Give Me a Timeline: Video Gaming After the 1983 Crash

[Bughuntertf]

As the title shows, I want a timeline. Anyone may work on it and present any scenario. For example:

1. Atari Lynx is successful.
2. Atari 7800 is successful.
3. Sega does not create the CD.
4. Sega does not create the 32X.
5. Sega Saturn is more successful.
6. Sega Dreamcast is more successfull.
7. Super Mario Bros 2, the real one, is released in America, while Doki Doki Panic remains Japanese only.
8. Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't jump the shark. Twice. Doubled. Three Times.
9. Atari Jaguar is more successful.
10. Atari Panther exists.
11. Sony PlayStation is failure.
12. NES is failure - Sega saves us all.
13. NES is failure - Atari rescues us from the pitfall.

Really, any possibility will do. Heck, I'd be happy to see the CD-i a success! (No I wouldn't.)

Anybody with an idea?

 

[Kalvan]

As the title shows, I want a timeline. Anyone may work on it and present any scenario. For example:


1.Atari Lynx is successful.

Needs a larger battery compartment and an anti-ghosting screen

2. Atari 7800 is successful.

MARIA needs a faster CPU, more RAM, and/or tilemodes or a bitmap system. Motherboard needs AMY or else a Yamaha FM chip, or anything better than just TIA sound. Oh, and a FREDDIE on the motherboard will obviate the need for memory mapper add-on chips.

3. Sega does not create the CD.

They'll need something to counter the TurboGrafix 16's CD-ROM Drive, and the Tele-Genisis Modem wasn't it. If they had gone for a top-loading model interfacing through the cartridge slot, it would have been a great help.

4. Sega does not create the 32X.

Or else puts a 32X cartridge slot on the Saturn and makes it backward compatible with the 32X CD Games

5. Sega Saturn is more successful.

Ship an actual development kit to third party publishers. Get Sonic Extreme out as a launch title. Actually advertise the thing on American television.

6. Sega Dreamcast is more successful.

It actually didn't do all that badly. More like have Sega Japan actually support the machine.

7. Super Mario Bros 2, the real one, is released in America, while Doki Doki Panic remains Japanese only.

It would flop hard. It pioneered the concept of the Kaizo Trap long before it actually had a name. Kids (and grownups too) like to play games, not bang their heads against the wall.

8. Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't jump the shark. Twice. Doubled. Three Times.

Basically, you're asking what if the engineers, coders and designers still ran Sega rather than the Suits.

9. Atari Jaguar is more successful.
10. Atari Panther exists.

Warner Bros. never splits Atari up, and sells the whole thing to Namco, who decides to actually get into the console business in a major way.

11. Sony PlayStation is failure.

Ken Kutaragi's design is rejected in favor of one from the Music or Television subsidiaries.

12. NES is failure - Sega saves us all.

Sega uses the Texas Instuments/Yamaha V9958 for the GPU and doesn't fuse off the Yamaha FM chip in export markets

NES is failure - Atari rescues us from the pitfall.

See no. 1. Also, Nintendo never develops memory mapper add-on chips for cartridges.

Really, any possibility will do. Heck, I'd be happy to see the CD-i a success! (No I wouldn't.)

Anybody with an idea?

 

[Bughuntertf]

Allow me to present my own scenario.

Based off of the Nintendo-Atari negotiations of 1984...

Atari doesn't decided to off the negotiations, and Warner sticks with the company a little longer, allowing Atari to, in 1985, release the Atari 7800 ProSystem and Nintendo, with Warner's funding and Atari's support, to release the Nintendo Advanced Entertainment System.

Unfortunately, because of Atari being dictatorial, Super Mario Bros. is delayed so Atari can make it more appealing towards American gamers. In addition, because of Warner's reluctancy, both systems are undercapitalized, slightly buggy, lacking in many games, and under-advertised.

Thusly, though both are popular for the first year after their release, sales fall and despite a little bit of third-party support, it becomes somewhat unpopular.

Sega releases their Master System in 1986.

In OTL, Sega did not want to challenge the Nintendo juggernaut and instead contracted Tonka Toys to market the system. Tonka was an extremely poor marketer for the system as they had had no experience with electronic games before.

The Master System is marketed much more and Sega is happy to release games. They start the Team Sega Newsletter, a quarterly mini-magazine, to offer news of upcoming games and tips and tricks.

Due to third-party support and franchises like Phantasy Star, the Master System becomes a hit while Atari and Nintendo fall back.

