros. 3 video game; releases the Super Famicom 16-bit console in Japan
- Nintendo v. Nintendo of America introduces Squaresoft's Final Fantasy video game series to North America
SNK releases the Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System (AES) home console
SEGA's Megadrive released in Europe; releases the R-360 arcade game, the first 3D - 360° gameplay
October 6 - Sega Game Gear released in Japan, launched in North America in 1991 and Europe and Australia in 1992
THQ Inc.: Toy Head-Quarters merges with Trinity Acquisition Corporation
New companies: Eidos Interactive, Team17 Software Limited, Natsume Inc.
Nintendo releases the King of the Zoo video game

[Top]

1980s

[Top]

1989

Acquisitions

Hasbro, Inc. acquires Coleco Industries, Inc.

Established/Renamed/Merged

Trinity Acquisition Corporation founded (renamed THQ in 1990)

Hardware

Atari Inc. releases Lynx handheld console
Mattel, Inc. releases Power Glove controller for the NES home console
Nintendo releases Game Boy (GB) (by Gunpei Yokoi) handheld console
NEC's Turbografx 16 released in Japan
Sega Genesis released in North America

Lawsuits

Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Tengen
- Nintendo sues Tengen over the Tetris video game copyrights. Tengen loses and recalls all its Tetris games.
- November - Nintendo sues Tengen over production of unlicensed Nintendo games. Tengen loses. (Tengen originally sued Nintendo on December 12, 1988 for antitrust violations.)
Nintendo v. Camerica Ltd. Nintendo sues Camerica over patent violations of the Game Genie for the NES console. Camerica wins the suit.

Significant Software

Maxis releases SimCity
Tengen releases an unlicensed version of the Tetris video game
Wes Cherry writes Solitaire for Microsoft Windows
Brøderbund releases the Prince of Persia game
Nintendo of America introduces Enix's Dragon Warrior franchise to North America.

[Top]

1988

Activision renamed to Mediagenic
Nintendo releases the Nintendo Power magazine
- Nintendo v. Camerica over the clone production of an Advantage joystick controller for the NES console
Sega Megadrive released in Japan
Warner Communications' Atari Games Corp establishes the Tengen division
Electronic Arts releases John Madden Football for the Apple II, starting its highly successful line of American football games

Business

New companies: KOEI Co., Ltd., Visual Concepts
Defunct companies: Coleco Industries Inc.

[Top]

1987

Activision acquires Infocom
Atari releases the XE Game System (XEGS) home console
Electronic Arts acquires Batteries Included
Konami Corporation releases the Castlevania video game
NEC releases the PC Engine console in Japan
Taito Corporation releases the Double Dragon arcade game
Squaresoft's Hironobu Sakaguchi introduces the Final Fantasy video game series to Japan
Sega Master System released in Japan
Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Blockbuster Entertainment lawsuit: Nintendo sues Blockbuster for photocopying complete NES manuals for its rental games. Nintendo wins the suit, and Blockbuster includes original manuals with its rentals.

Business

New companies: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc., Maxis, Gametek Inc., Apogee Software, Ltd., Empire Interactive PLC

[Top]

1986

Activision acquires Gamestar Software
Atari releases the Atari 7800 backwards-compatible home console
Nintendo releases the Metroid video game; releases the Famicom Disk Drive System home console in Japan only; releases the Legend of Zelda (by Shigeru Miyamoto) video game
SEGA releases the Sega Master System home console in the United States; releases the Out Run arcade game
Sharp releases the Twin Famicom home console
Sinclair Research Ltd. is acquired by the British government
Taito Corporation releases the Bubble Bobble arcade game; releases the Arkanoid arcade game

Business

New companies: Majesco Sales Inc., Ubi Soft Entertainment, Inc., Bethesda Softworks Inc.

[Top]

1985

Alex Pajitnov creates the Tetris video game
Atari releases the Gauntlet arcade game (by Ed Logg)
Commodore releases the Amiga 1000 home computer
INTV Corp. releases the INTV III home console
Namco creates the Xevious arcade game
Nintendo releases the NES video game console in the United States; releases the Super Mario Bros. video game; releases the Robotic Operating Buddy (ROB) robot and video game for the NES home console
Sears (Tele-Games) releases the Dina home console

Business

New companies: Titus Interactive, Westwood Studios, Inc., Square Co. Ltd.
Defunct companies: RDI Systems

[Top]

1984

Activision releases the Pitfall video game (by David Crane)
Hasbro, Inc. acquires Milton Bradley Company
Milton Bradley Company distributes the Vectrex home console
RDI Systems releases the Halcyon laserdisc home console; releases the Thayer's Quest arcade game
Sega Enterprises and CSK merge to form Sega Enterprises Ltd.; SG-1000 Mark III released in Japan
Warner Communications Inc. sells Atari, Inc.; creates an entirely new division Atari Games Corp

Business

New companies: Kemco, Accolade
Defunct companies: Astrocade Inc.

