August 1994
Description
30 years ago:
Computer industry booms as consoles slump,
Nintendo announces Ultra64 &
The internet gets scary
These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM!
This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in August 1994.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.
Alex Smith of They Create Worlds is our cohost. Check out his podcast here:
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Links:
If you don't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/123352781/edit
7 Minutes in Heaven: Cliffhanger (Amiga)
Video Version: https://youtu.be/KZ7J9qEpqxI
https://www.mobygames.com/game/29830/cliffhanger/
Corrections:
July 1994 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/july-1994-part-1-116538490
https://www.patreon.com/posts/july-1994-part-2-116538674
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
Defunctland Jim Henson Series - https://youtu.be/BVoGf1JTVeI?si=PBwUInz2t7hBe-Eq
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_superhighway
https://en.namu.wiki/w/RX-78%20Gundam
https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/SPECIAL
https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW164
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Cook
Wrestling with Games - XBAND - https://youtu.be/k_5M-z_RUKA?si=tuuDxPGj6GnTPc-B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(service)
1994:
Canada to get their own ratings
New VCR proves 6 heads are better than 1, The Toronto Star, August 11, 1994,Thursday, FINAL EDITION, Section: FAST FORWARD; Pg. F2, byline: BY ROBERT WRIGHT TORONTO STARON THE EDGE
California presses forward with video game violence bill
https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/ pg. 29
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-13-mn-45306-story.html
IDSA board selected
Mattel takes a second look at games
Mattel Hires Sega Executive, The Associated Press, August 2, 1994, Tuesday, BC cycle
Square goes public
CORPORATE PROFILE: SQUARE, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 5, 1994, FRIDAY
Japanese companies playing with fire
"As derivatives proliferate, so do worries Companies try to control risks from transactions intended to rein in costs but which can backfire, The Nikkei Weekly (Japan), August 15, 1994, Section: FINANCE; Pg. 13, Byline: BY ASAKO ISHIBASHI Staff writer"
Acclaim buys Valiant
ACCLAIM ACQUIRES VOYAGER COMMUNICATIONS FOR $65 MILLION Marks Company's Diversification into Comic Book Publishing, Business Wire, August 2, 1994, Tuesday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_book_collecting#Bust_of_the_speculator_market
UK video rental market embraces games... illegally
Games Spark Sagging U.K. Vid Biz; But Many Don't Have Licenses To Rent Them, Billboard, August 13, 1994, Section: HOME VIDEO; Pg. 76, Byline: BY PETER DEAN
Sonic out to zap the 'swapping' boom, The Scotsman, August 23, 1994, Tuesday, Byline: By Chris Mullinger
UK teens tune out to games
MEDIA GUARDIAN: LUST FOR NASTIES AND HARD NEWS, The Guardian (London), August 8, 1994, Section: THE GUARDIAN FEATURES PAGE; Pg. T17
Sega announces US theme park
Universal Teams With Sega on Theme Park, Disneyland Annex Scaled Back, The Associated Press, August 12, 1994, Friday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Byline: By E. SCOTT RECKARD, AP Business Writer
Report: Sega Plan to Open 50 High-Tech Theme Parks in U.S., The Associated Press, August 16, 1994, Tuesday, BC cycle, Section: Business News
Sega buys Data East Pinball
Sega acquires Data East Pinball, Business Wire, August 26, 1994, Friday
Doom coming to arcades
DOOM IS ALL AROUND US, Business Week, August 1, 1994, Business and Industry, Section: Pg. 72;
https://doom.fandom.com/wiki/Trivia
https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/112509-share-your-epic-doom-related-stories/
Atari Games President passes
Play Meter, August 1994, pg. 32
Hasbro readies to enter VR market
No Headline In Original, ADWEEK, August 15, 1994, Eastern Edition, Byline: By Jennifer Comiteau and Penny Warneford, with Cathy Taylor
https://www.unseen64.net/2018/10/04/hasbro-toaster-virtual-reality-console/
Begone Project Reality, all hail Ultra 64
