Update
Edition
Feb ruary 1, 1981
Vol. 7, No . 2
Staff
Publisher and Editor :
Ralph C. Lall y II
Editorial D ir ecto r :
Da vid Pierson
Mana g in g Edit o r:
Ra y E. Tille y
Administrati ve A ss istant :
Valerie Cogn ev ich
Art Director:
Kate y Schwark
Circulation Manager :
Rene e' C. Pierson
Te chnical Edit o rs:
l ac Oli ver
Randy Fromm
Jim Calore
Corresp o ndents:
Roger C. Sharpe
Pat Matthews
Dick Welu
Mary Claire Blakeman
Tony Licata
Steve Kirk
Cla s ifi ed Advertising:
Valerie Cognevich
Adverti ing Manager:
David Pierson
Europ ean Represe ntative:
Esmay Leslie
PL AY M ETE R, February 1, 1981 .
Volume 7, o . 2. Cop yright 1981 by
Sk ybird Publishing Compan y. PLAY
METER (ISSN 0162-1343 ) is pub-
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Promotion s, " Har esco rnbe "
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England , orthwood 29244 .
Star Castle sales rights
continued f rom page 1
Rockola . He indicated that the
introduction of additional high -
drawing games by Rock-Oia "can be
considered to be imminent , as
management is now committed to
offering a high degree of selectivity to
the national and international
operator trade ."
He added , " We fully realize that
continuity of good games is
necessary to ensure Rock -Oia 's
attaining its ambitious but neverthe -
less realistic domestic and
international marketing goals. "
The Chicago firm had tested
several imported games by late
summer but ruled that the
candidates did not prove income
power in the field to the extent the
company wished to serve up to its
network of handlers.
Roc kola commented to PLAY
METER , "a lot of operators and
distributors have been waiting for
the news , and we have fitted a glove
to the right hand ."
Cinematronics' Secretary/ T rea-
surer Tom Stroud, Jr . said, " We're
really excited about it." He saluted
the factory facilities of Rock -Oia-
which have turned out a variety of
material in SO years , from Carbine
rifles and Packard war hardware
during World War II to shuffle alleys
(the last game produced by Rock-
Oia, up to 19SO) to payout games and
pingames in the 1930s.
Rockola commented , "Just as
Rock -Oia has become the world 's
number one producer of jukeboxes,
so too will we put our hearts and
talents behind this great new and
promising endeavor ."
Rock -Oia 's pioneering pingames
of SO years ago, Jig S aw and World
Series, set production records in
their day, 1SOO units of each per day ,
" that to date have never been
matched." Dr. Rockola claimed that
this manufacturing history alone
demonstrates Rock -Ola's ability to
re -establish itself as a competitor in
the games industry.
Production of Star Castle at
Chicago was scheduled to begin in
mid - December , with export
marketing likely at January 1, 1981.
Manufacture of the video game
will be complete within the Rock -Oia
factory , which will build the monitors
as well as produce game parts. As
well as phonograph production , the
plant may also embrace manufacture
of conventional raster monitor
games at a near date , said Dr.
Roc kola .
The "skyrocketing income" of
video games led Rock -Oia Manufac -
turing to a decision to re -enter the
games field . Other games are being
studied for produ c tion and
marketing , said Dr. Rockola , but on
visiting the Amusement Machine
Show in Japan recently, he noted the
number of favorable c omments
made by Japanese industry persons
about Star Castle , among only a few
American-made videos.
He concluded: "It is our intent to
become a major factor in the ve ry
competitive and fast -moving video
game business . To do this , we fully
reali ze we must offer our fine
network of distributors , both
domestic and export , truly
outstanding games that . are capable
of producing top levels of income ,
and not just another cute or 'also-
ran ' type of video."
PLAY METER CALENDAR
January 16-18
Apri/12-13
Oregon Amusement & Music
O perators Association , annual
meeting Marriott Hotel, Portland
Milan Fair: park and amusement
rides , and coin -operated games
show, Milan ,' Italy
January 17-18
May 8-9
Ohio Music & Amusement Associa-
tion, annual convention and trade
show , Columbus H ilton Inn ,
Columbus
Music O perators of Minnesota,
annual convention and show,
Holiday Inn Downtown , Minneapolis
January 22-25
IM A Show , Frankfurt , West
Germany
February 17-19
Northern Show trade event ,
Blackpool, England
Marc h 12-14
Amusement Operators Expo , Hyatt
Regency Hotel , New Orleans
May 8-10
Music and Amusement Association/
New York annual convention ,
Kutsher's Country Club , Monticello
September 12-13
South Carolina Coin O perators
Association , annual convention ,
Carolina Inn, Columbia