publication_date myth makers: trixie in toyland
In the history of video games , the sixth - generation era ( sometimes referred to as the 128 - bit era ; see " Bits and system power " below ) refers to the computer and video games , video game consoles , and video game handhelds available at the turn of the 21st century which was from ___MASK16___ to 2008 . Platforms of the sixth generation include the Sega Dreamcast , Sony PlayStation 2 , Nintendo GameCube , and Microsoft Xbox . This era began on November 27 , ___MASK16___ with the Japanese release of the Dreamcast , and it was joined by the PlayStation 2 in March 2000 and the GameCube and Xbox in 2001 . The Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001 , the GameCube in 2007 , Xbox in 2009 and PlayStation 2 in 2013 . Though the seventh generation of consoles started in November ___MASK6___ with the launch of the Xbox 360 , the sixth generation did not end until January 2013 , when Sony announced that the PlayStation 2 had been discontinued worldwide . Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s , Nintendo then developed into a video game company in the 1970s , ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the industry and Japan ' s third most - valuable company with a market value of over $ 85 billion . From ___MASK14___ until 2016 , Nintendo was also the majority shareholder of Major League Baseball ' s Seattle Mariners . Data Design Interactive Ltd ( DDI ) was a British video game developer and publisher . The company was founded in ___MASK17___ as Data Design Systems in Halesowen , England , was acquired by Stewart Green ' s Green Solutions in May ___MASK68___ , and incorporated as limited company on 2 August 1999 . In August ___MASK85___ , they acquired Metro3D , Inc .' s European office , Metro3D Europe Ltd ., and reformed it into Popcorn Arcade , their Wii development subsidiary . A United States office , Data Design Interactive LLC , was opened in Sarasota , Florida and announced on 23 May 2008 , which later moved to Osprey , Florida . Due to insolvency , the original United Kingdom office went out of business on ___MASK77___ August ___MASK95___ . The is a home video game console released by Nintendo in Japan on September ___MASK51___ , ___MASK64___ ; in North America on November ___MASK8___ , ___MASK64___ ; in Europe on May 3 , 2002 ; and in Australia on May 17 , 2002 . The sixth - generation console is the successor to the Nintendo 64 and competed with Sony Computer Entertainment ' s PlayStation 2 and Microsoft ' s Xbox . The is a home video game console released by Sega on November ___MASK71___ , ___MASK16___ in Japan , September 9 , 1999 in North America , and October 14 , 1999 in Europe . It was the first in the sixth generation of video game consoles , preceding Sony ' s PlayStation 2 , Nintendo ' s GameCube and Microsoft ' s Xbox . The Dreamcast was Sega ' s final home console , marking the end of the company ' s ___MASK8___ years in the console market . The PlayStation ___MASK58___ ( abbreviated as PS2 ) is a home video game console that was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment . It is the successor to the PlayStation , and is the second installment in the PlayStation lineup of consoles . It was released on March ___MASK55___ , 2000 in Japan , October 26 , 2000 in North America , November 24 , 2000 in Europe , and November 17 , 2000 in Australia . It competed with Sega ' s Dreamcast , Microsoft ' s Xbox , and Nintendo ' s GameCube in the sixth generation of video game consoles . Metro3D , Inc . ( formerly Metropolis Digital , Inc .) was an American video game developer and publisher . Based in San Jose , California , and founded in ___MASK16___ , the company released several games for the Dreamcast , Game Boy Color ( GBC ), Game Boy Advance ( GBA ), and PlayStation 2 ( PS2 ) consoles . Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U . S . state of Florida . The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities , beaches , resorts , connections to the Ringling family , and the Sarasota School of Architecture . The city is located at the southern end of the Tampa Bay Area , north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda . Its current official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico . According to the U . S . Census Bureau , in ___MASK29___ Sarasota had a population of 53 , 326 . In 1986 it became designated as a certified local government . Sarasota is a principal city of the Sarasota metropolitan area , and is the seat of Sarasota County . Microsoft Corporation ( commonly referred to as Microsoft or MS ) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond , Washington , that develops , manufactures , licenses , supports and sells computer software , consumer electronics and personal computers and services . Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems , Microsoft Office office suite , and Internet Explorer and Edge web browsers . Its flagship hardware products are the Xbox video game consoles and the Microsoft Surface tablet lineup . As of ___MASK78___ , it was the world ' s largest software maker by revenue , and one of the world ' s most valuable companies . The PlayStation ___MASK44___ ( abbreviated as PS3 ) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment . It is the successor to PlayStation 2 , and is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles . It competed with Microsoft ' s Xbox 360 and Nintendo ' s Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles . It was first released on November ___MASK37___ , 2006 , in Japan , November 17 , 2006 in North America , and March 27 , 2007 in Europe and Australia . The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November ___MASK86___ , 2006 . As a seventh - generation console , the Wii competed with Microsoft ' s Xbox 360 and Sony ' s PlayStation 3 . Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others . , the Wii leads its generation over PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales , with more than 101 million units sold ; in ___MASK82___ , the console broke the sales record for a single month in the United States . Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group , which is engaged in business through its four operating components  electronics ( video games , network services and medical business ), motion pictures , music and financial services . These make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world . Sony ' s principal business operations include Sony Corporation , Sony Pictures Entertainment , Sony Interactive Entertainment , Sony Music Entertainment , Sony Mobile ( formerly Sony Ericsson ) and Sony Financial . Sony is among the Semiconductor sales leaders by year and as of ___MASK29___ , the fourth - largest television manufacturer in the world , after Samsung Electronics , LG Electronics and TCL . The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft . As the successor to the original Xbox , it is the second console in the Xbox series . The Xbox 360 competed with Sony ' s PlayStation ___MASK44___ and Nintendo ' s Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles . The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12 , ___MASK6___ , with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo ( E3 ). Osprey is a census - designated place ( CDP ) in Sarasota County , Florida , United States . The population was ___MASK43___ , 100 at the 2010 census . It is part of the Bradenton  Sarasota  Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area . Myth Makers : Trixie in Toyland is an Unlicensed platforming video game for the PC , PlayStation ___MASK58___ , and most recently the Nintendo Wii . The game was created by UK - based Data Design Interactive . It is one of three parts of their Myth Makers franchise of video games .