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.
2006
January 5
In Las Vegas, Nevada, the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show is held, over four days. Microsoft announces that later in the year it will release an add-on HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 for movie viewing. [806.26] [807.53]
Rodrigo Lopes sets a new time record for completing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past video game on the Nintendo Entertainment System: 1 hour 36 minutes 43 seconds. [866.140]
Electronic Gaming Monthly presents a list of the 200 greatest video games of their time. Number 1 is Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [988.96]
Sony CEA acquires developer Zipper Interactive. [829.30]
The NFL Pro Bowl weekend in Hawaii holds a Madden Challenge Madden NFL 06 video game contest. Jarvis Thomas of Maryland wins the contest, winning US$100,000. [866.36]
The Walk of Game in San Francisco adds Lara Croft, Sid Meier, Final Fantasy, John Carmack, Starcraft, and EverQuest. [868.48]
Coby Electronics releases the TF-DVD560 portable DVD player. It includes twelve built-in Sega games, including Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Sonic Chaos, and Ecco. Price is US$120. [866.48]
February 2
Tiger Telematics, maker of the Gizmondo, files for bankruptcy. [912.46]
February 13
US President George W. Bush awards Ralph Baer a National Medal of Technology for "groundbreaking and pioneering creation, development, and commercialisation of interactive videogames". [1298.99]
February 14
Square Enix releases the Grandia III video game for the PlayStation 2 in the USA. [781.40] [865.104] [963.20] [1086.53]
February
The Interactive Achievement Awards are presented. Top game is Nintendogs by Nintendo. [782.14]
In the United Kingdom, the Advertising Standards Authority demands that television networks cease showing commercials for Activision's Call of Duty 2 and Big Red One video games, after complaints that the scenes shown do not depict actual gameplay. [906.20]
Nintendo holds a spring-preview press conference in Japan. The DS Lite handheld videgame system is announced. [782.15]
February 27
Nintendo releases the Super Princess Peach video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [809.15] [865.118] [1086.53]
February 28
Electronic Arts releases the Black video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in the USA. [778] [781.23,40] [866.112] [988.31] [1086.53]
February (month)
Top selling video game in the US for the month: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the PlayStation 2. [867.114] [870.94] [953.28]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Mobile Suit Gundam: Climax U.C. for PlayStation 2. [867.114]
(month unknown)
Sony drops the price of the PlayStation 2 in the US to US$129.99. [872.20]
Sony ceases production of the PS One video game system. Over 100 million PlayStation and PS One units shipped worldwide. [987.58]
March
France's Ministry of Culture honors Shigeru Miyamoto, Michel Ancel (Rayman creator) and Frederick Raynal (Alone in the Dark) with knighthood in the Order of Arts and Letters. [867.31] [970.18]
March 7
(1:31 AM PST) The 1 millionth unique user of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection joins the network. [971.50]
Ubisoft releases the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [772.62] [791.92] [865.43,80] [866.126] [867.106] [963.20] [1080.28] [1086.54]
Xseed Games releases the Shadow Hearts: From the New World video game for the PlayStation 2 in the USA. [865.43,106] [963.20] [1086.54]
Capcom releases the Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams video game for the PlayStation 2 in the USA. [773.133] [865.102] [963.20] [1080.28] [1086.54]
March 12
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. One boy asks another "Do you like Xbox?" [1058]
March 14
Capcom releases the Mega Man Powered Up video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA. [865.43] [866.133] [1149.61]
Sony CEA releases the Daxter video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA. [865.43] [866.135] [963.20] [1080.28] [1086.54] [1149.60]
Sony CEA releases the Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror video game for PlayStation Portable in the USA. [867.110] [963.20] [1086.54]
March 15
Sony announces the PlayStation 3 will not go on sale in the spring, but will be released after November. [856.31]
March
Microsoft launches the Xbox 360 video game system in Australia. (30,000 sell in the first week, the fastest-selling launch console in the country.) [870.20]
The April issue of Wired magazine includes 14 tiny pictures of the Super Mario character over 14 pages of its video games articles. The pictures are from different games, 1981 to present. [362.51]
March 20
The Game Developers Conference is held, over five days. Nintendo announces partnerships with Sega and Hudson for Genesis and TurboGrafx-16 games for its next-generation video game system. [782.12] [865.43] [867.19]
2K Games releases The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [727] [773.76] [791.92] [828.44] [865.43] [867.92] [1086.54]
March 21
Nintendo releases the Tetris DS video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [865.78] [866.134] [1086.55]
Konami releases the Metal Gear Acid 2 video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA. [865.43] [866.132] [963.20] [1149.61]
March 28
Square Enix releases the Kingdom Hearts II video game for the PlayStation 2 in the USA. [865.70] [866.120] [963.20] [1086.55]
March (month)
Top selling video game in the US for the month: Kingdom Hearts II for the PlayStation 2. [871.38] [872.120] [912.44]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: DS Training for Adults: Work Your Brain for the Nintendo DS. [872.120]
