March 1994

Sega previews Saturn at CES, Commodore warns of bankruptcy & Doom brings corporate networks to their knees   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 March 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/105189897   7 Minutes in Heaven: Mega Turrican Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/104910543     https://www.mobygames.com/game/16645/mega-turrican/   Corrections: February 1994 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/february-1994-103514526 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicktoons     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom_Disk_System   1994: Coinop goes BIG!     Edge March 1994, pg. 16   Coinop goes small     Edge March 1994, pg. 14     https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/2021/03/zool-arcade/   Daytona gets new name     Play Meter, March 1994, pg. 1   Irem shuts down arcade division     Play Meter, March 1994, pg. 1   Karaoke goes CD     https://archive.org/details/cashbox57unse_22/page/38/mode/1up?view=theater      US Rating System to be in place by Xmas     VIDEO-GAME MAKERS WILL SET UP SYSTEM FOR RATING PRODUCTS, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 7, 1994, Monday, Section: Section B; Page 7, Column 6   UK Rating system to start in March     https://archive.org/details/AmigaFormatMagazine_201902/Amiga_Format_Issue_057_1994_03_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n21/mode/2up   3DO issues ratings system     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater         https://www.mobygames.com/game/1824/hell-a-cyberpunk-thriller/cover/group-13661/cover-30908/   Current NextGen falters at CES     Edge, March 1994, pg. 6   Sega Previews Saturn     https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20056%20%28March%201994%29/page/n57/mode/2up        Edge, March 1994, pg. 6   Nintendo fools no one with SGi demos     Edge, March 1994, pg. 6   Acclaim The Duel demo details     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n9/mode/1up?view=theater     Gregory Fischbach Part 2 - Acclaim - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47720122     Gregory Fischbach Part 1 - Activision - Acclaim - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46578120   3D tool makers show wares at CES     https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1994-03/page/15/mode/1up?view=theater     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wavefront_Technologies       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softimage_3D     https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1994-03/page/17/mode/1up?view=theater   Sega of America announces 32X     MONITOR, The Irish Times, March 15, 1994, CITY EDITION, Section: EDUCATION & LIVING; Pg. Supplement Page 12         SEGA TO ENTER 32-BIT VIDEO GAME MARKET IN FALL WITH PRICE BREAK ON HARDWARE, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 15, 1994, Tuesday, Section: Section B; Page 6, Column 4, Byline: BY DON CLARK   PSX shown to UK Devs     Edge, March 1994, pg. 13   3DO announces new licensees and PC add-on card     No Headline In Original, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 11, 1994, Friday, Section: Section B; Page 5, Column 4     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3DO_Interactive_Multiplayer#Licensed_systems   Microsoft WON'T provide an OS for Saturn     Microsoft plays down Sega video game role, Financial Times (London,England), March 10, 1994, Thursday, London, Section: International Company News; Pg. 30, Byline: By LOUISE KEHOE and MICHIYO NAKAMOTO   Crystal Dynamics signs on for Saturn development     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater        https://www.mobygames.com/game/company:1281/platform:sega-saturn/sort:-date/page:1/   CD32 haralds CD revolution in UK     MONITOR, The Irish Times, March 15, 1994, CITY EDITION, Section: EDUCATION & LIVING; Pg. Supplement Page 12      Nintendo announces Super Gameboy     NINTENDO UNIT UNVEILS DEVICE, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 15, 1994, Tuesday, Section: Section C; Page 6, Column 6   Nintendo still smug, despite share price collapse     Nintendo still at the top of its game, Despite sagging shares, firm outscores rivals in efficiency, profitability, The Nikkei Weekly (Japan), March 28, 1994, Section: INDUSTRY; Pg. 9, Byline: BY ASAKO ISHIBASHI Staff writer   Nintendo profits expected to fall by 40%     Nintendo group's pretax profit to fall 40%, daily says, Japan Economic Newswire, MARCH 31, 1994, THURSDAY, Dateline: TOKYO, March 31 Kyodo     Sega Enterprises to raise dividend, skip share split, Japan Economic Newswire, MARCH 10, 1994, THURSDAY, Dateline: TOKYO, March 10 Kyodo   Acclaim reports record earnings!     Playthings, March 1994, pg. 10   NBA Jam launch to match Mortal Kombat     NBA Jams' Wins Acclaim; TriStar's New Cover Girl, Billboard, March 19, 1994, Section: HOME VIDEO; Shelf Talk; Pg. 68, Byline: by Elleen Fitzpatrick   Midway dumps Acclaim     https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/31/business/company-news-nintendo-licensing-deal-rocks-acclaim-s-stock.html  https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/18/business/stocks-advance-on-good-inflation-news.html     NINTENDO'S PROJECT REALITY GAME SYSTEM GETS LIFT IN ACCORD WITH WMS INDUSTRIES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 31, 1994, Thursday, Section: Section B; Page 7, Column 1, Byline: BY JIM CARLTON   Sega shows off Virtua Racing on Genesis     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n87/mode/1up?view=theater   Playmates Toys gets into games     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater         https://www.mobygames.com/company/1481/playmates-interactive-entertainment-inc/games/   Playmates revenue drops     Playmates sales fall 10pc to $ 1.42b in saturated market, South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), March 22, 1994, Section: Business; Pg. 3, Byline: By CARRIE LEE   EA signs Shaq and Jordan     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n25/mode/1up?view=theater      Commodore Australia closes down     IT'S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM FOR COMMODORE; COMPUTER VISION, Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), March 21, 1994 Monday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Pg. 50 Commodore warns of imminent bankruptcy         