2008

January 27

• The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. Sonic the Hedgehog appears on a billboard promiting marriage. [1240]

January 29

• The film The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is released on DVD in the USA. [1233.88]

January (month)

• Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for the Xbox 360. [1252.95]
• Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii. [1252.95]

February 5

• Touchstone releases the Turok video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA and Canada. [1229.5] [1241.7]

February 10

• Nintendo releases the Super Smash Bros. Brawl video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. (Unit sales in the first week: 2.7 million.) [1197.10] [1205.19] [1242.22] [1243.39] [1248.48] [1252.94]

February 15

• At the Tokyo arcade expo in Chiba, Japan, Capcom shows the Street Fighter IV arcade game. [1114]

February 23

• Microsoft announces it will cease making HD DVD players for the Xbox 360. [1114]

February 24

• Electronic Arts makes a hostile bid of US$2 billion for Take-Two. [1222.68]

February (month)

• Total sales of video game systems in the USA for the month: Nintendo Wii 432,000, PlayStation 2 352,000, PlayStation 3 281,000, Xbox 360 255,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Call of Duty 4 for the Xbox 360. [1114] [1253.100]

(month unknown)

• The Cyberathlete Professional League ceases operations. [1242.22]

March 10

• Microsoft reduces the price of the Xbox in Europe by 80 euros, to 200 euros for the Arcade version, and 370 euros for the Elite version. [1114]

March 25

• Square Enix releases the Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA and Canada. [1228.7] [1241.15] [1251.44]

March (month)

• Total sales of video game systems in Japan for the month: PlayStation Portable 415,415, Nintendo Wii 265,542, Nintendo DS 255,124, PlayStation 3 81,579, Xbox 360 13,127. [1114]
• Video game system sales in the US: Nintendo Wii 720,000, Nintendo DS 698,000, PlayStation Portable 297,000, Xbox 360 262,000, PlayStation 3 257,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA: Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii. [1114] [1254.102]
• Top selling video game in Japan: Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for the PlayStation Portable. [1254.102]

April

• The book Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Video Games and What Parents Can Do is published, written by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson. [1271.12]

April 27

• Nintendo releases the Mario Kart Wii video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1230.7] [1243.20] [1253.66] [1254.98] [1267.18]

April 29

• Take-Two Interactive Software releases the Grand Theft Auto IV video game for the PlayStation III and Xbox 360 in the USA and UK. First day sales in the UK: 609,000, a record. 3.6 million copies (US$310 million) are sold in the first 24 hours, a new record. (First week worldwide sales: 6 million copies, US$500 million.) [1114] [1235] [1251.68] [1252.38] [1254.92] [1271.12] [1278.24] [1304.28]

April (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the USA: Wii 714,000, Xbox 360 188,000, PlayStation 3 187,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the US for the month: Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360. [1272.96]
• Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Mario Kart Wii for the Nintendo Wii. [1272.96]

May 14

• Microsoft reports total sales of the Xbox 360 video game system have reached 10 million, beating the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 to that sales level. [1114]

May 19

• Nintendo launches the Wii Fit exercise game for the Nintendo Wii video game system in the US, initially only in New York City. Price is US$90 including game and balance board input device. [1114] [1220.17] [1230.5] [1231.44] [1242.24] [1254.100]

May (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the US during the month: Nintendo Wii 675,000, PlayStation 3 209,000, Xbox 360 187,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360. [1273.92]
• Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the Playstation 3. [1273.92]

June 12

• Konami releases the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots video game for the PlayStation 3 in the US. [1242.1] [1266.43] [1269.3] [1272.88] [1284.45]

June (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 666,000, Nintendo DS 783,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA during the month: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the Playstation 3. [1274.108]
• Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Persona 4 for the Playstation 2. [1274.108]

July (month)

• Top selling video game in the USA during the month: NCAA Football 09 for the Xbox 360. [1275.116]
• Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Phantasy Star Portable for the Playstation Portable. [1275.116]

August 12

• Electronic Arts releases the Madden NFL 09 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1114] [1274.100]

August 20

• At a video games convention in Leipzig, Germany, Sony announces a new version of its Playstation Portable handheld video game system, to go on sale in Europe and the United States in mid-October. The Playstation Portable 3000 will have a built-in microphone and a new screen which has more colors and is better suited for use outdoors. [1235]

August (month)

• Top selling video game in the USA during the month: Madden NFL 09 for the Xbox 360. [1282.132]
• Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS. [1282.132]

September 2

• Microsoft Game Studios releases the Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1280.18]

September 8

• 2K Sports releases the NHL 2K9 video game for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1280.20]

September 14

• Electronic Arts releases the Rock Band 2 video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA and Canada. [1275.107] [1280.3]

September

• Microsoft announces price drops for all Xbox 360 versions: the Arcade model is now US$199, the core system with 60 GB hard drive US$299, and the Elite system with 129 GB hard drive US$399. [1282.26]

September 16

• Lucasarts releases the Star Wars: Force Unleashed video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and PlayStation Portable in the USA and Canada. [1275.98] [1280.9] [1285.44]

September 23

• Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment releases the LEGO Batman: The Videogame video game for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS in the USA. [1280.19]
• Disney releases the Pure video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1280.21] [1285.44]

September 30

• Konami releases the Silent Hill: Homecoming video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 in the US. [1280.16]
• Sega releases the Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1282.130]

