Word on the Street
As with recent events in the Japanese amusement sector the truth is stranger than many of the rumors floating around. Last month speculation and rumor leading up to AMOA talked of back room deals over the Intellectual Properties (IP) of SNK. The Eolith operation spoke privately of using SNK licenses beyond the showing of their King Of Fighters 2001, and US distributors hinted at special deals to get their hands on whatever should arise.
Well the rumors have been replaced by some hard facts and the REPORT has the skinny.
The Players
It would appear that the Boardroom battles hinted at during August were totally accurate. The texture and content of the vitriol thrown around from Aruze seems to point to a decision at that point to block the maverick SNK "last minute" show of defiance, and their reluctance to make available IP for pachinko purposes. It would seem that Aruze undertook a "wait and pick up the pieces brief" and blocked all options for the SNK board. The Aruze board sulking heavily when SNK decided to move back to their old location and attempt some autonomy.
At the same time a number of unusual promissory notes have been handed out to various interested parties regarding the availability of SNK properties for acquisition. Leaked as far back as January the REPORT linked Capcom to the formulation of a team of ex-SNK developers to produce future KOF and Samurai Showdown titles. Also the much-contested KOF'01 route through a Korean development team linked to BreezaSoft (further ex-SNK staff) pointed to an exodus of talent, waiting for the IP content to follow!
The facts however seem to underline rumors that rather than supporting the 11,000 Neo-Geo MVS owners in the field, a more IGS (the Taiwanese developers of the Metal Slug look alike Demon Fantasy) style route would be adopted. Talk from well-placed sources speaks of a new series of PCB boards, building on past MVS technology, but non-compatible with the hardware. One source terms this a "high and dry" route. This would mean that the next four SNK derived games (under development by external groups) would be unique hardware, possibly forcing the MVS unit to be pulled out and a JAMMA compatible PCB to be replaced. Literally discarding the eleven years MVS to the scrap heap! This can be seen as a means to support better performance architecture as the MVS cartridge system, even with the new Giga Chip expansion is incredibly dated, but also a means for the new developers such as the fledgling Korean teams wanting to build their own empire.
What Could this all Mean
For the operator a list of strong MVS games seems to be in the wings:
1. King of Fighters 2001
2. Data East Ghost Loop
3. Metal Slug 4
However they are yet to fully throw their hat into the ring it is expected that the interest generated by the behind the scenes road-show by Eolith at AMOA and ENADA will see a US distribution to operator path, and a familiar European path for KOF'01. If this starts a landslide of interest then more plundering of the SNK library, which includes a number of primary series, will augment these three games.
This route may be hampered if a hostile acquisition plan of IP is made by a manufacturer with a vested interest. It would not be beyond comprehension to see Capcom salivating at the chance to own SNK back catalogue material. At the same time, with all the developers gone, and only the IP as a fixed asset Aruze in salvaging their debt may go for an auction style sale of the juicer properties.
SNK is sitting on titles (beyond their recent HyperWare representation) that are highly attractive in these days of retro gaming. Second only to Taito or even Atari, the list of SNK titles are instantly recognizable to players across a wide generation gap. Metal Slug, KOF, Samurai Showdown and Mark of the Wolf just some of the dynasty of titles that have a long life ahead of them. Ensuring that KOF never competes in splitting the Street Fighter revenue opportunity again (as is being threatened by the Korean release) is a price worth paying for Capcom. Capcom have even announced the start of Capcom Vs. SNK 3, seeming to jump the gun as SNK faulted.
It is safe to say that ZuPapa! will be the last officially sponsored SNK release. Even if the company is salvaged and restarts the releases and structure will be so altered to warrant the use of a new name. Rumors circulating with the news of the Japanese winding up order on SNK talked of a major move by certain Korean companies to try and take control of SNK when the assets become available with the restructuring of the corporation (expected to receive stiff competition from Capcom). It has been reported that BreezaSoft and their first original game Crystal Kings and Eolith will have their games distributed in the US and Europe, and could become the successors, heirs to the SNK throne now left vacant.
It has become open season on copies of popular SNK titles in this new climate. Along with the IGS Demons Fantasy knock off a second Metal Slug want to be (called Tomak: The Shooting!) has been seen. Counterfeiting of MVS cartridge has been a constant strain on SNK, with two major police raids initiated last year. It is expected to become open season on these titles with the loss of the current SNK structure. Also the threats of legal action certain companies who were proposing to release MVS original titles will also see the news of the collapse of SNK as a chance to release their titles, such as the delayed NeoSpark: Golden Edition.
For those companies that had entered into agreements with SNK have been sadly left high and dry. In stark comparison to the previously mentioned successful commencement of software based on Midway classics appearing from HyperWare. The American company has been left in the lurch regarding their negotiations for the release of a dedicated cabinet called the UltraCade NeoGeo Pack that incorporated 44 games. HyperWare had been dealing with the US distributor of SNK (Apple Industries Inc.) who had been acting as a go between with the 'difficult' SNK executive structure. Now that the all lines to SNK Japan have gone cold, HyperWare wait with everyone else to see if they can go forward with their system. A product that was well received at the AMOA could be still born of no true resumption of IP ownership can be determined.
SNK, a name that will be surly missed - however the REPORT feels that the 'games' will live on, and may even increase in number, without the albatross of the eclectic SNK board!
