- February 13
- Microsoft Game Studios releases the Lost Odyssey video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1229.11] [1313.28]
- February 15
- At the Tokyo arcade expo in Chiba, Japan, Capcom shows the Street Fighter IV arcade game. [1114]
- February 19
- Sega releases The Club video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1248.11] [1313.28]
- 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 26
- Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors video game for the Nintendo Wii in the US. [1219.1]
- February 27
- Codemasters releases the Turning Point - Fall of Liberty video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the US. [1229.3]
- 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]
- Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan! for the PlayStation 3. [1253.100]
- (month unknown)
- The Cyberathlete Professional League ceases operations. [1242.22]
- March 3
- 2K Sports releases the Major League Baseball 2K8 video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii in the US. [1228.4] [1251.74] [1268.52]
- March 4
- Sony Computer Entertainment releases the God of War: Chains of Olympus video game for the PlayStation Portable in the USA. [1251.104] [1313.29]
- March 9
- 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] [1313.29]
- 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]
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1228.6]
- March 11
- Sega releases the Condemned 2: Bloodshot for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1228.8] [1313.29]
- March 18
- Ubisoft releases the Rainbow Six Vegas 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the US. [1228.5] [1252.80] [1313.29]
- 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 Nintendo Wii. [1114] [1254.102]
- Top selling video game in Japan: Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for the PlayStation Portable. [1254.102]
- April 15
- Sony CE releases the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue video game for the PlayStation 3 in the US. [1228.11] [1251.72] [1252.38]
- 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 20
- Nintendo releases the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1230.6] [1267.18]
- Nintendo releases the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1230.6] [1267.18]
- April 22
- Square Enix releases The World Ends With You video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.30]
- 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] [1313.30]
- 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. Total worldwide sales over its lifetime: 15 million.) [1114] [1235] [1251.68] [1252.38] [1254.92] [1271.12] [1278.24] [1304.28] [1313.30] [1370.78] [1376.3] [1442.48]
- April (month)
- Unit sales of video game systems in the USA: Nintendo 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 6
- Electronic Arts releases the Boom Blox video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1230.4] [1253.44] [1313.31]
- 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 21
- Activision releases the Quake Wars: Enemy Territory video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the US. [1230.15]
- 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 3
- Codemasters releases the Grid video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1272.85] [1313.31]
- 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] [1313.31] [1442.49]
- Konami releases the Metal Gear Online video game for the PlayStation 3 in the US. [1254.84]
- June 23
- Electronic Arts releases the Battlefield: Bad Company video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1272.82] [1313.31]
- June 24
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1263.15] [1272.94] [1313.31]
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment releases the film Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs on DVD in the USA and Canada.
- A wrist-watch version of Pong is played.
- A video game arcade includes games: Honkey Kong, Coin Vacuum, Exlaxian, Normal Kombat, Ms. Marple Madness, Shovel Command, Extreme Flosser.
- A Pac-Man board game is played.
