Video Game Development Segments: Electronic Game Machines

This post took me about 18(!) months to write because of the volume of information I collected but it was worth it (I think). This post provides what I think is the first of its kind to my knowledge – a comprehensive timeline history of video games across all of its segments! Welcome to the next segment of Nerdism in Winnipeg. The previous post talked about Nerds by outlining various definitions, this post talks about Electronic Game Machines, and illustrates what they are through an extensive timeline. I do acknowledge that neither of these two posts provide any insights into Winnipeg as I am still in the definitions stage of this project.

What is an Electronic Game Machine? It is any electronic device built to assist humans to play games. These electronic devices are the core of the video game industry and encompass everything including university computers, video arcade machines, video game consoles, personal computers, handhelds, mobile devices, smartphones, etc. There is a nice precedent to my definition that I just discovered before publishing this post related to a 2006 book called Encyclopedia of Game Machines. I want to emphasize that my definition has the word Electronic in it which is an important distinction since I consider Pinball and other amusement-era devices to be Game Machine but not an Electronic Game Machine.

As I worked on the Electronic Game Machine Timeline, it was revealed to me that video games do not have a singular evolutionary line, but instead are synthesis of two distinct social and technology sub-segment. The first sub-segment was the video game console created by Ralph Baer in 1972. The Magnavox Odyssey was a consumer-marketed product which was the first of its kind allowing people to play rudimentary games on their televisions. The second sub-segment was the university mainframe hacker scene which existed in the 1960s. These games created on multimillion dollar computers were made by a subversive, playful hacker sub-culture that wanted to amuse themselves. These two sub-segments created a stark dichotomy and almost no-one believed they had anything to do with each other. Except one person saw how these sub-segments could be combined.

Nolan Bushnell possessed the shrewd marketing genius to blend the two sub-segments using the latest microprocessors and release them in the existing arcade market which was made up of pinball and electro-mechanical machines. Bushnell knew arcade games (he managed an arcade when he was a college student), he also played mainframe computer games when he was at university, and also played a demo of Baer’s home console prototype. All of these games inspired him and his team to create Computer Space in 1971 (based on 1962’s Space War!) and Pong in 1972 (based on 1967’s Baer’s home console prototype). Bushnell’s genius did not protect him from being successfully sued by Baer but that lawsuit did not stop Bushnell’s company Atari from becoming the first dominant Electronic Game Machine company. Atari would go on to build products across all of the consumer based Sub-Segments helping establish them in the public consciousness.

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The Electronic Game Machines Timeline runs vertically and is marked by Electronic Game Machine Generations. The timeline is sorted by Year(s), Sub-Segment, and then by Electronic Game Machine Generation. The final column has details of the Event such the game machine or video games released.

Note: That video games listed are those whose concept originated in the medium and are not based on branded media or sports franchises like Spider-Man or NFL Football. This was intentional to highlight the unique play culture experiences that Electronic Game Machines can bring.

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Electronic Game Machines consist of the following Sub-Segments:

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A Electronic Game Machine Generation will generally follow the Video Game Console Generation with my timeline recognizing an additional generation. The Electronic Game Machine Timeline is broader than consoles and tracks technology advances, miniaturization, portability, connectivity, and video game adoption as a pastime across all Sub-Segments. There will be some infrequent overlap between Electronic Game Machine Generations because different Sub-Segments have their own development cycles.

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Electronic Game Machine Generation 0 spans 1931 to 1961

Electronic Game Machine Generation 1 spans 1962 to 1971

Electronic Game Machine Generation 2 spans 1972 to 1980

Electronic Game Machine Generation 3 spans 1976 to 1987

Electronic Game Machine Generation 4 spans 1985 to 1989

Electronic Game Machine Generation 5 spans 1989 to 1995

Electronic Game Machine Generation 6 spans 1993 to 1999

Electronic Game Machine Generation 7 spans 1999 to 2010

Electronic Game Machine Generation 8 spans 2005 to 2016

Electronic Game Machine Generation 9 spans 2011 to 2019

Electronic Game Machine Generation 10 spans 2017 to present

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YEAR(S)	SUB-SEGMENT	ELEC. GAME MACHINE GENERATION	EVENT(S) / RELEASE(S)
1931-1946	ARCADE	Gen 0	The First Generation of Pinball & Arcade Machines (1931-1946) helped reinvent the amusement arcade, a commercial recreational setting that had been in existence in some form since the early 1900s. These settings would later provide a critical junction for video games. The amusement arcade would become defined as the pinball arcade thanks to the a new form of game, the pinball machine. — Some of the popular pinball & arcade machines were: Baffle Ball (1931) – the first commercially successful pinball machine Broker’s Tip (1933) – the first mechanical “tilt” mechanism in pinball Bumper (1936) – the first “bumpers” in pinball Drive Mobile (1941) – the first upright arcade cabinet, also used a steering wheel
1931	PROTO-MAINFRAMES	n/a	At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Vannevar Bush invents and builds the Differential Analyzer, the first large-scale automatic general-purpose mechanical analog computer, according to Stanford University.
1936	PROTO-MAINFRAMES	n/a	Alan Turing, a British scientist and mathematician, presents the principle of a universal machine, later called the Turing machine, in a paper called “On Computable Numbers…” according to Chris Bernhardt’s book “Turing’s Vision” (The MIT Press, 2017). Turing machines are capable of computing anything that is computable. The central concept of the modern computer is based on his ideas. Turing is later involved in the development of the Turing-Welchman Bombe, an electro-mechanical device designed to decipher Nazi codes during World War II, according to the UK’s National Museum of Computing.
1937	PROTO-MAINFRAMES	n/a	John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry developed the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), which used binary digits and electronic circuits to perform calculations. The ABC was not a general-purpose computer, but it laid the groundwork for the development of the first electronic general-purpose computer.