April 11
Eidos releases the Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [362.51] [783.17] [866.54,100] [867.96] [963.20] [1080.28] [1086.55]
April 14
ComputerWorld Canada newspaper features an article Enterprise enters the gaming world including a close-up picture of a Sony PlayStation controller. [2186.14]
ComputerWorld Canada newspaper includes an article Gaming has some lessons for software developers including a picture of Nintendo's Mario character climbing out of a personal computer monitor. [2186.15]
April
A federal judge in Michigan issues a permanent injunction halting the implementation of a state bill that would ban the sale of violent video games to minors. The judge rejected the state's claim that the interactive nature of video games makes them less entitled to First Amendment protections. [1114]
April 18
Nintendo releases the Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [782.16] [829.26] [866.108] [868.20] [872.119] [1086.55]
April (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Kingdom Hearts II for the PlayStation 2. [911.114] [913.32] [914.95]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Powerful Major League Baseball for the PlayStation 2. [911.114]
(month unknown)
Worldwide sales of the Nintendo DS to date: 16 million. [1114]
May 5
Nintendo announces there will be over 30 game titles available for the Wii within the launch window. [1090.52]
May 8
At a press conference in Los Angeles before the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony announces the PlayStation 3, with motion-sensing Bluetooth wireless Sixaxis controller and Blu-Ray high-definition DVD player. Prices are US$499 with 20 GB hard drive, and US$599 with 60 GB hard drive, Wi-Fi wireless, and HDMI video output. Release date is set at November 11 for Japan and November 17 for the USA. [905.8] [911.26] [981.12] [1074.34] [1114] [1188.36]
May 9
At a press conference in Los Angeles before the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo announces the release name for its next-generation console system: Wii, shows a conventional controller for it, and demonstrates The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Galaxy for it. Nintendo says it has sold 16 million Nintendo DS systems worldwide. [905.89] [911.13] [970.15] [981.12] [1114]
May 10
In Los Angeles, California, the Electronics Entertainment Expo is held, over three days. [362.14] [970.15]
At the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata says Nintendo is unlikely to produce a new version of the Game Boy Advance in the future. [911.33] [1114]
May
At the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Microsoft demonstrates Gears of War, shows trailers for Fable 2, Forza Motorsports 2, and Halo 3, unveils the HD DVD player for the Xbox 360, and announces that Grand Theft Auto IV will be released for the Xbox 360 on October 2007. [911.20]
May 11
Sony applies for a patent on handheld game systems made from a flexible polymer. [962.24]
May 14
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A child plays a handheld video game resembling the Sony PlayStation Portable. [1059]
May 15
The National Broadcasting Company airs The Apprentice TV show in the US. Two teams of job interview contestants create displays of the Xbox 360 video game system for use in a department store. [910]
May
Activision buys RedOctane for US$100 million. [1224.86]
The ESRB changes the rating of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion from Teen to Mature. [962.16]
May 16
Nintendo releases the New Super Mario Bros. video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. (Total sales by the end of 2007: 13 million copies.) [867.42] [872.51,92] [911.112] [970.15] [1086.56] [1149.59]
May 23
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Fairly Oddparents TV show in the US. A brief scene takes place in a video game arcade. [S01]
May 31
The Game Critics Awards announce the Best of E3 Awards: Best of Show: Wii; Best Hardware: Wii; Best Console Game: Gears of War; Best Handheld Game: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass; Best Sports Game: Wii Sports. [962.28] [1114]
May (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. [906.58] [962.96] [973.14] [981.95]
June 6
The Entertainment Software Association files a lawsuit against the state of Minnesota in Minnesota Federal District Court, to overturn a new bill that would fine children and teens for buying or renting mature or adults-only games. [1114]
June 11
Nintendo releases the DS Lite handheld video game system in the US. Case color is Polar White. Price is US$129.99. [871.14] [905.89] [971.12] [1361.24]
June 15
In Louisiana, Governor Kathleen Blanco signs bill HB1381 into law, imposing fines of US$100-2000 and up to one year in prison for selling games with violent content to minors. [1077.27] [1114]
June 16
The Entertainment Software Association and the Entertainment Merchants Association file suit in the Federal District Court of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to overturn a new law imposing fines for selling violent video games to minors. U.S District Court Judge James Brady grants a temporary restraining order preventing the state of Louisiana from enforcing the new law. [1114]
June 22
Columbia Pictures releases the film Click to theaters in Australia and Puerto Rico. Two arcade games appear, Out Run and Donkey Kong. [1146]
June 25
Namco Bandai Games releases the Tekken: Dark Resurrection video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA. [872.51] [956.56] [969.100] [987] [1149.61]
June (month)
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. [969.102] [975.68] [976.106] [978.14]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 13 for the PlayStation 2. [969.102]
