SF4 not hitting the US

[BigTinz]

Too bad about "SF4 not hitting that thar US," eh? Don't know why the topic title is in German.

The link talks about importing a whole cab, but all of this international release crap could be solved if they just sold one multilingual conversion kit for the game. Most arcade boards have region and language settings now, and they could ship with multiple language versions of the documentation. The manufacturer wouldn't have to produce a separate version for the US. Problem solved.

Especially considering it's on a pc. This sounds like a fine plan to me.

 

[SouthtownKid]

The link talks about importing a whole cab, but all of this international release crap could be solved if they just sold one multilingual conversion kit for the game. Most arcade boards have region and language settings now, and they could ship with multiple language versions of the documentation. The manufacturer wouldn't have to produce a separate version for the US. Problem solved.

Problem not solved.

You are leaving out the part about needing an actual arcade to put it in.

 

[aegreatone]

Problem not solved.

You are leaving out the part about needing an actual arcade to put it in.

exactly, i had to research on where an arcade exist in the 4th largest city in the US...guess where an arcade exist...Perfect Anime Zero...that's right, arcades are so dead that they have to merge anime with it. Great, it's bad enough I have to deal with video game nerds..now i have to deal with weird, smelly, make up wearing anime losers? yeah, arcade is dead.

 

[SuperDeadite]

Here in Japan we still have some decent arcades. But way too much smoke for me. Usually cigarette smoke doesn't bother me, but some arcades are so bad you can barely even see anything. Just a big white cloud of smoke. Poor Candycabs with burn marks and yellowing.

 

[Borman]

Hey guys, I know the games down in NYC, but does anyone have where and how to get to it? :P

 

[ecksnine]

 

[wataru330]

University Pinball,Phila PA>>>

...near the Penn campus, 40th and a tree street. Spruce maybe? can't be assed to look up the addy, i get there via brail.

they've expanded opportunities to play SF IV by not having the linked cabs...now it is 2 players per cab; not that gutted, bobo L&I condemed shit.

also, they have Arcana Heart 2.

even uni pinball is falling off a bit. more 'pay a cover charge, machines on freeplay' promos in the last 6 mos. than in the preceding 6 yrs.

nice way to get your practice on tho, for less than a dollar a pop.

worth the trip, if you are able to make it.

 

[genjiglove]

Hey guys, I know the games down in NYC, but does anyone have where and how to get to it? :P

http://www.eventhubs.com/articles/2008/aug/15/street-fighter-4-arcade-machine-tracker/

 

[tsukaesugi]

Here in Japan we still have some decent arcades. But way too much smoke for me. Usually cigarette smoke doesn't bother me, but some arcades are so bad you can barely even see anything. Just a big white cloud of smoke. Poor Candycabs with burn marks and yellowing.

Ditto on the burn marks and yellowing. Such a shame.

I don't go to the arcades much anymore, but when I did it used to drive me nuts when there was an ashtray full of smoldering butts sitting on the control panel. Usually, I'd just put it on one of the empty cabs next to me, but if both cabs were in use I'd be stuck with it for the rest of my game.

 

[hanafuda]

Ditto on the burn marks and yellowing. Such a shame.

I don't go to the arcades much anymore, but when I did it used to drive me nuts when there was an ashtray full of smoldering butts sitting on the control panel. Usually, I'd just put it on one of the empty cabs next to me, but if both cabs were in use I'd be stuck with it for the rest of my game.

Agreed.

The other day we were in our local (only?) arcade and the wife hates smoke. I'm not keen myself although I can put up with it. I had a credit in SF IV while she played some Mah Jong. We both came out smelling like an ash tray. They really need to make more Japanese arcades smoke free.

Japan is changing in that regard, although VERY slowly..

 

[joe8]

SF4 not hitting the US
I am not sure if anyone has seen this yet, but...
http://www.edge-online.com/features/...-iv-us-arcades
Sadly, this doesn't surprise me but I was hoping to see it come out here.

they say arcades don't want to spend the money, but why are taito type 2 systems and games so expensive- aren't they just pc hardware?- can't they just price the systems and games according to lower demand?
they should have released it officially in US arcades as a fan service- capcom made a ton of money from US arcades when sf2 was released. It's one of the games that could revive interest in US arcades.

 

[hanafuda]

It's one of the games that could revive interest in US arcades.

It's really not.

It has potential to bring in some OK revenue, but unlikely to do better than the competition.

Arcades are never going to be like they were in the early 90s. You cant have the same boom twice.

 

[joe8]

but aren't arcades still doing well in Japan? people say arcades are dead, well they're not in Asia.
it wasn't just consoles that killed off arcades in the West, it was greedy arcade operators who sold out of the game while they thought they still could. Towards the end of the boom they kept charging high prices for games that were getting old, and didn't buy new games. Japanese arcade operators are more value-for-money oriented and buy the latest games as soon as they arrive. Plus Japanese arcade players use memory cards for customising characters, which has never been implemented properly in the West. The US arcades wouldn't have to be like the 90's boom to have SF4 officially released.

 

[tsukaesugi]

but aren't arcades still doing well in Japan?

Unfortunately no.

