//file author: R.E. 10/27/2002, UW CSE Student
//from http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hov/p2_01.html
//History of Video Games
//By Leonard Herman, Jer Horwitz, Steve Kent, and Skyler Miller
//Summarized from website, some omissions

1889
Marufuku Company created (would later become Nintendo).
1954
Service Games created (would later become SEGA).
1958
Physicist Willy Higinbotham invents interactive table-tennis-like game but does not patent.
1961
MIT student Steve Russell creates Spacewar.
1970
Nolan Bushnell creates Arcade version of Spacewar, Arcade-game manufacturer Nutting Associates purchases Computer Space.
1971
Computer Space, the first arcade video game launched, flopped.
1972
Magnavox Odyssey started, sells 100,000 units. Bushnell starts Atari. Pong is created, and is a success. 
1975
Coleco's Telstar machine debuts. Cartridges are created. Violent Video game, Death Race 2000, created, deemed too violent, and taken off market. Atari sold to Warner Communications, Bushnell still in charge.
1977
Pizza Time Theater created by Atari, an arcade-resturant with Chuck E. Cheese as the mascot. Atari 2600 created. Bally tries to enter the market, fails.
1978
Bushnell leaves Atari to franchise Pizza Time Theater. Ray Kassar becomes CEO of Atari. Nintendo releases Othello arcade game. Trackball created. Space Invaders becomes a hit. 
1979
Asteriods released.
1980
Space invaders home version released. Mattel releases Intellivision. Namco creates Pac-Man. Nintendo opens, moves to Seattle, Washington. Defender created.
1981
Shigeru Miyamoto creates Donkey Kong. Arcades popular. Electronic Games magazine founded.
1982
Atari 2600 versions of ET and Pac-Man flop. Ms. Pac Man created. 
1983
First animated game, Dragon's Lair, created. Commodore 64 created. Nintendo Famicom released in Japan. Too many products, however, cause many companies go out of business.
1984
Mattel shuts down Intellivision. Nintendo considers releasing Famicom in US, even though game industry is crumbling. Warner Communications sells off Atari. 
1985
Nintendo's NES has limited release. Tetris created.
1986
NES released with Super Mario Brothers, becomes giant hit. Sega releases Sega Master System, but Nintendo gets more third party licensees and outsells it.
1987
Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Kid Icarus created, Nintendo dominates industry. NEC releases PC-Engine.
1988
Atari creates Tengen, develops and manufactures NES compatible games without Nintendo's blessing. Coleco files for bankruptcy.
1989
Handheld game system, Game Boy, released, and is a hit. TurboGrafx-16 released. Sega Genesis released. Atari Lynx created.
1990
Nintendo releases Super Mario 3. Super Famicom created. Nintendo sues over video game rentals, but fails suit. SNK releases 24-bit NeoGeo system. Turbo express created.
1991
Nintendo releases Super Nintendo in US. Sega creates Sonic the Hedgehog. Sony and Nintendo announce partnership to create CD addon to Super Nintendo. Game Genie created. Street Fighter II released in arcades, becomes instant hit.
1992
Sega CD created. Nintendo cans Sony and CD project. 3D) is launched.
1993
3DO Launched. Atari Jaguar launched. Nintendo and Sega announce new systems on the way. Mortal Kombat caused game violence contraversey.
1994
ESRB established. Super FX chip created. Sega's 32-X released, flopped.
1995
Sega Saturn released. Virtual Boy released, flops. American Playstation released. Nintendo shows off "Ultra 64" game system. Sega discontinues support for Sega CD and 32X. Japanese N64 released, lack of software becomes a concern.
1996
Saturn strong in Japan, weak in America. Atari discontinues Jaguar. Nintendo N64 released. Sony Playstation remains strong. Video Game museum opens in Pittsburgh.
1997
Playstation continues to lead market. Sega and Sony plan on new systems. Sega Channel goes off the air. Tamagotchi's become popular. Gameworks opens its doors. 
1998
Sega Dreamcast released. Playstation 2 announced. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time released. Pokemon comes to America. Game Boy still most popular hand held system. IDSA shuts down many emulator sites.
1999
Nintendo announces new system code-named Dolphin. Microsoft announces XBox. Bill Mitchell achieves the highest Pac-Man score possible, 3,333,360. Neo-Geo Pocket released in the US. 
2000
Playstation 2 released in Japan. Sega starts internet service for Dreamcast. Playstation 2 launched, major success. SNK cans NeoGeo line. Nintendo changes Dolphin name to GameCube. Sega continues to lose money.
2001
Sega releases first online-compatible console RPG. Sega ceases hardware business to become software developer exclusively. Game Boy Advanced announced. Playstation 2 sells 10 million worldwide. SNK files for bankruptcy. Nintendo Gamecube and Microsoft XBox released.