April 2006 in video gaming

__NOTOC__{{Portal:Current events/Video gaming/Shortcut}}{{Events in video gaming by month links}}
{| cellspacing="3"
|- valign="top"
|

===[[April 28]] [[2006]] (Friday)===
*Despite a gain in revenue and an overall profit for [[Microsoft]], their Home and Entertainment division announces a [[Q3]] loss of USD 388 million. [[Xbox 360]] shortages and money spent to put the console into stores worldwide are cited as the main reasons for the loss. [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=16432]
</div>

===[[April 27]] [[2006]] (Thursday)===
*The name of [[Nintendo]]'s fifth home [[video game console]], previously code named the "Revolution" has been announced as the [[Wii]].[http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/27/commentary/game_over/nintendo/?cnn=yes]
*With expensive [[Blu-ray]] and [[Cell processor]] technology in the [[PlayStation 3]], [[Sony]]'s Game Division is expected to lose $872 million in this fiscal year. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12540]
</div>

===[[April 26]] [[2006]] (Wednesday)===
*According to the [[Wall Street Journal]], [[Microsoft]] is set to acquire developer ''Massive Incorporated'' for over $400 million. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12519]
</div>

===[[April 25]] [[2006]] (Tuesday)===
*A [[PlayStation Portable]] [[firmware]] update, v2.7, is released in [[Japan]]. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php]
*An inadvertently mailed version of publisher [[Bethesda]]'s forthcoming game release list reveals plans for a [[PlayStation 3]] and [[PlayStation Portable]] version of [[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion|Oblivion]]. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9035]
*A report by ''Niko Partners'' finds that the video game market in [[China]] will reach $2.1 billion by 2010. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12513]
</div>

===[[April 24]] [[2006]] (Monday)===
*[[Media conglomerate]] [[Viacom]] purchases gamer-oriented [[freeware]] [[instant messaging]] service [[Xfire]] for $102 million. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9019]
*[[GameSpot]] launches a United Kingdom run version of its site, GameSpot UK. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9015]
*[[Sony]] announces that it will begin testing chip components for the [[PlayStation 3]] shortly, suggesting a worldwide [[November]] release. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9012]
*''4sight Licensing Solutions'', a subsidiary of [[4Kids Entertainment]], announces plans to oversee [[Xbox]] and [[Xbox 360]] global licensing. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9022]
</div>

===[[April 21]] [[2006]] (Friday)===
*[[Chartered Semiconductor]] announces that it will produce 65 nm CPUs for the [[Xbox 360]], which will lower the console's heat and power consumption. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12475]
*The film adaptation of [[Silent Hill (film)|Silent Hill]] is released in [[North America]] and the [[United Kingdom]]. Response is mixed, with the film praised by fans but criticised by reviewers.
*[[THQ]] lowers its earnings guidance for the March quarter, citing a change in development strategy for [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] games and poor sales performance of ''[[Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers]]''. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12476]
</div>

===[[April 20]] [[2006]] (Thursday)===
*Development of [[IBM PC compatible|PC]] and [[Xbox 360]] game [[TimeShift]] transfers from [[Atari]] to [[VU Games]]. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8976]
*[[Sony]] cuts the price of the [[PlayStation 2]] from [[US$]]149.99 to [[US$]]129.99 ([[CAN$]]139.99). [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8979]
* [[Shigesato Itoi]], creator of the [[Mother (video game)|MOTHER]]/[[EarthBound]] [[console role-playing game|RPG]]s released the [[Mother 3|third (and probably final) title]] of the MOTHER/EarthBound franchise in [[Japan]] for the [[Game Boy Advance]].
</div>

