History of video games/2010-2019

__NOTOC__ Trends The changing economy of games Online game marketplaces like Steam became quite popular as digital distribution of computer games takes off with gamers.How digital distribution is changing the scope of gaming https://venturebeat.com/community/2014/05/06/how-digital-distribution-is-changing-the-scope-of-gaming/ 19 December 2020 VentureBeat Other major publishers enter or redouble their efforts in the market, such as the launch of EA's Origin platform in 2011,EA Launches 'Origin,' Downloadable Games Service https://www.wired.com/2011/06/ea-origin/ 2 January 2021 Wired en-us the revamping of Ubisoft Uplay in 2012,Ubisoft Launches Their Own PC Gaming Client, and Is Selling Some Games For $1 to Get You To Try It https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-launches-their-own-pc-gaming-client-and-is-sel-5935427 2 January 2021 Kotaku en-us the release of the Bethesda Launcher in 2016,Did Bethesda just release its own uPlay-like games launcher? https://www.tweaktown.com/news/51945/bethesda-release-uplay-games-launcher/index.html 2 January 2021 TweakTown 1 May 2016 and the release of the Epic Games Store in 2018.Orland Kyle Epic Games Store launches with extremely limited selection of games https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/epic-games-store-launches-with-extremely-limited-selection-of-games/ 2 January 2021 Ars Technica 7 December 2018 en-us There were also less standard online storefronts that gained popularity, such as the launch of the indie focused platforms Humble Bundle in 2010,About Humble Bundle https://www.humblebundle.com/about Humble Bundle 2 January 2021 en and itch.io in 2013.Frequently Asked Questions https://itch.io/docs/general/faq itch.io 2 January 2021 en In the later part of the decade, cross play between platforms begins to see more adoption.Hernandez Patricia Fortnite’s cross-play made history, but now some players hate it https://www.polygon.com/2019/10/24/20930824/fortnite-cross-play-epic-games-skill-based-matchmaking-controller-mouse-keyboard-better 29 January 2021 Polygon 24 October 2019 en Often new game storefronts and associated customer support systems were poorly secured, leading to large breaches of gamer information.Marshall Cass Bethesda support site leaks Fallout 76 customers’ personal info https://www.polygon.com/2018/12/5/18128248/fallout-76-customer-information-leaked-collectors-edition 2 January 2021 Polygon 5 December 2018 en Casual games reach wide audiences with digital distribution on smartphone application stores,Despite The Name, Report Finds “Mobile Games” Are Played Most Often At Home https://techcrunch.com/2012/03/20/mobile-games-survey-couched/ 19 December 2020 TechCrunch as well as on social media websites such as Facebook.Cavalli Earnest Casual gaming continues to prove lucrative for Farmville publisher https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/casual-gaming-continues-to-prove-lucrative-for-farmville-publisher/ 19 December 2020 www.digitaltrends.com April 27, 2012 The new frontier of digital game storefronts also attracted criminals, who took advantage of these new platforms and associated services by exploiting policy weaknesses to resell hacked keys or launder money gained through more traditional criminal acts.Orland Kyle G2A confirms stolen game key sales, pays $40,000 to Factorio devs https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/05/g2a-confirms-stolen-game-key-sales-pays-40000-to-factorio-devs/ 2 January 2021 Ars Technica 21 May 2020 en-usValve shuts down money laundering via CS:GO game https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50262447 2 January 2021 BBC News 1 November 2019 Many games go free to play, with monetization strategies such as in app purchases proving lucrative for some developers.Wingfield Nick Free Video Games Say Pay Up or Wait, Testing Players’ Patience (Published 2014) https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/technology/free-video-games-say-pay-up-or-wait-testing-players-patience.html 19 December 2020 The New York Times 5 July 2014Goethe Taylor Synclair Pay to Win: Monetization in Gaming https://reporter.rit.edu/tech/pay-win-monetization-gaming 19 December 2020 Reporter Dark patterns in many games enabled by internet connectivity begin to catch attention.What is a Dark Pattern in video games? https://gurusability.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/what-is-a-dark-pattern-in-video-games/ 20 December 2020 Gur-u 28 August 2014 en In particular, many games, both paid and free to play, add cosmetic and "Pay to Win" microtransactions and loot boxes.Zendle David Meyer Rachel Ballou Nick The changing face of desktop video game monetisation: An exploration of exposure to loot boxes, pay to win, and cosmetic microtransactions in the most-played Steam games of 2010-2019 PLoS ONE 7 May 2020 15 5 10.1371/journal.pone.0232780 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7205278/ 2 January 2021 1932-6203 Loot boxes in particular are linked to gambling addictions during this time.Zendle David Cairns Paul Loot boxes are again linked to problem gambling: Results of a replication study PLoS ONE 7 March 2019 14 3 10.1371/journal.pone.0213194 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6405116/ 