February 1994

The world goes ga-ga over game violence; Sega reports horrible losses & Doom redefines PC gaming! 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 February 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: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/ and order his book here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book Get us on your mobile device: Android:  https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlb2dhbWVuZXdzcm9vbXRpbWVtYWNoaW5lLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz iOS:      https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM Send comments on Mastodon @[email protected] Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm Or [email protected] Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/103514526 7 Minutes in Heaven: Batman The Animated Series Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/103482653     https://www.mobygames.com/game/5525/batman-the-animated-series/ Corrections: January 1994 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/january-1994-100523595 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/     https://ko-fi.com/post/PC-FX-Sales-W7W1SYM97     https://archive.org/details/AtariCorporationAnnualReport1994 1994: Atari launches showcase 33     https://archive.org/details/cashbox57unse_18/page/33/mode/1up Taito goes 3D     Sanyo Links With Taito On 3-D Video Game System, Newsbytes News Network, February 23, 1994 Aussie's launch game regulations     CRACKDOWN ON VIDEO GAMES, COURIER-MAIL, February 15, 1994 Tuesday British politicians target sex and violence in games and anime     British politicians try to curb Japanese 'manga', Japan Economic Newswire, FEBRUARY 17, 1994, THURSDAY Knesset bill calls for game censorship     KNESSET BRIEFS, The Jerusalem Post, February 17, 1994, Thursday, NEWS; Pg. 14 Singapore moves to ban games     Ban on video games with too much violence and sex, Agence France Presse -- English, February 19, 1994 08:02 Eastern Time Video game violence scare reaches China      JOJO MOYES reports on recent allegations linking brutality and pornography in video games and real life violence., South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), February 20, 1994, Sunday Edition; Pg. 4 Sega takes the lead!     Sega gains in key video-game segment, United Press International, February 14, 1994, Monday, BC cycle Sega enters electronics market     Sega to break into electronic notebook market, Japan Economic Newswire, FEBRUARY 14, 1994, MONDAY         Sega Moves Into Electronic Toys;  Lead Item Is a Learning Aid, Pico, A Hit Among Japanese Preschool Set ADWEEK, February 14, 1994, All Southeast EditionSouthwest EditionWestern Advertising News Edition, Section: CLIENT NEWS         https://segaretro.org/IR_7000_Communicator Howard Lincoln becomes Chairman of the Board     Howard Lincoln appointed chairman of the board of Nintendo of America, Inc., Business Wire, February 15, 1994, Tuesday          NINTENDO NAMES NEW CHIEF IN COMEBACK BID, Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), February 16, 1994, Wednesday, Section: News; Pg. P2D     Nintendo plots leap over Sega, USA TODAY, February 16, 1994, Wednesday, FINAL EDITION, Section: MONEY; Pg. 1B Sega drops forecasts     Nikkei closes week on a higher note, Financial Times (London,England), February 19, 1994, Saturday, London; Section: World Stock Markets (Asia Pacific); Pg. 19         Sega blames strong yen for decline; Analysts say competition has eaten into margins, The Independent (London), February 19, 1994, Saturday, Section: BUSINESS & CITY PAGE; Page 19.        Sega sounds losses warning, Evening Standard (London), February 18, 1994, Section: Pg. 33     Soaring Sega grounded by European slump; Stock Tumbles 25% On Earnings Outlook, The Nikkei Weekly (Japan), February 7, 1994, Section: INDUSTRY; Pg. 9      Nintendo workers first to feel NAFTA     NAFTA claims first U.S. victims: Nintendo takes Seattle plant south, The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), February 7, 1994, Monday, FINAL EDITION, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. D9, Byline: SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER Sega to beef up overseas production     Sega to step up overseas production, Japan Economic Newswire, FEBRUARY 25, 1994, FRIDAY Sony gathers devs     Japan - Sony Links With 200 Video Game Software Firms,Newsbytes, February 1, 1994, Tuesday Nintendo disses CDs     "Experts baffled by break-ins on Internet, St. Petersburg Times (Florida), February 13, 1994, Sunday, City Edition, BUSINESS; TECH TALK; Pg. 9H; DIGEST        Nintendo announces long-awaited format for Project Reality; 64-bit state-of- the-art video game system will employ the fastest storage media available, Business Wire. February 10, 1994, Thursday"     Nintendo intends to play with solid state over CD-ROM, The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), February 12, 1994, Saturday, FINAL EDITION, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. H3, Byline: N.Y. TIMES NEWS SERVICE     https://vgprintads.tumblr.com/post/77390106108/strider-genesismega-drive-simpsons     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64 3DO slashes prices     3DO cuts price on multiplayer, United Press International, February 22, 1994, Tuesday, BC cycle           Matsushita cuts price of new video game, The Daily Yomiuri, February 19, 1994, Saturday      Matushita buys into Interplay     Universal Studios Parent Teams Up With Video, Computer Game Outfit, Associated Press Worldstream, February 10, 1994, Thursday 21:47 Eastern Time, Section: Financial pages Laseractive goes 3D     http://videogamekraken.com/laseractive-by-pioneer-corporation        Pioneer Develops 3-D Software For Laser Disk Player, Newsbytes, February 23, 1994, Wednesday         https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/44971/PEASJ1012/3D-Museum        https://youtu.be/bF2Y6v6GXhE?si=ZV-wsiG4HRiwZhaw    NEC launches Laseractive     