In my opinion, the old school/arcade video game era spans from about 1977 to 1994.  1995+ is new school.

I hope it ain't over, but I think you could be right. It does make me a little sad/nostalgic whenever I see an Aladdin's Castle at the mall get shut down.

It probably spans something like:

"Old School" arcades - 1978-86
Nintendo-styled home consoles - 1987-98
Internet gaming/virtual reality/XBox-styled stuff - 1999+

Note, of course these all are/were popular outside these respective time spans. This is just the peak, IMO. Also, I think "old school" gaming will always exist to an extent, just because it was in the hearts of so many, and around too long not to.

I took a local vacation in the Summer, and there's still a very successful miniature golf course/bumper car track/80's styled arcade place in the North Bay Area I went to. That gave me some hope. :)

I hope it ain't over, but I think you could be right. It does make me a little sad/nostalgic whenever I see an Aladdin's Castle at the mall get shut down.

It probably spans something like:

"Old School" arcades - 1978-86
Nintendo-styled home consoles - 1987-98
Internet gaming/virtual reality/XBox-styled stuff - 1999+

Note, of course these all are/were popular outside these respective time spans. This is just the peak, IMO. Also, I think "old school" gaming will always exist to an extent, just because it was in the hearts of so many, and around too long not to.

I took a local vacation in the Summer, and there's still a very successful miniature golf course/bumper car track/80's styled arcade place in the North Bay Area I went to. That gave me some hope. :)


That's true.  There are plenty of old-school gamers, and with our very early 21st Century technology you can play Pac-Man in your car, almost like Back to the Future :)

BTW you're from the Bay Area?  Have you been to Concord?  I was born in San Francisco and lived in the Bay Area until 1998.

The end of the classic gaming era ended with the introduction of Arcade games that cost $1 to play  ;D

That's true.  There are plenty of old-school gamers, and with our very early 21st Century technology you can play Pac-Man in your car, almost like Back to the Future :)

BTW you're from the Bay Area?  Have you been to Concord?  I was born in San Francisco and lived in the Bay Area until 1998.


Cool. I'm pretty familar with the whole Bay Area, there's three "basic" areas I've lived in:

1. North Bay (Sonoma/Marin Counties): childhood
2. Sacramento and suburbs: older childhood/early adolescence
3. San Jose: latter adolescence-present

Back in '95 I briefly lived in Vallejo, which is pretty close to Concord too. And, over the past summer, the place I went (with a couple friends) I referred to, is called Scandia. I think there's only two of them. The other, interestingly enough, is in Rohnert Park, the town I lived in from 1986-90, and to this day, my favorite childhood house.

Cool. I'm pretty familar with the whole Bay Area, there's three "basic" areas I've lived in:

1. North Bay (Sonoma/Marin Counties): childhood
2. Sacramento and suburbs: older childhood/early adolescence
3. San Jose: latter adolescence-present

Back in '95 I briefly lived in Vallejo, which is pretty close to Concord too. And, over the past summer, the place I went (with a couple friends) I referred to, is called Scandia. I think there's only two of them. The other, interestingly enough, is in Rohnert Park, the town I lived in from 1986-90, and to this day, my favorite childhood house.


I've lived in:

San Francisco: 1990, probably some of '91 (also born there in January '90 and visited many times after, last time in 1999)
Sunnyvale/Mountain View, near San Jose: About 1991-early '95 (returned in 1999, and for sure times before)
Concord: About Spring of 1995 - March 1998 (went back in 1999 and 2002)

You know, it's vaguely possible that you've seen me in person before!  ;D  Of course, then I'd be a little kid, at most 8.

Classic gaming is loooooong dead. It died with the Playstation One(1995). And i think THAT era(dont know what to call it) came to an in end in 2001/2002 with the huge success of Grand Theft Auto III. That game really changed things, imo. I dont think this next wave of consoles are going to be like a new era. Microsoft said the Xbox 360 is like an upgrade more than a whole new system. I believe their next system is actually scheduled to be called X Box 2. I think it'll be out in like 2010..?

Classic gaming is loooooong dead. It died with the Playstation One(1995). And i think THAT era(dont know what to call it) came to an in end in 2001/2002 with the huge success of Grand Theft Auto III. That game really changed things, imo. I dont think this next wave of consoles are going to be like a new era. Microsoft said the Xbox 360 is like an upgrade more than a whole new system. I believe their next system is actually scheduled to be called X Box 2. I think it'll be out in like 2010..?


Yeah, nobody seemed to care about PS3 either.

I'd say the gaming eras are:

Old School: 1977-1994

1977-1980: First Age
1981-1985: Atari Age
1986-1990: the Mario Days
1991-1994: Sonic Age

Nu School: 1995-2006+

1995-2000: 2.5 D "Playstation" Era
2001-2005: 3D "PS2" Era

2005 -                Would be the "X Box 360 Era" then.

2005 -                Would be the "X Box 360 Era" then.


Actually, I'd call the current Gaming era more like PS2/Halo Age Part II, rather than a fully different age.

In my opinion, the old school/arcade video game era spans from about 1977 to 1994.  1995+ is new school.
That seems about right, and that was about the time when home video game consoles became more advanced than the coin-op games.

That seems about right, and that was about the time when home video game consoles became more advanced than the coin-op games.


Although I think in 1995 and 1996 there was some holdover, as Playstation and Nintendo were brand new then.  I've played video games since about 1993 or 1994.

Actually, I'd call the current Gaming era more like PS2/Halo Age Part II, rather than a fully different age.


Sounds about right....