10 major events in game history after the beginning of the year 2000.
Created by jacobd on Jun 27, 2010
Last updated: 06/28/10 at 10:58 PM
Question 1: What were the details of the event? This court case is a review of an appeals court's decision regarding California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2005 law which banned the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? This case is currently unresolved, but the ramifications of the Supreme Court's decision could vastly impact the gaming industry in the near future. Should the justices rule in favor of California's ban, many states my rapidly enforce their own laws based on this precedent which would greatly influence video game sales and regulations. Holland, Jesse J. (2010, April 26). Court to decide video game regulations. 'WISHTV.com' Retrieved June 28, 2010 from http://www.wishtv.com/dpps/living/video_games/court-to-decide-if-state-can-regulate-video-games-jgr_3330379
Question 1: What were the details of the event? Not long after E3, the heads of Microsoft XBox gathered together for a party in which Microsoft's online gaming service, XBox Live, was awarded the Guinness World Record for the 'most popular online gaming console service'. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? The idea of using the Internet to allow gamers to connect and play together as well as competitively is actually a relatively new concept in just the last decade. Earning this award with over 20 million subscribers, XBox Live proves that Internet connectivity for console gaming is now becoming a standard and expected procedure. Berardini, Cesar A. (2009, June 2). Xbox Live Sets a New World Record. 'News.Teamxbox.com'. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/19847/Xbox-Live-Sets-a-New-World-Record/
Question 1: What were the details of the event? Sales records come out which show that Wii Sports is the first new game to claim the title of the best selling video game in history. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? This landmark record had remained unbroken ever since it was awarded to the original Super Mario Bros. way back in 1985, making it a truly historic achievement. Parfitt, Ben. (2009, January 5). Has Wii Sports become the best selling game ever?. 'Causualgaming.biz'. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/28045/Has-Wii-Sports-become-the-best-selling-game-ever
Question 1: What were the details of the event? 'The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters' came out on DVD. This movie was a documentary based off the real life stories of two men and their competition over the highest recorded score on the classic arcade game, 'Donkey Kong'. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? Typically, video gaming's rare forays into the realm of Hollywood have been rather unremarkable. However, this video not only told a true story that centered around an important classic video game, but also earned critical acclaim for its production as well. Davis, Erik. (2008, January 28). DVD Review: The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. 'Cinematical.com' Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://www.cinematical.com/2008/01/28/dvd-review-the-king-of-kong-a-fistful-of-quarters/
Question 1: What were the details of the event? On this day, Namco celebrated its 50th anniversary in Tokyo. During the celebration, Namco was also officially rewarded with an entrance into the 'Guinness Book of World Records' for the arcade classic, Pac-Man, as the "most successful coin operated game in history." Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? Pac-Man was one of the huge mega hits which propelled video games into popularity at the industry's beginning. This special recognition assured that part of the valuable history of video games would be forever recorded. Niizumi, Hirohiko. (2005, June 1). Pac-Man chomps into record books. 'GameSpot.com'. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://www.gamespot.com/arcade/action/pacman/news.html?sid=6126778
Question 1: What were the details of the event? Electronic Arts struck a deal with the National Football League to gain exclusive rights to all official NFL team rosters and other parts of the franchise for the next five years to use in their popular Madden football series. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? With EA Sports now controlling all rights to the NFL franchise in video gaming, no other developer can produce any football games that use actual NFL teams, players, or media. This means that EA has effectively taken the complete monopoly over the market concerning any football sports title, especially since the exclusive agreement was extended another five years to 2013 at the end of the first agreement in 2009. Rovell, Darren. (2004, December 14). All Madden, all the time. 'espn.com' Retrieved June 28, 2010 from http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportsbusiness/news/story?id=1945691
Question 1: What were the details of the event? Capcom had begun to realize that the US market for arcades was diminishing. Since there was much more money to be made for that company in home console releases in the US, Capcom decided to devote its arcade efforts solely in Japan, where the market for arcades remained strong. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? Capcom has always been a classic company when it comes to arcade games, particularly in its many famous titles for fighting games such as 'Street Fighter'. Once Capcom decided to close their US arcade branch, the only way for US fans of Capcom's classic franchises to obtain the newest games from them would have to be through console releases. Cohen, M. L. (2007, January). "Capcom Company Ltd." International Directory of Company Histories. 2007. Retrieved June 27, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3479900019.html
Question 1: What were the details of the event? In an effort to prevent illegal electronic gambling, the Greek government passed a law forbidding all games with "...electronic mechanisms and software." Harsh fines were levied on private individuals, store and cafe owners, and even tourists caught with any sort of electronic games. Supposedly, the government claimed the extreme measures were necessary since it was "...incapable of distinguishing innocuous video games from illegal gambling machines." Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? An entire country banning all forms of electronic games had never happened before and caused a huge shock in the industry. Although the ban was lifted after an appeal only two months later, rapid measures of this magnitude against video games had never been encountered before. Goodwins, Rupert. (2002, September 3). In Greece, use a GameBoy, go to jail. 'Cnet.com' Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-956357.html
Question 1: What were the details of the event? Allegedly, Sega and Namco were looking for the next big hardware breakthrough for their arcade devisions when they both realized the potential of the Nintendo Gamecube's core processors for the job. The cheaper cost and ease of programming with using a port of the Gamecube console eventually led to all three companies developing the Triforce, next-gen arcade hardware based off of the Nintendo Gamecube. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? A major joint venture between three companies such as this marks a change from the fierce competition of the past, particularly with past rivals Sega and Nintendo working together. The Triforce is also designed to be compatible with Gamecube releases of the same games, allowing players to transfer their high scores to and from the arcade via their Gamecube memory cards. This new innovation is a clear attempt to revitalize the US arcade market. Bayer, Glen. (2003, April 12). Triforce-Namco, Nintendo, and Sega. 'N-Sider.com'. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=45
Question 1: What were the details of the event? After dropping to near obscurity in the hardware race against Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, Sega finally announces that they will no longer produce any additional Dreamcast consoles, and Sega will instead become devoted to creating solely software for consoles like the Nintendo GameBoy Advanced and Sony's Playstation 2. Question 2: Why was the event important to the industry? Sega had once been one of the largest names in home video game consoles back in the day. Their decision after a long, slow decline in sales to finally call it quits and instead begin producing titles for the consoles that belong to their one time competitors is like the closing of a major chapter in video gaming history. Zito, Kelly. (2001, January 31). Sega to Stop Production Of Dreamcast. 'SFGate.com'. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from http://articles.sfgate.com/2001-01-31/business/17582195_1_dreamcast-charles-bellfield-xbox-consoles
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