1940	PROTO-MAINFRAMES	Gen 0	Nimatron was an electro-mechanical machine that played Nim. It was first exhibited in April–October 1940 by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation at the 1939 New York World’s Fair to entertain fair-goers.
1944-1957	MAINFRAMES	n/a	The First Generation of Mainframe Computers (1944-1957) were slow, huge, and expensive. In these computers, vacuum tubes were used as the basic components of CPU and memory. These computers were mainly depended on batch operating system and punch cards but magnetic tape and paper tape were later used as output and input devices in this generation. — Some of the popular computers were: Harvard Mark I (1944; 9,445 lbs) ENIAC – Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (1945) EDSAC – Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (1949) UNIVAC I – Universal Automatic Computer (1951) Whirlwind I (1951; 20,000 lbs) EDVAC – Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (1952) IBM-701 (1952; 20,516 pounds) IBM-650 (1954; 5,400–6,263 pounds)
1946-1959	CONSUMER TECH	n/a	The first commercially made electronic televisions with cathode ray tubes were manufactured in the 1930s in Europe and the US. Only 7,000–8,000 electronic sets were made in the US before the War Production Board halted manufacture in April 1942. Television usage in the western world skyrocketed in 1945 after World War II with the lifting of the manufacturing freeze, war-related technological advances, the drop in television prices caused by mass production, increased leisure time, and additional disposable income. In 1946 0.5% of U.S. households had a television, but this increased to 55.7% in 1954, and 90% by 1962. The RCA CT-100 helped introduce the color TV. The expanding TV market convinced Ralph Baer there was commercial potential to create an electronic game that could be played on the TV and started researching ways to develop such a game.
1947	CHIP TECH	n/a	William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain of Bell Laboratories invent the transistor. They discover how to make an electric switch with solid materials and without the need for a vacuum tube.
1947-1959	ARCADE	Gen 0	The Second Generation of Pinball & Arcade Machines (1947-1959) continued to reinvent the amusement arcade, a commercial recreational setting that had been in existence in some form since the early 1900s. These settings would later provide a critical junction for video games. The amusement arcade would become defined as the pinball arcade thanks to the a new form of game, the pinball machine. — Some of the popular pinball & arcade machines were: Humpty Dumpty (1947) The first to use “flippers” in pinball Double-Feature (1950) – The first to use “slingshot” kickers in pinball Army Navy (1953) – The first two-player game in pinball Nine Sisters (1953) – The first to use “ramps” in pinball Super Jumbo (1954) – The first multiple (1-4) player pinball machine Balls-A-Poppin (1956) – The first to use “multiball” in pinball

1950	MAINFRAMES	Gen 0	Bertie the Brain was the first ever electronic game that played Tic-Tac-Toe. It was built in Toronto by Josef Kates for the 1950 Canadian National Exhibition. The four meter (13 foot) tall computer was built to challenge exhibition attendees and it was quite the success.
1951-1953	MAINFRAMES	Gen 0	Another first known electronic toy/game was a simulation of a bouncing ball created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student Oliver Aberth for the Whirlwind I computer. He began creating the simulation in February 1951 which allowed users to adjust the frequency of the bounces with a knob. Sometime between late 1951 and 1953 he made it into a game by adding a hole in the floor for players to aim for.
1952	MAINFRAMES	Gen 0	In 1952, Alexander S. Douglas created OXO, a software program for the EDSAC computer, which simulates a game of tic-tac-toe.
1953	MAINFRAMES	n/a	Grace Hopper develops the first computer language, which eventually becomes known as COBOL, which stands for COmmon Business-Oriented Language.
1958	CHIP TECH	n/a	Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce unveil the integrated circuit, known as the computer chip. Kilby is later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work. A chip is collection of tiny transistors which are connected together thus saving space and increasing the speed of the machine by diminishing the distance that the electrons had to follow.
1958	MAINFRAMES	Gen 0	While games like checkers and chess were developed on research computers, the next milestone in video games came in 1958 with Tennis for Two. Created by American physicist William Higinbotham for visitors at the Brookhaven National Laboratory to provide entertainment to contrast than the usual static exhibits about nuclear power, the game ran on a Donner Model 30 Analog Computer and displayed a side view of a tennis court on an oscilloscope. The games created for the TX-0 by the small programming community at MIT included Tic-Tac-Toe against the computer and Mouse in the Maze which let players set up a maze for a computer AI mouse to run through.
1958-1964	MAINFRAMES	n/a	The Second Generation of Mainframe Computers (1958-1964) was the era of the transistor computers. These computers used transistors which were cheap, compact and consumed less power; making transistor computers faster than the first generation computers. In this generation, magnetic cores were used as the primary memory and magnetic disc and tapes were used as the secondary storage. Assembly language and programming languages like COBOL and FORTRAN, and Batch processing and multiprogramming operating systems were used in these computers. — Some of the popular or notable Mainframe computers were: IBM-1620 (1959; 550 kg / 1210 lbs) IBM-7094 CDC 1604 (1960; 1,000 kg / 2,200 lbs) CDC 3600 UNIVAC 1108 (1962; 2,300 kg / 5,200 lbs)
1959-1984	MINICOMPUTERS	n/a	The Only Generation of Minicomputers (1959-1984) The term “minicomputer” developed in the 1960s is used to describe the smaller computers that became possible with the use of transistors and core memory technologies, minimal instructions sets and less expensive peripherals such as the ubiquitous Teletype Model 33 ASR. They usually took up one or a few 19-inch rack cabinets, compared with the large mainframes that could fill a room. These machines, however, were essentially designed as small mainframes, using a custom chassis and often supporting only peripherals from the same company. — Some of the popular or notable Minicomputers were: DEC PDP series (1959-1980s) HP 2100 (1969-1980s) Honeywell 316 (1969-1980s) TI-990 (1970s-1980s) Wang 3300 (1971-1980s) Data General Nova (1969-1980s) — The Minicomputer was later eclipsed by powerful desktop and workstation Microcomputers. The Minicomputer provided an important transition stage between Mainframes and Microcomputers.

