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Gaming PCs 1990s-2000s


PC >>>

PC gaming in the 90s and 2000s marked a transformative period in the industry’s history, characterized by rapid advancements in hardware and software. During this time, PC gaming experienced a surge in popularity due to the increasing accessibility of personal computers and the rise of 3D graphics technology. Gamers had the freedom to customize their gaming rigs with various components, including processors, graphics cards, and sound cards, to optimize performance, graphical fidelity, and audio.

One of the most notable advancements in PC gaming during this era was the emergence of 3D acceleration technology, spearheaded by graphics cards like the 3dfx Voodoo series and later NVIDIA GeForce and ATI Radeon cards. These innovations revolutionized gaming visuals, enabling more immersive and realistic environments in titles such as Quake, Half-Life, and Deus Ex. Additionally, the availability of CD-ROM drives allowed for larger game installations, introducing expansive worlds and cinematic experiences to PC gamers.

PC gaming in the 90s and 2000s also saw the rise of online multiplayer gaming through services like Blizzard’s Battle.net, Valve’s Steam platform, and early MMOs like Ultima Online and EverQuest. The versatility of PCs allowed for diverse gaming experiences, ranging from strategy and simulation games to first-person shooters and role-playing games, catering to a wide audience of gamers with varying preferences.

Fun Fact >>>

PC gaming during this period introduced the rise of LAN parties, where gamers gathered for local multiplayer gaming sessions. These events laid the groundwork for modern esports tournaments. LAN parties demonstrated the cooperative, and sometimes competitive, spirit within gaming communities, foreshadowing the evolution of professional gaming into the global phenomenon it is today!


Explore PC Games >>>

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Battlefield 2

Engage in ground combat, vehicular warfare, and intense aerial battles in this large-scale multiplayer military shooter.

  • Release Date: June 21, 2005
  • Developer: DICE
  • Publisher: Electronic Arts
  • Genre: Action, Shooter, First-Person Shooter, Vehicular Combat
  • Rating: 4.8/5
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Command your troops against the enemy in this explosive follow-up to one of the most-loved PC games of all time.

  • Release Date: October 21, 2000
  • Developer: Westwood Studios
  • Publisher: EA Games
  • Genre: Real-Time Strategy
  • Rating: 4.7/5
Counter-Strike: Source

Take on the role of elite law enforcement agents or terrorists in this thrilling first-person PVP shooter.

  • Release Date: August 11, 2004
  • Developer: Valve
  • Publisher: Valve
  • Genre: Action, Shooter, First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 4.4/5
Doom

Control the last remaining space marine, battling hordes of demons infesting the stations on the moons of Mars.

  • Release Date: December 10, 1993
  • Developer: id Software
  • Publisher: id Software
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 4.1/5
Duke Nukem 3D

Assume the role of Duke Nukem, the ass-kicking super soldier tasked with saving the earth and its babes from a menacing alien invasion.

  • Release Date: January 29, 1996
  • Developer: 3D Realms Entertainment
  • Publisher: Apogee Entertainment
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 3.9/5
Half-Life 2

Aid a resistance movement against the Combine, a horde of trans-dimensional aliens that have conquered Earth.

  • Release Date: November 16, 2004
  • Developer: Valve
  • Publisher: Valve
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 4.5/5
HeXen: Beyond Heretic

Fight against the hordes of evil while solving multi-level puzzles in this fantasy first-person adventure from the minds behind Doom.

  • Release Date: October 30, 1995
  • Developer: Raven Software
  • Publisher: GT Interactive
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 3/5
Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia

Guide the land's greatest heroes against an undead warlord who leads a ruthless invasion of his former Kingdom.

  • Release Date: March 3, 1999
  • Developer: New World Computing
  • Publisher: The 3DO Company
  • Genre: Strategy, Role-Playing
  • Rating: 5/5
Homeworld 2

Follow the epic journey of the Hiigarans, a space-faring race seeking their home world in the oldest regions of the galaxy.

  • Release Date: September 13, 2003
  • Developer: Relic Entertainment
  • Publisher: Sierra
  • Genre: Real-Time Strategy, Simulation
  • Rating: 5/5
Total Annihilation

Struggle for domination in the distant future, where two mechanized armies duke it out for the total annihilation of the other.

  • Release Date: September 30, 1997
  • Developer: Cavedog Entertainment
  • Publisher: GT Interactive
  • Genre: Real-Time Strategy
  • Rating: 4.5/5
Unreal Tournament

Take part in a gladiatorial competition spanning various arenas across the galaxy in this innovative shooter from Epic Games.

  • Release Date: November 30, 1999
  • Developer: Epic Games
  • Publisher: GT Interactive
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter
  • Rating: 5/5
X-COM: UFO Defense

Lead an elite squad of heavily-armed soldiers against an alien invasion in this genre-defining tactical strategy game.

  • Release Date: March 11, 1994
  • Developer: Mythos Games
  • Publisher: MicroProse Software
  • Genre: Strategy
  • Rating: 5/5