// A timeline of video games
//
// found by Benjamin Hindman JI
// from www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/vidgame/index.htm
// sorry about the long lines . . . 
1969
Nolan Bushnell begins designing a stand-alone video game machine.
1970
Nolan Bushnell completes creating his first coin-operated stand-alone video game machine: Computer Space. The machine is marketed by Nutting Associates. (2,000 machines are made, but the game is not popular with players.)
1971
Ralph Baer of the Sanders Associates company approaches Magnavox with a prototype electronic game for use with television sets. Magnavox likes the idea, and arranges an exclusive license on the concept.
1972
Magnavox introduces the Odyssey video game system, for use on television sets. The name "Odyssey" comes from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey". Price is about US$100. Nolan Bushnell founds the Atari company. The name "Atari" is Japanese for "checkmate".("Atari" means "prepare to be attacked"). Atari ships Pong, the first commercially successful stand-alone coin-operated video game. The Pong game debuts in Andy Capp's Tavern in Sunnyvale, California. (About 10,000 units are sold.)
1974
To date, there are about 100,000 coin-operated video game machines in the USA.
1975
Sears, Roebuck & Company begins selling the Tele-Game Pong video game system, for use on television sets. The system was made by Atari. Price is US$98.50. for use on television sets. The system was made by Atari. Price is US$98.50. Sales of video game systems for the year: US$22 million. 
1976
Atari introduces the Breakout coin-operated video game. (15,000 machines are sold over its lifetime.) Warner Communications buys the Atari company for US$28 million. Nolan Bushnell receives US$15 million as his share of the company. (sold for US$30 million) The Federal Communications Commission approves a video game system made by Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corporation for use with home televisions. Fairchild Camera & Instrument introduces the Channel F, the first programmable (via plug-in cartridges) home video game system. The system features full color and sound through a television connection. Price is US$149.95 for the system unit, plus US$19.95 for plug-in cartridges. Exidy introduces the Death Race coin-operated video game.
December 31, 1976
Total sales of video games during the year: 3 million.
1977
Atari introduces the Atari Video Computer System (VCS), later renamed the Atari 2600.
June 5, 1978
Taito introduces the Space Invaders game, in Japan. (Over 350,000 machines are sold world-wide over its lifetime.) (April 1979) Bally begins shipping its Bally Professional Arcade game. Cinematronics releases Space Wars to arcades. APF Electronics introduces the MP-1000 video game unit. Magnavox releases the Odyssey2 cartridge-based console game system.
1979
Atari develops the Asteroids computer game. Atari produces the first coin-operated Asteroids game machine. (About 100,000 machines are sold over its lifetime.) Mattel Electronics releases the Intellivision video game system. Mattel Electronics announces a keyboard unit for the Intellivision. Estimated retail price: US$700. Bally Manufacturing announces a Videocade and Computer System for US$499.
December 31, 1979
During the year, about US$930,000 is spent in coins on coin-operated video games.
1980
Mattel Electronics begins shipping the game component of the Intellivision. In the case of Aladdins Castle versus the city of Mesquite, Texas, the US Federal Appeals Court for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans rules that playing arcade video games is an activity protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Atari sponsors the First National Space Invaders Competition, in New York. Bill Heineman of Whittier, California, scores 165,200 to win an Asteroids Table Top Video Game. Bally sells its Consumer Products Division to Astrovision.
December 31, 1980
During the year in the US, US$3.8 billion in coins is spent on coin-operated video games. (US$2.8 billion)
1981
Mattel Electronics test-markets the keyboard component of the Intellivision in Fresno, California. General Consumer Electronics Corporation is formed by former Mattel officials. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto designs the Donkey Kong game, based on "King Kong" and "Beauty and the Beast". Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong video game. Astrovision releases the Bally Computer System. Atari releases the Asteroids video game cartridge for home video game systems.
September 3, 1981
Coleco Industries obtains exclusive use of Midway's trademark on self-contained and portable electronic versions of Midway's coin-operated arcade games. To date, Atari has sold one million Space Invaders cartridges.
