History Of PC Gaming: This Day in Video Game History - July 26
On this day in history…
1982
A United States federal district court rules that Mattel Electronics and five other co-defendants did infringed on patents held by the North American Philips Corporation’s Magnavox division. Specifically, patents related to the Odyssey video game system.
1984
Release 88, the final release, of the Infocom interactive fiction game Zork I: The Great Underground Empire for IBM-compatible computers is released. Zork was Infocom’s first game.
1988
Technos releases Super Dodge Ball for the Famicom in Japan.
1999
The SNK Corporation of America announces that its new 16-bit Neo-Geo Pocket video game will be available in North American stores on Friday, August 6 at a suggested retail price of US$69.95. Twelve titles will initially be available for the system, including: Baseball Stars Pocket, Bust a Move Pocket, Crush Roller, Fatal Fury-First Contact, King of Fighters-R2, Metal Slug-First Mission, Neo Turf Master, and Samurai ShoDown! 2. The prices of the games will ranged from US$24.95 to US$34.95. The systems was originally released in Japan in March of 1998, but by the end of 1999, low sales will eventually result in the handheld system’s discontinuation.
2000
Blizzard Entertainment releases the fantasy-themed, action roleplaying game (RPG) Diablo II for Mac OS and Windows in North America. The game will rapidly become one of the most popular networkable games in history. (ESRB: M)
Konami re-releases Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge for the Game Boy Color in Europe. The game was originally released for the Game Boy in Japan in August of 1991.
2002
In the case of Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertainment v Stevens, an Australian federal court Judge Ronald Sackville strikes a blow for consumer rights when he rules that “mod chips” which allow PlayStation systems to play user-created “back-up” discs as well as discs formatted for foreign distribution don’t violate copyright laws which prevent circumventing copyright protections because Sony has failed to prove that it had ever instituted such copyright protection measures in the first place. (Read the ruling)
The Rockstar Games racing games Midnight Club: Street Racing and Smuggler’s Run for the PlayStation 2 go Platinum.Sony announces that it has shipped ten million PlayStation 2 video game consoles in Japan alone.
2005
Global Star Software releases the sports game Outlaw Tennis for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in the US. The voice of the game’s announcer is provided by television personality Stephen Colbert. (ESRB: M)
Natsume releases the simulation game Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town for the Game Boy Advance in North America. The game is a more feminine version of the 2003 simulation game Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town. (ESRB: E)
Nippon Ichi Software releases the single-player, tactical roleplaying game (RPG) Makai Kingdom: Chronicles Of The Sacred Tome for the PlayStation 2 in North America. (ESRB: T)
2006
Atlus releases the action roleplaying game (RPG) Summon Night: Swordcraft Story for the Game Boy Advance in North America. It is the first game in the Summon Night series, though the series doesn’t progress chronologically or share an over-arching storyline. (ESRB: E10+)
Sony Computer Entertainment releases the third-person shooter SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo for the PlayStation Portable in South Korea.
2007
Konami releases the Metal Gear Solid 20th Anniversary Collection Box Set for the PlayStations 2, containing Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty, The Document Of Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, along with the Metal Gear Saga DVD documentary telling the story of of the Metal Gear series. (ELSPA: 15+) (ESRB: M) (OFLC: M15)
Microsoft reduces the initial release price of the Xbox 360 video game system from US$199.99 to US$179.99.
Namco releases the first-person shooter / mecha simulation hybrid Gundam MS Sensen 0079, based on the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, for the Wii in Japan.
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) releases the platform game Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back as a download on the PlayStation Network. The game was originally released for the PlayStation in Japan on December 18, 1997. (ELSPA: 3+) (ESRB: E) (OFLC: G)
Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA) releases the platform game Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! as a download on the PlayStation Network. The game was originally released for the PlayStation in North America on November 2, 1999. (ELSPA: 3+) (ESRB: E) (OFLC: G8+)
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) releases Everybody’s Golf 5 for the PlayStation 3 in Japan. It will sell over one hundred fifty thousand copies within a weeks of its release. (CERO: A)
