1952
-
- Americans in Japan set up the Service Games (Sega) company, providing game machines for US servicemen. [551.20]
1966
-
- Sega of Japan begins manufacturing its first arcade game, Periscope. Cost to play is 30 yen, double the price of existing games. The game is the largest ever built, measuring 6x6x10 feet. [1460.348]
- Sega of Japan ships the Periscope electromechanical arcade game to the US, the first amusement game export from Japan. Due to shipping cost, purchase cost per machine is US$1295. US arcade owners charge 25-cents per play, which becomes standard for arcade games. [1460.xii]
1976
-
- Sega releases the Heavyweight Champ game in arcades in the USA and Japan. [1505.221,378]
1981
-
- Sega/Gremlin introduces the Frogger video game. [89.29] [672.148]
- The annual Amusement and Music Operators Association convention is held. Sega Enterprises shows the Frogger video game. [89.30,42]
1982
- June (month)
- Number one arcade game at end of June: Zaxxon by Sega Enterprises. [59.D4]
- (month unknown)
- Sega releases the Zaxxon game to arcades in Japan. [1505.373]
- July
- Sega Enterprises and Coleco ship the Donkey Kong video game cartridge. (Six million cartridges are sold, worth US$4.6 million.) [59.D4] [124.121]
- Paramount airs television commercials promoting Sega Enterprises's Zaxxon arcade game. This is the first television commercial for an arcade game. [59.D4]
- (month unknown)
- Sega releases the Astron Belt laser-disc video game in Japan and Europe. This is the first game release to use full-motion video clips overlaid with computer graphics. [302.39] [960.22]
1983
- April
- Sega releases the Astron Belt video game in arcades in the USA. [302.39] [960.22]
- (month unknown)
- Gulf & Western sells the US assets of Sega to Bally/Midway. [1460.342] [1494.109]
- July 15
- In Japan, Sega Enterprises releases the SG-1000 video game system. [124.38] [1091.94] [1391.185] [1460.xiv]
- August 25
- Bally Manufacturing agrees to acquire the American coin-operated assets of Sega Enterprises. [146.D13]
- October
- Sega Enterprises introduces the Astron Belt video game to arcades in North America. The game uses laser disk technology. [153.D2] [302.39]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
1984
- March
- David Rosen and Isao Okawa buy Sega Enterprises (Japan) from Gulf & Western for $38 million. [1460.xiv,343]
1985
-
- The Amusement Machine Show is held in Japan. Sega debuts the Space Harrier arcade game. [1340.69]
- July
- Sega releases the Hang-On video game in arcades in the US and Japan. [785.165] [1343.35]
- October 20
- Sega releases the Sega Mark III video game system in Japan. [1340.15]
- December
- Sega releases the Space Harrier video game in arcades in the US. [785.165] [1340.69] [1343.35]
1986
- September
- Sega releases the Out Run video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- Konami releases the Akumajo Dracula video game for the Famicom Disk System in Japan. [1444.91]
- October
- Sega Enterprises introduces the Sega Master System video game system in the US. [190.1-11] [1460.xiv,303]
1987
- January
- At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, Sega shows 3D glasses for use with the Master System. [1460.359]
- June 30
- Sega releases the OutRun video game for the Sega Mark III system in Japan. [1343.36]
- (month unknown)
- Sega Enterprises signs an agreement with Tonka for marketing and distribution of the Sega Master System game system. [190.1-11] (1988 [1460.xiv])
- July
- Sega releases the After Burner video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
1988
-
- Sega releases the Phantasy Star video game for the Master System. Price is US$70. [304.126]
- August
- Sega releases the Power Drift video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- October 29
- Sega introduces the MegaDrive modem in Japan. [1340.15][1505.213] (1989 [810.119])
1989
- August 14
