After the rebirth of console gaming the industry grows even larger than before, but it starts a race for new innovations and more advance technology to beat the competition. Soon video game makers adopt the computer’s most powerful software storage device, the CD-ROM. Not only far less expensive to manufacturer than cartridges, CD-ROMs can hold more information and pull the programming off the disc as needed. This allows for higher quality graphics, more elaborate gameplay and richer content.
1999 - Dreamcast Fails and EverQuest Launches
- Sega releases the Dreamcast in the United States. Although it gets off to a strong start, sales immediately drop when Sony releases the PlayStation 2 in 2001. This causes Sega to cease production of the Dreamcast and pull out of the console market completely. Like Atari they stick with publishing video games for other systems.
- Sony launches the most successful MMOG of the time, EverQuest, finally giving the genre credibility in the marketplace.
2001 - The Third Generation of Handhelds
- Nintendo releases the Game Boy Advance (GBA) , the final gaming system to produce all 2D games in a classic style. The GBA is also the system with the most ports of classic video games including the Nintendo Game & Watch and popular NES, SNES and N64 titles.
2005 - The Next-Gen Consoles Begin
- Xbox launches the Xbox Live Arcade, a fee based downloading service for the Xbox and Xbox 360 systems. This concept breathes new life into popular classic arcade and console games such as Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Prince of Persia Classic, and many more.
2006 - Next Gen Consoles Continue
- The Wii Virtual Console’s Wii Shop Channel offers a fee based download system to the Wii console, bringing a new audience to many forgotten games featuring full versions titles from the NES, SNES, N64, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx-16 systems. To play these games you need to have a GameCube Controller or the wireless Wii Classic Controller.
- The PlayStation Network launches their own Next-Gen fee based download system for the PlayStation 3, offering not only classic PlayStation 1 releases such as Crash Bandicoot and Tekken 2, but also Arcade classics like Joust and Gauntlet II.
- Ralph Bear is presented the National Medal of Technology award for inventing the home console video game.