2 January 2021 1932-6203 These techniques raised concerns and potentially ran afoul of gambling laws, creating friction between the industry and regulators.Great Britain: Government Seeks Opinion on Regulation of Video Game Loot Boxes Global Legal Monitor https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/great-britain-government-seeks-opinion-on-regulation-of-video-game-loot-boxes/ 2 January 2021 www.loc.gov 27 October 2020 Unofficial sites that offered services such as skin gabling proliferated during this boom of in game cosmetics.Campbell Colin The true cost of Counter-Strike skin gambling https://www.polygon.com/features/2016/7/18/12203534/counter-strike-cs-go-skin-gambling 2 January 2021 Polygon 18 July 2016 enFrank Allegra Counter-Strike YouTubers revealed as owners of gambling site they promoted (update) https://www.polygon.com/2016/7/4/12093546/csgo-lotto-tmartn-syndicate-youtube-disclosure 2 January 2021 Polygon 4 July 2016 en A lack of moderation on online storefronts lead to a number of controversial and low quality games being released.Lucero II Louis Steam, After Pulling School Shooter Game, Says It Will Sell Nearly Everything (Published 2018) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/technology/steam-games-active-shooter.html 21 January 2021 The New York Times 8 June 2018Nintendo Accused Of Hosting Asset Flip Game On Switch, And Fans Aren't Happy https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/nintendo_accused_of_hosting_asset_flip_game_on_switch_and_fans_arent_happy 21 January 2021 Nintendo Life 11 May 2020 Some games see success on crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter,Kickstarter crowdsourced cash empowers US innovators https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17531736 2 January 2021 BBC News 28 March 2012 despite often lacking solid prototypes. This also helps to revive old styles of games no longer seen as viable by major industry players.Crowdfunding Pitches as Genre Writing https://news.uark.edu/articles/42703/crowdfunding-pitches-as-genre-writing 2 January 2021 University of Arkansas News At the same time, a number of high profile scams and failures shake confidence in crowdfunding as a model for video game funding.Kickstarter video game project exposed as a scam https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17915305 2 January 2021 BBC News 1 May 2012 Many of the first widely available cloud gaming platforms were launched during this time. Some launches have problems, though the potential of the technology is acknowledged.Kain Erik Google Stadia Review: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2019/11/26/google-stadia-review-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/?sh=4bc35d356cc1 19 December 2020 Forbes en The ebb and flow of sanctions on Iran during this decade helped shape their burgeoning game industry.Lewis Danny Inside Iran’s Budding Video Game Industry https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/inside-irans-budding-video-game-industry-180957856/ 24 January 2021 Smithsonian Magazine enA First Look At Mobile Gamers In Iran https://techcrunch.com/2016/01/17/a-first-look-at-mobile-gamers-in-iran/ 24 January 2021 TechCrunchElmjouie Yara The game industry of Iran https://www.polygon.com/features/2016/1/14/10757460/the-game-industry-of-iran 24 January 2021 Polygon 14 January 2016 en Notably, their small but hardy homegrown industry managed to compete against mostly pirated international imports for its domestic marketshare of about 20 million gamers.Video Game Based On Ancient Story Aims For Audiences In Iran, Beyond https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/01/13/376789932/video-game-based-on-ancient-story-aims-for-audiences-in-iran-beyond' 24 January 2021 NPR.org en Developer treatment enters the public eye This decade saw the increasing awareness of gamers of frequent poor treatment faced by video game developers in some work environments. While imperfect conditions can exist in any occupation and issues had existed in the game industry previously, this decade saw a large deterioration in relations between companies and developers. Tactics used by companies which hurt developers during this time included misclassifying workers to dodge labor laws, expecting a cycle of long crunch times with unemployment following immediately after, and creating a fear of retaliation so that employees would be reluctant to speak to the press.Campbell Colin The game industry's disposable workers https://www.polygon.com/features/2016/12/19/13878484/game-industry-worker-misclassification 6 January 2021 Polygon 19 December 2016 en In late 2016 the video game industry saw its first major strike, following a breakdown of negotiations between a handful of major companies and the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), with 450 members picketing the company Insomniac Games.The Video Game Industry Is Afraid of Unions https://www.vice.com/en/article/nz9e58/walk-the-line 6 January 2021 www.vice.com en This lead to industry concern that game developers would observe these workers demanding better and possibly unionizing as a result. Quality Assurance (QA) Testing entered the spotlight as a field where some companies were mistreating employees.Miller Patrick Contract