September (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 687,000, Nintendo DS 536,800, Xbox 360 347,200, PlayStation 3 232,400, PlayStation Portable 238,100. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA during the month: Star Wars: The Force Unleased for the Xbox 360. [1283.132]
• Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Macross Ace Frontier for the PlayStation Portable. [1283.132]

October 7

• Lucasarts releases the Fracture video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 in the USA and Canada. [1280.7]

October 14

• Electronic Arts releases the Dead Space video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1280.5] [1282.114]
• THQ releases the Saints Row 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1280.14] [1283.105]

October 21

• Rockstar Games releases the Midnight Club: Los Angeles video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1282.121]
• Sierra releases the Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Wii. [1280.17]
• 2K Games releases the Bioshock video game for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1282.124]
• Microsoft Game Studios releases the Fable II video game for the Xbox 360 in USA. [1283.118]

October 23

• Ubisoft releases the Far Cry 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA and Canada. [1280.10]

October 26

• Sony Computer Entertainment releases the Little Big Planet video game for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1114] [1280.23] [1283.120]

October 28

• Bethesda Softworks releases the Fallout 3 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1283.102]
• Activision releases the Guitar Hero World Tour video game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1280.15] [1283.104]

October (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 803,210, Nintendo DS 491,000, Xbox 360 371,000, PlayStation 3 190,000, PlayStation Portable 193,000. [1114] [1300.14]
• Top selling video game in the US during the month: Fable II for the Xbox 360. [1114]

November 4

• Sony Computer Entertainment releases the Resistance 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1283.121]

November 6

• Ubisoft releases the End War video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo DS. [1280.11]

November 7

• Microsoft Game Studios releases the Gears of War 2 video game for the Xbox 360 in USA. [1114] [1283.116] [1299.9]

November 11

• Electronic Arts releases the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1283.113]

November

• Nintendo releases the DSi in Japan. [1114]

November 25

• Square Enix releases the Chrono Trigger video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1283.130]

November (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 2,000,000, Nintendo DS 1,570,000, Xbox 360 836,000, PlayStation 3 378,000, PlayStation Portable 421,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the US during the month: Gears of War 2 for the Xbox 360. [1114]

December 1

• Sumner Redstone sells his 87.2 percent stake in Midway Games (worth US$30 million) to Acquisition Holdings Subsidiary for US$100,000, a loss of US$800 million. [1305.10]

December 11

• Sony opens its social networking site PlayStation Home for open beta testing. [1235]

Year

• Video game console usage in the US for the year, according to Nielsen's Top 10 Lists for 2008:

PlayStation 2 31.7 percent (of console user minutes for year),

Xbox 360 17.2 percent,

Nintendo Wii 13.4 percent,

Xbox 9.7 percent,

PlayStation 3 8.3 percent,

GameCube 4.6 percent.

[2543.8]

2009

January (month)

• Sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 680,000, Nintendo DS 510,000, Xbox 360 309,000, PlayStation 3 203,000. [1114]
• Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit for the Nintendo Wii. [1114]

February 20

• The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that a California law restricting the sales and rental of violent video games to minors and imposing labeling requirements is too restrictive and violates free speech guarantees. [1114]

February (month)

• Unit sales of video game systems in the USA: Nintendo DS 588,000, PlayStation Portable 199,000. [1114]

March 10

• In England, the 2009 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) video game awards ceremony is held.

Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy,

Gameplay: Call of Duty 4,

Story: Call of Duty 4,

Character: Call of Duty 4,

People's Choice: Call of Duty 4,

Best Use of Audio: Dead Space,

Best Original Score: Dead Space,

Casual: Boom Blox,

Sports: Race Driver: Grid,

Strategy: Civilisation Revolution,

New Talent: Boro Toro,

Multiplayer: Left 4 Dead,

Best Technical Achievement: Spore,

Handheld: Professor Layton and the Curious Village,

Artistic Achievement: LittleBigPlanet,

Best Action: Fable II,

Best Adventure: Fable II,

Fellowship award: Nolan Bushnell.

[1235]

March

• Nintendo announces that total shipments of its DS portable consoles has topped 100 million worldwide. [1114]

March 25

• Nintendo announces it has shipped more than 50 million units of its Wii game console to date. [1114]

April 3

• Nintendo releases the DSi in Europe. [1114]

April 5

• Nintendo releases the DSi in the USA. [1114]

July 31

• Worldwide sales of the PlayStation 3 reaches 1 million units. [1114]

August 18

• Sony Entertainment announces price cuts on the PlayStation 3; in Europe to 299 euros, in the USA to US$299, and in the UK to 249.99 pounds. A new thinner lighter model will be produced with a 120 GB hard drive. [1235]

August 21

• At the gamescon video game convention in Germany, Microsoft gives public demonstration of its new"Natal" technology hands-free Xbox 360 video game controller. The controller uses a microphone combined with visual and infrared cameras to control the onscreen action. [1235]

August 28

• Microsoft cuts the price of the Xbox 360 Elite by $100 to US$299.99. The Xbox 360 Arcade version will remain at US$199.99, and the Pro model will be phased out. In Europe, the Elite will drop to 249.99 euros and 199.99 pounds in the UK. [1114]

September 27

• Nintendo drops the price of the Wii system in the US by $50 to US$199.99. [1114]

September (month)

• Top selling video game in the US during the month: Halo 3:ODST for the Xbox 360. [1114]

October 1

• Nintendo drops the price of the Wii system in Japan by 5000 yen to 20,000 yen. [1114]