October 10, 1981
At the Citicorp Center in Manhattan, New York, Atari sponsors an open tournament of arcade games. Frank Cretella scores 118,740 in Asteroids, setting a new national record. Bally licenses Commodore Business Machines to manufacture its arcade games into cartridges for the VIC-20 computer.
December 31, 1981
During the year, Bally's Midway Division makes US$200 million in machine sales of Pac-Man, on revenues of US$1.2 billion. Arcade video game revenue for the year: US$8 billion. (US$5.7 billion) Unit sales of video game machines for the year: 4.5 million. Revenue: US$1 billion.  Unit sales of video game cartridges for the year: about 30 million. Revenue: US$1.2 billion.
1982
Commodore Business Machines announces the Commodore Ultimax at the Winter Consumer Electronic Show. Price is expected to be US$150. (Unimax) Astrovision introduces the ZGrass-32 personal computer add-on to the Astro Professional Arcade, for US$600. It uses a Z-80 CPU. At the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, Magnavox shows the Odyssey2 video game machine.
June 6, 1982
At the Summer CES, 20th Century-Fox Film announces its entry into the video game industry, by forming a new division to create software for the Atari VCS. Coleco Industries announces the ColecoVision video game system. Commodore Business Machines introduces the Commodore Max Machine. It has 16-color 40x25 screen capability, for US$179.95. Former name was Ultimax. It is sold only in Japan.
June 30, 1982
Number one arcade game at end of June: Zaxxon by Sega. Video game machines are in about 8 million US homes. Milton Bradley buys General Consumer Electronics. Mattel Electronics introduces the Intellivision II. Astrovision renames the Bally Computer System as the Astrocade. The Computer Software division of Walt Disney Productions produces the Tron video game for the Intellivision and Atari VCS systems. Sega and Coleco ship the Donkey Kong video game cartridge.
July 9, 1982
Bally Manufacturing debuts the TRON arcade game. Paramount airs television commercials promoting Sega's Zaxxon arcade game. This is the first television commercial for an arcade game.
July 26, 1982
Federal District judge George Leighton rules that Mattel had infringed patents of Magnavox on the Odyssey video game system. Coleco Industries introduces the Colecovision home video game system.
August 18, 1982
Atari announces it has obtained exclusive worldwide rights to market video games based on the film "E.T. the Extraterrestrial". Atari introduces the Atari 5200 video game system. Price is US$269.
October 31, 1982
To date, Coleco Industries has sold over 2.2 million table-top video-game machines.
November 7, 1982
United Features Syndicate sues Creative Computing for copyright infringement, asking Creative Computing to stop selling the computer game "Snoopy" and destroy existing video cartridges.
November 9, 1982
Mattel announces it would offer converter hardware allowing the Intellivision to play Atari 2600 cartridges.
December 8, 1983
Warner Communications announces that fourth quarter earnings would be poor, due to sluggish sales in its Atari video games division. General Consumer Electronics introduces the Vectrex, the first home gaming system with a built-in 9-inch monochrome vector monitor. It uses a Motorola 68A09 processor. Price: US$200.
December 31, 1982
Arcade video game shipments for the year: 480,000. Arcade video game revenue for the year: US$7 billion. During the year, 8 million games machines are sold. To date, 15 million games machines have been sold. During the year, 60 million game cartridges were purchased. Unit sales of video game cartridges during the year: about 60 million.
1983
Mattel Electronics shows the Intellivision III game system at the Consumer Electronics Show. Extex introduces the 2000 Piggyback Computer, a keyboard add-on for the Atari 2600, with 8 KB BASIC and 3 KB RAM, for US$100. Mattel Electronics announces the scrapping of plans for the Intellivision III. Mattel Electronics announces the Entertainment Computer System. Atari shows The Graduate at the Summer CES. It is an add on computer for the Atari 2600 VCS game unit. It features 8 KB RAM, keyboard, 16 KB ROM with BASIC, and various I/O interfaces. Starcom releases Dragon's Lair to arcade centers. It is the first laser-disc based arcade game. Coleco Industries obtains exclusive rights to market home computer and videogame versions of the Dragon's Lair arcade game. 20th Century Fox Videogames abandons the videogame business. Atari ceases production of the Atari 5200.
