MuGen
04-22-2005, 04:47 PM
1991
SNES CD Player
Sony and Nintendo announce plans for Sony to develop a $700 CD player to work with the SNES.
1992
Nintendo Divorces Sony and Marries Philips
Sony and Nintendo abandon their joint CD peripheral, which Sony had reputedly completed in prototype form. Rumors surface indicating that Sony lawyers had skillfully crafted an agreement that allowed Sony to reap publishing profits from SNES/Super Famicom CD-based games, profits Nintendo sought to retain. Nintendo announces plans to work with Philips to create a CD-ROM compatible with the Philips CD-i. Sony, disgusted, finishes work on a number of SNES games, scraps the old "PlayStation" developed for Nintendo, and sets its engineers to work on developing a 32-bit CD-only game machine to unseat Nintendo in Japan and the United States.
1994
New Japanese Consoles Are Released
The Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation are launched in Japan. By year's end, critics are pointing to the PlayStation as the superior machine.
1995
American PlayStation Release
Sony releases the PlayStation in the United States for $299, $100 less than expected. Sales are strong, and a collection of good release titles receives praise from the media and consumers. Sales of the Atari Jaguar continue to decline, despite the release of a CD peripheral, which had raised Jaguar supporters' hopes but was most likely dead on arrival from the perspective of Atari executives.
Nintendo Shows Off New Console in US
Nintendo delays the launch of its Ultra 64 64-bit game system, telling fans of Nintendo products to keep on supporting 16-bit Nintendo software producers for just a few more months. Nintendo eventually demonstrates the Nintendo 64, the new name for the Ultra 64, at Shoshinkai--its own Japanese trade show. Super Mario 64 is playable and impresses gamers, but rumors persist that very little software is in development for the machine.
Japanese N64 off to Riotous Start
The launch of the N64 in Japan supposedly nearly causes riots, but because of a much-improved system of distribution, people are able to buy N64 machines through local convenience stores without problems. Nintendo enjoys record sales and quickly sells out of its initial stock of hardware, but after a few weeks, N64 sales practically stop due to lack of software. Starved as they might be for software, people refuse to purchase the third Nintendo 64 launch title, Saikyo Habu Shogi, because it's not appealing enough. The rumors of too little software in development proved correct, and new releases are very few and far between for several months.
1996
Console Prices Lowered
Sony drops the price of the PlayStation to $199 and announces a large variety of exciting upcoming products. Sega is forced to follow suit and drops its price, but word from developers continues to be negative on Sega's future--rumors persist that the company is going to stop developing hardware and focus on home translations for other systems. Panasonic, which now owns 3DO's M2 technology, makes no public showings of the machine but lets 3DO talk about upcoming games, which the company refuses to do in the name of secrecy. All the while, "CD gaming" appears to be the only option for the future of home video games, and doubts are strong as to the viability of cartridges.
Release of the American N64
The N64 is released in United States. More than 1.7 million units are sold in three months, and once-doubtful third-party developers rush to embrace the cartridge medium they had previously questioned, if only to cash in on the immense media popularity of the new machine.
Sony Success
Sony sales are said to top $12 million per day through the Christmas shopping season, and the PlayStation holds on to its worldwide place as the number-one next-generation game console. The video game industry has a highly profitable year, and software prices on 32-bit games begin to show exceptional volatility.
1997
Sony and Nintendo Begin Year on a High Note
At the beginning of 1997, Sony announces that it has an installed base of 3.2 million units in the United States. One-third of these were sold during the 1996 Christmas holiday season. Nintendo claims the demand for the N64 is so high it could have sold as many as 2.5 million consoles during the Christmas season had it been able to manufacture that many.
The PlayStation Is the Most Popular Gaming Console
Sony releases figures in April that prove the PlayStation is the most popular gaming system in the world. The figures show that 5 million units have been sold in Japan, 4 million in the United States, and 2.2 million in Europe. These numbers nearly double four months later, when the 20 millionth unit is sold. Analysts believe the PlayStation's popularity will carry it through 1998.
Sony Releases Yaroze in the United States
Sony releases the $750 Yaroze in the United States. The Yaroze lets users design PlayStation-compatible games on their home computers.