- Sega of America launches the Genesis home video game system in Los Angeles and New York City in the US. It features 7.68MHz 16-bit Motorola 68EC000 processor, 4MHz Z80 sound coprocessor, 64kB RAM, 512 colors in 320x224 resolution. 80 animated sprites are possible, with up to 16 colors per sprite. Included is the video game Altered Beast. Price is US$189. (Total North American sales in its lifetime: 14 million. Total world sales: 29 million.) [70] [124.352] [157.44] [176.C1] [317.68] [483.64] [1255.75] [1460.404]
- (month unknown)
- Sega releases the Phantasy Star II video game for the Genesis. [304.132]
- October
- Sega of America expands Genesis sales in the USA nationwide. [1460.405]
- December
- The first issue of Sega Power magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.251]
- The first issue of S: The Sega Magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.251]
- Year
- Unit sales of the Sega Genesis game system during the year: 400,000. [176.C1]
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 80%, Sega 5%. [174.D5] [175.C1] [314.106] (Nintendo 90% [349.35])
1990
- January
- Sega of America releases the Joe Montana Football video game for the Genesis video game system in the US. [1460.407] (released by Electronic Arts [1505.218])
- May
- Sega releases the G-LOC video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- (month unknown)
- Unit sales of the Genesis system in Japan to date: 1 million. [319.46]
- June
- Electroic Arts releases the Populous video game for the Sega Genesis video game system in the US. [1460.410]
- Electroic Arts releases the Budokan: The Martial Spirit video game for the Sega Genesis video game system in the US. [1460.410]
- (month unknown)
- Sega releases the Herzog Zwei video game for the Genesis in the US. [304.140]
- August
- Sega releases the OutRun video game for the Sega Mega Drive in the United Kingdom. [1343.36]
- October 6
- Sega launches the Game Gear handheld video game system in Japan. Price is 19800 yean. Launch titles include Columns, Pengo, Super Monaco GP. (Total sales of the Game Gear worldwide: 11 million.) [1483.48,50]
- October
- The first issue of Mean Machines magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.251]
- November
- Sega releases the R-360 video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- (month unknown)
- Market share of US home video game industry: Nintendo 93%, Sega Enterprises 3.8%, NEC Home Entertainment 1.3%, Atari 1.1%. [181.35]
- Sega releases the OutRun video game for the PC-Engine in Japan. [1343.36]
- Year
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 80%, Sega 12%. [349.35]
1991
- January
- Sega Enterprises debuts the Game Gear portable video game system. It features 3.58 MHz 8-bit Z-80 processor, 160x146 pixel color LCD display, 32 colors of a 4096 palette, two sound channels, compatibility with Sega Master System cartridges. Price is US$149. The unit is powered fir six hours by six AA batteries. [545.22] [674.36] [685.133] [1093.59] (1990 [253.D5])
- March
- Sega releases the Shining in the Darkness video game for the Genesis in the US. Price is US$79.95. [529.22] [1444.169]
- April
- Sega of America test markets the Game Gear handheld video game system in New York and Los Angeles, USA. Price is $149.99. [1483.48]
- June 1
- Sega drops the price of the Genesis in the US from $189 to $149. [1488.4]
- June
- Sega of America test markets the Game Gear handheld video game system in Europe. Price is 99.99 UK pounds. [1483.48]
- June 23
- Sega Enterprises introduces the Sonic the Hedgehog video game for the Genesis and Game Gear video game systems in the US. The game was created by Haoto Oshima, Hirokazu Yashuhara, and Yuji Naka in 14 months. [194.S3.12] [304.138] [396.24] [779.38] [992.34] [1070.72] [1494.113] [1505.220]
- (month unknown)
- Total shipments of the Genesis game system in the US to date: 1 million. [124.356]
- July
- Sega releases the Shining In The Darkness video game for the Mega Drive in Europe. [1444.169]
- Sega of America ships the Time Traveler holographic video game to arcade centers. [13.8]
- (month unknown)
- Unit sales of Genesis video game systems in the US to date: 1.5 million. [315.42]
- October 31
- Sega Enterprises sues Accolade, claiming that Accolade should pay royalties to Sega for creating Sega Genesis titles, and that Accolade's games mislead people into thinking they were produced for or licensed by Sega. [1460.383] (November [31.364])
