2003
- July 10
- In the U.S., a federal judge blocks a Washington state law that would impose a US$500 fine on retailers who sell certain violent video games to children under age 17. The ruling states that the law would violate the constitutional 1st Amendment protecting free speech. [597] (July 2004 [645.57])
- July 13
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. A character says "Fry, what in Sega Genesis happened to you?". [876]
- July 15
- LucasArts releases the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game for the Xbox in the US. [549.78] [596.76] [644.188] [818.38]
- July
- Microsoft drops the price of the Xbox in Singapore by ten percent. [597]
- Sony introduces the EyeToy camera for the PlayStation 2 system in Europe. [612.22]
- July 28
- Nintendo releases the Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour video game for the GameCube in the US. [428.95] [512.29] [644.188] [871.38]
- July 30
- At the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, California, G4 Media holds the G-Phoria Glow Awards show. Game of the Year award: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Best Live Action / Voice Performance: Jenna Jameson in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Best Adaptation: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Hottest Character: Tina in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. Most Innovative Game: Animal Crossing. [567.19]
- July (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: NCAA Football 2004 for the PlayStation 2. [567]
- Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Tengain Makyo II: Manji Maru for the PlayStation 2. [644.188]
- (month unknown)
- In Canton, Ohio, the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducts the Madden NFL video game series. [567.22]
- Former WCW wrestler Maxx Payne sues Rockstar Games and Remedy Entertainment for using his name for the Max Payne video game series. [567.24]
- August 3
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. A character plays a TV video game with a wireless controller. [847]
- August 10
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. In one scene, two characters on stairs jump over falling barrels, creating "100" point signs, and making the same jumping sound as Mario in the arcade game Donkey Kong. [848]
- August 14
- Graphics chip maker ATI Technologies announces it will develop graphics components for Microsoft's next Xbox video game system. [597]
- EA Sports releases the Madden NFL 2004 video game for the GameCube, Playstation 2, and Xbox in the US. (Two million copies sell in the first three weeks.) [426.70] [427.102] [428.45] [430.84] [461.36] [644.188]
- 3DO sells off its video game assets: Ubi Soft pays US$1.3 million for rights and properties of the Might and Magic series, and Heroes of Might and Magic. Namco Hometek pays US$1.5 million for Street Racing Syndicate. Microsoft pays US$450,000 for High Heat Baseball. JoWooD (Australia) pays US$90,000 for Jacked. Crave Entertainment pays US$750,000 for Army Men. Former CEO Trip Hawkins pays US$405,000 for Johnny Moseley Mad Trix, various Internet patents, and various pre-2001 game titles. [477.24] [480.56] [700.30]
- August
- Results of a study of American computer and video game players by the Entertainment Software Association: age 6+ 50%, age 18+ 64%, age 50+ 17%, boys age 6-17 21%, girls and women age 6+ 43%, women age 18+ 26%, average age 29. [480.52]
- August 17
- Microsoft adds thirteen Xbox software titles to its Platinum Hits line, each US$19.99. [1128.18]
- August 26
- Namco releases the Soul Calibur II video game for the GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 in the US. Namco and Electronics Boutique hold a midnight release party in New York City. [304.106] [426.64] [427.74] [430.60] [549.26] [568.26] [644.188]
- August (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Madden NFL 2004 for the PlayStation 2. [644.188]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo releases a special Game Boy Advance bundle in the US, including the e-Reader, and Donkey Kong Jr. eGame, for US$79.99. [568.26]
- Sega sells its Sega.com Inc. online gaming unit to Nokia. [461.66] [477.24]
- Electronic Arts signs an exclusive NASCAR contract through 2009, for naming rights to NASCAR, over 65 real drivers, 23 official tracks, and over 175 cars from Winston Cup and Busch racing series. [644.26]
- September 2
- Activision releases the Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure video game for the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in the US. [450.74] [477.144] [549.38] [567.26,70] [1128.16]
- September