1960	CONSUMER TECH	n/a	Adoption of television continued, with TVs demonstrated some of the same technological advances found in computers. Sony introduced the 8-inch Sony TV8-301 1960. This started the expansion of solid-state electronics and color television.
1960-1978	ARCADE	Gen 0	The Third Generation of Pinball & Arcade Machines (1960-1978) helped pave the way for the video arcade and reinventing the amusement arcade, a commercial recreational setting that had been in existence in some form since the early 1900s. Electro-mechanical (EM) machines really helped inspire video arcade games with its new forms of game play. This inspiration would lead to them being completely eclipsed by the video arcade. Pinball would retain a hold on a core group of enthusiasts that lasts to this day. — Some of the popular pinball & electro-mechanical arcade machines were: Magic Clock (1960) – The first moving target in pinball Flipper (1960) – The first “add-a-ball” (extra ball) in pinball Vagabond (1962) – The first “drop targets” in pinball Swing Along (1963) – The first “spinners” in pinball Hootenanny (1964) – The first “mushroom” bumper in pinball Periscope (1965) – the first EM game was a submarine simulator and light gun shooter Rally Girl (1966) – The first digital scoring mechanism in pinball MotoPolo (1968) – a EM where two players moved around motorbikes to knock balls into the opponent’s goal Duck Hunt (1969) – a EM with animated moving targets which disappear from the screen when shot and awarded a higher score for head shots Missile (1969) – a EM with a two-way joystick with a fire button was used to shoot and steer the missile onto oncoming planes Gun Fight (1969) – a EM where two players control cowboy figurines on opposing sides of a playfield full of obstacles, with each player attempting to shoot the opponent’s cowboy Speedway (1969) – a EM racing game with first person view with racing wheel and accelerator Jet Rocket (1969) – a EM with cockpit controls that could move the player aircraft around a landscape displayed on a screen and shoot missiles onto targets that explode when hit Killer Shark (1972) – a EM with first-person light-gun shooter and sharks Dodgem Crazy (1972) – a EM with the player trying to ram other cars Wild Gunman (1974) – a EM with first-person light-gun shooter against live-action cowboy opponents Spirit of 76 (1976) – the first solid-state pinball machine F-1 (1976) – a EM with first person car racer which was super popular Heli-Shooter (1977) – a EM with a helicopter using a throttle joystick and pedals across a realistic three-dimensional landscape and shooting at military targets Wall Arcade Games (1973-1978) – a unique type of electronic game that hung on a wall
1962-1971	MAINFRAMES/ MINICOMPUTERS	Gen 1	The First Generation of University Mainframe Games (1962-1971) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to University Mainframe Games that was released between 1962 to 1971. By the 1960s, improvements in computing technology and the early development of relatively cheaper mainframe computers, which would later be termed minicomputers, led to the loosening of restrictions regarding programming access to the computers. This led to the development of programs that highlighted the power of the computer by providing entertainment. User’s groups were formed and wrote newsletters to track created programs and games for the various Mainframes (and later Microcomputers). Examples of such games were 3D Tic-Tack-Toe, dice games, and question and answer games. David Ahl helped create a new sub-industry with Type-in Programs books being sold to the general public. — Some of the popular or notable games were: Spacewar! (1962; PDP-1,Harvard/MIT) The Sumerian Game (1964; IBM 7090) Dartmouth BASIC games (1964; Dartmouth Time Sharing System) Hamurabi (1968; DEC) Cornell University Business Sims (1969; Cornell University) Space Travel (1969; Multics led in part to the development of Unix) The Oregon Trail (1971; HP 2100)
1965-now	MAINFRAMES/ SUPERCOMPUTERS	n/a	The Third Generation of Mainframe Computers (1964-now) used integrated circuits (ICs) instead of transistors. A single IC can pack huge number of transistors which increased the power of a computer and reduced the cost. The computers also became more reliable, efficient and smaller in size. These computers used remote processing, time-sharing, multi programming as operating system. ICs eventually lead to very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits; a chip containing millions of transistors and other circuit elements. These chips made this generation computers more compact, powerful, fast and affordable (and helped lead to the launch of the personal microcomputer). High-level programming languages like FORTRON-II TO IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, ALGOL-68 were used in this generation. C, C++, DBASE were also used in this generation. Supercomputers were introduced in the 1960s, and for several decades the fastest was made by Seymour Cray at Control Data Corporation (CDC), Cray Research and subsequent companies bearing his name or monogram. — Some of the popular or notable third Mainframe computers were: IBM-360 series Honeywell-6000 series Cray-1 Super Computer PDP 10 STAR 1000
1969	NET TECH	n/a	Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie and a group of other developers at Bell Labs produce UNIX, an operating system that made “large-scale networking of diverse computing systems — and the internet — practical”. UNIX would eventually go on to run most of the most powerful computers across the world, including the soon to arrive personal microcomputers.

