tributors. We as a video family love
and enjoy this business and hope to
be here m a small way for a long
time .
Laurence Richie
R-U-A Gaming Co.
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Ice rinks
We thoroughly enjoy your maga-
zine. It has certainly helped to make
the right management decisions.
In addition to most of the pro-
blems of your operators, we suffer
the indignity of a couple more. First
of all, we pay from 45 percent up
duty on all imported video games or
parts thereof and a further 20 per-
cent sales tax. A new video game,
therefore, costs the operator between
$NZ 3,5 00-4,500. A new pinball
imported from USA $NZ 6,000 up.
Secondly, we have no "quarters."
Our standard price to play a game is
20 cents, an immediate drop in
turnover as opposed to our American
colleagues of 20 percent. Depreci-
ation allowed for tax purposes is 25
percent in the first year and 15
percent per annum after that. Quite
unrealistic.
The reason that we are writing to
you is to see if you can help us with
the following :
Is there an association of ice rink
proprietors in the USA, and if there
is, could you help us with its
address? Also like Play Meter for the
coin-op entertainment industry, is
there a magazine for ice rink
operators, and if so, could you help
us with its address?
John V ryenhoek
Matsons Enterprises
Christchurch, New Zealand
good videos that have passed the
rest, but only one claims supericr
consistency in earning power and
stays on top.
In talking with people and asking
questions concerning what they
think it would take to get the public
interested again in video games, the
answer is, "The women and the
There is an urgency in the air sur- young are waiting in the wings for a
rounding the coin-operated amuse- comparable video to Pac-Man (not
ment machine business. During the laser disc ) -the men will follow."
tenure of our own coin-operated
They want a game with a catchy
music and game business, which was tune, easy to acquaint with, com-
established in 1931, we have always petitive but not exhausting, fun
felt that when a fresh new game was without tiring, limited as to playing
needed the manufacturers would time so as nor to become boring, and
come up with it-we were never dis- priced to sell for 25 cents per game.
This is our next successful game, and
appointed.
In the past 52 years, there have it could turn the whole coin-operated
been major changes in the coin game business around.
machine business every six to eight
Every operator is looking for a
years. We have gone from pin to game that he can set beside his Pac-
shuffle alley-to pool-to electronic Man (which is still helping to pay
pins-to videos, etc. Each of these the bills )-a game that is priced
changes seemed to be in step with
right and that will compete with , but
the economy and the population not kill, the Pac-Man, nor the cus-
growth, and were priced accord-
tomers ' desire to come back again
ingly. The protit earning results and again!
proved this to be correct.
Surely, after 50 years we are not
For the first t ime in our over 50 going to sit by and overdevelop,
years in this industry, we feel that overprice, and overbuild our coin-
we are "our of step." We are not operation business, and let it go
ready to go to the moon (laser disc) down the drain.
Let's slow down-catch up-and
in coin-operated amusement games.
Simplicity and service are the simplify the things that people
sources for business success. Nobody want, or need, to make life more
is handing out awards for medio- enjoyable. The key is that the coin-
crity, poor service, overpricing, and operated games offered to our cus-
poor values.
tomers be affordable to everyone,
We have watched it happen in the and something that they will buy
jukebox business, and we' re seeing it over and over again!
now happen in the game business.
Ben H utch ins Jr.
We let our imagination, instead of
Lawton N o velty Co.
our basic needs, dictate our mode of
Lawton, O k lahoma
life. In the period from 1976 to 1983,
we have witnessed an unusual state Editor's Note: Ben Hutchins ]r.
of affairs-we have had some 20 mailed this letter to most of the
major video game manufacturers in
the United States.
Edi:,or's Note: Does anyone have
any information about an ice rink
association or publication?
Simplicity + service
=success
BIG STATE SUPPLY CO.
Service is The Key to our Success. Same day shipment.
Supplying the nation with parts and supplies for all equip-
ment needs-JUKEBOX, SHUFFLEBOARD, PINBALL.
POOL, VIDEO, & FOOSBALL
Call Toll-free: 800/772-2708 (in TX)
800/433-2915 (national)
Ask for this month's Play MetPr Special on
fuses. rubber rings, overlays, and marquees.
We're Moving!
After February 15, Ploy M•t•r's
new street address will be 6600
Fleur de Lis, New Orteans, LA
70124. The new phone number
will be 504/488-7003. P.O. box
numbers remain the same.
Qffpr PxpirP' M<~r< h 15. 1984 .
8
PlAY MITER. March 1 5, 1984
J
1