AM Press: NeoGeo Battle Coliseum at AMOA 2005

October 15, 2005 issue

Last updated on October 8, 2005

Special news

SEGA SAMMY HD has made TMS Entertainment a subsidiary.

Nikkatsu, a film producer, has become a 70% subsidiary of Index.

Overseas

The US AMOA Expo is on a recovery trend, but the Fan Expo is feeling refreshed.

Nolan Bushnell has become a judge on an American TV show.

Domestic

A TOB for Taito shares by Square Enix has been completed.

Aruze lost another lawsuit against SNK Playmore.

News digest of October 15, 2005 issue

Photo taken at AMOA Expo 05 in the US. Above is President Kevin Hayes, Cosmo Dog's Andrew Pine, and Namco America's Vice President Frank Cosentino with Ball-o-Rama in Namco America's booth. The photo below shows a person trying out the “Big Buck Hunter Pro” at Betson's booth.

Main news from 10 years ago

Namco's “Alpine Racer” won the Best New Product Award at the US AMOA Expo, and Capcom's first flipper was exhibited. It has been decided that Sega's Saturn and SNK's Neo Geo CD will mutually license game software. Capcom entered the CG game industry with “Toshinden.” Navel Land, an amusement park in Omuta, Fukuoka, has opened. (October 15, 1995 issue)

Main news from 20 years ago

In the United States, Tim O'Leary was sentenced to five years in prison for unabatedly copying TV game machines. Twenty-one TV game machine manufacturers were sued under the "playing device attached table" practical invention rights. Namco and Bandai's copyright lawsuit over the EL toy "Paclimonster" was settled in a settlement. Sega unveiled the new headquarters building, and President Takawa Kung confirmed the listing two years later on October 15, 1985.）

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[News Digest]

１．At the United States AMO Expo 05 (September 14-16, Las Vegas), more than 160 companies showed up in 508 hours, with 4,684 registered traders visiting and showing their recovery. However, the fan exhibition at the same venue was clear. It's called Battle Gear IV, it's called Super Dragon Ball Z, it's called Ball O' Rama, and it's called Super Dragon Ball Z, and it's called the "Ball O' Rama", and it's called the "Big Back Hunter Pro" by the American makers.。

２．Sega Sammy Holdings announced on October 7 that it had subsidiarized its affiliate Toms Entertainment. The holding rate was 34.9% at the beginning of April this year, but by this date it had increased to 50.1%, so it switched from existing holding law-enforcement affiliates to affiliates. I'm also hoping to see a video of two of them. Sega's Sammy has announced a major upward revision to its mid-season performance forecast on September 29, in the wake of its good patchwork business, its medal game, Star Force 2, and its card game hits.。

３．Namco has acquired 74.4% of its film production subsidiaries from Namco, which became a 70.0% subsidiary of the index since September 28. The index was contracted by Namco and Namco on September 22. The index acquired 70% of its shares from Namco and Midura Ayachi for 7,429 million yen (from Namco for 66.7% for 7,080 million yen) and Namco still owns 7.7 percent. Namco also revised its mid-September consolidation earnings forecast to below the same day. Despite the lower forecasts, the intermediate earnings will not change as there are special gains of about 600 million yen from the sale of Sun Dynamics shares.。

４．On September 22, Square Enix announced the approval of a public purchase of the company. By the 21st day of the TOB deadline, shareholders with 93.7% of the shares in the company had applied for the purchase at 62.785 million yen on the 29th. Square Enix also announced the approval of the government to convert the remaining 6.3% of the shares into a wholly owned subsidiary under Article 12 (9) of the Special Measures for Industrial Dynamic Renewal Act. It's about to go out of business.。

5. In October 01, the intellectual property of SNK was transferred to the new company's Playmore (currently SNK Playmore) after the bankruptcy of the former SNK, but Alze had a complaint for damages as a mistransfer. On September 22, the Osaka District Court decided to leave all Arze's claims. The complaint was made by Arze's pachislo and home game software, and the SNK Playmore is used as a work or trademark without permission. The Osaka District Court has recognized the copyright infringement by Alze, and has made a decision to compensate for damages, but Alze has claimed an infringement certification and SNK Playmore has complained of the amount of compensation.

６．Ion Fantasy announced its mid-August financials on October 4, with sales up 17.6% on the previous year's same period, with 15,949 million yen and a steady increase in revenue, and regular earnings up 12.5% on the year, with 1,345 million yen and mid-term earnings up 20.4% on the year, with 752 million yen. In the first half of the year, the franchise expanded to 201 stores, with nine stores, and a total of 215 franchise stores. The company is a 67% subsidiary of Yiong Group, which operates supermarkets, and operates "in-house groceries" in stores operated by its parent company.。

7. The Third Planet (Head Office Tokyo, President Kazufumi Nagano) announced that the franchise contract for the game-changing “The Third Planet”, followed by Marvelous Entertainment (Head Office Tokyo, President Haruki Nakayama). The company’s franchise contract was seven companies. The Third Planet has 14 branches from Tohoku to Kinki region, and three franchise stores have been expanded to 100 stores in FY07. With the addition of Daicho Shoji, it will be the first time in Kyushu.

８．The U.S. cable and U.S.A. networks have been featured as judges on the September 14th, live audience show "Made in the USA", where Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, is a one-hour program that involves an unknown inventor, entrepreneur, who sells his invention to the home shopping network, and then competes with it. The judges can sign with Bushnell, inventor Joy Manganno, and designer Desna. "This show celebrates entrepreneurship and gives us a way to make our dreams come true", Bushnell explains.。

◎ Since 1974, the industry magazine "Game Machine" has been reporting industry news on commercial amusement machines, including TV game machines, amusement facilities, etc. twice a month, but the print publication was discontinued at the end of June 2002.