QA: A dead end or a foot-in-the-door? https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/193614/Contract_QA_A_dead_end_or_a_footinthedoor.php 24 January 2021 www.gamasutra.com enI Freelanced On Halo 4. It's Time For Gaming's Contractors To Strike. https://kotaku.com/i-freelanced-on-halo-4-its-time-for-gamings-contract-510353357 24 January 2021 Kotaku en-us The practice of using Bug Quotas in QA testing in particular were in decline around 2019, as it created a perverse incentive which resulted in counterproductive work being done.How the Video Game Industry Treats its Testers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ZdU1RQjmc 24 January 2021 From 2009 to 2019 game developer views on unionization shifted radically from a small percentage of developers in favor of unionization to much broader support.Video Game Creators Are Burned Out and Desperate for Change https://time.com/5603329/e3-video-game-creators-union/ 6 January 2021 Time Notably, in the United Kingdom an official trade union for video game developers was formed in 2018.Fogel Stefanie Game Workers Unite UK Is That Country’s First Games Industry Union https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/game-workers-unite-uk-video-game-union-1203090102/ 6 January 2021 Variety 14 December 2018 Some American politicians supported unionization efforts within the gaming industry.Sanders Bernie Twitter https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1140982500249997313 6 January 2021 Not all companies mistreated their developers this decade. As a result of increased public awareness of these issues, companies such as Nintendo and Media Molecule use their avoidance of crunch as a symbol of ethical leadership within the video game industry.Square Push Media Molecule Doesn't Crunch, Reckons It's Too 90s https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2018/10/media_molecule_doesnt_crunch_reckons_its_too_90s 6 January 2021 Push Square 4 October 2018Nintendo: Animal Crossing delay means avoiding crunch https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-06-12-nintendo-animal-crossing-delay-means-avoiding-crunch 6 January 2021 GamesIndustry.biz en Player Wellbeing As video game industry grew dramatically this decade,Partin Will Analysis The 2010s were a banner decade for big money and tech — and esports reaped the rewards https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2020/01/28/2010s-were-banner-decade-big-money-tech-esports-reaped-rewards/ 23 January 2021 Washington Post interest grew in safeguarding the wellbeing of gamers. Following industry support for gamer healthcare, the Obama Administration supported an initiative for gamers to get healthcare coverage in the United States of America from 2015 to the end of the administration's term in office in 2017.Helping Gamers Get Health Care Coverage (An Epic Win) https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/12/08/helping-gamers-get-health-care-coverage-epic-win 23 January 2021 whitehouse.gov 8 December 2016 enPopper Ben The White House wants professional video gamers to get health insurance https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/11/8019255/e-sports-health-insurance-obamacare-twitch 23 January 2021 The Verge 11 February 2015 enSolsman Joan E. Obamacare's last gasp: Get Twitch gamers on board https://www.cnet.com/news/obamacare-twitch-gamers-obama-trump-aca-affordable-care-act-e-sports/ 23 January 2021 CNET en On May 25th, 2018 the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes gaming addiction as a medical disorder, though there was some contention around the issue.Is 'Gaming Disorder' An Illness? WHO Says Yes, Adding It To Its List Of Diseases https://www.npr.org/2019/05/28/727585904/is-gaming-disorder-an-illness-the-who-says-yes-adding-it-to-its-list-of-diseases 21 January 2021 NPR.org en The description of gaming addiction provided was very specific, and was only applied to those neglecting basic needs to play games for extended periods of time. Research this decade also suggested that gaming may have positive effects when performed in balance with other life activities.Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits, review finds https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/video-game 23 January 2021 www.apa.org Mobile operating systems iOS and Android focused on digital wellbeing tools in 2018.Duino Justin Google's Digital Wellbeing will help you understand smartphone habits, view usage, focus on the important things https://9to5google.com/2018/05/08/google-digital-wellbeing/ 23 January 2021 9to5Google 8 May 2018Apple unveils a new set of ‘digital wellness’ features for better managing screen time https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/04/apple-unveils-a-new-set-of-digital-wellness-features-for-better-managing-screen-time/ 23 January 2021 TechCrunch While meant for general use, the granular settings of these tools allowed either parental or self imposed limits to be set on game time specifically.Sorrel Charlie How to stop your kids from wasting their lives on Apple Arcade https://www.cultofmac.com/652536/set-apple-arcade-screen-time-limits/ 23 January 2021 Cult of Mac 17 September 2019 People's Republic of China opens up to consoles By January 2013 it was openly rumored