1971	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Intel 4004 as the first commercially available microprocessor. It was a 4-bit processor made possible due to advances from very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI).
1971-1977	ARCADE	Gen 2	The First Generation of Video Arcade Games (1971-1977) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Video Arcade Games that was released between 1971 to 1977. The technology moved quickly by adopting the transistor and just released microprocessor helped bring electronic costs down substantially, allowing for a new type of game being released to the arcade, creating what would be a new dominant market, the Video Arcade Game. — Some of the popular or notable games are: Computer Space (1971; Syzygy; first released arcade video game) Galaxy Game (1971; Stanford University; first Spacewar! clone) Pong (1972; Atari; first popular arcade video game; inspires clones) Speed Race (1974; Taito; first game with sprites) Gun Fight (1975; Midway; first game with microprocessor) Nürburgring 1 (1975; first 1st-person racing) Hi-way (1975; Atari; first game with cockpit) Indy 800 (1975; Atari; first eight player game allowing spectators) Moto-Cross (or Fonz) (1976; Sega; features feedback handlebars) Heavyweight Champ (1976; Sega; first hand-to-hand fighting) Breakout (1976; Atari inspires a number of Breakout clones) Death Race (1976; Exidy; first game with controversial theme) Blockade (1976; Gremlin; first snake games)
1972-1975	CONSOLE	Gen 2	The First Generation Video Game Consoles (1972–1975) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1972 to 1975. The games developed during this generation were hard-wired into the consoles often came with accessories and cartridges that could alter the way the game played to enhance the gameplay experience as graphical capabilities consisted of simple geometry such as dots, lines or blocks that would occupy only a single screen The Game Machines introduced the transistor (diode–transistor logic, transistor–transistor logic, printed circuit boards) and microprocessor into the lives of the people and would create what would be a new dominant market for the home; the Video Game Console. — Some of the popular or notable game consoles were: Magnovox’s Odyssey (1972; first of a series) Atari Home Pong (1975) Coleco’s Telstar (1975) Nintendo’s Color TV-Game (1977)
1972	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Intel 8008, the first 8-bit microprocessor, made possible due to advances from very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI).
1973	NET TECH	n/a	Robert Metcalfe, a member of the research staff for Xerox, develops Ethernet for connecting multiple computers and other hardware.
1972-1980	MAINFRAMES/ MINICOMPUTERS	Gen 2	The Second Generation of University Mainframe Games (1972-1980) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to University Mainframe Games that was released between 1972 to 1980. The expansion of computers in business and schools and homes meant that programming video games was becoming its own discipline. The Universities allowed some of the smartest people access to the most powerful computing machine available and this resulted in video games that were decades ahead of their time and would go on to create many of the genres we enjoy today. University Mainframe Games would carry on but were eventually eclipsed by new bedroom hackers and game developers that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s thanks to Microcomputers. — Some of the popular or notable games were: Empire (1972; PDP-11/45) BASIC Computer Games (1973; Data General Nova; helped Microcomputer (Personal Computers) users to learn programming leading to the rise of bedroom coders) Plato Empire (1973; PLATO) Maze (1973; PDP-10) Spasim (1974; PLATO; 32-player first-person 3D space battle game) Airfight (1974; PLATO IV 3-D flight simulator; lead to Sublogic which later became Microsoft Flight Simulator) Dungeon (1975; PDP-10) Moria (1975; PLATO) Colossal Cave Adventure (1976; PDP-10; leading to the adventure genre) Zork (1977; PDP-10) Empire (1977; PDP-10) Oubilette (1977; PLATO; influenced the development of the Wizardry series) MUD (1980; PDP-10; started the online RPG genre) Rogue (1980; included in UNIX 4.2BSD; started the Roguelike genre) — In 1972, Stanford University hosted the Intergalactic Spacewar! Olympics, often cited as the first esports event. This is widely considered to be the start of eSports.
1974	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Intel 8080, the first 8-bit microprocessor with a clock speed of 2 MHz, made possible due to advances from very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI).
1975	CHIP TECH	n/a	Motorola releases the Motorola 6800, made possible due to advances from very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI).
1975	MICROCOMPUTER	n/a	The magazine cover of the January issue of “Popular Electronics” highlights the Altair 8800 as the “world’s first minicomputer kit to rival commercial models.” The Altair 8800, was introduced by a company called MITS. and was a build-it-yourself kit that used the Intel 8080 microprocessor and could run BASIC programming language. The Altair sparked a revolution in personal computing, and soon other companies like Apple and Commodore and Texas Instruments followed suit, introducing their own personal computers.
1976-1984	CONSOLE	Gen 3	The Second Generation of Console Video Games (1976-1984) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1976 to 1984. The technology moved into game being built into cartridges and adopting CPUs to power the playing experience. The range of technology for this generation was 8-bit (with Intellivision being 16-bit), 1–2 MHz CPU, 2–16 KB Memory, and game cartridges. — Some of the popular or notable consoles were: Fairchild’s Channel F (1976; first cartridge based system) Atari’s Video Computer System (1977; most popular cartridge based system) Magnovox’s Odyssey 2 (1978) Mattel’s Intellivision (1979) Coleco’s ColecoVision (1982)
1976-1987	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 3	The First Generation of Handeheld Games (1976-1987) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld Games that was released between 1976 to 1987. The games developed during this generation were (mostly) single games hard-wired into the handheld consoles and graphical capabilities consisted of LED lights and simple blocks. — Some of the popular or notable handhelds were: Mattel Auto Race (1976) Mattel Football (1977) Coleco Quarterback (1978) Milton Bradley Microvision (1979) Coleco Head to Head Football (1980) Coleco Total Control 4 (1981) Coleco Donkey Kong (1982) The calculator games genre (1970s and on)
1977-1983	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 3	The First Generation of Home Personal Computers (1977-1983) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 1977 to 1983. The technology that was used was the single-chip CPU that significantly reduced the cost and size of computers and placed the devices within the purchasing power of individuals. In only a few years, a number of manufacturers were producing single-chip CPUs including the Intel 8008 (1972), Motorola 6800 (1974), the Fairchild F8 (1974), the MOS Technology 6502 (1975) and the National Semiconductor SC/MP (1976) and the Zilog Z80 (1976). Some of these CPUs would be widely used in early personal computers. — Some of the popular or notable personal computers were: Apple II (1977) Commodore PET 2001 (1977) Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 (1977) Atari 400/800 (1979) BBC Acorn Micro (1981) IBM PC (1981; The first personal computer to gain widespread acceptance in the business world. The success of the IBM PC led to the development of many other compatible computers, which together became known as the PC market) Commode 64 (1982) ZX Spectrum (1982) NEC PC-100 (1983) Coleco Adam (1983) — Some of the popular or notable game franchises were: Wizardry (1981; Apple, ported later) Ultima (1981; Apple, ported later) Wolfenstein (1981; Apple, ported later) Flight Simulator (1982; Apple, ported later) Bomberman (1983; NEC PC) Nobunaga’s Ambition (1983; NEC PC) — The first public dial-up BBS was developed by Ward Christensen and Randy Suess, members of the Chicago Area Computer Hobbyists’ Exchange (CACHE) (1978).
1978-1987	ARCADE	Gen 3	The Second Generation of Video Arcade Games (1978-1987) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Video Arcade Games that was released between 1978 to 1987. Considered to be the golden age, the rapid technological advancements incorporated color RGB graphics, synthesized speech, and more complex musical scores, powerful microprocessors enabled sophisticated gameplay, while vector graphics offered a unique, crisp visual style in some titles before raster graphics became dominant. — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises were: Space Invaders (1978; Taito) Secret Base (1978; Sega) Space Ship (1978; Sega) Asteroids (1979; Atari) Galaxian (1979; Namco) Sheriff (1979; Nintendo) Radar Scope (1979; Nintendo) Pac-Man (1980; Namco) King & Balloon (1980; Namco) Rally-X (1980; Namco) Defender (1980; Williams) Donkey Kong (1981; Nintendo) Eliminator (1981; Sega) Scramble (1981; Konami) Frogger (1981; Konami) Bosconian (1981; Namco) Moon Patrol (1982; Irem) Pole Position (1982; Namco) Star Trek (1982; Sega) Time Pilot (1982; Konami) Quantum (1982; Atari) I, Robot (1983; Atari) Dragons Lair (1983; AMS) Mario Bros. (1983; Nintendo) Star Wars (1983; Atari) Marble Madness (1984; Atari) Paperboy (1984; Atari) Pac-land (1984; Namco) Yie Ar Kung-Fu (1984; Kanomi) Gauntlet (1985; Atari) Gradius (1985; Konami) Space Harrier (1985; Sega) Out Run (1986; Sega) Chiller (1986; Exidy) Double Dragon (1987; Technos) Street Fighter (1987; Capcom) Arkanoid (1987; Taito) — The arcade boom brought high-score competitions in games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong coordinated by Twin Galaxies which was founded to track high scores, legitimizing competitive gaming. This helped further establish establish eSports.