Nintendo Releases "New" Console
Coming as a surprise to most, Nintendo quietly releases a compact version of the SNES, which retails at $100. Curiously, the release of the slimmer SNES comes four months after Nintendo announces it won't be developing any more games for the 16-bit system.
1998-1999
The PlayStation 2
Rumors begin early in the year that Sony is hard at work on the PlayStation 2. While Sony is closemouthed at first, bits and pieces concerning the new system begin to emerge from independent developers. By midyear, Sony admits that the new console is indeed in development and that it may be DVD-based if that is practical. The best guess on when the new system will be available is sometime in 2000. By midyear, the rumors are in full force stating that Sony will team up with Toshiba to develop the chipset for the new console. Early predictions indicate that the RISC processor will run at 250MHz, slightly faster than the processor in Sega's Dreamcast. Sony remains mum on the subject.
Nintendo Releases The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64 on November 23. Nintendo reports 325,000 reservations for Zelda, making it one of the most highly awaited cartridges of all time. Those who reserved the cartridge receive a special gold cartridge. Between its launch date and the end of the year, Nintendo sells 2.5 million copies of the game, grossing $150 million in sales. The highest-grossing movie during the same period is Disney's A Bug's Life, which takes in $114 at the box office.
1999
Nintendo Joins IBM for New Console
Nintendo announces a new console, code-named the Dolphin. It will be built around a 400MHz copper microchip technology called Gekko, which will be manufactured by IBM. Nintendo expects to ship the new console before the Christmas 2000 season.
Microsoft Announces Video Game Console
Microsoft reveals that it is working on a home console system code-named X-Box. Like Sega's Dreamcast, it uses a version of Windows CE as its operating system.
Sony Releases Specs for the New PlayStation
Information on the PlayStation 2 is slowly released throughout the year. In March, it's revealed that a new Toshiba/Sony 250MHz microprocessor, dubbed the Emotion Engine, will be the brains behind the unit. Early reports say that the new unit will retail at approximately $800.
Sony officially announces the PlayStation 2 in September. In addition to playing PlayStation 2 games, the new unit will be compatible with all the games for the original PlayStation and will play audio CDs and DVDs. Sony plans to release the PlayStation 2 in Japan in March 2000 and in the United States and Europe in the fall of 2000.
2000
PlayStation 2 Released in Japan
Sony launches the PlayStation 2 in Japan on March 4. In two days, the company sells 1 million consoles--a new record. As is the case with all Japanese launches, gamers begin lining up outside stores two days in advance. Unfortunately, demand exceeds supply and not everybody gets a console, including those who preordered. Robberies of PlayStation 2s are reported.
Xbox Officially Announced
The world's worst-kept secret becomes public knowledge after the opening of the Game Developers' Conference in March. Bill Gates delivers the keynote address and officially announces the Xbox to the world. Gates stresses that the Xbox will not be a PC in a console's clothing. Equipped with an Intel 733MHz Pentium III CPU, an Nvidia NV2a 250MHz graphics processor, 64MB of unified RAM, an 8GB hard drive, and out-of-the-box broadband Internet support, the Xbox sends a strong signal to Sony that it intends to be a major player in the console race. The bad news is that the system won't be available until late 2001.
Changes for the American PlayStation 2
At E3, SCEA announces that there will be some changes in the PlayStation 2 for its American release. The American console will have the DVD drivers built in, rather than included on a memory card. A memory card will not be shipped with the console, reducing the overall retail price to $299.
While the American PlayStation 2 will not be shipped with a hard drive or modem, a bay for the peripherals will be built into the American consoles.
New Nintendo Consoles Are E3 No-Shows
Nintendo does not display its then-named "Dolphin" and Game Boy Advance at E3 in May, preferring to highlight new N64 and Game Boy Color software. Nintendo debuts its new systems at Japan's Space World show in August.
~I didn't know this.... now they are doing it again? (Side comment by Kyuzo)
[b]Dolphin out, GameCube In
Nintendo renames the Dolphin. First it becomes the Starcube, and then, thankfully, it becomes the GameCube. The console, which is shown to the press only during the first day of Space World, is literally a cube. Instead of using CDs or DVDs as the storage medium for GameCube games, Nintendo uses a proprietary optical disc based on Matsu****a technology. Nintendo predicts that this medium will eventually be a standard, as its small size makes it attractive for future handhelds.