- Take-Two Interactive acquires TDK Mediactive. [461.37]
- September 8
- Nintendo releases the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance video game for the Gameboy Advance in the US. [428.55] [869.19]
- September 25
- Nintendo of America reduces the price of the GameCube in North America to US$99. [478.26] [508.20] [597]
- September (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Madden NFL 2004 for the PlayStation 2. [509] [548.30]
- (month unknown)
- At the 2003 Gamers' Day press event, Sony announces sales to date of its video game systems in North America: PlayStation: 35 million, PlayStation 2: 20 million. [475.38]
- October 5
- Microsoft releases a wireless network adapter for the Xbox. Price is US$140. [461.38]
- October 7
- Nokia releases the N-Gage handheld video game system worldwide. It features 104 MHz ARM processor, 64 MB RAM, 176x208 pixel 4096-color display, games console, cell phone, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, USB port, XHTML web browser, MP3 audio player, email support, stereo FM radio, and instant messaging. Games are available on MultiMedia Cards. Price in the USA is US$300. (First week sales: US about 5000; UK about 500.) [445.44] [449.26,67] [461.36] [568.32,100] [574.26] [939.50] [979.121]
- October 10
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Fairly Oddparents TV show in the US. The main character plays a home video game system called "V-Cube", with a wired controller with left-thumb joystick and right side 4-color buttons, a reference to the Nintendo GameCube. [848]
- October
- Tapwave releases the Zodiac hand-held video game system. It features 3.8-inch (diagonal) 320x480 pixel backlit color display, analog thumbstick, four game buttons, two shoulder buttons, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, ability to vibrate, stereo speakers, headphone jack, Palm OS 5.2 operating system, photo viewer, video/media player, MP3 player. Price is US$299 (32MB version), and US$399 (128 MB version). Code name during development was Helix. [460.51] [471.27] [558.76] [597] [657.42]
- Microsoft releases the Controller-S Xbox controller in translucent blue and translucent green. Price is US$29.99. [1127.11]
- In U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation files a lawsuit against Sony and Toshiba claiming patent infringement of Sony's main processor used in the PlayStation 2. [597]
- October 28
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy XI video game for the PlayStation 2 in the US. [461.144] [568.54] [869.19]
- October
- Shipments to date of the Sony EyeToy camera: 1 million. [612.22]
- October (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: NBA Live 2004 for the PlayStation 2. [574.28]
- (month unknown)
- In New York City, Sony shows a concept model of the PSP handheld video game system. It has a horizontal layout, wide screen, and games on Universal Media Disks load on the back of the unit. [574.22]
- In Japan, Sony unveils the Gran Turismo 4: Prologue Version video game for the PlayStation 2. The game will include about fifty cars and five race courses when released in December. [612.22]
- Namco releases the Space Invaders: 25th Silver Anniversary arcade machine. It includes the original 1978 Space Invaders game and Qix. [504.33]
- November 3
- Microsoft announces it has licensed processor technology from IBM, and chipset technology from Silicon Integrated Systems, for use in its next video game system. [597]
- November 4
- Sony releases the Eye Toy camera for the PlayStation 2 in the US. [475.42] [480.38] [548.34] [674.50]
- November 10
- Nintendo releases the Mario Party 5 video game for the GameCube in the US. [477.79] [484.50] [513.19] [548.34] [644.154] [871.38]
- November 12
- Nokia confirms that hackers have cracked anticopying protections in games designed for the N-Gage video game system. [612.20] [597]
- November 13
- Sony drops the price of the PlayStation 2 in Japan to 19,800 yen (about US$180). [612.22]
- November
- AM3 launches the Advance Movie Adapter for the Game Boy Advance in Japan. The device with play video files on specially modified Smart Media cards. Price is 3200 yen (about US$29). [612.22]
- Nintendo resumes production of the GameCube video game system. (Production had ceased in January.) [612.20]
- November 16
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. When a character wins at roulette, he says "First thing tomorrow, we're getting a PlayStation 1". [1016]
- November 17
- Nintendo releases the Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance in the US. [513.10] [548.34] [568.60] [644.98]