The Nintendo system is discontinued just as Mario was about to be released. Nintendo, surprised, stays in its home market for several years while trying to formulate a plan for the North American Market.

Atari's video gaming division is sold to the Tramiels while the arcade division stays with Warner. The Tramiels, seeing Sega's success, begin to more aggressively market the 7800. But it is too little, too late, and the 7800 can not match the Sega juggernaut.

In 1988 the Team Sega Newsletter becomes Sega Visions Magazine.

In OTL, the Team Sega Newsletter did become Sega Visions, but Visions could never properly compete because it wasn't a proper magazine - it was just an under-funded Sega propaganda rag.

Epyx meanwhile develops a system but is unable to market it. It is offered to many companies... Atari accepts it.

For 1989, Atari releases the Lynx to little fanfare. However, because of its advanced capabilities, some people buy it. Nintendo soon releases the GameBoy, armed to attack the market with its games. NEC also releases the TurboGrafx-16, but due to its price and poor advertising, it is unpopular.

In 1990 Sega releases the system Genesis to the Japanese market, and it is shipped with Sonic Hedgehog, a new game with a new mascot to replace Alex Kidd. Other titles included Phantasy Star II and Altered Beast, among others.

Sega is quick to have it ready for the American market, where it is most popular, however, and allows two sets to be sold. The Beginner's Set includes the Genesis with Sonic Hedgehog, along with the necessary cords. The Master's Set includes the Genesis, along with Sonic Hedgehog, a Master Converter to allow the Genesis to play Master System games, and the necessary cords.

In 1991 Sega launches the Game Gear to compete with GameBoy. It comes with a conversion of Sonic Hedgehog. A Deluxe set carries a Base Converter to allow the system to play Master System games. NEC also launches a portable TurboGrafx in the form of the TurboExpress.

That same year, Nintendo launches the SNES. The launch titles for it in America include Zelda: The Adventure of Link, Super Mario Bros. World, PilotWings, and F-Zero.

Due to the SNES's amazing capabilities, Atari leaps at the chance and begins to more aggressively market the Lynx not as a handheld, but as a portable console, showing off WarBirds in commercials compared to PilotWings. This helps win the system many more fans and Atari begins to gain more market share.

By 1991, the share for the American console market is as follows:

Sega - 90%
Atari - 5%
Nintendo - 2%
NEC - 2%

The share for the American handheld market is as follows:

Nintendo- 57%
Sega - 33%
Atari - 7%
NEC - 3%

But Atari and Sega are gaining on Nintendo's head start.

Nintendo continues to fight the Sega juggernaut with a release of a remade Legend of Zelda, titled Zelda II: The Origin Adventure.

Sega meanwhile releases Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom and Sonic Hedgehog 2.

Atari continues to advance its Lynx with a more development, due to a growing popularity. A game is in development called Guardians: Storm over Doria.

Meanwhile Sega Visions becomes monthly, Nintendo Power is launched, as is Atari Go!

1992. In the console market, Sega dominates and dukes it out with Nintendo in a fierce war.

In the handheld market, Nintendo barely manages to dominate while Sega and Atari advance.

Who will win these fierce wars?

 

[starwarsfan]

I like it, PM me, I have a lot of ideas if you want to hear and discuss them.

 

[Bughuntertf]

I like it, PM me, I have a lot of ideas if you want to hear and discuss them.

My friend, I would prefer it if you posted it to this thread. However if you would prefer private messaging feel free to do so, I generally don't PM other people, but I am open to ideas.

It is possible we could collaborate and when finished, one massive post here, or you could work on it in parts here. I am receptive to both. No timeline is too crazy, no idea too insane, no success to unrealistic.

 

[starwarsfan]

My friend, I would prefer it if you posted it to this thread. However if you would prefer private messaging feel free to do so, I generally don't PM other people, but I am open to ideas.

It is possible we could collaborate and when finished, one massive post here, or you could work on it in parts here. I am receptive to both. No timeline is too crazy, no idea too insane, no success to unrealistic.

Cool, some people prefer PM's I dont really care.

Yea, Nintendo should buy Rareware early on in 1994, DKC should be a revolutionary, and a more aggressive Nintendo would likely buy other studios more often, Argonaut would be interesting, they developed the FX Chip, one of the worlds first external graphics card for the SNES.

A 3D Metroid with a FX2 Chip could also be ground breaking, did Nintendo go with the lower chip as in OTL or the NeoGeo chip they initially planned too? If they went with the second, the SNES should annihilate the OTL Genesis capabilities with specialty chips more so than in OTL.