As with recent events in the Japanese amusement sector the truth is stranger than many of the rumors floating around. Last month speculation and rumor leading up to AMOA talked of back room deals over the Intellectual Properties (IP) of SNK. The Eolith operation spoke privately of using SNK licenses beyond the showing of their King Of Fighters 2001, and US distributors hinted at special deals to get their hands on whatever should arise.
Well the rumors have been replaced by some hard facts and the REPORT has the skinny.
The Players
It would appear that the Boardroom battles hinted at during August were totally accurate. The texture and content of the vitriol thrown around from Aruze seems to point to a decision at that point to block the maverick SNK "last minute" show of defiance, and their reluctance to make available IP for pachinko purposes. It would seem that Aruze undertook a "wait and pick up the pieces brief" and blocked all options for the SNK board. The Aruze board sulking heavily when SNK decided to move back to their old location and attempt some autonomy.
At the same time a number of unusual promissory notes have been handed out to various interested parties regarding the availability of SNK properties for acquisition. Leaked as far back as January the REPORT linked Capcom to the formulation of a team of ex-SNK developers to produce future KOF and Samurai Showdown titles. Also the much-contested KOF'01 route through a Korean development team linked to BreezaSoft (further ex-SNK staff) pointed to an exodus of talent, waiting for the IP content to follow!
The facts however seem to underline rumors that rather than supporting the 11,000 Neo-Geo MVS owners in the field, a more IGS (the Taiwanese developers of the Metal Slug look alike Demon Fantasy) style route would be adopted. Talk from well-placed sources speaks of a new series of PCB boards, building on past MVS technology, but non-compatible with the hardware. One source terms this a "high and dry" route. This would mean that the next four SNK derived games (under development by external groups) would be unique hardware, possibly forcing the MVS unit to be pulled out and a JAMMA compatible PCB to be replaced. Literally discarding the eleven years MVS to the scrap heap! This can be seen as a means to support better performance architecture as the MVS cartridge system, even with the new Giga Chip expansion is incredibly dated, but also a means for the new developers such as the fledgling Korean teams wanting to build their own empire.
What Could this all Mean
For the operator a list of strong MVS games seems to be in the wings:
1. King of Fighters 2001
2. Data East Ghost Loop
3. Metal Slug 4
However they are yet to fully throw their hat into the ring it is expected that the interest generated by the behind the scenes road-show by Eolith at AMOA and ENADA will see a US distribution to operator path, and a familiar European path for KOF'01. If this starts a landslide of interest then more plundering of the SNK library, which includes a number of primary series, will augment these three games.
This route may be hampered if a hostile acquisition plan of IP is made by a manufacturer with a vested interest. It would not be beyond comprehension to see Capcom salivating at the chance to own SNK back catalogue material. At the same time, with all the developers gone, and only the IP as a fixed asset Aruze in salvaging their debt may go for an auction style sale of the juicer properties.
SNK is sitting on titles (beyond their recent HyperWare representation) that are highly attractive in these days of retro gaming. Second only to Taito or even Atari, the list of SNK titles are instantly recognizable to players across a wide generation gap. Metal Slug, KOF, Samurai Showdown and Mark of the Wolf just some of the dynasty of titles that have a long life ahead of them. Ensuring that KOF never competes in splitting the Street Fighter revenue opportunity again (as is being threatened by the Korean release) is a price worth paying for Capcom. Capcom have even announced the start of Capcom Vs. SNK 3, seeming to jump the gun as SNK faulted.
It is safe to say that ZuPapa! will be the last officially sponsored SNK release. Even if the company is salvaged and restarts the releases and structure will be so altered to warrant the use of a new name. Rumors circulating with the news of the Japanese winding up order on SNK talked of a major move by certain Korean companies to try and take control of SNK when the assets become available with the restructuring of the corporation (expected to receive stiff competition from Capcom). It has been reported that BreezaSoft and their first original game Crystal Kings and Eolith will have their games distributed in the US and Europe, and could become the successors, heirs to the SNK throne now left vacant.
It has become open season on copies of popular SNK titles in this new climate. Along with the IGS Demons Fantasy knock off a second Metal Slug want to be (called Tomak: The Shooting!) has been seen. Counterfeiting of MVS cartridge has been a constant strain on SNK, with two major police raids initiated last year. It is expected to become open season on these titles with the loss of the current SNK structure. Also the threats of legal action certain companies who were proposing to release MVS original titles will also see the news of the collapse of SNK as a chance to release their titles, such as the delayed NeoSpark: Golden Edition.
For those companies that had entered into agreements with SNK have been sadly left high and dry. In stark comparison to the previously mentioned successful commencement of software based on Midway classics appearing from HyperWare. The American company has been left in the lurch regarding their negotiations for the release of a dedicated cabinet called the UltraCade NeoGeo Pack that incorporated 44 games. HyperWare had been dealing with the US distributor of SNK (Apple Industries Inc.) who had been acting as a go between with the 'difficult' SNK executive structure. Now that the all lines to SNK Japan have gone cold, HyperWare wait with everyone else to see if they can go forward with their system. A product that was well received at the AMOA could be still born of no true resumption of IP ownership can be determined.
SNK, a name that will be surly missed - however the REPORT feels that the 'games' will live on, and may even increase in number, without the albatross of the eclectic SNK board!