- November
- The first issue of Sega Pro magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.252]
- December
- Sega launches the Mega-CD video game system in Japan, priced at 49,800 yen. [1444.69]
- Year
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 70%, Sega 22%. [349.35]
1992
- January
- Sega Enterprises lowers the price of the Genesis game system from US$190 to US$149, and includes the game Sonic the Hedgehog. [124.362] (June 1991 [315.42])
- The first issue of Sega Force magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.252]
- April 3
- United States District Court Judge Barbara Caulfield rules that Accolade infringed Sega Enterprises' copyright in creating Sega Genesis videogame cartridges. This ruling effectively outlaws disassembling computer programs. [37.16] [46] [1460.385]
- April 12
- The jury of a Federal District Court in Los Angeles, California, finds Sega Enterprises guilty of infringing an American inventor's patent, ordering US$33 million paid. The jury finds that the infringement was intentional, so the judge can triple the fine. The inventor's attorney will seek an order barring the sale of video games by Sega. [196.D4]
- May 20
- Sega of America announces a partnership with Sony Electronic Publishing to develop video games on compact disks. Sega plans to introduce in November a CD-ROM player for the Sega Genesis game system, for US$299. [199.D5]
- (month unknown)
- LJN / Flying Edge releases the Spider-Man / X-Men in Arcade's Revenge video game for the Genesis and Game Gear in the US. [626.93]
- July 20
- Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, rules with a different interpretation of the Fair Use Doctrine in the case of Sega vs. Accolade. [1460.306]
- August 28
- A US Court of Appeals reverses the decision in Sega Enterprises 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. [46]
- August (month)
- Top selling Sega Genesis video game for the month in the USA: NHLPA Hockey '93. [1489.22]
- Top selling Game Gear video game for the month in the USA: Out Run Europa. [1489.22]
- October 20
- The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decides to dismiss the appeal by Sega to review the August 28 ruling in favor of Accolade. [537.12]
- November 8
- Sega of America releases the Sega CD Multimedia Entertainment System, with a CD player, for US$299. The unit is an add-on product for the Genesis system. It features MC68000 processor, two music CDs, and 2 game discs, including Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Columns, Golden Axe, Revenge of Shinobi, Streets of Rage, and Super Monaco GP1. [124.384] [233.D5] [325.87] [332.28] [333.36] [432.44] [674.38] [1348.58] (October 15 [1362.25] [1460.454])
- November 24
- Sega releases the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video game for the Genesis and Game Gear game systems. Sega calls the day "Sonic 2sday". [304.132] [396.24] [779.38] [1314.31] [1348.128] [1489.6]
- Year
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 52%, Sega 38%. [349.35]
- Unit sales of Sega-CD video game system in the US: 200,000 [1444.69]
1993
- January
- At the Winter CES, Pioneer Electronics shows the LaserActive multimedia system. A base unit will play audio and video disks; an optional Sega unit will play games on cartridges or special discs. [520.69] [784.124]
- January (month)
- Top selling Mega Drive video game in the UK during the month: European Club Soccer. [1395.20]
- May
- Sega Enterprises and Accolade settle their lawsuit out of court. [31.364]
- May 24
- Sega of America announces it will introduce, in August, a rating system for its video games: GA (general audience), MA-13 (mature, minimum age 13), and MA-17 (mature, minimum age 17). [211.D15]
- June
- Sega debuts the Sega VR head-mounted display for the Genesis video game system. Release price is expected to be US$200. (The display is not released.) [431.42]
- (month unknown)
- Shipments of Sega Genesis game machines surpass Nintendo machines for the first time. [70]
