Console Timeline

Last update - October 2022

Table with detailed dates

If you're curious about how I chose the dates for my giant console timeline diagram, here's a table with the details. I'm sure you'll notice that many of dates are approximate, that's the best I can do. You'll probably also notice, and maybe complain about, systems with exact release dates being rounded to a month. It's because that is the level of precision I'm using for the giant diagram.

System Start Date End Date
Fairchild Channel F November 1976 Mid-1981 based on the approximate release date of Alien Invasion
RCA Studio II January 1977 Early 1978
Atari 2600 September 1977 Early 1988 based on approximate release date of Secret Quest
Bally Astrocade April 1978 Late 1983 based on the approximate release date of Cosmic Raiders
APF-MP1000 October 1978 Some time generally in 1983 when APF filed for bankruptcy
Magnavox Odyssey2 February 1979 Late 1983 based on the approximate release date of Power Lords
Microvision November 1979 Mid-1981 based on approximate date of final two releases
Mattel Intellivision Late 1979, effectively early 1980 for consumers Late 1987 based on dates of final releases
Entex Select-A-Game System was sold from ~1981-1982 System was sold from ~1981-1982
Arcadia 2001 May 1982 1983 is an approximate date based on when the system was discontinued
Colecovision August 1982 New game production ended in approximately mid-1984
Entex Adventure Vision Fall 1982 Some time generally in 1983
Vectrex November 1982 It was officially discontinued in 1984 but no games were released after 1983
Atari 5200 November 1982 Mid-1986 based on approximate release date of Gremlins
RDI Halcyon Early 1985, may not have had a retail release, looks like people got them anyway Discontinued in 1985 shortly after release (if it even was released)
Nintendo Entertainment System October 1985 December 1994 based on release date of Wario's Woods
Atari 7800 May 1986 Mid-1990 based on approximate release date of Midnight Mutants
Sega Master System September 1986 Mid-1991 based on approximate release date of Sonic the Hedgehog
Nintendo Game Boy July 1989 October 1999 based on release date of Pokemon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition
Sega Genesis August 1989 Early 1998 based on release date of Frogger
TurboGrafx-16 August 1989 Late 1993 based on approximate release date of Bomberman '93
Atari Lynx September 1989 Early 1995 based on approximate release date of Super Asteroids and Missile Command
TurboGrafx-16 CD November 1989 December 1994 based on release date of Bonk 3
Sega Game Gear April 1991 Summer 1997 based on release date of The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Neo Geo (AES) July 1991 October 2004 based on release date of Samurai Shodown V Special
Super Nintendo August 1991 Early 1998 based on release date of Frogger
Philips CD-i Late 1991 Early 1999 based on release date of Solar Crusade
Tandy VIS Approximately 1992 Approximately 1994
Sega CD October 1992 December 1995 based on release date of Surgical Strike
3DO October 1993 May 1996 based on release date of Casper
Atari Jaguar November 1993 Spring 1996 based on approximate release date of Fight for Life
Sega Pico November 1994 March 1996, based on last US game release
Sega 32X November 1994 Spring 1996 based on release date of Spider-man: Web of Fire
Sega Saturn May 1995 December 1998 based on release date of Magic Knight Rayearth
Nintendo Virtual Boy August 1995 March 1996 based on release date of Tetris 3-D
Sony PlayStation September 1995 October 2004 based on release date of FIFA 2005
Atari Jaguar CD September 1995 Spring 1996 based on approximate release date of Brain Dead 13
Neo Geo CD January 1996 December 1999 based on release date of King of Fighters 99
Pippin June 1996 Summer-fall 1997
Nintendo 64 September 1996 August 2002 based on release date of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
game.com September 1997 Late 1999 based on dates of final three games
Game Boy Color November 1998 November 2002 based on release date of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Neo Geo Pocket Color August 1999 June 2000
Sega Dreamcast September 1999 February 2002 based on release date of NHL 2K2
Sony PlayStation 2 October 2000 November 2013 based on release date of Pro Evolution Soccer 2014
Game Boy Advance June 2001 February 2008 based on release date of Samurai Deeper Kyo
Nintendo Gamecube November 2001 August 2007 based on release date of Madden 08
Microsoft Xbox November 2001 August 2008 based on release date of Madden 09
Nokia N-Gage October 2003 March 2006 based on release date of Warhammer 40,000: Glory in Death
Nintendo DS/DSi November 2004 October 2014 based on release date of Big Hero 6 Battle in the Bay
Sony PlayStation Portable March 2005 April 2016 based on release date of Summon Night 5
Gizmondo October 2005 Formally discontinued in February 2006 but no games were published after the US launch
Microsoft Xbox 360 November 2005 October 2018 based on release date of Just Dance 2019
Sony PlayStation 3 November 2006 September 2018 based on release date of FIFA 19
Nintendo Wii November 2006 November 2019 based on release date of Just Dance 2020
Nintendo 3DS / New 3DS March 2011 July 2022 based on closure date of eShop
PlayStation Vita February 2012 July 2021 based on closure date of virtual store
Nintendo Wii U November 2012 October 2018 based on release date of Just Dance 2019
Sony PlayStation 4 November 2013 As of the most recent update, this is an active system
Microsoft Xbox One / Xbox One S November 2013 As of the most recent update, this is an active system
Nintendo Switch March 2017 As of the most recent update, this is an active system
Google Stadia November 2019 September 29, 2022 was the last date new Stadia games were accepted, the servers are scheduled for shutdown in January 2023
Xbox Series X/S November 2020 As of the most recent update, this is an active system
Sony PlayStation 5 November 2020 As of the most recent update, this is an active system
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