History of Games: 1990 to the late 2000s

This course will be retired on September 30, 2023.

It’s now time to continue your captivating journey through the history of gaming.

In this second course, you will learn about the technological advancements of the early 1990s and the development of the fourth- and fifth-generation video game consoles—some of which survived even after their successor generation entered the market.

You will also explore the proliferation of corporate video game mascots during this era. Finally, your journey will end with the sixth- and seventh-generation gaming consoles. You will discover the consoles and games that made these generations great, and the improvements made to the user experience through high-definition technology, motion controls and digital storefronts.

Topics covered include:

• Mascot wars
• A new dimension
• A changing of the guard
• The dawn of high definition

Module 1: Mascot wars

• 1990-1993 in video games

• The fourth generation and mascot wars

• Peripheral wars and the dawn of the fifth generation

Module 2: A new dimension

• Tech trends

• The fifth-generation PC and arcade games

• Legal issues

Module 3: A changing of the guard

• Tech trends in the new millennium

• The sixth generation

• PC and arcade games

• Lawsuits

Module 4: The dawn of high definition

• Tech trends

• The seventh generation

• Other technologies

• Legal issues