- Sega releases the Landstalker video game for the Genesis in the US. [304.138]
- Sega releases the Mean Bean Machine video game for the Genesis. [304.130]
- Sega releases the Gunstar Heroes video game for the Genesis. [304.146]
- U.S. Gold releases the Strider Returns video game for the Sega Genesis system in the US. [460.44]
- Sega releases the X-Men video game for the Genesis in the US. [626.93]
- August 10
- Sega of America releases the Jurassic Park video game. [332.28]
- August
- Sega Enterprises begins shipping all of its video games with a content rating on the package. [219.D11] [674.38] [1182.109]
- (month unknown)
- Koei releases the P.T.O. video game for the Sega Genesis system. [519.234]
- September 13
- Acclaim Entertainment releases the Mortal Kombat video game for the Sega Genesis and Game Gear game systems in the US. Acclaim spent US$10 million on pre-release marketing, declaring the day "Mortal Monday". [88.6] [324.65] [339.102] [460.76] [674.38] [808] [1505.228]
- September
- The TV series Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog debuts, airing Monday to Friday in syndication in the USA and the UK. (A total of 65 shows are aired.) [1391.176]
- The TV series Sonic The Hedgehog: The Animated Series debuts on ABC Saturdays. (A total of 26 episodes are aired over two seasons.) [1391.177]
- September 21
- Sega Enterprises announces it would base its next-genertion video game system on a Hitachi 32-bit processor, with sound chips from Yamaha, and circuitry for video images from JVC. [215.D5]
- (month unknown)
- The Amusement & Music Operators Association holds its annual International Exposition, AMOA Expo '93 in Anaheim, California. Most Innovative Technology: Virtua Racing by Sega. [784.18]
- October
- Pioneer releases the Pioneer LaserActive multimedia system. The main unit (CLD-A100) is a standard laser disk player, which can act as a 4X CD-ROM drive. It supports LaserActive video discs, audio CDs, and LaserDisc video discs. Price is US$970. An optional US$600 Sega control pack will play Sega CD games, Sega Genesis games, and MEGA-LD and LD-ROM2 disks. [352.15] [520.69] [784.124]
- Atari sues Sega Enterprises for patent infringement. [31.364]
- October (month)
- Top selling Game Gear video game in the US for the month: Mortal Kombat by Acclaim. [784.16] [1345.60]
- Top selling Sega CD video game in the US for the month: Joe Montana's NFL Football by Sega. [784.16] [1345.60]
- Top selling Sega Genesis video game in the US for the month: Disney's Aladdin by Sega. [784.16] [1345.60]
- November 15
- Sega releases the Sonic Spinball video game for the Genesis and Game Gear in the US. [779.38]
- November
- Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York includes a six-story high Sonic the Hedgehog balloon, the first video game character in the annual parade. The balloon moved faster than could be handled, and crashed into a Columbus Circle lamppost. [784.10] [1494.145]
- Sega releases the Virtua Fighter game to arcades in the USA. [1505.267]
- November 19
- Sega releases the Sonic CD video game for the Sega CD game system. [304.146] [396.24] [779.38]
- November 23
- Sega releases the Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos video game for the Game Gear in the US. [779.38]
- November 29
- Sega releases the Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine video game for the Genesis in the US. [779.38]
- December
- Sega releases the Virtua Fighter arcade game. [389.49] [785.165]
- Representatives of Sega Enterprises and Nintendo tell the US Senate subcommittee hearing that they will develop a voluntary labelling system to warn buyers of the level of violence and sex in video games. [217.B1]
- December 16
- Toys 'R' Us in the USA ceases selling the Night Trap video game for the Sega Genesis game system, due to public complaints about violence. [217.B1]
- December 24
- Acclaim releases the Mortal Kombat video game for the Game Gear in Japan. [808]
- Year
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 51%, Sega 39%. [349.35]
- Market share of worldwide video game industry: Sega about 50%. [375.60]
|