2001
Microsoft Officially Reveals the Xbox
As expected, Microsoft and Bill Gates use the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January to unveil the production version of the Xbox. Furthermore, Microsoft reveals that 12 to 20 games will be available at launch, although the only confirmed titles are Munch's Oddysee and Malice. A game will not be included with the system. Microsoft does not announce a launch date or price for the Xbox.
Microsoft Announces Initial Game List
In addition to showing the Xbox for the first time, Microsoft announces the initial game lineup for its console. Among the games are: Malice, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x, and WWF Raw Is War. Another 50 games, including Metal Gear Solid X and Crash Bandicoot X, are in development.
PlayStation 2 Hits 10 Million Mark
A year after the PS2's March 2000 launch in Japan, Sony has sold 10 million units of the console worldwide, a feat accomplished more than three times faster than the original PlayStation.
X Marks the Spot
On November 15, at an event in Times Square's Toys "R" Us, Microsoft officially launches the Xbox. Based on PC architecture, the $299 console comes equipped with a 733Mhz CPU, Nvidia GPU, 10GB hard drive, and built-in Ethernet port. In less than a month, Microsoft ships 1.1 million units to retailers. The system's best-selling launch title is Halo.
The GameCube Debuts
Nintendo's GameCube is released in Japan on September 13 and North America on November 18. The diminutive cube-shaped console uses propriety discs based on DVD technology and is priced at $199, $100 less than the Xbox and PS2. Nintendo reports that $98 million worth of systems, games, and accessories were sold on the US launch day, with more than 500,000 systems sold in the first week. Luigi's Mansion is the best-selling launch title for the console.
The PlayStation 2 Still Going Strong
Despite competition from the dual launches of the Xbox and GameCube, Sony reports that its next-generation console continues to sell at the same pace. By the end of the year, there are 6 million PS2s in North America.
2003
Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft announce plans for next-generation
And that is the history of the heated rivalry between Nintendo, and Sony and later on... Microsoft.
SNES CD Player
Sony and Nintendo announce plans for Sony to develop a $700 CD player to work with the SNES.
1992
Nintendo Divorces Sony and Marries Philips
Sony and Nintendo abandon their joint CD peripheral, which Sony had reputedly completed in prototype form. Rumors surface indicating that Sony lawyers had skillfully crafted an agreement that allowed Sony to reap publishing profits from SNES/Super Famicom CD-based games, profits Nintendo sought to retain. Nintendo announces plans to work with Philips to create a CD-ROM compatible with the Philips CD-i. Sony, disgusted, finishes work on a number of SNES games, scraps the old "PlayStation" developed for Nintendo, and sets its engineers to work on developing a 32-bit CD-only game machine to unseat Nintendo in Japan and the United States.
1994
New Japanese Consoles Are Released
The Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation are launched in Japan. By year's end, critics are pointing to the PlayStation as the superior machine.
1995
American PlayStation Release
Sony releases the PlayStation in the United States for $299, $100 less than expected. Sales are strong, and a collection of good release titles receives praise from the media and consumers. Sales of the Atari Jaguar continue to decline, despite the release of a CD peripheral, which had raised Jaguar supporters' hopes but was most likely dead on arrival from the perspective of Atari executives.
Nintendo Shows Off New Console in US
Nintendo delays the launch of its Ultra 64 64-bit game system, telling fans of Nintendo products to keep on supporting 16-bit Nintendo software producers for just a few more months. Nintendo eventually demonstrates the Nintendo 64, the new name for the Ultra 64, at Shoshinkai--its own Japanese trade show. Super Mario 64 is playable and impresses gamers, but rumors persist that very little software is in development for the machine.
Japanese N64 off to Riotous Start
The launch of the N64 in Japan supposedly nearly causes riots, but because of a much-improved system of distribution, people are able to buy N64 machines through local convenience stores without problems. Nintendo enjoys record sales and quickly sells out of its initial stock of hardware, but after a few weeks, N64 sales practically stop due to lack of software. Starved as they might be for software, people refuse to purchase the third Nintendo 64 launch title, Saikyo Habu Shogi, because it's not appealing enough. The rumors of too little software in development proved correct, and new releases are very few and far between for several months.