 

[Nivek]

Cool, some people prefer PM's I dont really care.

Yea, Nintendo should buy Rareware early on in 1994, DKC should be a revolutionary, and a more aggressive Nintendo would likely buy other studios more often, Argonaut would be interesting, they developed the FX Chip, one of the worlds first external graphics card for the SNES.

A 3D Metroid with a FX2 Chip could also be ground breaking, did Nintendo go with the lower chip as in OTL or the NeoGeo chip they initially planned too? If they went with the second, the SNES should annihilate the OTL Genesis capabilities with specialty chips more so than in OTL.

Nintendo buy only 49% percent because the stamper brothers never wanted to gave away rareware, but later microsoft otl overbid the company, a movement who benefit both Stamper Bros and Nintendo.

OTL nintendo wanted a Motorola 68K(the same one of the genesis) at 10.5Mhz (only 1.5 less that otl neogeo) in the prototype of the SNES(more info into the graphic)(the graphic come from a translation of a old japanese magazine, make by a friend of mine)

a more interesting, pod, what if Nintendo released the integrated famicom+modem rather leaving the modem as add-on?

 

[Bughuntertf]

Created this infographic for my previous Atari-Nintendo alliance/Sega dominates/Lynx more successful scenario.

I'm not sure how informative it is.

 

[Bughuntertf]

Another scenario

Atari buys Epyx early. The Lynx is released early, more development for it, more successful. Beats GameBoy. Jaguar isn't terrible. Alien vs Predator, Guardians: Storm Over Doria, and numerous cancelled games are released for it. Except Tetris.

Atari is able to release a successor to the Lynx, the Lynx-32, a much more advanced system. As Lynx was on the level of the SNES, Lynx-32 is on the level of Sega Saturn.

The succeeding Puma is on the level of the GameCube, and its successor is on the level of somewhere in-between GCN and PS3. It is extremely powerful.

 

[Nivek]

Atari buys Epyx early. The Lynx is released early, more development for it, more successful. Beats GameBoy. Jaguar isn't terrible. Alien vs Predator, Guardians: Storm Over Doria, and numerous cancelled games are released for it. Except Tetris.

Atari is able to release a successor to the Lynx, the Lynx-32, a much more advanced system. As Lynx was on the level of the SNES, Lynx-32 is on the level of Sega Saturn.

The succeeding Puma is on the level of the GameCube, and its successor is on the level of somewhere in-between GCN and PS3. It is extremely powerful.

And which batery will power those system? remember back them in the portable market you only competed against old magazines and cellphone were expensives as hell, so in portable the debate was never about power is about true portability.

I don't know anyone with a Lynx(but i meet someone with a game gear, he introduce me to shining force) but what i heard and i can see that thing was unprotable, the batery lack nothing(the gameboy can last almost a day consecutive) and was very difficult to play

Sorry the market was there, lock how is faring OTL Vita.

 

[Bughuntertf]

And which batery will power those system? remember back them in the portable market you only competed against old magazines and cellphone were expensives as hell, so in portable the debate was never about power is about true portability.

I don't know anyone with a Lynx(but i meet someone with a game gear, he introduce me to shining force) but what i heard and i can see that thing was unprotable, the batery lack nothing(the gameboy can last almost a day consecutive) and was very difficult to play

Sorry the market was there, lock how is faring OTL Vita.

It's not meant to be highly technical and ultra-realistic...

...but yes, It is a little bit of a stretch.

 

[Nivek]

It's not meant to be highly technical and ultra-realistic...

...but yes, It is a little bit of a stretch.

Sorry if i was a little rought but that is me,.

After working for Ohga Shurgs and with my own Timeline i've learn a lot of thing of the videogame business, much hindsight how both nes and gameboy sucess(and later genesis et al), you should read Game Over of David Sheriff and Unboxing the Xbox of Dean Takahashi, you will learn a lot.

Some ideas for a timeline? i can help in those

 

[Bughuntertf]

Believe me, I know a lot of the video gaming industry, and if I wanted to create a serious viable timeline, I could. But this time I wouldn't abandon it like I did Lychnus Aeneas. Now I see it as rather thin and somewhat shallow... I could probably do much better now if I wanted to.

So, ideas for a video game timeline? Do tell.

 

[Nivek]

Believe me, I know a lot of the video gaming industry, and if I wanted to create a serious viable timeline, I could. But this time I wouldn't abandon it like I did Lychnus Aeneas. Now I see it as rather thin and somewhat shallow... I could probably do much better now if I wanted to.