December 31, 1983
Arcade video game revenue for the year: US$5 billion. Unit sales of game cartridges during the year: 75 million. Unit sales of game machines during the year: 5-6.6 million.
1984 
The Odyssey Division of North American Philips ceases production of hardware for its Odyssey programmable videogame system. Atari officially discontinues the Atari 5200 video game system.  Milton Bradley discontinues manufacturing of the Vectrex. Atari introduces the Atari 7800 ProSystem.
1985
Bally Manufacturing announces it is dropping out of the coin-operated and videogames business. Nintendo ships its Nintendo Entertainment System in the United States. It uses a 6502 processor, and generates images with 256x240 resolution in 16 colors. 
1987
Atari introduces the Atari XE Game System, with 64 KB RAM, supporting 256 KB game cartridges. Tengen releases the Road Runner arcade game. 
1988
Arcadia Systems introduces the Leader Board golf game to arcades. The software was written by Access Software. Atari sues Nintendo, accusing it of engaging in monopolistic practices. 
1989
Sega introduces the Genesis home video game system. It is a 16-bit device, based on an 8 MHz 68EC000 processor. Graphics are produced in 320x224 resolution in 32 colors. Mattel Electronics releases the PowerGlove for the Nintendo Home Entertainment system. (US$40 million worth sell in the first year.)
1990
Duo Computers announces the Duo FC, incorporating a PC-AT compatible and a Nintendo game system in one case. Nolan Bushnell unveils Commodore's CDTV at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show. Code name during the product's development was "Baby". INTV Corp. discontinues production of the Intellivision. Commodore Business Machines introduces the 64 Games System, in Europe. It is a Commodore 64 minus keyboard, with the cartridge slot on top.
1991
Macronix sues Nintendo, claiming Nintendo purposely changed its game machine architecture so that other vendors' cartridges would not work. Commodore releases the CDTV (Commodore Dynamic Total Vision) package. It features a CD-ROM player integrated with a 7.16 MHz 68000-based Amiga 500. List price is US$1000. (April) Nintendo releases the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is a 16-bit system based on the 65816 processor. The processor is a 16-bit version of the 6502 processor, but the new system cannot use game cartridges from the original Nintendo system. The system produces graphics in 512x448 resolution in 256 colors. Sega of America ships the Time Traveler holographic video game to arcade centers. Sega sues Accolade, claiming that Accolade should pay royalties to Sega for creating Sega titles, and that Accolade's games mislead people into thinking they were produced for or licensed by Sega.
December 31, 1991 
Total shipments during the year of Nintendo game systems in the US: 30 million.
April 3, 1992 
A United States District Court rules that Accolade infringed Sega Enterprises' copyright in creating Sega Genesis videogame cartridges. This ruling effectively outlaws disassembling computer programs.
1992 
3DO is founded.
August 28, 1992 
A US Court of Appeals reverses the decision in Sega versus Accolade, which was ruled in Sega's favor in April. The new ruling in the game cartridge copyright infringement suit accepts Accolade's claim of "fair use" of Sega's copyrighted games, to learn how to create other games for the Sega game console, which were then created without knowledge of the disassembled object code. This ruling allows software developers to learn from hidden software interfaces, when no other means is available.
December 31, 1992 
Unit sales of video game machines during the year: 27 million.
