References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here.
A number after the dot gives the page in the source.
Last updated: 2011 November 13.
1999
January 6
At the Macworld Expo, Connectix releases the Virtual Game Station software in the US for the Apple Macintosh computer, allowing users to play Sony PlayStation games on their computers. Price is US$49. [597] [993.16]
January
In South Beach, Florida, Electronic Arts hosts Madden Bowl. Several NFL football players play Madden NFL 99; the winner is New York defensive back Ray Mickens. [1011.30]
January 23
Sony Computer Entertainment introduces the PocketStation handheld video game system in Japan. Games are downloaded from the PlayStation in a new format. Price is about US$25. [630.62] [750.8] [1009.28]
January 26
Konami releases the Castlevania 64 video game for the Nintendo 64. [401] [411]
January
Sony files a lawsuit against Connectix in San Francisco Federal District Court, alleging two claims of copyright infringement and five other claims regarding the Virtual Game Station PlayStation emulator software for the Macintosh. [1011.26]
January (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: WCW/nWo Thunder for the PlayStation. [592.42] [1011.34] [1094.31]
Nintendo releases the Mario Party video game for the Nintendo 64 in the US. [401] [440.42] [871.38]
February 11
Square releases the Final Fantasy VIII video game for the PlayStation in Japan. (Opening day sales: 2.21 million copies for 17.2 billion yen (about US$145 million). Total worldwide sales over its lifetime: 7.4 million.) [556.99] [1008.67] [1009.75] [1014.30] [1022.100]
February
Activision releases the Tenchu: Shinobi Gaisen video game for the PlayStation in Japan. [436.76]
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates gives final approval for project Xbox to start. [990.110]
Konami releases the Beatmania IIDX arcade video game in Japan. [1025.11]
Konami releases the Silent Hill video game for the PlayStation in the US. [740.86]
February 16
The International Solid-State Circuits Conference is held in San Francisco, California. Toshiba and Sony Computer Entertainment announce specifications of a new processor. It has two integer pipelines, two vector math units, dedicated MPEG-2 decoding subsystem, 128-bit chip, 250 MHz operation, and 125 MHz bus to memory. [474.35] [1011.26] [1012.13]
February 17
Sony Computer Entertainment America releases the Syphon Filter video game for the PlayStation in the US. (Over one million copies are sold in under a year.) [633.58] [740.85] [753.114]
February 28
Acclaim Entertainment releases the Mortal Kombat 4 video game for the PlayStation in the US. [808]
February (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Mario Party for the Nintendo 64. [592.42]
(month unknown)
Nintendo of America and Disney Interactive announce a thirteen-title deal for Nintendo to publish a series of Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color games using Disney characters. [404.114]
Konami releases the NHL Blades of Steel '99 video game for the Nintendo 64 in the US. [235.74]
March 2
In Tokyo, Japan, Sony unveils specifications of the next PlayStation video game system to 1500 invited guests. It features 300 MHz 128-bit "Emotion Engine" processor co-developed by Toshiba and Sony CEI, 150 MHz Graphics Synthesizer processor, games on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM up to 4.7 GB, 32 MB main RAM, 3.2 GBps memory bus, floating-point performance 6.2 GFLOPS, 33.8 or 37.5 MHz core PlayStation CPU, and IEEE 1394, USB, and PC Card interfaces. [592.26,44] [633.58] [674.46] [1014.24] [1094.28]
March 11
Sony files three requests with the San Francisco Federal District Court, regarding Connectix's Virtual GameStation product. Sony demands that Connectix cease use of the PlayStation BIOS, deliver all copies of the BIOS to Sony, and give Sony all prototypes of the Windows version of the software. The court rejects all requests. [1014.30]
March
Konami releases the Guitar Freaks arcade video game in Japan. [1025.11]
In San Jose, California, the 13th annual Game Developers Conference is held. The Computer Game Developers' Association holds its Spotlight Award ceremony.