that the ban on the sale of video game consoles in the People's Republic of China would be lifted.China's complicated history with video games: when a ban isn't really a ban https://www.engadget.com/2013-01-30-china-console-ban.html 14 October 2021 Engadget On January 7th, 2014 the People's Republic of China temporarily eases their ban of video game consoles put in place in the year 2000.China lifts ban on foreign video games consoles https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-25635719 14 October 2021 BBC News 7 January 2014China suspends ban on video game consoles after more than a decade https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-gamesconsoles/china-suspends-ban-on-video-game-consoles-after-more-than-a-decade-idUSBREA0606C20140107 14 October 2021 Reuters 7 January 2014 en The ban was permanently ended on July 25th, 2015.D'Orazio Dante China officially ends ban on video game consoles https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/25/9039995/china-ends-ban-on-video-game-consoles 14 October 2021 The Verge 25 July 2015 enBurkitt Laurie China to End Ban on Videogame Consoles https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-to-end-ban-on-videogame-consoles-1437813695 14 October 2021 Wall Street Journal 25 July 2015 Decline of the Physical Mediums As the industry shifted to online focused markets, the industry shifted away from traditional physical ones. This decade was especially transitional, as though physical games remained an important factor in the industry throughout the decade, digital games went from a small niche to the favored future of game distribution.Paprocki Matt Rumors of the Death of Physical Video Games Have Been Greatly Exaggerated https://variety.com/2019/gaming/features/physical-video-games-death-disc-digital-1203207513/ 6 January 2021 Variety 7 May 2019 Online shops gave serious competition to physical stores, leading to large chain stores floundering by the end of the decade.Gilbert Ben We went on a tour of New York City's GameStop stores to see if the company is doomed to become the next Blockbuster Video — here's what we found https://www.businessinsider.com/gamestop-failing-store-tour-shows-flawed-business-2019-8 19 December 2020 Business Insider This also affected other games related media. Continuing from the late 2000'sThe Incredible Shrinking Instruction Manual https://n4g.com/user/blogpost/baggio1000000/217807 19 December 2020 n4g.com en game manuals continued to shrink and were abandoned all together in some cases.Even Nintendo Seems To Be Abandoning Game Instruction Manuals https://kotaku.com/even-nintendo-seems-to-be-abandoning-game-instruction-m-1793260316 19 December 2020 Kotaku en-us Major publishers of Strategy Guides went from paper to online during this time.Asteri acquires Prima Games https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-03-14-asteri-acquires-prima-games GamesIndustry.biz 12 December 2020 en Automotive Gaming Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces partnership with Atari for games as Easter eggs on Tesla electric cars.Elon Musk Has A Deal With Atari To Turn Teslas Into Game Consoles https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-has-a-deal-with-atari-to-turn-teslas-into-gam-1828038584 Jalopnik 16 November 2020 en-us German automakers Audi and Mercedes-Benz both experimented with in car gaming concepts in 2019.Mercedes-Benz wants to turn your car into a video games console https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/mercedes-benz-in-car-gaming-challenge-2019-video-games/ 28 January 2021 Motoring Research 26 March 2019O'Kane Sean Audi and Disney want to spice up your Uber ride with VR https://www.theverge.com/ces/2019/1/7/18171688/audi-disney-marvel-virtual-reality-holoride-vr-oculus-uber-ces-2019 28 January 2021 The Verge 7 January 2019 en Rebirth of Arcades To a limited extent, Arcades saw a small revival during this time.Arcade businesses set for revival, industry insiders say https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/arcade-businesses-set-for-revival-industry-insiders-say-1628383/ 19 December 2020 Las Vegas Review-Journal 28 March 2019 In the 2000's arcades had struggled to compete with increasingly better home gaming experiences. Recognizing that Arcades could no longer rely on the technical dominance they once did, arcades reinvented themselves. Often this meant appealing to nostalgic adults and young adults looking for a new experience with barcades.Sedacca Matthew How Arcade Bars Became Boozy Playgrounds for Adults https://www.eater.com/2017/4/10/15212624/arcade-bar-barcade-video-games 23 January 2021 Others focused on special experiences that couldn't be had at home without spending significant amounts of money, such as virtual reality, to mixed success.Hollister Sean IMAX is shutting down its virtual reality arcade business for good https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/13/18139981/imax-virtual-reality-arcades-shut-down-write-off-los-angeles-bangkok-toronto 23 January 2021 The Verge 13 December 2018 enChan Khee Hoon Inside today's high-end virtual reality arcades https://www.pcgamer.com/inside-todays-high-end-virtual-reality-arcades/ 23 January 2021 PC Gamer 21 December 2018 Popular Genres Open World games Survival