They're not quite dead yet, but there are more closing than new ones opening up, and the focus is shifting from traditional video games to UFO Catchers and Photo Stickers.

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188530

 

[SuperDeadite]

Most people's vision of Japanese arcades are based on "Hey" in Akihabara. "Hey" is a great arcade that will probably never close, but most arcades in Japan are not anywhere near that great. Most arcades in my area combine bowling, UFO catchers, pachinko, and slots togheather. Most actual games cater more to the music game crowd. Also some light-gun games. But the other stuff is disappearing. Slots and Pachinko are taking over from what I've seen.

 

[Jack Burton]

Arcades are never going to be like they were in the early 90s. You cant have the same boom twice.

Arcades were huge in the early 80's and early 90's. So I'm guessing that when you say "you can't have the same boom twice" you mean another arcade boom for the same game? Just saying that the early 80's and 90's experienced big booms in arcades (in case I misread what you meant).

 

[Moose]

Agreed.

The other day we were in our local (only?) arcade and the wife hates smoke. I'm not keen myself although I can put up with it. I had a credit in SF IV while she played some Mah Jong. We both came out smelling like an ash tray. They really need to make more Japanese arcades smoke free.

Japan is changing in that regard, although VERY slowly..

Im not a smoker, but I can tell you that the non-smoking bullshit has hurt a LOT of business in the US, maine in my case. Bars, Pool Halls, VFW's, Elks Clubs, etc. Coin-op is way down. No one wants to go out anymore when they can't smoke and if they leave the bar theirs a freakin cop outside waiting these days. It sucks.

 

[hanafuda]

Arcades were huge in the early 80's and early 90's. So I'm guessing that when you say "you can't have the same boom twice" you mean another arcade boom for the same game? Just saying that the early 80's and 90's experienced big booms in arcades (in case I misread what you meant).

I was referring to the SFII boom and subsequent fighting game boom that followed. Nothing is going to bring that back, and even if there were such a game, the infrastructure just isn't there any more to enable it to happen.

@ Moose

Well, there are no-smoking arcades in Japan. Most of the bigger ones that try to appeal to a wider audience are no smoking I think. I think Club Sega might even be no smoking. Correct me if I'm wrong on that. Most of the smaller chains / arcades will permit smoking though.

Of course, I can't comment on the situation in the US as I don't know anything about it.

@ thread in general

Yes, arcades continue to die in Japan. A good point was made about Akihabara. Akihabara is not representative of the big picture at all. It's not even representative of Tokyo. Any big city has areas that have focuses on certain things. For example, Jinbocho in Tokyo is full of book shops and sports shops. It does not represent the rest of Japan. Soho in London is full of sex shops. It does not represent the rest of England.

Point is that the number of arcades in Japan continues to decrease. Not so much the bigger chains, but many of the smaller, private arcades are gone and continue to disappear. Where I work in Tokyo, there were 3 arcades there in 2002. Now there are none. Not one. One of these was a Club Sega too. There are a bunch of others that I knew that are gone too. I live in a pretty big town/city, and there is only 1 arcade that I know of. New arcades opening up? I can't really think of a single one unless you class a UFO catcher filled place that usually comes as standard with a new shopping mall...

 

[Borman]

I just wanted to say, SF4 is amazing. Played it in Chinatown today.

 

[Neo Alec]

exactly, i had to research on where an arcade exist in the 4th largest city in the US...guess where an arcade exist...Perfect Anime Zero...that's right, arcades are so dead that they have to merge anime with it. Great, it's bad enough I have to deal with video game nerds..now i have to deal with weird, smelly, make up wearing anime losers? yeah, arcade is dead.

Well, at least they care enough about their appearance to put on make up.

 

[wizkid007]

Slots and Pachinko are taking over from what I've seen.

Its a sign of things to come, as soon as the competition dies, it also affects the social scene. And everything will begin to fade there after.

If they want to bring things back, they have to change up the formula, they have to redefine it as cool to hang out there for a reason. Starts with the hardcore which filters down to the rest of the population.

Bring in digital billboards showcasing the top players of the top games, make people feel important by defining the area, offer free drinks in order to get people to hang out there. Its all about networking and creating an experience beyond the machine. Its time for the owners to get involved or watch their industry go down the tubes.

 

[joe8]

You are leaving out the part about needing an actual arcade to put it in.

you wouldn't need that many arcades/amusement centers(across the whole U.S.) to do an official release. they can also go in other types of shops as well. plus some gamers would buy a cab for their home.

 

[aegreatone]

Well, at least they care enough about their appearance to put on make up.

yet they didn't care enough to take a shower?

 

[RBjakeSpecial]

Unfortunately no.

They're not quite dead yet, but there are more closing than new ones opening up, and the focus is shifting from traditional video games to UFO Catchers and Photo Stickers.

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188530

That cool arcade down the street from me closed last year.

I played a lot of SNK games and mahjong video games there. Sad to see it shut down.

How are the arcades out where you are? Are they shutting down too?

 

[lidiaandmichael]

I live in Illinois I wonder if there is a a SFIV cabinet in Chinatown? Anyone know if this is a possibility?