(FORTUNE Magazine) – 1972 Atari founder Nathan Bushnell puts Pong, the first video arcade game, outside a tavern in Sunnyvale, California. Lines form around the block. The videogame era is born.

1984 After selling more than 20 million home machines, Atari flops and is broken up. Consumers still play Pac-Man in arcades, but the home market is hurting.

1986 Nintendo revives the industry with nationwide introduction of its eight-bit entertainment system. Mario the plumber becomes a household name.

1989 Sega delivers its 16-bit Genesis machine, and Sonic the Hedgehog makes his debut. Nintendo fights back in 1991 with the 16-bit Super Nintendo.

1992 Sega offers a CD-ROM attachment to Genesis. Sales are slow at first, but many see CD as the technology of the future.

1993 The Panasonic REAL Multiplayer brings 3DOUs 32-bit CD-ROM technology to market. Atari makes a comeback with the 64-bit Jaguar, but software developers play wait-and-see.

1995 Nintendo is scheduled to introduce a 64-bit machine with Silicon Graphics computer chips. Will it play CDs or cartridges? Will it arrive in time for Christmas? Mario's not talking.