https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/ pg. 28
Sega teams up with Hitachi in Japan
HITACHI SALES TO HELP SEGA MARKET VIDEO GAMES, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 3, 1994, WEDNESDAY
Sega, Hitachi Sales link up to sell video game machine, Japan Economic Newswire, AUGUST 3, 1994, WEDNESDAY
Sega buys Cross Products
The leading video game development tool, Business Wire, August 15, 1994, Monday
https://segaretro.org/Cross_Products
https://web.archive.org/web/19961227100911/http://www.crossprod.co.uk/
Jaguar CD to launch by Xmas
https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/ pg. 29
ATARI CORP. ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 1994 RESULTS, PR Newswire, August 1, 1994, Monday - 19:55 Eastern Time, Section: Financial News
Sanyo gives console market a TRY
SANYO TO RELEASE INTERACTIVE GAME MACHINE TRY, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 31, 1994, WEDNESDAY
3DO announces losses
Video Game System Company Posts $ 16.1 Million First-Quarter Loss, The Associated Press, August 11, 1994, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
COMPANY NEWS; SHARES OF 3DO SOAR ON FORECAST FOR NEW SYSTEM, The New York Times, August 24, 1994, Wednesday, Late Edition - Final, Distribution: Financial Desk, Section: Section D; ; Section D; Page 3; Column 1; Financial Desk ; Column 1;
3DO UNVEILS PLANS TO BOOST POWER OF GAME PLAYERS, WALL STREET JOURNAL, August 25, 1994, Thursday, Section: Section B; Page 8, Column 4, Byline: BY JIM CARLTON
ANOTHER KEY EXEC DEPARTS O&M'S, INTERACTIVE GROUP; 3DO POWERS UP TO MEET COMPETITION; INTERACTING:; OTHER NEWS: Advertising Age, August 29, 1994, Section: Pg. 14
Mortal Friday gets $10 million budget
ACCLAIM'S 'MORTAL KOMBAT II' PREPARED TO STRIKE ON 'MORTAL FRIDAY,' SEPTEMBER 9; Company Spending Over $10 Million on Global Launch, Business Wire, August 4, 1994, Thursday
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_121/page/n29/mode/2up
Acclaim buys into FMV Playthings, August 1994, pg. 19
https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_061_August_1994/page/n157/mode/1up?view=theater
Macromedia and Microware want to bring PCs and ITV together
Agreement to Make Computer Programs Available for Interactive TV Use, The Associated Press, August 1, 1994, Monday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Byline: By STEVEN P. ROSENFELD, AP Business Writer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macromedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microware
Computer industry profits boom
Not drowning, waving at profits, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), August 2, 1994 Tuesday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Mass Storage; Pg. 34
SPA reports huge boom in sales
"NORTH AMERICAN PC SOFTWARE SALES REACH $1.48 BILLION, IN FIRST QUARTER 1994; HOME EDUCATION SALES LEAD GROWTH -- UP 128%, PR Newswire, August 8, 1994, Monday - 14:29 Eastern Time, Section: Financial News"
CDRom bundles discouraging sales
Dataquest Consumer Survey Shows Where CD-ROM Title Developers Can Be Successful, Business Wire, August 8, 1994, Monday
Sirius Publishing to release long-awaited 5-ft. 10-Pak Volume II, Business Wire, August 8, 1994, Monday
https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-08/page/n15/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/14/mode/2up
Flash memory prices tumbling
Not drowning, waving at profits, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), August 2, 1994 Tuesday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Mass Storage; Pg. 34
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory
Cyrix to take on AMD
Infoworld August 8, 1994, pg. 5
Employers begin to crackdown on games
Games they play, The Times, August 1, 1994, Monday, Section: Business, Byline: Jon Ashworth
Microsoft targets "loosely supervised Executives"
SUNDAY, August 7, 1994; Playing Games at Work, The New York Times, August 7, 1994, Sunday, Late Edition - Final, Distribution: Magazine Desk, Section: Section 6; ; Section 6; Page 12; Column 1; Magazine Desk ; Column 1;
MacPlay expands lineup
Playthings, August 1994, pg. 44
Ad game business booming in Germany
https://archi






