[Top]

1983

Video game crash of 1983: Console and home video game sales plummet
Acornsoft releases the Elite video game
Bally/Midway releases the Spy Hunter arcade game
Coleco Industries releases the Colecovision home console; releases the Adam home console/computer
Commodore releases the Commodore 64 (C-64) home computer
Electronic Arts releases the One-On-One arcade game
Gottlieb releases the Mad Planets arcade game
Magicom (formerly Starcom) creates the Space Ace laserdisc arcade game (Cinematronics manufactures & markets it)
Mattel releases the Aquarius home console; releases the Intellivision II home console
Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console
Nintendo releases the Famicom home console in Japan; MCA vs Nintendo lawsuit: MCA sues Nintendo over the title resemblance of the Donkey Kong video game to the King Kong movie. MCA loses the case
SEGA's SG-1000 released in Japan
Starcade the video game TV game show
Starcom (later Magicom) creates the Dragon's Lair laserdisc arcade game (Cinematronics manufactures & markets it)
Warner Communications' Atari releases the Star Wars arcade game; Atari, Inc. v. Coleco
Williams Electronics releases the Blaster arcade game

Business

New companies: Infogrames Entertainment SA, Interplay Entertainment Corp., Navarre Corporation, AM2, Origin Systems, Inc.
Defunct companies: Many companies are affected by the video game crash

[Top]

1982

Acorn, Ltd releases the BBC Micro home computer, which brought the game Elite to prominence
Astrocade Inc. (formerly Astrovision) releases the Astrocade console
Bally/Midway releases the Tron arcade game before the movie
Coleco Industries releases the Gemini home console
Commodore releases the VIC-20 home computer
Emerson releases the Arcadia 2001 home console
Entrex releases the Adventure Vision home console
GCE (General Consumer Electronics) releases the Vectrex home console
Gottlieb releases the Q-Bert arcade game
Milton Bradley Company releases the Microvision home console
Namco releases the Pole Position racing arcade game; releases the Dig Dug arcade game (licenses it to Atari)
SEGA releases the Zaxxon arcade game
Sinclair Research releases the ZX Spectrum home computer, at the time the most common gaming computer in the UK
Warner Communications' Atari releases the Quantum arcade game; releases the Atari 5200 home console
Williams Electronics releases the Joust arcade game; releases the Robotron: 2084 arcade game
Coleco releases the Colecovision home console

Business

New companies: Electronic Arts Inc., Lucasfilm Games, MicroProse Software, Inc., Enix Corporation

[Top]

1981

Astrovision Inc. distributes the Bally Computer System after buying the rights from Bally/Midway
Bally/Midway releases the Gorf arcade game
Coleco Industries releases the Total Control 4 home console
Konami Corporation creates the Frogger video game
Namco releases the Galaga arcade game
Nelsonic releases the Space Attacker watch LCD game
Nintendo releases Shigeru Miyamoto's Donkey Kong arcade game
SEGA test markets the SG-1000 home console
Sinclair Research releases the ZX81 home computer, the first widely available 'domestic' computer to play games in the UK
Warner Communications' Atari releases the Centipede arcade game (by Ed Logg & Dona Bailey); releases the Warlords arcade game; releases the Tempest color vector arcade game
Williams Electronics releases the Stargate arcade game
Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism

Business

APF Electronics Inc. goes defunct

[Top]

1980

Apple Computer releases the Akalabeth video game for the Apple IIe
Namco releases Toru Iwatani's Pac-Man arcade game
Nintendo releases the Radarscope arcade game and the Game & Watch handheld LCD game by Gunpei Yokoi
Sinclair Research releases the ZX80 home computer, the first 'domestic' computer to play games in the UK
Stern Electronics (a subsidiary of Universal Research Laboratories) releases the Berzerk arcade game
Texas Instruments releases the TI-99/4 home console
Warner Communications' Atari releases the Missile Command arcade game and the Battlezone arcade game (it is later enhanced for the US Army for military training)
Williams Electronics releases the Defender arcade game

Business

New companies: Mindscape, Inc., Sierra On-Line

[Top]

1970s

[Top]

1979

Bally releases the Videocade & Computer System home console
Cinematronics releases the Warrior arcade game
Mattel, Inc. releases the Intellivision console
Milton Bradley Company releases the Microvision handheld
SEGA releases the Monaco GP arcade game
Texas Instruments releases the Gamevision home console
Warner Communications' Atari creates the Cosmos handheld (unreleased); releases the Adventure, Lunar Lander, and Ed Logg & Lyle Rains' Asteroids arcade games

Business

New companies: Activision, Capcom Inc., Infocom, Strategic Simulations, Inc.