===[[April 19]] [[2006]] (Wednesday)===
*Former [[Ubisoft Montreal]] head [[Martin Tremblay]] becomes [[president]] of [[Worldwide Studios]]. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8969]
*The 2007 [[Game Developers Conference]] is announced to take place in [[San Jose, California]], from [[March 5]] to [[March 9|9th]]. [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6147943.html]
*The [[NPD]] group reports that [[March]] [[2006]] U.S. sales for video games were $499 million, down eight percent from March 2005. [http://ds.ign.com/articles/702/702198p1.html]
*[[Square Enix]] cuts its [[profit]] forecast for the year by over 40 percent, and drops its [[revenue]] forecast by eight percent. [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=16208]
*The ''[[I Am 8-Bit]]'' video-game themed art exhibit opens for a second show. [http://games.ign.com/articles/702/702322p1.html]
</div>

===[[April 18]] [[2006]] (Tuesday)===
*An "Online Games Market in India" report indicates that the online games market in [[India]] will exceed $200 million by [[2010]]. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8969]
*[[Microsoft]] announces that by the end of 2006, it hopes to produce and ship 1 million [[Xbox 360]] units per month. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12438]
</div>

===[[April 17]] [[2006]] (Monday)===
*A sequel to [[Guitar Hero (2005 video game)|Guitar Hero]], [[Guitar Hero 2]], is announced. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8932]
*According to the [[Yankee Group]], in-game advertising could increase to $732 million by the year 2010, up from $56 million in 2005 and $22 million in 2004. [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8931]
</div>

===[[April 12]] [[2006]] (Wednesday)===
*The [[Nintendo DS]] is announced as the top-selling console in [[Japan]] for [[2005]], selling 4.32 million units. The [[PlayStation Portable]] is second, selling 2.07 million units, while the [[PlayStation 2]] is third, selling 1.77 million units. [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=16062]
</div>

===[[April 10]] [[2006]] (Monday)===
*''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'' reaches 2.5 million units in worldwide shipment. After it releases in Europe, [[Square Enix]] expects the entire series' shipments to reach 10 million units. [http://ps2.ign.com/articles/700/700901p1.html]
*''[[Animal Crossing: Wild World]]'' for the [[Nintendo DS]] is announced as the top-selling video game in Japan for 2005, selling 2.34 million units. ''[[Final Fantasy XII]]'' for [[PlayStation 2]] is second, selling 2.05 million units, and ''[[Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day]]'' for [[Nintendo DS]] is third, selling 1.85 million units. [http://ds.ign.com/articles/701/701005p1.html]
</div>

===[[April 7]] [[2006]] (Friday)===
*[[Lara Croft]] is entered into the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] as "Most Successful Human video Game Heroine". [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8839]
*The seventh game in the [[Tomb Raider series|''Tomb Raider'']] series, ''[[Tomb Raider: Legend]]'' is released in [[Europe]] for multiple platforms. It is the first game in the ''Tomb Raider'' series not to be developed by [[Core Design]], instead being developed by [[Crystal Dynamics]].[http://corporate.sci.co.uk/Press_Releases/PressReleasesDetail.aspx?Press_Release_ID=209]
</div>

===[[April 6]] [[2006]] (Thursday)===
*[[Microsoft Game Studios]] acquires [[Peter Molyneux]]'s [[Lionhead Studios]].[http://www.lionhead.com/news/mgsacquirelh.html]
</div>

===[[April 5]] [[2006]] (Wednesday)===
*[[Ritual Entertainment]]'s ''[[SiN Episodes: Emergence]]'' preload begins on [[Valve Software]]'s [[Steam (content delivery)|Steam platform]] in preparation for a [[May 9]], [[2006]] launch. The 1998 game ''[[SiN]]'' is available to play immediately for customers who preorder the game. The game will also be available in stores following a distribution deal with [[Electronic Arts|EA]].[http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=528][http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=527]
</div>

===[[April 4]] [[2006]] (Tuesday)===
*[[Sega]] acquires game developers [[Secret Level]] and [[Sports Interactive]]. [http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12317]
*[[Nintendo]] confirms that the [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] [[internet]] browser will launch for the [[Nintendo DS]] in [[Japan]] in [[June]]. [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=15821]
</div>

[[Category:2006 video games]]

April 2006 in video gaming

See Also

Learn from Lei Feng Online

March 2006 in video gaming

February 2006 in video gaming

January 2006 in video gaming

DCastle