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Events

  • October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi
    Gunpei Yokoi

    Gunpei Yokoi, also spelled , was a long-time Nintendo employee, creator of the Game Boy, and producer of the long-running Metroid ....
     (1941-1997) dies after a double car accident.
  • November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) launched.
  • 3rd annual E3
    E3

    The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual trade show for the video game industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association....
     (Electronic Entertainment Expo)
  • TSR, Inc.
    TSR, Inc.

    TSR, Inc. was an United States game publishing company most famous for publishing the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The company was purchased in 1997 by Wizards of the Coast, which no longer uses the TSR name for its products....
    , the owner of the Dungeons & Dragons
    Dungeons & Dragons

    Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by TSR, Inc....
     role-playing game
    Role-playing game

    A role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a role-playing game system of rules and guidelines....
    , was acquired by Wizards of the Coast
    Wizards of the Coast

    Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
    .


Notable releases

  • January 2 - Diablo
    Diablo (video game)

    Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game Software developer by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on January 2, 1997....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • February 10 - Mario Kart 64
    Mario Kart 64

    is a racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in 1996 in Japan and in 1997 in North America and Europe. On January 26, 2007, Mario Kart 64 was released on Nintendo's European Virtual Console service for the Wii....
     (N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
    )
  • February 28 - Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
    Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

    Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a first-person shooter video game released for the Nintendo 64 game console and later for Microsoft Windows. It was released in 1997 in video gaming, and is based on the Valiant Comics comic book series of the Turok....
     (N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
    )
  • March 20 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
    Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

    Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a 2D computer graphics action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. Its Japanese language title is ....
     (PS
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    ) (Sega Saturn
    Sega Saturn

    The is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe. The system was discontinued in 2000 in video gaming in Japan and in 1998 in video gaming in other countries....
    )
  • April 30 - Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
    Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter

    Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter is the third installment of the X-Wing computer game series, although it is not a regular part of the series....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • May 31 - MDK
    MDK (video game)

    MDK is a third-person shooter video game developed by Shiny Entertainment and released in 1997 by Playmates Interactive Entertainment for the IBM PC compatible, Apple Macintosh, and subsequently PlayStation....
    :     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    ) (PS
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    )
  • June 26 - Dungeon Keeper
    Dungeon Keeper

    Dungeon Keeper is a strategy game video game released for the Personal computer in which the player attempts to build and manage a dungeon or lair while protecting it from 'hero' characters intent on stealing the users accumulated treasures and killing various monsters....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • July 1 - Star Fox 64
    Star Fox 64

    , known in Australia and Europe as Lylat Wars due to Star Fox , is a Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters video game for the Nintendo 64 video game console....
     (Nintendo 64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
    )
  • July 30 - Carmageddon
    Carmageddon

    Carmageddon is the first of a series of graphically violent driving-oriented video games produced by Stainless Games, published by Interplay Entertainment and SCi....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • August 25 - GoldenEye 007
    GoldenEye 007

    GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console, and based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye....
     (N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
    )
  • August 31 - Hexen II
    Hexen II

    Hexen II is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Raven Software from 1996 to 1997, published by id Software and distributed by Activision....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • September 7 - Final Fantasy VII
    Final Fantasy VII

    is a console role-playing game developed by Square Co. and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series....
     (PS
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    ), (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • September 19 - Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
    Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee

    Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is a multi-award winning platform game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants and published by GT Interactive. It was released in 1997 for the PlayStation video game console, DOS and Microsoft Windows in North America, Australia and Europe....
     (PS
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    ), (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • September 25 - Ultima Online
    Ultima Online

    Ultima Online is a graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game , released on September 25, 1997, by Origin Systems. It was instrumental to the development of the genre, and is still running today....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • September 30 - Fallout
    Fallout (computer game)

    Fallout is a computer role-playing game produced by Tim Cain, developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment in 1997....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • September 30 - Total Annihilation
    Total Annihilation