1982	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Intel 80286, the first 16-bit microprocessor.
1984-1990	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 4	The Second Generation of Home Personal Computers (1984-1990) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 1984 to 1990. The technology that was used was based around the Intel 80386, being the first 32-bit microprocessor. IBM’s weakening position in the PC market was made clear when Compaq released the DeskPro 386 featuring the CPU in 1986. IBM launched the PS/2 range of computers in 1987 with the proprietary Micro Channel bus in an attempt to recapture control of the market through charging licenses for a key component, but this was not successful. It received only tepid support from 3rd parties and PC cloners largely stuck with ISA until the short-lived VESA Local Bus and then Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) arrived. — Some of the popular or notable home personal computers were: Apple Mac (1984) Commode 128 (1985) Commodore Amiga (1985) Atari ST (1985) Compaq DeskPro 386 (1986) IBM PS/2 (1987) — Some of the popular or notable video games/franchises were: Daisenryaku (1985) A-Train (1985) Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1985) Might and Magic (1986) Test Drive (1987) Contra (1987) Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished (1987) Leisure Suit Larry (1987) SaGa (1989) Prince of Persia (1989) SimCity (1989) Civilization (1990) The casual game genre (1990-on)
1985-1988	CONSOLE	Gen 4	The Third Generation of Console Video Games (1985-1988) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1985 to 1988. The range of technology for this generation was 8-bit, 2–4 MHz, 3–24 KB Game Cartridges. — Some of the popular or notable consoles were: Nintendo Entertainment System (1985) Master System (1986) Atari 7800 (1986) — Some of the popular or notable game franchises were: Dragon Slayer series (1984-85) Super Mario (1985) Gauntlet (1985) The Legend of Zelda (1986) Dragon Quest (1986) Metroid (1986) Castlevania (1986) Mega Man (1987) Megami Tensei (1987) Phantasy Star (1987) Final Fantasy (1987) Metal Gear (1987)
1988-1999	ARCADE	Gen 4	The Third Generation of Video Arcade Games (1988-1999) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Video Arcade Games that was released between 1988 to 1999. The technology that was used saw first 32-bit microprocessor and photo realistic graphics and notable cultural impact. While video arcade games continued to be released, this sub-segment ceased to be an innovator after 1999. — Some of the popular or notable game franchises were: NARC (1988; Namco) Winning Run (1988; Namco) Hard Drivin’ (1989; Atari) Exterminator (1989; Gottlieb) STUN Runner (1989; Atari) Street Fighter 2 (1991; Capcom) Mortal Kombat (1992; Midway) Virtua Fighter (1993; Sega) Daytona USA (1994; Sega) Killer Instinct (1994; Midway) Tekken (1994; Bandai) Metal Slug (1996; SNK) Dance Dance Revolution (1998; Konami) San Francisco Rush 2049 (1999; Atari)
1988-1997	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 4	The Second Generation of Handeheld Games (1988-1997) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld Games that was released between 1988 to 1997. The games developed during this generation followed their console cousins allowing swappable cartridges and console-comparable graphics. — Some of the popular or notable handhelds where: Nintendo Game Boy (1988) Atari Lynx (1989) Sega Game Gear (1991) — Some of the popular or notable handheld game franchises where: S.T.U.N. RUNNER (1989) Tetris (1989) Super Mario Land (1989) Ducktales (1989) Rampart (1990) RoadBlasters (1990) Xybots (1991) Ninja Gaiden (1991) Kirbys Dream Land (1992) Wonder Boy: The Dragons Trap (1992) Defenders of Oasis (1992) Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening (1993) Vampire: Master of Darkness (1993) Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994) Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya (1994) Sonic Drift 2 (1995) Pokemon Red and Blue (1998) Harvest Moon GB (1998)
1989	CHIP/NET TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Intel 80486, the first processor with a built-in floating-point unit. Tim Berners-Lee, a British researcher at CERN, submits his proposal for what would become the World Wide Web. His paper details his ideas for Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), the building blocks of the Web.
1989-1992	CONSOLE	Gen 5	The Fourth Generation of Console Video Games (1989-1992) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1989 to 1992. The range of technology for this generation was 8-bit and 16-bit, 4–8 MHz, 8–128 KB, Game cartridges, CD-ROM add-ons. — Some of the popular or notable consoles where: NEC TurboGrafx-16 (1989) Sega Genesis (1989) Neo Geo (1990) Nintendo Super NES (1991) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: The Legend of Heroes (1989) Fire Pro Wrestling (1989) Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) Fire Emblem (1990) Metal Max (1991) Kirby (1992) Uncharted Waters (1994) Tales (1995) Rayman (1995) Front Mission (1995)

