Street Fighter II grossed $1.5 billion ($2.8 billion adjusted for inflation) in 1993, making it the year's highest-grossing entertainment product, ahead of the film Jurassic Park.[1]
In the United Kingdom, Street Fighter II remained the highest-grossing game during the first half of 1993, according to Coinslot magazine. Street Fighter II generated an estimated £130 million ($229 million at the time, or $430 million adjusted for inflation) in UK arcades during the first half of the year.[3]
In the United States, NBA Jam was the highest-earning arcade game of the year.[4]NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat each grossed over $300 million ($540 million adjusted for inflation) in 1993.[5][6] The following titles were the top-grossing arcade games on the monthly RePlay charts in 1993.
In the United Kingdom, FIFA International Soccer for the Sega Mega Drive (released in December) was the best-selling home video game of 1993, having sold more than 500,000 copies across Europe within four weeks.[27] The following titles were the top-selling home video games of each month in the United Kingdom during 1992.
Blockbuster Video, an American chain of video rental shops, released a monthly list of the chain's highest-renting console titles. The following titles topped the monthly charts, as reported by GamePro magazine.
December 7 – The first of two congressional hearings on video games takes place. Topics for discussion include the depiction of violence and sexual content in video games, their influence on children, and the prospect of governmental regulation of video game content.
"Mortal Kombat II proved to be an enormous commercial success and even a cultural phenomenon. WMS Industries, owner of Midway at the time, reported its 1993 sales in the quarter ending December 31 rose to $101 million from $86 million and said much of its revenue gain was related to the sale of the arcade version of MKII[62]"
"Is often cited as being the first fully 3D fighting game released to the general public, and is a basis for almost all subsequent games in the genre[65] "
Being one of the first sports games with official licensed teams and players, it became a cult classic. It was also the highest-earning arcade game of all time.[66]
Introduced Kirby's ability to take on the powers of enemies he has eaten, which would go on to become a staple of the franchise. First appearance of Meta Knight.
Sold over two million copies and was widely regarded as one of three "killer apps" that accelerated the sales of CD-ROM drives (other two being Myst & Doom[67] [page 129]). Bill Gates also called The 7th Guest "the new standard in interactive entertainment"
One of 1993's key games, with many interesting facts[68] including that (until The Sims took the top spot with 6.3 million games sold in 2002) Myst was the best-selling PC title on record, with 6 million units sold since its launch. To date, the franchise has sold over 12 million units.
^Goldstein, Jeffrey H. (1998). "Immortal Kombat: War Toys and Violent Video Games". Why We Watch: The Attractions of Violent Entertainment. Oxford University Press. pp. 53-68 (53). ISBN978-0-19-802790-4. Its financial success was exceeded only by a video game with violence as its theme. "One single game–StreetFighter II–made $1.5 billion last year [1993]. Nothing, not even Jurassic Park, touched that success in the entertainment business," said screenwriter Michael Backes (quoted in Covington, 1994).
^"第７回 ゲーメスト大賞 〜 ヒットゲーム BEST 10 〜 インカム中心" [7th Gamest Awards – Hit Games: Best 10 – Income Center]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 107 (February 1994). December 27, 1993. pp. 20-43 (39). Lay summary.