1996
Console Prices Lowered
Sony drops the price of the PlayStation to $199 and announces a large variety of exciting upcoming products. Sega is forced to follow suit and drops its price, but word from developers continues to be negative on Sega's future--rumors persist that the company is going to stop developing hardware and focus on home translations for other systems. Panasonic, which now owns 3DO's M2 technology, makes no public showings of the machine but lets 3DO talk about upcoming games, which the company refuses to do in the name of secrecy. All the while, "CD gaming" appears to be the only option for the future of home video games, and doubts are strong as to the viability of cartridges.
Release of the American N64
The N64 is released in United States. More than 1.7 million units are sold in three months, and once-doubtful third-party developers rush to embrace the cartridge medium they had previously questioned, if only to cash in on the immense media popularity of the new machine.
Sony Success
Sony sales are said to top $12 million per day through the Christmas shopping season, and the PlayStation holds on to its worldwide place as the number-one next-generation game console. The video game industry has a highly profitable year, and software prices on 32-bit games begin to show exceptional volatility.
1997
Sony and Nintendo Begin Year on a High Note
At the beginning of 1997, Sony announces that it has an installed base of 3.2 million units in the United States. One-third of these were sold during the 1996 Christmas holiday season. Nintendo claims the demand for the N64 is so high it could have sold as many as 2.5 million consoles during the Christmas season had it been able to manufacture that many.
The PlayStation Is the Most Popular Gaming Console
Sony releases figures in April that prove the PlayStation is the most popular gaming system in the world. The figures show that 5 million units have been sold in Japan, 4 million in the United States, and 2.2 million in Europe. These numbers nearly double four months later, when the 20 millionth unit is sold. Analysts believe the PlayStation's popularity will carry it through 1998.
Sony Releases Yaroze in the United States
Sony releases the $750 Yaroze in the United States. The Yaroze lets users design PlayStation-compatible games on their home computers.
Nintendo Releases "New" Console
Coming as a surprise to most, Nintendo quietly releases a compact version of the SNES, which retails at $100. Curiously, the release of the slimmer SNES comes four months after Nintendo announces it won't be developing any more games for the 16-bit system.
1998-1999
The PlayStation 2
Rumors begin early in the year that Sony is hard at work on the PlayStation 2. While Sony is closemouthed at first, bits and pieces concerning the new system begin to emerge from independent developers. By midyear, Sony admits that the new console is indeed in development and that it may be DVD-based if that is practical. The best guess on when the new system will be available is sometime in 2000. By midyear, the rumors are in full force stating that Sony will team up with Toshiba to develop the chipset for the new console. Early predictions indicate that the RISC processor will run at 250MHz, slightly faster than the processor in Sega's Dreamcast. Sony remains mum on the subject.
Nintendo Releases The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64 on November 23. Nintendo reports 325,000 reservations for Zelda, making it one of the most highly awaited cartridges of all time. Those who reserved the cartridge receive a special gold cartridge. Between its launch date and the end of the year, Nintendo sells 2.5 million copies of the game, grossing $150 million in sales. The highest-grossing movie during the same period is Disney's A Bug's Life, which takes in $114 at the box office.
1999
Nintendo Joins IBM for New Console
Nintendo announces a new console, code-named the Dolphin. It will be built around a 400MHz copper microchip technology called Gekko, which will be manufactured by IBM. Nintendo expects to ship the new console before the Christmas 2000 season.
Microsoft Announces Video Game Console
Microsoft reveals that it is working on a home console system code-named X-Box. Like Sega's Dreamcast, it uses a version of Windows CE as its operating system.
Sony Releases Specs for the New PlayStation
Information on the PlayStation 2 is slowly released throughout the year. In March, it's revealed that a new Toshiba/Sony 250MHz microprocessor, dubbed the Emotion Engine, will be the brains behind the unit. Early reports say that the new unit will retail at approximately $800.
Sony officially announces the PlayStation 2 in September. In addition to playing PlayStation 2 games, the new unit will be compatible with all the games for the original PlayStation and will play audio CDs and DVDs. Sony plans to release the PlayStation 2 in Japan in March 2000 and in the United States and Europe in the fall of 2000.
