2006 IN VIDEO GAMING



Contents
Events
Business
Notable releases
Trends
Video game consoles
Handheld game systems
Video game sales
References

Events



January 26 2006 -- Nintendo announces its newly redesigned handheld, the Nintendo DS Lite. The new model is lighter, smaller, has configurable brightness and features an improved user interface. (Nintendo) (GameSpot)

January 26 2006 -- Konami Corp. announces the list of titles it expects to ship in 2006, ranging from ''Beatmania'' to '', and covering multiple platforms. (TeamXbox)

January 26 2006 -- Public schools in West Virginia will add ''Dance Dance Revolution'' by Konami to their curriculum, in an effort to combat obesity. (Reuters) (GameSpot)

January 27 2006 -- Players of the Horde clan from ''World of Warcraft'' start the ''"Gamers Against No Kash"'' charity, to pay the subscription fees for valuable players strapped for cash. (Gameshout)

January 27 2006 -- Microsoft of Japan made a statement to Japanese game magazine Famitsu regarding the Xbox 360 launch. "''It was a lot more difficult than we had imagined. We couldn't prepare the launch titles that we had promised, and it made an impact,''" said Microsoft of Japan Xbox chief of operations Yoshihiro Maruyama. At the launch of the first Xbox in Japan, more units were sold in three days than have been sold of the Xbox 360 in one month. (Gamasutra)

January 27 2006 -- The PlayStation Portable 2.01-2.50 firmware versions, previously considered unhackable, are hacked by Fanjita. (PSP Updates)

January 27 2006 -- The Los Angeles attorney's office sues Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive over the Hot Coffee mod. (Gamasutra)

January 30 2006 -- A mandatory update for Xbox Live on the Xbox 360 was released. Microsoft claimed the update was for bugfixes and improvements. Members of the modding community claim that ''"the true purpose of this update was to halt the progress of the modding community"''. (Gamasutra)

January 30 2006 -- Nintendo released a statement regarding the ''Red Tulip'' phenomenon on '', stating ''"We have isolated the problem and determined that there was a temporary error with the upload tool when this letter was posted"''. Earlier, there had been speculation that the tulips were a result of black hat hackers. (Gamasutra)

January 31 2006 -- Sony is reportedly building a Xbox Live-killer for the PlayStation 3. (Joystiq)

January 31 2006 -- StarForce, a DRM maker for computer games, threatens to sue popular weblog Boing Boing for criticising its products. (Gamasutra), (Boing Boing)

January 31 2006 -- Blizzard Entertainment responds to the GLBT debate happening in ''World of Warcraft''. The company stated: "''To promote a positive game environment for everyone and help prevent such harassment from taking place as best we can, we prohibit mention of topics related to sensitive real-world subjects in open chat within the game, and we do our best to take action whenever we see such topics being broadcast.''"(Edge)

January 31 2006 -- Sony announces that ten servers will be merged with ten others on ''Everquest 2''. Players are cautiously optimistic. (Sony), (Darniaq)

★ See February 2006 in video gaming, March 2006 in video gaming
Business


January 5 2006 -- Vivendi Universal Games acquires High Moon Studios (formerly Sammy Studios, Inc), which gained independence from Sammy in 2005. (Prnewswire)

January 9 2006 -- Take-Two Interactive acquires Irrational Games. (Shacknews)

January 26 2006 -- Sony reports that strong sales of the PlayStation Portable helped the company make a profit of 70 billion yen, the first time in 11 years that the company has managed to avoid an annual loss. (Herald Tribune) (Financial Times)

January 26 2006 -- Microsoft announces $293 million losses in its Home and Entertainment division, record revenues overall. (Gamasutra)

January 26 2006 -- Nintendo reports declining Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance sales but increased profits: Yen92.2 billion. (GameCpot)

January 27 2006 -- The Nintendo DS returns to the top of the weekly Japanese charts, with 64,515 units sold compared to 38,271 for the PlayStation Portable. The PlayStation 2 is third with 26,135 units sold, while the Xbox 360 continues to sell poorly (just 3,616, less than the GameCube). The five best-selling games were ''Brain Training for Adults 2'', '', ''Super Mario Strikers'', ''Brain Training for Adults'' and ''Mario Kart DS'', all published by Nintendo. (Media Create)

January 27 2006 -- Microsoft lowers its estimate of Xbox 360 sales in its first 90 days from 2.75-3.0 million units to 2.5 million due to supply shortage. The yearly estimate (4.5 to 5.5 million) is unchanged since Microsoft plans to increase its console production with the help of a new manufacturer, Celestica. (TeamXbox) Meanwhile, Microsoft postpones the Australian 360 launch from March 2 to March 23, 2006 due to a "short term manufacturing challenge" . (Gamasutra)