    Total Annihilation is a real-time strategy computer game created by Cavedog Entertainment and released on September 30, 1997 by GT Interactive for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • October - Grand Theft Auto (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • October 9 - Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
    Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II

    Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a first person shooter Video game. It was developed and published by LucasArts and released on October 9, 1997....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • October 26 - Age of Empires (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • October 29 - Riven
    Riven

    Riven is the sequel to the highly successful personal computer game Myst. Developed by Cyan Worlds, it was initially published by Br?derbund....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    ) (Mac
    Macintosh

    File:Imac alu.pngMacintosh, commonly shortened to Mac, is a brand name which covers several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc....
    )
  • October 31 - The Curse of Monkey Island
    The Curse of Monkey Island

    The Curse of Monkey Island is an adventure game developed and published by LucasArts, and the third game in the Monkey Island series. It was released in and followed the successful games The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • November - Tomb Raider II
    Tomb Raider II

    Tomb Raider II is a video game in the Tomb Raider series series, and is the sequel to Tomb Raider. It was video game developer by Core Design and video game publisher by Eidos Interactive, and was originally released for Windows 95, PlayStation and Apple Macintosh in November 1997 in video gaming....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    ) (PS
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    )
  • November 14 - Postal
    Postal (computer game)

    Postal is a computer game made by Running With Scissors, Inc. and published by Ripcord Games in 1997. In 2003 there was a sequel, Postal?....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • November 21 - Diddy Kong Racing
    Diddy Kong Racing

    Diddy Kong Racing is a 1997 racing game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Rare . 800,000 copies were ordered in the two weeks before Christmas 1997, making it the fastest selling video game at the time, according to the Guinness Book of Records....
     (N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
    )
  • November 25 - Myth: The Fallen Lords
    Myth (computer game)

    Myth is a series of real-time tactics computer games. The games are:*Myth: The Fallen Lords*Myth II: Soulblighter*'Myth III: The Wolf Age...
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • December 6 - Quake II
    Quake II

    Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter Personal computer game developed by id Software and distributed by Activision....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • December 19 - Wing Commander: Prophecy
    Wing Commander: Prophecy

    Wing Commander: Prophecy is the fourth direct sequel in Chris Roberts' Wing Commander science fiction space combat simulator franchise of computer games....
     (PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    )
  • December 23 - Gran Turismo
    Gran Turismo (video game)

    Gran Turismo is a racing game designed by Kazunori Yamauchi. Gran Turismo was developed by Polyphony Digital and first published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1997 in video gaming for the PlayStation video game console....
     (PS1
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
    )


Hardware

  • March 1 — The Nintendo 64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
     is released in Europe
    Europe

    Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
     and Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
  • October — Nintendo
    Nintendo

    is a global company located in Kyoto, Japan founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
     releases a smaller redesigned SNES
    Super Nintendo Entertainment System

    The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES is a History of video game consoles video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993....
    .
  • Sony
    Sony

    is a multinational corporation list of conglomerates corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding US$99.1 billion ....
     releases PlayStation
    PlayStation

    The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
     development software for PC
    IBM PC compatible

    IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM Personal Computer, IBM Personal Computer XT, and IBM Personal Computer/AT....
  • Tiger Electronics
    Tiger Electronics

    Tiger Electronics is an United States toy manufacturer, best known for its handheld LCD games, the Furby, and Digital pet.Randy Rissman and Roger Shiffman founded the company in 1978....
     releases the Game.com
    Game.com

    The game.com was a handheld game console released by Tiger Electronics in September 1997. It featured many new ideas for handheld consoles and was aimed at an older target audience, sporting Personal Digital Assistant-style features and functions such as a touch screen and Stylus#Modern use....


