1984
- January
- At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nintendo debuts the Advanced Video System (AVS) video game system, with keyboard, music keyboard, tape-storage, wireless controllers, and Zapper gun. Video game distributors are not interested in making any orders. [124.161]
- (month unknown)
- In Japan, certain game cartridges are discovered to cause Nintendo's Famicom game system to freeze. Nintendo recalls all system to be fixed. [124.35]
- Namco releases the Super Xevious video game to arcades. [1091.66]
- February 3
- Mattel announces it is selling its Intellivision video game business for US$20 million in cash to a group lead by Terrence Valeski, an executive of Mattel Electronics. [124.156] [154.35] [400.D1]
- February
- Terrence Valeski creates Intellivision, Incorporated. [402.D2]
- January-March
- Atari incurs a net loss of US$34.9 million for the first three months of the year. [156.D2]
- (month unknown)
- The Odyssey Division of North American Philips ceases production of hardware for its Odyssey programmable videogame system. [20.8]
- Unit sales of Dragon's Lair arcade video game machines to date: 8000. Revenue: US$140 million. [305.37]
- May
- Quote by James Morgan, chairman and CEO of Atari: "We are going to reignite the consumer's love affair with video games.". (They don't, and two months later Morgan is out of his job.) [306.46]
- Quote by Jon Loveless, marketing vice-president of Synapse Software: "I don't think there's a market left for dedicated [video game] machines.". (From a sales high of $3 billion in 1982, to a low of $0.1 billion in 1985, the industry rebounds to $3 billion by 1989.) [306.46]
- May 21
- Atari officially discontinues the Atari 5200 video game system. [15.65] [155.D3] (end of 1983 [21.20])
- Atari introduces the Atari 7800 ProSystem. It features higher resolution graphics than the Atari 5200, optional keyboard to make it a home computer, and compatibility with Atari 2600 cartridges. Price is US$149. [15.66] [124.D3]
- May
- Warner Communications and Jack Tramiel discuss a purchase of Atari assets, but no agreement can be reached. [156.D2]
- May 26
- In Houston, Texas, 14 top scorers from 14 regions of the US compete in the Grand National Finals of Konami's Track & Field arcade game. The top three will play in Japan in June against Japan's top three players. [18.8]
- June 8
- Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Gremlins to theaters in the USA. A small table top version of the Donkey Kong video game appears. [1035]
- June
- At the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, Nintendo agains shows the Advanced Video System (AVS) video game system. Again, video game distributors are not interested in making any orders. [124.161]
- June 29
- Warner Communications begins talks with Jack Tramiel on the sale of part of Atari. [156.D2]
- June 30
- In Tokyo, Japan, the top three Track & Field game players from the US play against the top three Japanese players, over two days. The world champion Gold Medalist is John Britt of Riverside, California. [18.8]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo releases the Radar Scope arcade video game. [396.16]
- Milton Bradley discontinues manufacturing of the Vectrex. [16.84] [17.10]
- Atari releases its first 8 kB game cartridges for the Atari 2600 video game system. Titles include Stargate, Crystal Castles, Millipede, and Track & Field. [15.64]
- RDI test markets the Halcyon home video game system. It features laserdisc-based games, speech playback, and laserdisc movie playback. Price is US$2000. Game titles available: Thayer's Quest, Orpheus, Adventure in the Carribean, The Sprit of Whittier Mansion. [18.10]
- Atari drops the price of the Atari 2600 to about US$60, and the price of the Atari 5200 to US$90. [18.12]
- Nintendo releases the Spitball Sparky SuperColor Game & Watch handheld game. It features an LCD screen with colorband overlays. Price is US$39.95. [15.65]
- Atari releases the Marble Madness arcade video game. [1039.122]
- Epoch releases the Epoch Super Cassette Vision video game system in Japan. [1091.92]
- British Parliament passes the Video Recordings Act, and designates the British Board of Film Censorship as the authority responsible for classifying videogames. [1201.60]
- July 6
- Warner Communications sells off the home video game and computer systems business of Atari to Jack Tramiel for US$240 million in long-term loans. Warner has the option to purchase up to 32% interest in the new company for $2 per share. [27.D1] (July 6 [124.157])
- July 13
- Universal Pictures releases the film The Last Starfighter to theaters in the USA. In the film, a young man plays the Starfighter arcade video game, then travels into space to operate a real spaceship. [1145]
- (month unknown)
- Mylstar Electronics introduces the Three Stooges arcade video game. [15.10]
- October 24
- In New York City, the Electronic Games Design Awards (Arkies) are presented to top 27 computer, video, educational, standalone, and arcade games of 1984, as selected by readers of Electronic Games magazine. [368.12]
- Year
- Sales of video game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: about US$900 million. [167.D23]
1985
- January 5
- At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nintendo first shows the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [527.24] [528.29]
- (month unknown)
- Bally Manufacturing announces it is dropping out of the coin-operated and videogames business. [73.14]
- February 5