2000
PlayStation 2 Released in Japan
Sony launches the PlayStation 2 in Japan on March 4. In two days, the company sells 1 million consoles--a new record. As is the case with all Japanese launches, gamers begin lining up outside stores two days in advance. Unfortunately, demand exceeds supply and not everybody gets a console, including those who preordered. Robberies of PlayStation 2s are reported.
Xbox Officially Announced
The world's worst-kept secret becomes public knowledge after the opening of the Game Developers' Conference in March. Bill Gates delivers the keynote address and officially announces the Xbox to the world. Gates stresses that the Xbox will not be a PC in a console's clothing. Equipped with an Intel 733MHz Pentium III CPU, an Nvidia NV2a 250MHz graphics processor, 64MB of unified RAM, an 8GB hard drive, and out-of-the-box broadband Internet support, the Xbox sends a strong signal to Sony that it intends to be a major player in the console race. The bad news is that the system won't be available until late 2001.
Changes for the American PlayStation 2
At E3, SCEA announces that there will be some changes in the PlayStation 2 for its American release. The American console will have the DVD drivers built in, rather than included on a memory card. A memory card will not be shipped with the console, reducing the overall retail price to $299.
While the American PlayStation 2 will not be shipped with a hard drive or modem, a bay for the peripherals will be built into the American consoles.
New Nintendo Consoles Are E3 No-Shows
Nintendo does not display its then-named "Dolphin" and Game Boy Advance at E3 in May, preferring to highlight new N64 and Game Boy Color software. Nintendo debuts its new systems at Japan's Space World show in August.
~I didn't know this.... now they are doing it again? (Side comment by Kyuzo)
[b]Dolphin out, GameCube In
Nintendo renames the Dolphin. First it becomes the Starcube, and then, thankfully, it becomes the GameCube. The console, which is shown to the press only during the first day of Space World, is literally a cube. Instead of using CDs or DVDs as the storage medium for GameCube games, Nintendo uses a proprietary optical disc based on Matsu****a technology. Nintendo predicts that this medium will eventually be a standard, as its small size makes it attractive for future handhelds.
2001
Microsoft Officially Reveals the Xbox
As expected, Microsoft and Bill Gates use the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January to unveil the production version of the Xbox. Furthermore, Microsoft reveals that 12 to 20 games will be available at launch, although the only confirmed titles are Munch's Oddysee and Malice. A game will not be included with the system. Microsoft does not announce a launch date or price for the Xbox.
Microsoft Announces Initial Game List
In addition to showing the Xbox for the first time, Microsoft announces the initial game lineup for its console. Among the games are: Malice, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x, and WWF Raw Is War. Another 50 games, including Metal Gear Solid X and Crash Bandicoot X, are in development.
PlayStation 2 Hits 10 Million Mark
A year after the PS2's March 2000 launch in Japan, Sony has sold 10 million units of the console worldwide, a feat accomplished more than three times faster than the original PlayStation.
X Marks the Spot
On November 15, at an event in Times Square's Toys "R" Us, Microsoft officially launches the Xbox. Based on PC architecture, the $299 console comes equipped with a 733Mhz CPU, Nvidia GPU, 10GB hard drive, and built-in Ethernet port. In less than a month, Microsoft ships 1.1 million units to retailers. The system's best-selling launch title is Halo.
The GameCube Debuts
Nintendo's GameCube is released in Japan on September 13 and North America on November 18. The diminutive cube-shaped console uses propriety discs based on DVD technology and is priced at $199, $100 less than the Xbox and PS2. Nintendo reports that $98 million worth of systems, games, and accessories were sold on the US launch day, with more than 500,000 systems sold in the first week. Luigi's Mansion is the best-selling launch title for the console.
The PlayStation 2 Still Going Strong
Despite competition from the dual launches of the Xbox and GameCube, Sony reports that its next-generation console continues to sell at the same pace. By the end of the year, there are 6 million PS2s in North America.
2003
Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft announce plans for next-generation
And that is the history of the heated rivalry between Nintendo, and Sony and later on... Microsoft.