EdX

History of Games: 1990 to the late 2000s (edX)

Offered by LaSalle College, LaSalleX,

Discover the technological breakthroughs, gadgets and consoles that revolutionized the gaming industry. 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.

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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

This course is part of the History of Games XSeries.

What you'll learn

How rapid advancements in technology influenced the next generation of consoles and changed the history of gaming
How design features and game consoles developed in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh generations
How the legal issues that plagued the video game industry during this period shaped the future of video games

Syllabus

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

Go to Class

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