So, ideas for a video game timeline? Do tell.

You was the one of that TL? umm that was years ago...how time fly.

Well, you proposed a lot of POD but fell pretty shallow(lack of more info), here i've some more general:
What if Sony and Nintendo continued to cooperate on the PlayStation, and launched it together? (I worked it with Rysenkari as Player Two Start, read it,)
What if Microsoft Xbox was a flop?
What if the PlayStation was a flop?

those can be interesting ideas and have potential.

Did you have some other or want to discuss a specific POD? that would be better for more detail what you want.

 

[Ventriloquist]

Nintendo buys Rare in 2002 instead of Microsoft. Through this, we get for the GameCube, at the very least:

• Banjo-Threeie
• Kameo: Elements of Power
• Donkey Kong Racing
• Grabbed By The Ghoulies
• Perfect Dark Zero

Maybe Killer Instinct 3, Conker: Live and Reloaded and Viva Pinata, it all depends.

Because of this, Nintendo has one more prolific first-party developer to convince people on the GameCube, particularly with its history of (mostly) top-quality games in the SNES and N64 era. Likewise, if Nintendo releases the Wii in the form it came in Rare's games will give it more credibility amongst the hardcore crowd and it won't just be seen as an overtly casual system (as it is now despite its range of good 'hardcore' games).

 

[Bughuntertf]

Nintendo buys Rare in 2002 instead of Microsoft. Through this, we get for the GameCube, at the very least:

• Banjo-Threeie
• Kameo: Elements of Power
• Donkey Kong Racing
• Grabbed By The Ghoulies
• Perfect Dark Zero

Maybe Killer Instinct 3, Conker: Live and Reloaded and Viva Pinata, it all depends.

Because of this, Nintendo has one more prolific first-party developer to convince people on the GameCube, particularly with its history of (mostly) top-quality games in the SNES and N64 era. Likewise, if Nintendo releases the Wii in the form it came in Rare's games will give it more credibility amongst the hardcore crowd and it won't just be seen as an overtly casual system (as it is now despite its range of good 'hardcore' games).

Certainly a very wide range of possibilities.

Here's one for the AGES. What if Nintendo bought SEGA? Cheap, I know.

• Sonic would be made for GameCube, and Sega being first-party of Nintendo, the games probably wouldn't all be crap.
• Phantasy Star might still be a proper RPG series.
• Imagine the possibilities!

 

[Nivek]

Certainly a very wide range of possibilities.

Here's one for the AGES. What if Nintendo bought SEGA? Cheap, I know.

• Sonic would be made for GameCube, and Sega being first-party of Nintendo, the games probably wouldn't all be crap.
• Phantasy Star might still be a proper RPG series.
• Imagine the possibilities!

We've already a timeline of that(make by our old chap starwarsfan), read it here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=289231

We still need other Mainline RPG Phantasy Star, Online is fine but a true Phantasy Star V is need it.

 

[Bughuntertf]

Cool. What timeline ideas do you have, Nivek?

 

[Nivek]

Cool. What timeline ideas do you have, Nivek?

I've a few right now:

1)The Classic, Sony and Nintendo working together, but there is two possible POD? having a better contract since the start(1988) or saving the relationship at the last minute(1991), i've already made the later with rysenkary in two player start: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=280151

But want to de the latter, because butterfly will be at his fitness(mostly because not even pokemon is safe).

2) OTL Electronics Arts blackmail sega about giving a better royalties fee or they will release unlicesced game en masse to the genesis, OTL bowed out their head, here the japanese goes gung-ho sues EA and hilarity ensueas.I need a lot of info about american law for start and some other minor things.

3) Hiroshi Yamauchi dies in 1997/1998(15 years before OTL, RIP Yamauchi-sama) just when OTL Microsoft want to enter to console, here Yoko Yamauchi and the other want to sell the shares and hear about Bill Gates being interested into Nintnedo. Need to obtain a copy of Unboxing the Xbox, that book is vital for the TL.

Which one should start to write about it?

 

[starwarsfan]

Certainly a very wide range of possibilities.

Here's one for the AGES. What if Nintendo bought SEGA? Cheap, I know.

• Sonic would be made for GameCube, and Sega being first-party of Nintendo, the games probably wouldn't all be crap.
• Phantasy Star might still be a proper RPG series.
• Imagine the possibilities!

I have a TL on that, I think Nivek already linked it, anyways Nintendo with Sega and Rareware would be a major boon.

A better POD would be Arawaka becoming CEO of NCL instead of Iwata.