1990 S

Internet- PC EXPLOSION!

Not sure if this is the correct place for this information, but it's an important mention. The video game rating system was introduced in the mid 90's. I am sure it has had some kind of financial impact on the sale of games. Kids are no longer able to purchase mature games. Although, we all know that the demographics for mature games are always younger. Therefore, has the maturity ranking system influenced the video game industry on sales? With the introduction of the internet, has this taken away the effectiveness of the system. Obviously if you purchase a game off E-bay, the seller does not do an ID check. Many young kids have access to parent credit cards….

Ratings of Games on the Internet
ECI EI TI MI AOI
Early Childhood Interactive Everyone Interactive Teen Interactive Mature Interactive Adults Only Interactive
Content suitable for children age 3 and older. Content suitable for children age 6 and older. Content suitable for those age 13 and older. Content suitable for those age 17 and older. Content suitable for adults only.
Video Game Ratings
EC E T M AO
Early Childhood Everyone Teen Mature Adults Only
Content suitable for children age 3 and older. Content suitable for children age 6 and older; game may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief, and some crude language. Content suitable for those age 13 and older. Game may contain violent content, mild or strong language, and suggestive themes. Content suitable for those age 17 and older. Game may include more intense violence or language than products rated T and may include mature sexual themes. Content suitable for adults only. Game may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Products rated AO are not intended to be sold or rented to anyone under the age of 18.

*Source for above information: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921908.html
Multiplayer FPS (first person shooter) gaming first made headlines back in 1996 when a company called id Software, well-known for its DOOM and Commander Keen games, released what was considered a gaming phenomenon — a multiplayer test version of its Quake game.

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2005/multiplayer_gaming.asp

*Not a reliant source, but we should look further into this. Is doom the 1st online multi-player game. What impact did this have on video game sales?

MMORPG History continued

As the 1990’s progressed, so did the internet, and consequently online gaming. During the 1990’s MMORPG began to develop. Now with high tech computers and broader internet connections, online games were allowed to broaden their horizons. The games now enabled graphics instead of text based playing. The first Neverwinter Nights went live in 1991 on AOL and ran through 1997. Other games like “The Realm Online” and The Shadow of Yserbius began to appear and ran for a couple of years.

The by the end of the 1990’s we began to see major developments in online gaming. Among those are Ultima Online and Meridan 59, which became very popular, as many people subscribed to these games. Then in 1999 Everquest drove MMORPG’s mainstream. It became the most successful MMORPG for years.

Info – History of MMORPG

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