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20055%20%28February%201994%29/page/n81/mode/1up?view=theater Sega looks to license Saturn tech     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n17/mode/2up      Court dismisses Fairchild claims     Nintendo wins patent infringement ruling; federal judge dismisses Fairchild, Semiconductor lawsuit, Business Wire, February 17, 1994, Thursday       https://patents.google.com/patent/US4095791A/en        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_Game_Pak#Design_change Commodore takes on Sega         Amiga Format, Feb. 1994, pg. 10 Sega announces CDX     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20055%20%28February%201994%29/page/n61/mode/1up?view=theater        https://segaretro.org/Sega_Multi-Mega JVC to launch X-Eye     https://segaretro.org/Wondermega        https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20055%20%28February%201994%29/page/n61/mode/1up?view=theater Sonic goes Third     Release of the new "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" takes country by storm, Wednesday, Feb. 2     Sega celebrates "Hedgehog Day" with release of "Sonic 3", Business Wire, February 2, 1994, Wednesday         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3#Release Nintendo goes big on Ken Griffey promotion     Nintendo's promotional grand slam; limited-edition Griffey baseball card, available with new Nintendo video game, Business Wire, February 28, 1994, Monday Nintendo doesn't like vowels     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n117/mode/1up?view=theater Viacom goes multimedia     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater      Viacom's win only a start Much lies ahead in merging companies, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, February 16, 1994, Wednesday, Section: BUSINESS; Section F; Page 1 Acclaim shows off animation system     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater         https://youtu.be/qgsyw9r-sc4?si=mOi8bIyDF6nM39G7     Gregory Fischbach Part 2 - Acclaim - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47720122 Core goes it alone     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater Game makers go after Chinese pirates     Mainland Super Marios upset overseas video-game makers, South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), February 19, 1994, Business; Pg. 1     https://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/11/the-chinese-gaming-console-with-the-jackie-chan-seal-of-approval/     Microsoft wants further action against fakers, South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), February 22, 1994, Business; Pg. 1 MAS Systems brings arcade controls into the home     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20055%20%28February%201994%29/page/n63/mode/1up?view=theater     https://kotaku.com/arcade-stick-pioneers-die-in-tragic-accident-1846700437 Doom gets reviewed     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n3/mode/2up        https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n35/mode/2up     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n43/mode/2up Artist Graphics brings 3D acceleration to the PC     https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_115/page/n9/mode/2up        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmKKyiTCWNc  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xONCBNipb8k        Master your games with the Games Master     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n17/mode/2up       https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_123/page/n151/mode/1up?q=master&view=theater     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n31/mode/2up A1200 CD drive a no go     https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-070/page/n10/mode/1up     https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-070/page/n13/mode/1up Xplora 1 released     https://www.mobygames.com/game/11394/xplora-1-peter-gabriels-secret-world/      https://archive.org/details/cashbox57unse_20/page/26/mode/1up?view=theater     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7EKnhIG6zY&list=PLqIy1v23IZFyTQUIdgVecQ0so94iiF48z Aris goes MPEG     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamesLC2/Electronic%20Games%20LC2%20Issue%2017%20%28February%201994%29/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater Microprose's international offices go un-renamed     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-02/page/n17/mode/2up Thalion loses key talent     Amiga Format, Feb. 1994, pg. 10     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalion_Software Apple announces entry into settop box market     BUSINESS IN BRIEF Apple plans interactive device for TV sets, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, February 11, 1994, Friday, BUSINESS; Section D; Page 3     Japan's Pioneer, U.S. Oracle Corp. Announce Multimedia Tie-up, Associated Press Worldstream, February 16, 1994, Wednesday 04:35 Eastern Time HP licenses CD32     https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-070/page/n13/mode/1up Atari ST User reviews The Whole Internet     https://archive.org/details/wholeinternetuse00krol/mode/2up        https://archive.org/details/Atari_ST_User_Issue_097_1994-02_Europress_GB/page/n89/mode/2up      Recommended Links: The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/ Gaming Alexandria: https://www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/ They Create Worlds: https://tcwpodcast.podbean.com/ Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/ The Arcade Blogger: https://arcadeblogger.com/ Retro Asylum: http://retroasylum.com/category/all-posts/ Retro Game Squad: http://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/ Playthrough Podcast: https://playthroughpod.com/ Retromags.com: https://www.retromags.com/ Games That Weren't - https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/ Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play. Copyright Karl Kuras