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···········••1~··· · ····,················· News Notes ./ DOYLE BECOMES DIVISION OF CROMPTON Doyle & Associates Inc., which comprises Doyle International of Sarasota, Fla., and Doyle Industries of Lewiston, Idaho, has become a division of Crompton Leisure Machines Ltd., of Ramsgate, Kent, United Kingdom. Doyle products will continue to be marketed and supported worldwide from Doyle's USA offices, and M. Skip Doyle will continue as president of the U.S. company. There are no plans to change staff. The development and production operations of Doyle will benefit from Crompton's advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing technology. In addition, the European-based Crompton can help expand the distribution of Doyle products. ./ PREMIER PRODUCTION LINE ON HIATUS Premier Technology has advised its distributors that the company's production line will not be in operation from Nov. 20 until Jan. 2. The company, which historically closes for inventory at the end of the year, has pushed the date back to let the marketplace absorb the abundance of available product. Premier president Gil Pollock explained: "We feel right now, with the overproduction of games by our competition and the backup of inventory at the factory and distribution levels, for us to introduce a new product would not be responsible to the entire marketplace. We normally would introduce our next pinball machine (Mario Andrettz) in November, but we've decided to hold off until January. During that time our service and parts departments, shipping and receiving, office staff and engineering will continue to function as usual. " The company is still selling its Waterworld pinball and Strilles and Spares bowling-themed novelty. .! DATA EAST SHIPS THE AVENGERS Data East USA Inc. sends word that its latest video game, Marvel Comics' The Avengers featuring Captain America is b eginning to ship to distributors. According to Drew Maniscalco, national sales manager, "The Marvel characters have had a terrific track record, and I expect the success to continue with our new game." ./ INDUSTRY MEMBERS ON THE MOVE • Tim Jackson is no longer the director of sales and marketing for Capcom Coin-Op Inc. Jackson cited "a difference of opinion with management" as the reason for the departure, and added that he is looking forward to many other opportunities in coin-op. He can be reached at (708) 397-1649. In other Capcom Coin-Op related news, the company's Ron Malinowski set the record straight on rumblings that the company would exit the pinball arena. Not true, he says; in fact shipments of the new Pinball Magic are cun-ently in-progress. • Mike Kessler, director general of Mexico-based Peridiversione, S.A. DE C.V. and the new 75,000-square-foot Perimagico family fun center, has joined the staff of Denver-based Laser Storm, manufacturer of the high-tech laser tag system that recently introduced its Stargate adventure. Kessler, who will be vice president of retail operations, can be reached at (303) 751-8545. • Industry veteran Arnold Kaminkow has sold his interest in Pompano Beach, Fla.-based Benchmark Entertainment L.C. to one of his partners, Ron Halliburton, and struck out on his own to form the Boston-based XEKO Entertainment Co. Inc. XEKO will develop, manufacture, and market coin-op skill redemption games. Kaminkow says that the company's first game should be ready in time for AMOA Expo '96 in Dallas ..&. .I AMERICAN LASER GAMES DEPARTS COIN-OP American Laser Games of Albuquerque, N.M., the company known for its live-action laser-disc-based video games, is leaving the coin-op arcade game market to focus on the home entertainment arena. The company will continue to provide support for its arcade product customers with technical service and parts. The change was effective Nov. 15, resulting in nine staff members being laid off. Said Robert Grebe, president of ALG: "This is a significant and painful change for ALG. We enjoyed many years of success and prosperity in the arcade business, but the market has been in a downward spiral since March 1994, and there's no end in sight. We are now directing all of our efforts into creating CD-ROM software for the robust home market in personal computers and game platforms." ALG will continue to license software to other companies serving the arcade market. At present, ALG's 3-D virtual reality version of Orbatall is being introduced by Kaiser ElectroOptics for the Virtual Odyssey system, and an ALG 3-D graphics engine is almost ready. In addition, the company launched a new division, Her Interactive, to create products for girls and women. The first CD-ROM title, McKenzie & Co., was slated for retail shelves at Thanksgiving. .I P & ECONTINUES SUPPORT OF ALG SYSTEM P & E Technologies of Atlantic Highlands, N.]., advises that it will continue to suppo1i ALG's laser game system with both software and technical support. P & E is currently shipping a software update for the ALG system, the war-themed game Platoon, which fits all one- or two-player ALG laser games. In addition, the company is working on two additional titles for release in '96. For more details, contact P & E's marketing agent Mike McWillian1s, (503) 230-0340. .! DAVE &BUSTER'S SPINOFF FROM EDISON QUESTIONED Dave & Buster's restaurant and entertainment chain has denied the possibility, which was suggested in several recent newspaper articles, that creditors of its former parent company, Edison Brothers, could go after the chain's assets. Dave & Buster's was spun off from Edison in a public offering that was completed in June. Edison Brothers has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and a Nov. 9 article in The New Yori Times suggested that the spinoff could potentially be considered a fraudulent transfer of funds if it is determined that Edison was insolvent at that time. However, no creditors have raised the issue to date in the relatively new bankruptcy proceedings. (For more on the bankruptcy proceedings seep. 22.) [n a public statement Dave & Buster's said the spinoff cannot legally be viewed as a fraudulent conveyance as defined under bankruptcy laws. "Dave & Buster's and its legal advisors do not believe any shareholder who bought common stock of the company after the spinoff was completed or during the company's recently completed public offering would be affected by any fraudulent conveyance claim that might be initiated," the statement said. Another article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch described Dave & Buster's as "the only winner to emerge from an expensive effort by Edison 's former management to diversify into entertainment...Dave & Buster's is profitable and expected to grow. The spin off was a gift to Edison's stockholders, who received one share of Dave & Buster's for every five shares of Ed ison they owned." PLAY METER 3 DECEMBER 1995