https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/26/business/company-news-computer-pioneer-signals-bankruptcy-near.html?searchResultPosition=1     https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-071/page/n11/mode/2up  https://archive.org/details/amazing-computing-magazine-1994-03/page/n81/mode/2up   VFX1 brings VR home     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater         https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1994-03/page/12/mode/1up?view=theater        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFX1_Headgear  https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-03/page/n19/mode/2up   New World bought by NTN     https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_116/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater   MCA announces game studio     https://www.mobygames.com/company/1982/universal-interactive-inc/       https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater   Broderbund signs up affiliates     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n9/mode/1up?view=theater   Rocket Science goes full Siliwood     https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_116/page/n14/mode/1up?view=theater   Microsoft's got game     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater   Newton gets games     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n9/mode/1up?view=theater      Sierra goes big on CGI     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater   Tsunami wants to inject you into a game     https://www.mobygames.com/game/1478/blue-force/trivia/         https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater   Dragon's Lair comes to CDRom     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-03/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater   Shareware confusion rises     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-03/page/n25/mode/2up?q=shareware        https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1994.03/page/n5/mode/2up   Company networks get Doom-ed!     https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_116/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater   Microsoft announces Microsoft Network     Microsoft to test PC network, Financial Times (London,England), March 14, 1994, Monday, London, Section: International Company News; Pg. 19   IBM and Videotron team up     https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/12/business/company-news-videotron-and-ibm-to-explore-interactive-technology.html        https://techmonitor.ai/technology/ibm_previews_its_powerpc_403ga_emebedded_microcontroller_chip        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerPC_400#PowerPC_403        https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=gJaSV-oulLE        https://books.google.ca/books?id=aeQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA62&dq=videoway+popular+mechanics&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixn-r1wrTpAhWPbs0KHbhTC6AQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=videoway%20popular%20mechanics&f=false     https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/groupe-videotron-lte      Japanese recession hits Akihabara     https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/05/world/tokyo-journal-electronics-district-hits-hard-times.html?searchResultPosition=1         Survey reveals some winners amid chilly business climate, The Daily Yomiuri, March 28, 1994, Monday        https://www.triptojapan.com/blog/akihabara-exploring-tokyo-s-electric-town   Discounting takes Japanese retail by storm     Cheap and cheerful: Changing patterns of Japanese retailing, Financial Times (London,England), March 15, 1994, Tuesday, London, Section: Pg. 24, Byline: By EMIKO TERAZONO   Rhino Group grows     Enlarged Rhino advances to Pounds 2m, Financial Times (London,England). March 4, 1994, Friday, London, Section: UK Company News; Pg. 24, Byline: By PAUL TAYLOR   UK mag publisher Impact calls it quits     THE GAMES OF CHANCE; You don't need to live in the metropolis to make a million from mags, The Guardian (London), March 10, 1994, Section: THE GUARDIAN FEATURES PAGE; Pg. 17         https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-106        https://archive.org/details/amiga-force-16/page/n11/mode/2up?view=theater        https://segaretro.org/Impact_Magazines   Dark Horse Comics gets into games mag business     https://archive.org/details/max-overload-01/mode/2up       https://archive.org/details/AmigaFormatMagazine_201902/Amiga_Format_Issue_057_1994_03_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n19/mode/2up      Move over cover disks...CDs are here!     https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1994-03/page/9/mode/1up?view=theater   Multimedia Porn becomes harder to ignore     https://archive.org/details/AcornUser140-Mar94/page/n21/mode/2up        https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_116/page/n9/mode/2up        https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-071/page/n29/mode/2up     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-03/page/n17/mode/2up   McGraw Hill publishes Best of Byte     https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/01/science/peripherals-the-bytes-of-the-past-emerge-as-a-book.html?searchResultPosition=1       https://archive.org/details/bestofbyte0000rana   Japan buys more chips abroad     Japan, U.S. emphasize 3 sectors for foreign chips Tokyo Relieved No Guarantee Sought, The Nikkei Weekly (Japan), March 28, 1994, Section: ECONOMY; Pg. 2, Byline: BY HIROSHI NAKAMAE Staff writer      Girls need to get into games     A TOOL FOR WOMEN, A TOY FOR MEN: VIDEO GAMES HELP BOYS GET A HEAD START, WALL STREET JOURNAL, March 16, 1994, Wednesday, Section: Section B; Page 1, Column 6, Byline: BY WILLIAM M BULKELEY   Carmen Sandiego goes around the world     https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1994-03/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_in_the_World_Is_Carmen_Sandiego%3F_(game_show)#International_versions   Magic the Gathering takes gaming market by storm     Playthings, March 1994, pg. 18   Linux launched     https://twitter.com/WeAreRSGroup/status/1768186561227538885/photo/1   RIP John Candy     https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/05/obituaries/john-candy-comedic-film-star-is-dead-of-a-heart-attack-at-43.html?searchResultPosition=7 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