Business

  • Activision
    Activision

    Activision Inc. is an United States video game developer and video game publisher. It was founded on October 1, 1979., and was the first independent developer and distributor of video games for video game console....
     acquires CentreSoft Ltd. and Raven Software
    Raven Software

    Raven Software is a video game developer based in Middleton, Wisconsin. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them....
  • Electronic Arts
    Electronic Arts

    Electronic Arts is an international video game developer, marketer, video game publisher and distributor of video games. Established in 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers responsible for its games....
     Inc. acquires Maxis
    Maxis

    Maxis Software was an United States company that was founded as a video game developer and is now a brand name of Electronic Arts . Maxis' second software title was the seminal SimCity, a city simulation and planning Video game....
  • GameTek
    GameTek

    GameTek was a video game publisher based in North Miami Beach, Florida well known for publishing video game adaptations of game shows in the early 1990s....
     filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed its doors in July 1999
  • 2015, Inc.
    2015, Inc.

    2015 is a video game developer founded in 1997 by its President and CEO, Tom Kudirka. Currently, 2015 is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 2015 is perhaps most famous for the development of the highly successful Personal computer game Medal of Honor: Allied Assault....
     founded
  • 4D Rulers Software, Inc. founded
  • September — 4HEAD Studios created
  • Bungie Studios West formed by Bungie Software Products Corp.
  • Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation founded
  • Crave Entertainment
    Crave Entertainment

    Crave Entertainment is an United States video game company. It was founded in 1997 by Nima Taghavi. Its headquarters is in Newport Beach, California, California....
    , Inc. formed
  • August — Human Head Studios
    Human Head Studios

    Human Head Studios is a video game developer located in Madison, Wisconsin.Human Head was founded in 1997 by a group of six developers formerly from Raven Software--Chris Rhinehart, Paul MacArthur, Shane Gurno, Ben Gokey, James Sumwalt, and Ted Halsted -- later joined by game producer Tim Gerritsen....
    , Inc. formed
  • Illusion Softworks
    Illusion Softworks

    2K Czech is game development company located in Brno, in the Czech Republic, and was founded by Petr Vochozka and itsventure capital investors, Cash Reform Group....
    , a.s. founded
  • April 15 — Irem
    Irem (company)

    is a Japan video game console Video game developer and Video game publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. They are probably best known for the famous Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters R-Type....
     Software Engineering Inc. founded
  • Irrational Games
    Irrational Games

    2K Boston/2K Australia is a video game developer founded in 1997 by three former employees of Looking Glass Studios: Ken Levine, Jonathan Chey, and Robert Fermier as Irrational Games....
     LLC founded
  • Mythic Entertainment
    Mythic Entertainment

    Mythic Entertainment is a video game developer in Fairfax, Virginia which is most widely recognized for developing the 2001 massively multiplayer online role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot....
     renames itself from Interworld Productions after name dispute with another "Interworld" company
  • THQ
    THQ

    THQ Inc. is an Worldwide international United States Video game developer and Video game publisher of video games. Founded in 1989, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices....
     renamed from Toy Head-Quarters, Inc.
  • Warthog PLC founded


Lawsuits

  • Nintendo v. Games City; Nintendo sues Games City for selling the Game Doctor and Doctor V64
    Doctor V64

    The Doctor V64 is a development and backup device made by Bung Enterprises Ltd that is used in conjunction with the Nintendo 64. The Doctor V64 also had the ability to play Video CDs, audio CDs and had an option for applying stereo 3D effects to the audio....
     backup devices for the SNES
    Super Nintendo Entertainment System

    The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES is a History of video game consoles video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993....
     and N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
     consoles. Nintendo wins the suit.
  • Nintendo v. Prima Publishing; Nintendo sues Prima over copyrights to map of the N64
    Nintendo 64

    The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
     video game GoldenEye 007
    GoldenEye 007

    GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console, and based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye....
    . Nintendo loses the suit
  • Nintendo vs Sony Video Games; Nintendo sues Sony over copyrights about Mario games