- Microsoft Games releases the Project Gotham Racing 2 video game for the Xbox in the US. Price is US$49.99. [548.34] [568.45] [574.76] [644.162]
- Nintendo releases the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! video game for the GameCube in the US. [477.79] [484.21,133] [513.19] [548.34] [568.50] [644.152,190] [871.38]
- November 18
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy X-2 video game for the PlayStation 2 in the US. [430.60] [568.56] [644.132,190] [869.19]
- November 20
- Microsoft drops the price of the Xbox in Japan from 24800 yen to 16800 yen (about US$155). [612.22]
- November 21
- Nintendo releases the Pokémon Colosseum video game for the GameCube in Japan. [508.121]
- November 23
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. Two children play a home video game system and game called "Hockey Dad". [1017]
- November (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Final Fantasy X-2 for the PlayStation 2. [576.28]
- (month unknown)
- At the Media Art Festival in Japan, the Agency for Cultural Affairs awards the Grand Prix in the Entertainment category to Square Enix's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles video game. [582.20]
- Ney York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Haitian Americans complain about anti-Haitian phrases in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Take Two Interactive announces it will remove the phrases from future copies of the game. Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist begins an investigation of whether the game violates state hate-crime laws. [558.22]
- Sega files a lawsuit against Electronic Arts and Fox Entertainment, claiming the game The Simpsons: Road Rage is too similar to the Crazy Taxi series. [576.26]
- In the US, Spike TV airs its Video Game Awards show. Awards include: Fighting game: WWE SmackDown!, Sports game: Tony Hawk's underground, Racing game: NASCAR Thunder, Best movie license: Enter the Matrix, Most addictive: Soul Calibur II, Game of the year: Madden NFL 2004. [576.27]
- December 4
- In Japan, Sony releases the Gran Turismo 4: Prologue Version video game for the PlayStation 2. The game includes about fifty cars and five race courses. Price is 2980 yen (about US$25). [612.22] [644.26]
- December
- Sammy Holdings acquires 39 million shares of Sega for 45.33 billion yen (US$422 million), giving it a majority stake in the company. [558.22] [576.26]
- December 7
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. The "Noiseland Arcade" includes at least eleven arcade video game machines. [1018]
- December 13
- Sony releases the PSX in Japan. Price is close to US$1000. (100,000 units are sold in the first week.) [541.68] [558.22] [597] [661.23]
- December 14
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. At a shopping mall, a child plays an educational video game where the players blasts the state capitals on a map of the USA. [1019]
- December
- Nintendo launches the iQue video game system in China. The unit is essentially a Nintendo 64 packaged inside a controller, with a 64 MB flash memory card unique to each iQue. Players must pay for and download a game to the card to play. The card can only contain one game at a time, but once a game is paid for, future downloads of it are free. Price is 568 Yuan (about US$69), including Dr. Mario. [597] [612.20]
- The Hollywood Wax Museum in California unveils a wax likeness of Nintendo's Mario character in the museum's lobby. [582.21]
- December 25
- 20th Century Fox releases the film Cheaper by the Dozen to theaters in the USA and Canada. A GameCube appears in one scene. [1044]
- December 31
- Total worldwide sales to date of Halo: 4 million. [541.42]
- Total shipments of video game systems in the US to date: Xbox 8.6 million, GameCube 6.8 million. [541.43]
- Total shipments to date of video game systems worldwide: Xbox 13.7 million, PlayStation 2 70 million. [559.22] [597]
- Total shipments of Game Boy Advance video game systems in the world to date: 8.1 million. [541.44]
- December (month)
- Top selling video game in the US for the month: Need for Speed Underground for the PlayStation 2. [559.26] [577.30]
- Year
- Top selling video game in the USA during the year: Madden NFL 2004, selling 3.1 million units. [597.15] [1111.58]
- World market share of video game systems: PlayStation 2 69%, GameCube 16%, Xbox 15%. [1110.44]
- Total sales of video game hardware, software and accessories in the USA during the year: US$10 billion. [597]
- Total shipments of video game titles in the US during the year: 186.4 million. [692.12]
- Total shipments of video game consoles worldwide during the year: 35 million. [597]
|