January 30 2006 -- Shares of Take-Two Interactive, the controversial creator of the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, rose Monday after news that the company was in takeover talks with an unnamed buyer. (Yahoo), (Marketwatch), (TTWO Stock Chart)

January 31 2006 -- CNET reports that Cisco Systems might be interested in buying Nintendo. (CNET), (GameDaily.biz)

★ May - IEMA (Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association) successfully merged with VSDA (Video Software Dealers Association) to form combined organization EMA (Entertainment Merchants Association)

★ July – ECA (Entertainment Consumers Association) formed.

★ October – ECA (Entertainment Consumers Association) soft-launched.
Notable releases

NDS>
Release Date Title Systems
February 14''PC
February 18''PC
February 21'' PC
''Sonic Riders'' GCN, PS2, Xbox
February 27''PC
February 28''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach''PC
March 2'' PC
'' PC
March 7''PSP
March 15''Battlefield 2: Euro Force''PC
March 17''''PS2
March 20''Metroid Prime Hunters'' NDS
''Tetris DS'' NDS
'' PC, Xbox 360
March 21''PC, PS2, Xbox
March 26''PC
March 28''Kingdom Hearts II''PS2
March 31'' (Europe)NDS
April 11'' PC, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
'' Xbox 360
April 13''Auto Assault''PC
April 17''NDS
''PC
April 18''Dreamfall: The Longest Journey'' Xbox
''Final Fantasy XI'' Xbox 360
'' PC, PS2
April 20 (Japan only)''Mother 3''GBA
April 24''Black & White 2 - Battle of the Gods''PC
April 25'' PS2
'' Xbox, PS2, PSP
''Lost Magic'' NDS
April 28''PC
May 9''PC
May 10''PC
May 15''New Super Mario Bros.''NDS
May 16''Heroes of Might and Magic V'' PC
'' Xbox 360, PS2, PC, Xbox, NDS, GCN, GBA
May 23''PC, Xbox, PS2
May 30''Xbox 360, PC, PS2, Xbox
June 1''PC
June 6''Battlefield 2: Armored Fury'' PC
''Cars'' PS2, Xbox, GCN, PSP, NDS, PC
'' PS2
'' PC
June 12''PC
June 21''PSP
June 26''Titan Quest''PC
June 29''Panzer Command''PC
July 5''The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II''Xbox 360
July 11''Chromehounds''Xbox 360
''Prey''PC, Xbox 360
July 20 (Australia only)''AFL Premiership 2006''PS2
July 24''PC
''PC
August 1''Flatout 2'' (USA) PC
''Dungeon Siege II: Broken World'' PC
''Super Monkey Ball Adventure'' (USA) GCN, PS2, PSP
August 8''Dead Rising''Xbox 360
August 15''PS2
''Ninety-Nine Nights''Xbox 360
August 22''King of Fighters''PS2
August 28''Star Fox Command''NDS
August 29''Enchanted Arms''Xbox 360
''Saints Row''Xbox 360
''PS2
September 5''LocoRoco''PSP
September 12''Joint Task Force''PC
''NDS, GCN, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360
September 13''Company of Heroes''PC
September 18''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team''NDS
''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team''GBA
September 19''Ōkami''PS2
''The Godfather: The Game''PSP, Xbox 360
''EverQuest: The Serpent's Spine''PC
September 25''Baten Kaitos Origins'' (North America)GCN
September 26''Caesar IV''PC
September 28''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl'' (Japan)NDS
''Kingdom Hearts II'' (Australia, Europe)PS2
September 29''DEFCON'' (Europe)PC
October 9''PS2, Xbox
''PC
October 17''PC
''Battlefield 2142''PC
''Bully''PS2
''Sid Meier's Railroads!'' (North America)PC
''PC
''Xbox 360
October 18''Football Manager 2007''PC, Mac
October 24''Dark Messiah of Might and Magic''PC
''F.E.A.R. Extraction Point''PC
''GBA, PC, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
''PC
''Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent''GCN, PS2, Xbox
October 26''Guild Wars Nightfall''PC
October 30''Pokemon Ranger'' (North America)NDS>
October 31''PSP
''Final Fantasy XII'' (United States)PS2
''PSP
''GCN, PC, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
''Neverwinter Nights 2''PC
November 6''Lumines II''PSP
November 7''Call of Duty 3''PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
''Guitar Hero II''PS2
''Gears of War''Xbox 360
''PS2
''Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent''PC
''Tony Hawk's Project 8''PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
November 13''PC
''PC
''Yoshi's Island DS''NDS
November 14''Final Fantasy III''NDS
''PC
''PC
''Sonic the Hedgehog''Xbox 360
''Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis''GBA
''Tomb Raider: Legend''GBA, GCN, NDS
''Xiaolin Showdown''PS2, PSP
''PC
''WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007''PS2, Xbox 360
November 15''Xiaolin Showdown''Xbox
November 17'PlayStation 3'
''Call of Duty 3''PS3
''Marvel: Ultimate Alliance''PS3
''PS3
''Ridge Racer 7''PS3
''Tony Hawk's Project 8''PS3
November 19'Wii' (America)
''Call of Duty 3'' (America)Wii
''Excite Truck'' (America)Wii
''Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'' (America)Wii
''Red Steel'' (America)Wii
''Rayman Raving Rabbids'' (America)Wii
'' (America)Wii
'' (America)Wii
'' (America)Wii
''Wii Sports'' (America)Wii
November 20''Xbox 360
''GCN, PS2, Xbox 360, NDS
November 21''The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine''PC
''Tony Hawk's Project 8''PSP
November 28''PC
''Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent''Wii
''Xiaolin Showdown''NDS
November 30''Final Fantasy VI Advance'' (Japan)GBA
December 5''PSP
''PC
''WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007''PSP
''NDS
December 13''GameCube
December 29''PS2