1991-1995	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 5	The Third Generation of Home Personal Computers (1991-1995) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 1991 to 1995. The technology that was used introduced new standards for Personal Computer Gaming with a short-lived concept called the MPC (Multimedia Personal Computer) standard. This killed off any other non-Wintel microcomputer systems, though Apple continued to sell its Macintosh line. — The first MPC minimum standard, set in 1991, was: 16 MHz 386SX CPU; 2 MB RAM; 30 MB hard disk; 256-color, 640×480 VGA video card; 1× (single speed) CD-ROM drive using no more than 40% of CPU to read, with < 1 second seek time; Sound card (Creative Sound Blaster recommended as closest available to standard at the time) outputting 22 kHz, 8-bit sound; and inputting 11 kHz, 8-bit sound; Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions. — In 1993, an MPC Level 2 minimum standard was announced: 25 MHz 486SX CPU; 4 MB RAM; 160 MB hard disk; 16-bit color, 640×480 VGA video card 2× (double speed) CD-ROM drive using no more than 40% of CPU to read at 1×, with < 400 ms seek time; Sound card outputting 44 kHz, 16-bit CD quality sound. — Some of the popular or notable computer game franchises were: Lemmings (1991) Alone in the Dark (1992) Myst (1993) Doom (1993) Need for Speed (1994) The Elder Scrolls (1994) Panzer General (1994) Warcraft 1994 Command & Conquer (1995) Worms (1995) Petz (1995) Jagged Alliance (1995) Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995) — The expansion of eSports moved over to Home Personal Computers with the expansion of multiplayer. With the proliferation of modems and the rise of online service providers, text games weren’t cutting it any more. Titles like AOL’s Neverwinter Nights (1991), Shadow of Yserbius, and Kingdom of Drakkar caught players’ attention with graphics and the allure of playing with others remotely. There were a whole lot of innovative titles, up to and including Meridian 59, which started to push into truly “massively multiplayer” space. A localized multiplayer experience was found with PC games like Doom and Quake fueling the popularity of LAN parties.
1993	CHIP TECH	n/a	The AIM alliance (Apple, IBM, and Motorola), was released the PowerPC 601 – The first 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) processor
1993-1998	CONSOLE	Gen 6	The Fifth Generation of Console Video Games (1993-1998) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1993 to 1998. The range of technology for this generation was 32 and 64-bit CPUs, 12–100 MHz CPUs, 2–4.5 MB memory, Game cartridges, and Optical media. — Some of the popular or notable consoles where: 3DO (1993) Atari Jaguar (1993) Sony PlayStation (1994) Sega Saturn (1995) Nintendo 64 (1996) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: Virtua Fighter (1993) Ridge Racer (1994) Rayman (1995) Twisted Metal (1995) Worms (1995) Soul Blade (1996) Story of Seasons (1996) Crash Bandicoot (1996) Star Ocean (1996) Resident Evil (1996) Tomb Raider (1996) Armored Core (1997) Gran Turismo (1997) Dynasty Warriors (1997) Spyro the Dragon (1998) Super Smash Bros. (1999) Medal of Honor (1999) — Metacritic.com Top Games for 1996 (PS, N64) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1997 (PS, N64) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1998 (PS, N64) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1999 (PS, N64) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2000 (PS, N64) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2001 (PS, N64)
1995	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel released the Intel Pentium, a CPU that is compatible with the 32-bit 386 but was extended enough to implement a dual integer pipeline design, as well as a more advanced floating-point unit (FPU) that was noted to be ten times faster than its predecessor. 1997: Intel Pentium II – The first processor with a built-in MMX (Multimedia Extensions) instruction set, developed by Intel, was released.
1996- 1999	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 6	The Fourth Generation of Home Personal Computers (1996-1999) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 1996 to 1999. The technology that was used based on the 1996 MPC Level 3: 75 MHz Pentium CPU; 8 MB RAM; 540 MB hard disk; Video system that can show 352×240 at 30 frames per second, 16-bit color; MPEG-1 hardware or software video playback; 4× CD-ROM drive using no more than 40% of CPU to read, with < 250 ms seek time; Sound card outputting 44 kHz, 16-bit CD quality sound; Windows 3.11 or Windows 95 — Some of the popular or notable computer game franchises were: Metacritic.com Top Games for 1996 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1997 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1998 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 1999 (PC) — Computers continued to lead the way with Multiplayer game experiences which lead to the rise of the MMORPGs genre. Eastern gamers flocked to titles like Lineage and Nexus, western players became enthralled with Ultima Online’s launch. The sheer popularity of this title prompted a lot of other studios to gear up their own projects, and by the end of the decade, Asheron’s Call and EverQuest joined this blossoming movement. South Korea launched professional leagues and TV broadcasts creating the first professionalization of eSports. It was StarCraft: Brood War (1998) that became the cornerstone of South Korea’s esports boom; it turned pro gaming into a televised national pastime. Games like Counter-Strike, StarCraft, and Warcraft III became eSports staples and the World Cyber Games and MLG (Major League Gaming) brought international attention.
1998-2002	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 6	The Third Generation of Handeheld Games (1998-2002) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld Games that was released between 1998 to 2002. This generation was dominated by Nintendo. — Some of the popular or notable handhelds were: Game Boy Color (1998) — Some of the popular or notable handheld game franchises were: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (1998) Legend of the River King (1999) Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (1999) Survival Kids (1999) Harvest Moon (1999) Mario Golf (1999) Dragon Warrior Monsters (1999) Crystalis (2000) Rayman (2000) Harvest Moon 2 (2000) Pokémon Trading Card Game (2000) Pokémon Gold And Silver (2000) Legend of the River King 2 (2001) Harvest Moon 3 (2001) Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (2001) Mario Tennis (2001) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (2001) Pokémon Crystal (2001) Shantae (2002) Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors (2002)
1999-2004	CONSOLE	Gen 7	The Sixth Generation of Video Game Consoles (1999-2004) (source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1999 to 2004. The range of technology for this generation was 32 and 64-bit CPU, 200–733 MHz CPU; 100–233 MHz GPU; 16–64 MB memory; optical media; online connectivity; confluence with common personal computer hardware. — Some of the popular or notable consoles where: Sega Dreamcast (1999) Sony PlayStation 2 (2000) Nintendo GameCube (2001) Microsoft Xbox (2001) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2000 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2001 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2002 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2003 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2004 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2005 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2006 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2007 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2008 (DC, PS2, GC, XB) — Video Game Consoles supported multiplayer and eSport competition through local/couch gaming with the Street Fighter series, such as Street Fighter II and Street Fighter V/6. Also Super Smash Bros. Melee has sustained a competitive scene for over two decades.

