RDI files bankruptcy
RDI of Carlsbad. CaliL has closed
its doors after filing bankruptcy. The
company was instrumental in bring-
ing the industry its first laser game.
Dragon's Lair. in conjunction w1th Don
Bluth Animation and Clnematronics.
the game's marketer. Before closing.
RDI was working on an interadive
laser-disc home system that was never
marketed.
RDI's major creditor. San Diego
Credit Wholesalers Association .
publicly auctioned RDI's inventory of
Thayer's Quest kits and support parts.
Scott Edmunds of Great Scott
Amusements in California bought the
inventory and said he has fadory-
sealed Thayer's Quest kits that can
convert Dragon 's Lair and Space Ace
in about an hour. "I know when a com-
pany goes out of business like this.
people who bought the games want to
know where to get parts." Edmunds
said. "so I bought the inventory and
have the kits and parts available. I
know RDI sold about 500 games."
Rick Dyer. RDI's president. could
not be reached for comment.
•
Continental in Antwerp, which ceased
trading on November I . Askvig w111
open his own company (under a
name yet to be decided ) in Belgium to
take over the European business.
Askvig was quoted In London's
Coin Slot magazine : " We have
research departments in California.
Chicago, and Berlin. in addition to
offices in Antwerp and London. All this
combines to produce very high over-
heads and a somewhat cumbersome
organization which is not as fast to
react to sensitive changes in market
conditions as it should. One of the
effects of the changes in management
and marketing in Europe is to smooth
out these problems."
Askvig also said his new company
would be responsible for appointing
distributors in every Europen country
except West Germany. where Bally
Wulff. a Bally subsidiary. would con-
tinue to manufacture and distribute
Bally products. Askvig w111 become a
customer of Bally Wulff for Bally pins.
which are made in the German fac-
tory.
Bally Sente research and develop-
ment w1ll continue in California. but
product for Europe will be manufac-
tured by an Italian subcontractor.
Playtronics of Padova.
Bally video games w111 continue to
be manufactured in Chicago for the
European market and will be sold
Bally announces
European changes
Roger Keesee. Bally chief operating
officer. has announced changes in
Bally marketing and management in
Europe effedlve in November.
"Our changes in Europe are of an
organizational and legal charader
and follow a reorganization carried
out recently In the U.S .. " Keesee said.
He was referring to the recent com-
bining of Bally's Aladdin's Castle. Bally
Distributing. and Bally Midway under
one division called the Coin-Op
Amusement Division and headed by
Maurice Ferchen.
In Europe, all Bally product. includ-
ing that of Bally Midway and Bally
Sente. w1ll come under the direct con-
trol of Einar Askvig. formerly of Bally
10
At the recent International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
(IAAPA ) show i n Atlanta. Bill Cravens. left. Nintendo of America sales
director. Janice Rudig. and William Donovan. general manager of Jason
Property Management. play VS Hogan 's Alley at the Bally Distributing
Corp. exhibit.
PLAY METER. December 1, 1965