Trends


Video game consoles


★ Microsoft Xbox & Xbox 360

Nintendo GameCube

★ Sony PlayStation 2

★ Additionally, the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii were released on November 17 and November 19, respectively.
Handheld game systems


Nintendo DS / Nintendo DS Lite

★ Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP / Game Boy Micro

★ Sony's PlayStation Portable
Video game sales

'Ten best-selling PC games of 2006:' [1]

★ 1) World of Warcraft

★ 2)

★ 3) The Sims 2

★ 4)

★ 5)

★ 6) Age of Empires III

★ 7) Civilization IV

★ 8)

★ 9) Guild Wars Factions

★ 10) Zoo Tycoon 2
'Ten best-selling PS2 games of 2006:'[2]

★ 1) Madden NFL 07

★ 2) Kingdom Hearts II

★ 3) Guitar Hero

★ 4) Final Fantasy XII

★ 5) NCAA Football 07

★ 6) Guitar Hero II

★ 7)

★ 8)

★ 9)

★ 10) Fight Night Round 3
'Ten best-selling PS3 games of 2006:'[3]

★ 1)

★ 2) Madden NFL 07

★ 3) Call of Duty 3

★ 4)

★ 5) Ridge Racer 7

★ 6)

★ 7) Tony Hawk's Project 8

★ 8) NBA 2K7

★ 9) NBA 07

★ 10)
'Ten best-selling Xbox games of 2006:'[4]

★ 1) Madden NFL 07

★ 2) Black

★ 3) NCAA Football 07

★ 4)

★ 5)

★ 6) Fight Night Round 3

★ 7) Major League Baseball 2K6

★ 8)

★ 9)

★ 10) Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
'Ten best-selling Xbox 360 games of 2006:'[5]

★ 1) Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

★ 2) Madden NFL 07

★ 3) Gears of War

★ 4)

★ 5) Fight Night Round 3

★ 6) Saints Row

★ 7) Dead Rising

★ 8) NCAA Football 07

★ 9) Call of Duty 3

★ 10)
'Ten best-selling GameCube games of 2006:'[6]

★ 1) Sonic Riders

★ 2)

★ 3)

★ 4) Cars

★ 5) Madden NFL 07

★ 6)

★ 7)

★ 8) Over the Hedge

★ 9)

★ 10) Teen Titans
'Ten best-selling Wii games of 2006:'[7]

★ 1)

★ 2) Red Steel

★ 3)

★ 4) Rayman Raving Rabbids

★ 5) Call of Duty 3

★ 6) Madden NFL 07

★ 7)

★ 8)

★ 9) Excite Truck

★ 10)
'Ten best-selling DS games of 2006:'[8]

★ 1) New Super Mario Bros.

★ 2) Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team

★ 3)

★ 4) Metroid Prime Hunters

★ 5) Super Princess Peach

★ 6) Big Brain Academy

★ 7) Tetris DS

★ 8) Nintendogs

★ 9) Mario Hoops 3-on-3

★ 10) Pokémon Ranger

References


[9]

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

psst.. try this: add to faves