2000-2010	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 7	The Fifth Generation of Home Personal Computers (2000-2010) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 2000 to 2010. The technology that was used expanded in all directions, making Home Personal Computers the most powerful multimedia machines that could do it all including playing cutting-edge games. From 2000 to 2010 we see advances in: CPU Power: Intel and AMD continued to release faster processors, breaking the 1 GHz barrier. Dual-core processors began to emerge, paving the way for multi-tasking capabilities. Dual-core CPUs became mainstream, significantly improving multitasking performance. Quad-core processors became more accessible for mainstream consumers, further enhancing multitasking and performance for demanding applications. Intel’s Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors offered significant performance and power efficiency improvements. Apple began transitioning its Macintosh computers to Intel processors, leading to increased performance and compatibility. Graphics: Graphics cards from NVIDIA and ATI (later acquired by AMD) saw significant leaps in performance, enabling more realistic 3D graphics for gaming and professional applications. The PCI Express (PCIe) interface standard offered much higher bandwidth for graphics cards and other expansion cards compared to AGP and PCI. Memory: DDR SDRAM became the standard, offering higher bandwidth and speeds compared to its predecessors. Enhanced Storage: Hard disk drive capacities continued to increase, and the introduction of USB 2.0 allowed for faster data transfer with external devices. Solid State Drives (SSDs) began to emerge as a faster alternative to traditional hard drives, offering significantly improved boot times and application loading speeds, although they were still expensive and had lower capacities. Serial ATA (SATA) replaced the older Parallel ATA (PATA) interface for hard drives and optical drives, offering faster data transfer speeds and easier connectivity. Wireless Networking: Wi-Fi 802.11b became more prevalent, enabling wireless internet access, this was later expanded to IEEE_802.11g and IEEE_802.11n. Operating System Evolution: Apple introduced Mac OS X, a Unix-based operating system with a modern Aqua interface. Microsoft released Windows 2000 and Windows XP, which featured improved user interfaces and stability. While controversial, Windows Vista introduced a new Aero user interface with transparency effects and enhanced security features. Finally, Windows 7 was released, addressing many of the usability issues of Vista and becoming a widely praised and adopted operating system. USB 2.0 Adoption: USB 2.0 became widely adopted, offering significantly faster data transfer rates for peripherals. By the end of the decade USB 3.0 was introduced, allowing even faster transfer rates Rise of Laptops: Laptops became more powerful and affordable, gaining popularity over desktop computers for many users. Later small, low-cost laptops called netbooks gained popularity for basic computing tasks and internet browsing. Other: High-Definition Multimedia via Blu-ray disc format became the standard for high-definition video playback. The rise of smartphones and tablets influenced personal computers, with some laptops and all-in-one PCs incorporating multi-touch displays. — Some of the popular or notable computer game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2000 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2001 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2002 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2003 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2004 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2005 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2006 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2007 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2008 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2009 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2010 (PC) — World of Warcraft’s release in 2004 far and away eclipsed all other western MMORPG launches with massive subscriber counts and huge revenues. Many MMO projects canceled or radically readjusted their course to copy what Blizzard had done. And so for many years to come, MMOs would be modeled after WoW rather than strike out their own distinct path. This includes titles like Runes of Magic, Lord of the Rings Online, Warhammer Online, and many more. — Digital stores became the new way for distributing games with the launch of Steam in 2003. — eSports continued to expand thanks to new genres. League of Legends created a global league system and massive annual events like Worlds, setting the gold standard for MOBA esports. Dota 2 introduced The International, with record-breaking prize pools funded by the community.
2003-2009	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 7	The Fourth Generation of Handeheld and Mobile Games (2003-2009) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld and Mobile Games that was released between 2003 to 2009. This generation was dominated by Nintendo once again and saw the rise of the Smartphone Mobile Gaming as a new sub-segment. — Some of the popular or notable Handheld and Mobile platforms were: Sony Playstation Portable (2003) Nintendo DS (2004) Apple IPhone (2007) Android Smartphones (2008) — Some of the popular or notable handheld/mobile game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2004 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2005 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2006 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2007 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2008 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2009 (PSP, NDS) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2010 (PSP, NDS, iOS, Android) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2011 (PSP, NDS, iOS, Android)
2005-2011	CONSOLE	Gen 8	The Seventh Generation of Video Game Consoles (2005-2011) ^(Source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1999 to 2004. The range of technology for this generation ranged from 32 and 64-bit CPU, 729 MHz–3.3 GHz CPU, 243–550 MHz GPU, 88–512 MB Memory, Optical media storage, digital distribution, Internet services, wireless controllers, motion controls, and HD resolutions, — Some of the popular or notable consoles where: Microsoft Xbox 360 (2005) Sony PlayStation 3 (2006) Nintendo Wii (2006) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2005 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2006 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2007 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2008 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2009 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2010 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2011 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2012 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2013 (X360, PS3, Wii) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2014 (X360, PS3, Wii)
2008	CHIP TECH	n/a	Intel releases the Core i7 CPU
2010-2016	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 8	The Fifth Generation of Handeheld and Mobile Games (2010-2016) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld and Mobile Games that was released between 2010 to 2016. This generation was dominated by mobile games in their iOS and Android incarnations. Apple created a new Tablet sub-market with the introduction of the iPad. — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: Apple iPad (2010) Nintendo 3DS (2011) Sony PS Vita (2012) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2010 (iOS, Android, NDS, PSP) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2011 (iOS, Android, NDS, PSP) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2012 (iOS, Android, NDS, PSV) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2013 (iOS, Android, PSV) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2014 (iOS, Android, PSV) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2015 (iOS, Android, PSV) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2016 (iOS, Android, PSV)
2011- 2019	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 9	The Sixth Generation of Home Personal Computers (2011-2019) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 2011 to 2019. The technology that was used expanded in all directions, making Home Personal Computers the most powerful multimedia machines that could do it all including playing cutting-edge games. From 2011 to 2019 we see advances in: New Processors AMD’s Ryzen series of processors provided strong competition to Intel Core i7, offering more cores and threads at competitive prices. Mainstream Adoption of SSDs: Prices of SSDs decreased, and capacities increased, leading to wider adoption as primary storage for improved performance. Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) SSDs offered even faster data transfer speeds compared to SATA SSDs, further boosting performance. New Serial Busses: USB 3.0 was a new USB standard offered significantly faster data transfer speeds compared to USB 2.0. Soon after USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 offered versatile ports supporting high-speed data transfer, video output, and power delivery over a single connector. New Computer Designs: Intel’s Ultrabook initiative spurred the development of thin, light, and power-efficient laptops with improved battery life. Google released the Chromebook which was not Windows based. All-in-One PCs integrated the components into the monitor, reducing clutter, and offering a cleaner aesthetic. Improved Integrated Graphics: Integrated graphics solutions on CPUs became more capable, reducing the need for discrete graphics cards for everyday tasks and some light gaming. Improved Monitors: Monitors with higher refresh rates (120Hz, 144Hz, etc.) became more common, particularly for gaming, offering smoother visuals. Also laptop and desktop monitors featured increasingly thinner bezels, maximizing screen real estate and creating a more immersive experience. Power Efficiency: Manufacturers continued to focus on improving power efficiency for longer battery life in laptops and lower energy consumption in desktops. Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows 8 and 8.1 featured a redesigned touch-centric interface, which was met with mixed reactions on traditional desktop and laptop computers. Windows 10 was released, offering a more traditional desktop interface while retaining some of the modern elements of Windows 8, and became a widely adopted operating system with regular feature updates. Other: The Kickstarter era starts and meets create success.Twitch launched creating a new streaming sub-industry. — For the first time in decades, a new personal computer system is released and revolutionizes small form personal computing, internet of things, and robotics: Raspberry Pi (2012) — Some of the popular or notable computer game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2011 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2012 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2013 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2014 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2015 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2016 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2017 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2018 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2019 (PC) — As fewer traditional big-budget MMOs were being made and released, player hunger for new games found an outlet in funding them personally through Kickstarter and the like. Many projects were greenlit by players’ wallets during this time, including Crowfall, Star Citizen, Albion Online, Elite Dangerous, and more. Meanwhile, MMO-adjacent titles such as ARPGs (Path of Exile), looter shooters (Destiny 2), and battle royales (Fortnite) fragmented from the “everything box” to be more specialized.
2012- 2019	CONSOLE	Gen 9	The Eighth Generation of Video Game Consoles (2012-2019) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 1999 to 2004. The range of technology for this generation was 32 and 64-bit CPU, 1.0–2.3 GHz speed CPU, 307–1172 MHz CPU, 2–12 GB memory, Game cartridges, Optical media, digital distribution, Internet services, 4K resolution, and Virtual Reality. — Some of the popular or notable consoles franchises where: Nintendo Wii U (2012) Sony PlayStation 4 (2013) Microsoft Xbox One (2013) HTC VIVE SteamVR (2016) Sony Playstation VR (2016) Oculus Go (2018) Google Stadia (2019) Oculus Quest (2019) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2012 (WU) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2013 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2014 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2015 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2016 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2017 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2018 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2019 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2020 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2021 (WU, PS4, XB1) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2022 (WU, PS4, XB1)
2017	CHIP TECH	n/a	AMD introduces the Ryzen CPU Intel releases the Core i9 CPU
2017- present	HANDHELD/MOBILE	Gen 10	The Sixth Generation of Handeheld and Mobile Games (2017-present) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Handheld and Mobile Games that was released between 2017 to 2024. This generation was dominated by the Nintendo Switch which blended mobile and home console play. Steam expanded into mobile gaming by allowing gamers to play their libraries on the go. — Some of the popular or notable handhelds where: Smartphones (iOS and Android) Nintendo Switch (2017) Steam Deck (2022) Sony PlayStation Portal (2023) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2017 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2018 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2019 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2020 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2021 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2022 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2023 (iOS, Android, Switch) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2024 (iOS, Android, Switch)