games Shooters Action adventure games Rougelikes Platformers Retro revival games Walking Simulators Visual Novels Notable Cross Platform Games of the 2010s 2010 Mass Effect 2 Outcry from conservative media on the first Mass Effect lead to LGBTQ themes in Mass Effect 2 being suppressed.Hernandez Patricia Report: Mass Effect 2 was once a bit more gay, but then Fox News happened https://www.polygon.com/2021/1/22/22244546/mass-effect-2-romance-jack-pansexual-fox-news 22 January 2021 Polygon 22 January 2021 en Mass Effect 2 Call of Duty: Black Ops This game attracted media attention for it's secret level featuring John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro cooperatively fighting against zombies in the Pentagon.Call of Duty Black Ops Secret Stage: JFK, Nixon and Castro Battle Zombies https://www.cbsnews.com/news/call-of-duty-black-ops-secret-stage-jfk-nixon-and-castro-battle-zombies/ 6 November 2021 www.cbsnews.com Call of Duty: Black Ops Later The Witcher 3 Final Fantasy XV Released in 2016 Final Fantasy XV is known for it's well written characters and real time combat system.Final Fantasy XV Review - IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/11/28/final-fantasy-xv-review 23 January 2021 en Final Fantasy XV is also known for the extensive care which was taken in modeling it's in game food.Reynolds Whitney The Food in 'Final Fantasy XV' Is Insanely Realistic https://www.eater.com/2016/12/21/14030230/final-fantasy-vx-15-food-review 23 January 2021 Eater 21 December 2016 en 2010 thumb|American Marines playing a video game tournament in Afghanistan in 2010. eInk games A few makers of eInk based ebook readers experiment with simple games that play well with the slow refresh displays used on these devices, though the market for such games quickly peters out.Reily Markus Games on E-Readers: A Missed Opportunity? https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/games-on-e-readers-a-missed-opportunity 23 January 2021 goodereader.com October 24, 2018 2011 thumb|A GameStop in San Francisco in 2010. The 2011 ruling of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association lifted previous sales restrictions in the state of California. Video Games as Speech In 2011 the United States Supreme Court rules video games are protected speech under the First Amendment of the United States constitution.Hudson Jr. David L. Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1382/brown-v-entertainment-merchants-association www.mtsu.edu 28 December 2020 en This overruled state legislation restricting the purchase of games based on game content. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the majority opinion, which was backed by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Justice Anthony Kennedy.Borger Faegre Baker Daniels LLP-John P. Walker Leita Supreme Court decides Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Assn Lexology https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=da355d62-dad2-47ec-a06c-44903afb5ee6 23 January 2021 www.lexology.com en Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Stephen Breyer dissented in this case. Justice Stephen Breyer cited court rulings allowing similar prohibitions on sexual content,Barnes Robert Supreme Court strikes Calif. law banning sale of violent video games to minors https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-strikes-calif-law-banning-sale-of-violent-video-games-to-minors/2011/06/26/AGwtxenH_story.html?hpid=z1&tid=a_inl_manual 23 January 2021 Washington Post 27 June 2011 while Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that a constitutional right to free speech does not fully apply when speaking to youth.Millhiser Ian Clarence Thomas wants to shrink your free speech rights — unless you are a rich donor https://www.vox.com/2020/5/12/21250988/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-free-speech-first-amendment-sineneng-smith 23 January 2021 Vox 12 May 2020 en Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the opinion given by Justice Clarence Thomas, noting that if such a position was taken, it would also lead to the erosion of the religious and political freedoms of youth in areas outside video games.Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Assn. ( Justice Scalia , Opinion of the Court ) https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-1448.ZO.html 23 January 2021 en-us 2011 Thus this case not only strengthened civil liberties in the United States of America as it relates to video games, it helped set a much broader precedent supporting general freedom of speech by youth. 