Most innovative game: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
[592.31] [1291.42]
March 19
In Chiba, Japan, the Tokyo Game Show Spring '99 is held, over three days. Over 160,000 visitors attend, a new record. Over 300 PlayStation games are on display. [592.36] [994] [1015.26]
SNK releases the NeoGeo Pocket Color handheld video game system in Japan. [592.34] [685.133] [1091.95]
March 28
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. An arcade video game is played, Monkey Fracas Jr., with a space ship fighting a giant ape throwing barrels pulled from inside a planet. This is a reference to the video game Donkey Kong Jr.. [840]
March (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Blue Version for the Game Boy. [1095.32]
(month unknown)
Tiger Electronics releases the game.com.pocket.pro handheld video game in the USA. Price is US$29.99. [1095.42]
April 4
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. Several references to actual arcade video games are shown: Gender Neutral Pac Person (Pac Man), Mortal Kooperation (Mortal Kombat); security patrols at the arcade are called Moon Patrol, the same name as an arcade video game. [841]
April
Midway releases the NBA Showtime arcade game in the US. [810.15]
Rockstar releases the Grand Theft Auto: London video game for the PlayStation in the US. [570.77]
Infogrames of France buys Accolade of the US, for US$60 million. [373.388]
April 15
Sega of America announces the Dreamcast video game system will be released in the US on September 9, for retail price of US$199. The company will spend US$100 million marketing the system. [592.26] [597] [1095.28]
Bleem releases the bleem! PlayStation game emulator for Windows-based personal computers in the USA. Price is US$24.95 via Web site download. [1015.28]
April
Families of victims of a school shooting in Paducah, Kentucky, file a lawsuit in US District Court seeking US$130 million. The suit is filed against movie, Internet, and computer game companies including Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. The suit alleges games such as Nightmare Creatures, Doom, Quake, and Mortal Kombat negatively influenced 14-year-old Michael Carneal who killed three and wounded five at his high school. [1095.30] [1294.28]
April 20
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. In a planet inhabited by robots, construction workers use cranes to build with colored bricks in shapes just like in Tetris. Security robots call out "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" in a voice just like in some video game. [842]
April 22
In the US, Connectix ceases shipping its Virtual Game Station software for the Apple Macintosh computer, complying with a federal court order. Sony filed a trademark and patent infringement lawsuit against the company in January. The software allows Sony PlayStation games to be played on Apple computers. [597]
April 26
Nintendo releases the Super Smash Bros. game for the Nintendo 64 in the US. [304.126] [359.134] [401] [440.42] (May [554.17])
April 30
Activision releases the A Bug's Life video game for the Nintendo 64 in the USA. [235.122] [411]
April (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Need for Speed: High Stakes for the PlayStation. [1020.34] [1096.30]
(month unknown)
Unit sales of video game system worldwide to date: PlayStation 56 million, Nintendo 64 24 million, Saturn 8.9 million. [379.66]
Hasbro Interactive acquires rights to eleven Namco properties, including Dig Dug, Pole Position, and Pac-Man. [491.50]
May 1
Nintendo releases the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe video game for the Game Boy Color in the US. [401]
May 12
Nintendo announces its next-generation console, code-named "Dolphin". It will use a 400 MHz "Gekko" processor developed with IBM, based on the PowerPC processor. [597] [1096.28]
May 13
Interact Accessories releases the Sharkwire Online kit for Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. The kit includes a modem cartridge, keyboard, telephone cord, and Spyglass Device Mosaic Web browser. Users can then access the Internet to send and receive email and browse Web sites. [597]
In Los Angeles, California, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is held, over three days. Total attendance is 55,000. [277.54] [379.66] [393.13] [405.52] [593.174] [811.6] [1028.38]
May
Namco releases the Ridge Racer Type 4 video game for the PlayStation in the US. [565] [740.88]
Capcom releases the Street Fighter Alpha 3 game for the PlayStation and Dreamcast in the US. [304.134] [740.88]
May 16
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A handheld video game resembling the original Nintendo Game Boy is used on an airplane, interfering with the plane's controls. [878]
May 19
LucasArts releases the Star Wars Episode 1: Racer video game for the Nintendo 64 in the US. [440.43] [643.116] [1094.40]
May 22
The television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest last airs in the US. 22 shows aired during the season. [808]
May
Sega Enterprises president Shoichiro Irimajiri announces the company will soon sell games for the Game Boy Color in Japan. [1097.30]
May (month)
Top selling video game in the USA during the month: Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64. [1097.30]
(month unknown)
City officials in Kungsbacka, Sweden, name a road Mariosgata, in honor of Nintendo's mascot. [1097.30]
June 1
Nintendo releases the Pokémon Pinball video game for the GameBoy in the US. [401] [405.100] [554.17] [595]
June
Nintendo announces a new joint venture in Japan for an online network for the Nintendo 64 to access the Internet, play online tournaments, download new software to the 64DD disk drive. [1097.30]
June 22
Sony CEA releases the Ape Escape video game for the PlayStation in the US. [304.130] [633.58] [740.90]
June
Nintendo announces it will sell telecommunications software in Japan to link the Game Boy to cell phones, to download and play games. [1097.30]
June 29
GT Interactive releases the Driver video game for the PlayStation in the US. [627.36] [633.58] [641.36] [740.85]
June (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Star Wars Episode I: Racer for the Nintendo 64. [1098.34]
(month unknown)
Sega releases The Revenge of Shinobi game for the Genesis in the US. [304.132]
Square EA releases the Final Fantasy V (FF Anthology Edition) game for the PlayStation in the US. [304.150]