2020- present	CONSOLE	Gen 10	The Ninth Generation of Video Game Consoles (2020-present) ^(source) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Console Video Games that was released between 2020 to 2024. The range of technology for this generation was 64-bit CPU, 3.5–3.8 GHz CPU, 1565–2233 MHz GPU, 10–16 GB Memory, Optical media storage, digital distribution, Internet services, motion controls, 8K resolution, SSD internal memory caching, and Virtual Reality. — Some of the popular or notable consoles where: Microsoft Xbox Series X & S (2020) Sony PlayStation 5 (2020) Oculus Quest 2 (2020) Amazon Luna (2022) Meta Quest 3 (2023) — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2020 (XBXS, PS5, MQ3) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2021 (XBXS, PS5, MQ3) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2022 (XBXS, PS5, MQ3) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2023 (XBXS, PS5, MQ3) MetaCritic.com Top Games for 2024 (XBXS, PS5, MQ3)
2020- present	MICROCOMPUTER	Gen 10	The Seventh Generation of Home Personal Computers (2020-present) In the Game Machines Timeline, this generation refers to Home Personal Computers and Games that was released between 2021 to 2024. The technology that was used expanded in all directions, cementing Home Personal Computers with its high-end gaming rigs to be for the most serious gamers. This timeline highlights the significant and continuous evolution of personal computer technology, driven by advancements in processing power, graphics, storage, connectivity, and form factors, all aimed at delivering more powerful, efficient, and versatile computing experiences. From 2021 to 2024 we see advances in: Continued CPU and GPU Performance Gains: Both Intel and AMD continued to release new generations of CPUs with increased core counts and performance improvements. NVIDIA and AMD launched increasingly powerful GPUs, particularly for gaming and AI applications. ARM processors, traditionally used in mobile devices, started to appear in laptops, offering advantages in power efficiency and battery life (e.g., Apple’s M-series chips). Faster Wireless Standards (Wi-Fi 6 and 6E): Newer Wi-Fi standards provided faster wireless speeds and improved network capacity. Thunderbolt 4: The latest Thunderbolt standard offered consistent high-speed bandwidth and enhanced features. Mini-LED Displays: Some high-end laptops and monitors adopted mini-LED backlighting for improved contrast and brightness. AI Integration: Early stages of AI integration into operating systems and applications began to appear, offering features like intelligent assistants and enhanced creative tools. Cloud Computing Integration: Personal computers became increasingly integrated with cloud services for storage, applications, and collaboration. Microsoft Windows 11: The latest version of Windows introduced a redesigned user interface and tighter integration with Microsoft’s services. Cloud Gaming Services begin testing mobile platforms (e.g., Xbox Cloud Gaming, Google Stadia). Other: Cross-platform play becomes the norm: mobile players compete with console and PC users seamlessly.. Esports became a $1.6B+ industry with over 220 million players. — Some of the popular or notable video game franchises where: Metacritic.com Top Games for 2020 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2021 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2022 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2023 (PC) Metacritic.com Top Games for 2024 (PC)
2022- present	CONSUMER TECH	n/a	The rise of Connected TVs and the App integration of everything. The total hours watched on Connected TV exceeds Linear TV.