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1978

APF Electronics Inc. releases the MP-1000 home console
Bally/Midway releases the Bally Professional Arcade home console
Cinematronics releases the Space Wars vector graphics arcade game
Entreprex releases the Apollo 2001 home console
Konami Corporation releases the Block Game arcade game
Magnavox releases the Odyssey² (G7000 Videopac) home console
Nintendo releases the Color TV Game 15 home console and the Computer Othello arcade game
Taito Corporation releases the Space Invaders arcade game
Warner Communications' Atari introduces the trackball controller on the arcade game Football; releases the Pinball Game System home console
SNK founded

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1977

Video game crash of 1977; blamed on market saturation of Pong and its clones
Bally/Midway releases the Bally Home Library Computer home console
Nintendo Co. Ltd. releases the Color TV Game 4 home console and the Color TV Game 6 home console
Warner Communications' Atari releases the Atari 2600 home console (originally named Video Computer System)
Namco renamed from Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd.

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1976

Coleco releases the Telstar home console
Exidy releases the controversial Death Race arcade game
Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corp. releases the Video Entertainment System (Channel F) home cartridge console
Midway Home Entertainment Inc. releases the Sea Wolf arcade game
Radolfin releases the 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System home console
RCA releases the Studio II home console
Warner Communications Inc. acquires Atari

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1975

Atari releases the Pong home console
Enix established
Magnavox releases the Odyssey 4000 home console
Microsoft established
Midway Home Entertainment Inc. releases the Gunfight arcade game, the first to use a microprocessor

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1974

Atari releases the Gran Trak arcade racing game featuring a steering wheel
Exidy company established
Kee Games releases the Tank arcade game
Philips acquires Magnavox (Philips Consumer Electronics)

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1973

Atari releases the Got'Cha arcade game
Midway Home Entertainment Inc. releases the Winner arcade game
Williams Electronics releases the Paddle-Ball arcade game

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1972

Atari established; releases the Pong arcade game (by Al Alcorn)
Hunt The Wumpus video game developed by Gregory Yob while at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Magnavox releases the Odyssey home console
Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd. begins using Namco brand name

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1971

Magnavox signs a preliminary license agreement with Sanders Associates
Nutting Associates introduces the first video arcade game, Computer Space
Oregon Trail video game begins development by Don Rawitsch

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1970

RCA cancels a license agreement with Sanders Associates

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1960s

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1969

Konami Corporation established

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1968

Ralph Baer patents "A Television Gaming Apparatus and Method"

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1967

Sanders Associates -- Bill Harrison develops the light gun
Tecmo, Inc. established

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1966

Sanders Associates funds Ralph Baer to develop an interactive television game; he creates the primitive video game Chase in 2 months

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1965

Rosen Enterprises merges with SEGA

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1964

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1963

Nintendo Co. Ltd. renamed from Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.

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1962

Panasonic established by Matsushita Co.
Spacewar video game presented at the MIT Science Open House

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1961

Spacewar! becomes the second video game; created by Steve Russell with assistance from Peter Samson, Dan Edwards, Alan Kotok, & J. Graetz

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1960

SEGA Corporation is incorporated

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1950s

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1959

Midway Home Entertainment Inc. established
Tennis For Two video game exhibited for visitors to the Brookhaven National Laboratories, for its second and last season before its dismantling.

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1958

William Higinbotham and Robert Dvorak develop an unpatented video game called Tennis For Two on an analog computer connected to an oscilloscope as a screen at the Brookhaven National Laboratories in New York. The game is exhibited for visitors to play with using 2 bulky controllers each equipped with a knob for trajectory and a button for firing the ball over the net.

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Before the video game era

1955

Namco established as Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd.

1954

Rosen Enterprises, Inc. established

1953

Taito Corporation established
SEGA is renamed from Standard Games to Service Games of Japan

1951

Nintendo changes Marufuku Co. Ltd. to Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.
Ralph Baer, future founder of the video game industry, conceives the idea of an interactive television while employed by Loral Electronics in Bronx, New York
SEGA Corporation moves from Honolulu to Tokyo

1950

Bandai Co., Ltd. established in Tokyo

1945

Mattel, Inc. established

1940

Standard Games, later to be SEGA, established

1938

Ralph Baer, the future founder of the video game industry, moves to the USA

1935

TDK Corporation established

1933

Nintendo Co. Ltd. established as Yamauchi Nintendo & Co.

1932

Coleco Industries, Inc. established as the Connecticut Leather Company
Bally Corporation established
Lego Group, the future parent of the Lego Interactive division, established in Billund, Denmark

1931