- Warner Communications signs an agreement with Namco for Namco to acquire a controlling interest in the Atari Coin-Operated Games division of Atari Games, for about US$10 million. [124.240] [159.D4]
- March 1
- In Chicago, Illinois, the Amusement Showcase International show is held, over three days. [104.64] [368.14]
- (month unknown)
- Twin Galaxies International announces its Achievement Award arcade video game winners for 1984. Best Video Game: Punch-Out by Nintendo; Best Laserdisc Game: Space Ace by Cinematronics; Most Innovative Game: I, Robot by Atari; Best Visual-enhanced Game: I, Robot by Atari; Best Audio-enhanced Game: Spy Hunter by Bally; Manufacturer of the Year: Atari. [104.12]
- June
- At the Summer Consumer Electronics Show Nintendo introduces the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It uses a 6502 processor, and generates images with 256x240 resolution in 16 colors. It includes two controllers, a Zapper gun, and a Robotic Operating Buddy robot. Distributors show little interest in taking any orders. [12] [70] [88.8] [124.163] [317.68]
- (month unknown)
- Atari releases the four-player Gauntlet arcade video game. [418.28] [1201.105]
- July 15
- James Vollandt plays Joust for over 67 hours on one coin, (with four 20-minute breaks) a world record for any arcade video game. His record high score is 107,216,700. [778.45] [866.142]
- July
- Sega releases the Hang On video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- October 18
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the United States, in New York City. Special displays are set up in department, toy, and electronics stores. The NES comes with the Robotic Operating Buddy and the Zapper light gun. Price is US$125. Seventeen game cartridges are available with the launch of the game system. (Total sales over the product's lifetime reach 36 million.) [70] [124.165] [429.20] [510.12] [597] [722.86] [865.127] [1192.73]
- October
- Nintendo releases the Super Mario Bros. video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. (Total worldwide sales: 40.24 million, a record still held in January 2004.) [410.9] [412.24] [541.64] [871.38] (August [1159.90])
- Nintendo releases the Baseball video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1131.68]
- Nintendo releases the 10-Yard Fight video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [1157.18]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo releases the Ice Climber game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [387.24]
- During Nintendo's test-marketing of the Nintendo Entertainment System in New York, 90,000 units are sold. [162.39]
- December
- Sega releases the Space Harrier video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- Year
- Unit sales of Nintendo's Famicom game system in Japan for the year: 6.5 million. [190.1-8]
- Sales of video game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: about US$100 million. [164.S3.6] [167.D23] [173.C3] [312.39]
1986
- February
- Nintendo begins an intense marketing campaign of its Nintendo Entertainment System in Los Angeles, California. [124.169] [162.39] [429.21] [611.28] [865.127]
- February 21
- In Japan, Nintendo releases the Disk System for the Famicom. The system is a 128-kB disk drive to run software; disks can be rewritten with new games at special vending machines. Price of the Disk System is about US$100. [124.75] (1985 [1255.19])
- Nintendo releases the Legend of Zelda video game for the Famicom Disk System in Japan. [868.116] (1985 [1255.19])
- May
- To date, Nintendo has sold 500,000 Disk Systems for the Famicom. [124.75]
- May 27
- In Japan, Enix releases the Dragon Quest video game for the Famicom. The game was written by Yuji Horii. (1.5 million copies are sold.) [298.48] (February [124.69])
- June 11
- Paramount Pictures releases the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off to theaters in the USA. Arcade game Karate Champ appears. The sound effects of Pac-Man dying can be heard. [1123]
- June
- Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [609.9]
- (month unknown)
- The Nintendo Entertainment System is released in Scandinavia. [124.413]
- Taito releases the Bubble Bobble arcade video game in the US. [786.7]
- Capcom releases the Commando video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Ghosts 'N' Goblins video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the 1942 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom signs an agreement with Nintendo to produce games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [715.93]
- Capcom signs an agreement with The Walt Disney Company to produce Disney games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [715.92]
- Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong 3 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.95]
- Sharp releases the Sharp Famicom Twin video game system in Japan. The unit is a combined Famicom and Disk System. [1091.94]
- September
- Sega releases the Out Run video game in arcades in the US. [785.165]
- Nintendo begins nation-wide marketing of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [164.S3.6] [429.21]
- December 31
- To date, Nintendo has sold almost two million Disk Systems for the Famicom. [124.75]
- Year
- Unit sales of Nintendo Entertainment System during the year: 1 million. [124.169]
- Sales of video game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: about US$450 million. [167.D23] [173.C3]
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