1993
Sega and Accolade settle their lawsuit out of court. Shipments of Sega Genesis game machines surpass Nintendo machines for the first time. Nintendo re-releases the Nintendo Entertainment System with an improved cartridge slot. 3DO introduces the 3DO MultiPlayer home video game machine. Price is US$700. It is based on an ARM60 processor, with separate chips for graphics and system control. Atari introduces the Jaguar home video game system. It features two custom 64-bit processors called Tom and Jerry, 2 MB DRAM, 8 KB SRAM, and 256 KB ROM. It produces graphics with 720x576 resolution in 24-bit color. Atari sues Sega for patent infringement. A US Senate subcommittee is called to look into the mounting level of violence in video games. Senators Joseph Lieberman and Herb Kohl announce support for a bill requiring companies to rate games. The California attorney general sends an open letter to vide game companies urging them to withdraw games that teach children to "demean and destroy".
December 31, 1993 
Unit sales of game consoldes during the year: 12 million. Best-selling video game for the year: Mortal Kombat. Unit sales of the game Double Dragon to date: 8 million copies. 
1994
The American Senate subcommittee on video game violence re-convenes hearings. The game industry tells the Senate it would come up with a ratings system by the end of the year.  Sony selects LSI Logic to build a custom CPU for its upcoming PlayStation game machine. The processor will incorporate a 34 MHz R3000 CPU with a graphics coprocessor, video decompression logic, and system logic. Rambus announces that it will supply the microprocessor for Nintendo's next-generation 64-bit game machine. The processor will be based on the R4200, with a single 16 Mbit RDRAM memory. 3DO announces it will switch its Mulitplayer game machine processor from ARM to PowerPC. Atari and Sega settle their lawsuit, with Sega paying Atari US$90 million, in return for 7.4% of Atari, and rights to 70 Atari patents. Sony introduces the PlayStation in Japan. It features a 34 MHz processor based on the MIPS R3000, with special audio and graphics functions integrated. Graphics resolution is 640x480 in 24-bit color.
December 31, 1994 
U.S. Market share of 16-bit game systems: Nintendo 57%. Shipments of home video game machines in the US during the year: 16 million. Shipments of home video games in the US to date: 40 million. Unit sales of video game machines during the year: 10.5 million. 
1995
NEC unveils the R4300 processor, a 64-bit chip developed by MIPS Technologies for use in Nintendo's next home video game system (Ultra-64, Project Reality). The 100 MHz processor performs at about 125 MIPS. Apple Computer announces the Pippin video game system. It features a PowerPC 603 processor, and produces graphics with 640x480 resolution in 24-bit color. Apple Computer will license the system specifications to manufacturers. Nintendo America announces its Ultra 64 game machine. It uses an R4300 processor manufactured by NEC, and a Reality Coprocessor accelerator. Sega of America begins shipping the Saturn game system. It features a 68000 processor for audio, a pair of SH7064 processors for game play like the 32X, and adds a SH7034 processor for the CD-ROM drive. Total memory includes 2 MB of DRAM, 2.5 MB of SDRAM, 512 KB ROM, and 32 KB of battery-backed SRAM. A cartridge slot is included for memory cartridges, and an expansion slot for future additions. Graphics resolution is 640x224 in 24-bit color. Nintendo officially drops the Nintendo Entertainment System from its product line. Sony Electronics introduces the 32-bit game system, PlayStation, in the United States. 
December 31, 1995 
Unit sales of video game machines during the year: 14.3 million. 
1996
Nintendo announces the Nintendo 64, a 64-bit game system. Bandai Digital Entertainment introduces the @World entertainment system. It features 66 MHz PowerPC 603 processor, 5 MB RAM, 4X CD-ROM drive, 28.8 Kbps modem, Mac OS System 7.5.2 in 1 MB of RAM, controller with trackball and buttons, video output to TV (NTSC format). The system is based on Apple Computer's Pippin technology. Price is US$499.
September 29, 1996
Nintendo releases the Nintendo 64.
October 31, 1996
500,000 Nintendo 64 machines are sold during the month. 
1998
Microsoft teams with Sega to develop Dreamcast video game console based on Windows CE operating system.
March 10, 2000
At the Game Developers' Conference in San Jose, California, Bill Gates announces plans for Microsoft's X-Box video game console. The system will feature a 600 MHz Pentium III processor, 8 GB hard drive, DVD movie playback, and Internet connectivity.