[1337]
- June 29
- Activision/Red Octane releases the Guitar Hero: Aerosmith video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the US. [1273.82]
- 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]
- (month unknown)
- Bob Decrescenzo releases the Space Invaders cartridge for the Atari 7800. [1395.55]
- July 8
- 2K Games releases the Civilization Revolution video game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS in the USA. [1253.68] [1272.38,83] [1273.91] [1284.45] [1313]
- July 9
- Activision and Vivendi Games complete their merger, worth $18.8 billion, forming Activision Blizzard. [1395.15]
- July 15
- EA Sports releases the NCAA Football 09 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1273.80] [1313.32]
- July 22
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy IV video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1263.19] [1263.22] [1272.38] [1273.91] [1276.31]
- July 29
- Namco Bandai releases the Soulcalibur IV video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1254.46] [1272.38] [1274.98] [1313.32]
- 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] [1313.33]
- September 9
- EA Sports releases the NHL 09 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.33]
- September 14
- Electronic Arts releases the Rock Band 2 video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1275.107] [1280.3] [1313.33] [1319.33]
- 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] [1298.23]
- September 16
- Disney releases the Pure video game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1280.21] [1285.44] [1313.33]
- 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] [1313.33]
- Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest IV Chapters of the Chosen video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1265.9] [1277.41]
- 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]
- September 26
- THQ releases the de Blob video game for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the US. [1242.24] [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 for the month: 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] [1313.33]
- THQ releases the Saints Row 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1280.14] [1283.105] [1313.34]
- October 19
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. Two generic arcade video game units appear. [1328]
- October 20
- Rockstar Games releases the Midnight Club: Los Angeles video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1282.121] [1313.34]
- October 21
- 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 the USA. [1283.118] [1313.34] [1442.49]
- 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
- Activision releases the Guitar Hero World Tour video game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo Wii in the USA. (Total sales: 3.4 million copies.) [1280.15] [1283.104] [1313.34] [1427.22]
- October 27
- Sony Computer Entertainment releases the Little Big Planet video game for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1114] [1280.23] [1283.120] [1313.34]
- October 28
- Bethesda Softworks releases the Fallout 3 video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1283.102] [1313.34] [1442.48]
- October (month)
- Unit sales of video game systems in the US for the month: 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] [1357.80]
- Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Kirby Super Star Ultra for the Nintendo DS. [1357.80]
- November 4
- Sony Computer Entertainment releases the Resistance 2 video game for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1283.121] [1313.35]
- Activision releases the Call of Duty: World at War video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.34] [1357.64]
- Sega releases the Valkyria Chronicles for the PlayStation 3 in the USA. [1313.35] [1442.51]
- November 6
- Ubisoft releases the End War video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo DS in the US. [1280.11]
- November 7
- Microsoft Game Studios releases the Gears of War 2 video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1114] [1283.116] [1299.9] [1313.35]
- November 9
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A handheld video game appears, one that looks like the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. [1329]
- November 11
- Microsoft Game Studios releases the Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.35]
- Electronic Arts releases the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1283.113]
- November 12
- Electronic Arts releases the Mirror's Edge video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.35]
- November 16
- Nintendo releases the Animal Crossing: City Folk video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1357.74]
- November 17
- Valve releases the Left 4 Dead video game for the Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.35] [1319.33] [1357.70]
- November 18
- Sega releases the Sonic Unleashed video game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii in the US. [1357.67]
- Eidos releases the Tomb Raider Underworld video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1313.37] [1357.68]
- November
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo DSi handheld video game system 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 for the month: Nintendo Wii 2,040,000, Nintendo DS 1,570,000, Xbox 360 836,000, PlayStation Portable 421,000, PlayStation 3 378,000, PlayStation 2 206,000. [1114] [1313.10]
- Top selling video game in the US during the month: Gears of War 2 for the Xbox 360. [1114] [1313.88]
- Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Professor Layton and the Last Journey for the Nintendo DS. [1313.88]
- 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 2
- Square Enix releases the Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories video game for the PlayStation 2 in the USA. [1357.72]
- Ubisoft releases the Prince of Persia video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the USA. [1308.54] [1313.37] [1357.65] [1424.24]
- December 11
- Sony opens its social networking site PlayStation Home for open beta testing. [1235]
- December (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Play for the Nintendo Wii. [1314.96]
- Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Dissidia: Final Fantasy for the PlayStation Portable. [1314.96]
- Year
- Top selling video game in the world for the year: Mario Kart Wii for the Nintendo Wii, at 8.94 million copies. [1315.100]
- Top selling video game in the USA for the year: Wii Play with Remote for the Nintendo Wii. [1314.30]
- Total sales of video game hardware and software in the USA: US$21.33 billion. [1114] [1314.30]
- Worldwide video game market: US$30.5 billion, of which 40 percent is Nintendo, $5 billion is Nintendo titles. [1298.22]
- 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]
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