2012 thumb|People playing a games in a library in 2012. Video Games as Artwork In November 2012 the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City debuted an applied design exhibition of 14 noteworthy video games.MoMA Video Games: 14 in the Collection, for Starters https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2012/11/29/video-games-14-in-the-collection-for-starters/ 28 December 2020 www.moma.orgMoMA to Exhibit Videogames, From Pong to Minecraft https://www.wired.com/2012/11/moma-videogames/ 28 December 2020 Wired en-us This prompted some backlash by those who did not consider video games to be artwork.Sorry MoMA, video games are not art https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2012/nov/30/moma-video-games-art 28 December 2020 the Guardian 30 November 2012 en Satellite technology in Games The 2012 release of Super Snowcross by EA (Electronic Arts) capitalizes on the public data provided by the ASTER sensor of the NASA earth observational satellite Terra to make realistic game maps based on real world locations based on data collected by the satellite, improving realism by replacing earlier randomly generated terrain.Satellite Maps Deliver More Realistic Gaming NASA Spinoff https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2012/cg_5.html 7 January 2021 spinoff.nasa.govOrland Kyle How NASA topography data brought dose of reality to SSX snowboarding courses https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/02/how-nasa-topography-data-brought-a-dose-of-reality-to-ssxs-snowboarding-courses/ 7 January 2021 Ars Technica 28 February 2012 en-us 2013 Microconsoles: Boom & Bust A number of crowdfunded microconsoles are launched this year, with hopes of finding a new approach to the console industry that was more open and inexpensive then what traditional consoles offered.Kelly Tadhg 2013: The year of the microconsole? https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/184465/2013_The_year_of_the_microconsole.php www.gamasutra.com 20 November 2020 en Several years later it becomes clear that none of the early microconsoles were long lived successes,Graft Kris With Ouya's demise, is the dream of the microconsole dead? https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/251100/With_Ouyas_demise_is_the_dream_of_the_microconsole_dead.php 19 December 2020 www.gamasutra.com enCalpito Dave PlayStation TV Is Dying A Slow Death: Sony Quietly Halts Shipments Of The Microconsole In Japan https://www.techtimes.com/articles/137236/20160229/playstation-tv-is-dying-a-slow-death-sony-quietly-halts-shipments-of-the-microconsole-in-japan.htm 19 December 2020 Tech Times 29 February 2016 enGood Owen S. Razer closing Ouya store, officially killing the console https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18635860/razer-ouya-store-forge-tv-closing-discontinued-dates 19 December 2020 Polygon 22 May 2019 en though the boom did create an interesting period of gaming history. Eighth Generation of Game Consoles 2013 saw the eighth generation of game consoles begin in earnest. 2014 Digital catches Physical In 2014 digital sales of games roughly reach parity with physical sales of games.Statt Nick For video game industry, 2014 couldn't escape slumping game sales https://www.cnet.com/news/for-video-game-industry-2014-couldnt-escape-slumping-software-sales/ 31 December 2020 CNET en The convenience of digital games was especially resonant with owners of portable devices, with many gamers growing accustomed to not needing to carry multiple cartridges with them in addition to the system itself.Five Reasons Why Digital Games Trump Physical - Feature https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/36638/physical-games-vs-digital-games-the-face-off-five-reasons-why-digital-games-trump-physical 31 December 2020 Nintendo World Report Twitch Plays Pokémon An experimental crowed source play through of the GameBoy game Pokémon Red leads 35,000 collective players to beat the game in 16 days.Robertson Adi Thousands of Twitch viewers beat massively multiplayer 'Pokemon' game https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/1/5459702/thousands-of-twitch-tv-viewers-beat-massively-multiplayer-pokemon-game The Verge 21 November 2020 en 1 March 2014 The immense internet sensation created by Twitch Plays Pokémon spurs other creators to create more interactive content on streaming platforms such as Twitch.Frank Allegra Five years ago, Twitch Plays Pokémon ‘changed Twitch forever’ https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/12/18221792/twitch-plays-pokemon-anniversary 19 December 2020 Polygon 12 February 2019 enTwitch makes it easier to find Twitch Plays Pokémon-style games https://venturebeat.com/2016/01/14/twitch-adds-directory-for-twitchplayspokemon-style-games/ 19 December 2020 VentureBeat 14 January 2016 2015 thumb|A EB Games game shop in 2015 Kojima & Konami In early 2015 Konami and a well known then Konami employee Hideo Kojima had a falling out, resulting in Kojima going independent.Sarkar Samit Konami's bitter, yearlong breakup with Hideo Kojima, explained https://www.polygon.com/2015/12/16/10220356/hideo-kojima-konami-explainer-metal-gear-solid-silent-hills Polygon 20 November 2020 en 16 December 2015 Konami also attempted to remove independent journalistic coverage of the event.Kuchera Ben Why didn't Konami want you to watch this video about Hideo Kojima? https://www.polygon.com/2015/5/12/8593793/why-didnt-konami-want-you-to-watch-this-video-about-hideo-kojima Polygon 20 November 2020 en 12 May 2015Konami Gets YouTube To Take Down Critical Video https://kotaku.com/konami-gets-youtube-to-take-down-critical-video-1703615047 Kotaku 20 November 2020 en-us This backfired, as this action attracted the attention of larger media outlets.YouTube Overrides Konami's Video Takedown https://kotaku.com/youtube-overrides-konamis-video-takedown-1704477268 Kotaku 20 November 2020 en-us Death of Satoru Iwata Satoru Iwata, CEO of Nintendo, passes away at the age of 55, shocking the industry and resulting in a number of tributes made.Nintendo's Satoru Iwata dies at 55 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-33502838 BBC News 20 November 2020 13 July 2015France-Presse Agence Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata dies of cancer aged 55 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/13/nintendo-ceo-satoru-iwata-dies-of-cancer-aged-55 the Guardian 20 November 2020 en 13 July 2015Stack Liam Satoru Iwata, Nintendo Chief Executive, Dies at 55 (Published 2015) https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/business/satoru-iwata-nintendo-chief-executive-dies-at-55.html The New York Times 20 November 2020 13 July 2015 Respects were paid across the industry, including from people working at rival companies who respected the impact and character of Iwata.Microsoft Xbox executives pay respects to Satoru Iwata https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-xbox-executives-pay-their-respects-nintendos-satoru-iwata 31 December 2020 Windows Central 13 July 2015Goodbye, Satoru Iwata: The video game industry remembers one of its best https://www.polygon.com/2015/7/12/8940769/goodbye-satoru-iwata-the-video-game-industry-remembers-one-of-its-best 31 December 2020 Polygon 12 July 2015 en 2017 Year of Innovation 2017 is noted for a number of high quality or mold breaking games releasing that year, like Breath of the Wild, Cuphead, Nier: Automata, Sonic Mania, Gravity Rush 2, Pyre, and Super Mario Odyssey.Staff Polygon The 50 best games of 2017 https://www.polygon.com/2017-best-games/2017/12/18/16781674/best-video-games-2017-top-50-mario-pubg-zelda Polygon 20 November 2020 en 18 December 2017The best games of 2017 https://www.engadget.com/2017-12-28-the-best-games-of-2017.html Engadget 20 November 2020 en Nier: Automata was noted for it's nihilistic tone.Senior Tom Nier: Automata is one of the saddest games ever made https://www.pcgamer.com/nier-automata-is-one-of-the-saddest-games-ever-made/ PC Gamer 11 December 2020 31 March 2017Wahba Michael Nier and Nietzsche: Conveying Nihilism Through Mechanics https://www.scholarlygamers.com/feature/2018/06/27/nier-nietzsche-conveying-nihilism-mechanics/ Scholarly Gamers 11 December 2020 en 27 June 2018 2017 also saw the release of new ways of gaming. The Nintendo Switch was released this year as the first popular hybrid game console, combining a portable console and a home console in one unit.Is Nintendo's Switch hybrid console the future of gaming? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/12/nintendo-switch-is-this-hybrid-console-the-future-of-gaming 6 January 2021 the Guardian 12 January 2017 en Netflix tested out interactive movies this year.Newton Casey Netflix’s interactive shows arrive to put you in charge of the story https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/20/15834858/netflix-interactive-shows-puss-in-boots-buddy-thunderstruck 6 January 2021 The Verge 20 June 2017 en End of Miiverse On November 8th, 2017 the Miiverse social networking service is shuttered. Miiverse had been Nintendo's gaming social network since 2012.Nintendo to close Miiverse social network https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41082918 20 December 2020 BBC News 29 August 2017 An unofficial community archive of Miiverse content was made before the shutdown occurred.McWhertor Michael Massive Miiverse archive goes online with 17 TB worth of posts https://www.polygon.com/2018/1/3/16844802/miiverse-archive-archiverse-old-miiverse-posts-wii-u-nintendo-3ds 20 December 2020 Polygon 3 January 2018 en Blockchain Mania In 2017 blockchain technology saw significant hype.Michelman Christian Catalini, interviewed by Paul Seeing Beyond the Blockchain Hype https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/seeing-beyond-the-blockchain-hype/ 31 December 2020 MIT Sloan Management Review Later in 2017 the early blockchain game Cryptokitties is released, crowding the Ethereum network with over one million USD worth of transactions made after a few days.People have spent over $1M buying virtual cats on the Ethereum blockchain https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/03/people-have-spent-over-1m-buying-virtual-cats-on-the-ethereum-blockchain/ 31 December 2020 TechCrunchCryptoKitties Mania Overwhelms Ethereum Network's Processing https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/cryptokitties-quickly-becomes-most-widely-used-ethereum-app 31 December 2020 Bloomberg.com 4 December 2017 en 2018 thumb|upright|Rapper Soulja Boy promoting Bandai Namco's JUMP FORCE at E3 2018. Celebrities in Gaming 2018 saw several celebrities attempt to get involved in the gaming industry, primarily by leveraging their name or brand to partner with existing manufacturers. Rapper Soulja Boy briefly launches a console line, with Soulja Boy claiming 5 million consoles sold before withdrawing from the market.Just Got My Sales Report: Soulja Boy Says He's Sold 5,000,000 Consoles In December https://www.thegamer.com/soulja-boy-sold-5-million-consoles/ 20 December 2020 TheGamer 2 January 2019Finally, Soulja Boy Is Selling Bootleg Video Game Consoles https://www.pcmag.com/news/finally-soulja-boy-is-selling-bootleg-video-game-consoles PCMAG 16 November 2020 en Consoles were existing models, such as the Chinese Fuze microconsole.Soulja Boy no longer selling game consoles https://www.tweaktown.com/news/64284/soulja-boy-longer-selling-game-consoles/index.html 20 December 2020 TweakTown 30 December 2018 Telltale Games In September 2018, noted studio Telltale Games abruptly collapses.Farokhmanesh Megan The tragic end of Telltale Games, as told by the people who were there https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/4/17934166/telltale-games-studio-closed-layoffs-end-the-walking-dead The Verge 20 November 2020 en 4 October 2018 Following a failure to raise needed funding, most employees are fired and given 30 minutes to leave.Telltale's Sudden Closure Was Reportedly the Result of a Failed Round of Financing - IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/09/25/telltales-sudden-closure-was-reportedly-the-result-of-a-failed-round-of-financing 7 December 2020 en Inability to retain talented employees, poor management, dated technology, and increasing competition from other studios are common factors cited in the collapse of the studio.Favis Elise The Rise And Fall Of Telltale Games https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/2019/04/09/the-rise-and-fall-of-telltale-games 7 December 2020 Game Informer enFarokhmanesh Megan Toxic management cost an award-winning game studio its best developers https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/20/17130056/telltale-games-developer-layoffs-toxic-video-game-industry 7 December 2020 The Verge 20 March 2018 en 2019 Scapegoating games In the United States, politicians consider a ban on violent games, blaming violent video games for recent mass shootings despite little evidence linking the two together.Statt Nick Walmart denies report that it’s taking violent video games off shelves https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20799310/walmart-denies-violent-video-games-taken-off-shelves-report-el-paso-shooting-trump The Verge 20 November 2020 en 9 August 2019Kocurek Carly A. Perspective Why we scapegoat video games for mass violence and why it's a mistake https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/08/09/why-we-scapegoat-video-games-mass-violence-why-its-mistake/ Washington Post 20 November 2020Kovach David Anderson, Steve Violent video games are played all over the world, but mass shootings are a uniquely American problem https://www.businessinsider.com/violent-video-games-ban-mass-shooting-shootings-2018-3 Business Insider 20 November 2020 In response to the shootings some stores and television networks reduced or eliminated advertisements for violent video games.Fortin Jacey Walmart Pulls Violent Video Game Signs (Published 2019) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/business/walmart-video-games-mass-shootings.html 7 December 2020 The New York Times 9 August 2019Business Chris Isidore, CNN Walmart pulls violent video game displays from its stores, but it will still sell guns https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/business/walmart-violent-video-games/index.html CNN 7 December 2020Orland Kyle Walmart, ESPN pull violent game marketing following shootings https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/08/walmart-espn-pull-violent-game-marketing-following-shootings/ Ars Technica 7 December 2020 en-us 9 August 2019 Additionally, lawmakers in Pennsylvania revived discussions on a 10% tax on mature rated games in response to the shootings.Webb Kevin Pennsylvania might slap a 10% tax on violent video games, but the industry says the proposed law is fundamentally flawed https://www.businessinsider.com/pennsylvania-video-game-tax-2019-2 9 December 2020 Business InsiderFogel Stefanie PA Lawmakers Debate Video Game ‘Sin Tax’ During State’s Esports Month https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/pennsylvania-video-game-tax-1203128774/ 9 December 2020 Variety 5 February 2019 thumb|center|300px|start=6:00|end=6:25|"We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome video games that are now commonplace" - President Donald Trump, Speech in August 2019.Is there a link between video games and mass shootings? https://www.12news.com/article/news/video-games-and-shootings-is-there-a-link/75-735b37e1-541d-4738-97e4-7fccbc3e6fe2 12news.com 20 November 2020Panetta Grace Trump incorrectly blames 'gruesome video games' and 'mentally ill monsters' for mass violence while commenting on 2 mass shootings https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-blames-shootings-video-games-mental-illness-white-supremacy-2019-8 Business Insider 20 November 2020 Auto chess 2019 saw the release of a number of games release in the new genre Auto Chess.Goslin Austen Blizzard announces Hearthstone Battlegrounds, a new autobattler set in the Warcraft Universe https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/1/20943670/blizzcon-2019-announcement-hearthstone-battlegrounds-auto-chess Polygon 27 November 2020 en 1 November 2019 Runescape A prolonged power outage in Venezuela leads to an economic shock in the MMORPG Runescape.Video Gaming The System : Planet Money https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1018915121 3 September 2022 NPR.org en 2010's gaming gallery References 2010s in video games 30em 100% 2000-2009 2020-2029