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ATARI INTRODUCES NEW DRIVING GAME Atari Games Gamesintroduced introduced its its newest newest driving driving video, video, CaliforCaliforAtari nia Speed, Speed, last last month. month. Described Described as as aa street-priced street-priced driver, driver, nia Speed utilizes hardware designed around 3Dfx's Voodoo Speed utilizes hardware designed around 3Dfx's Voodoo and offers offers an an accessible accessible driving driving model, model, ininGraphics chipset chipset and Graphics Q-ZAR LOCATIONS CLOSE IN BANKRUPTCY Dallas, Texas,-based Q-Entertainment and and several several affiliate affiliate Dallas, Texas,-based Q-Entertainment firms that make up the corporate chain of Q-Zar laser tag fafafirms that make up the corporate chain of Q-Zar laser tag cilities have converted an earlier filing for Chapter 11 cilities have converted an earlier filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to a Chapter 7 liquidation filing, the bankruptcy protection to a Chapter 7 liquidation filing, the Ft. Worth Worth Star-Telegram Star-Telegram reported. reported. That That move move resulted resulted in in the the Ft. closure of all Q-Zar's company-owned stores including its closure of all Q-Zar's company-owned stores including its 50,000-square-foot Q-City in Mesquite, Texas. Several fran50,000-square-foot Q-City in Mesquite, Texas. Several franchise locations locations reportedly reportedly remain remain open. open. chise depth selection selection of ofcars cars and and tracks, tracks, and and eye-catching eye-catching graphics. graphics. depth The company companywill will ship shipthe the game game at at the the end end of ofFebruary February in in 252 5The and 33-inch monitor configurations. One of the game's most and 33-inch monitor configurations. One of the game's most importantfeatures featuresisis aanew newplayer-friendly player-friendly driving driving engine. engine. important "Our goal was to make a fun driving game with fresh apap"Our goal was to make a fun driving game with aafresh proach," said said veteran veteran coin-op coin-op game game producer producer Steve Steve Ritchie. Ritchie. proach," NEWS BRIEFS BRIEFS "Easy driving driving and and reduced reduced crashing crashing make make Speed Speed popular popular NEWS "Easy .Joe Bundrahas hasjoined joined the the sales sales department department at at Midway Midway with just about everyone. We also have a more advanced Joe Bundra with just about everyone. We also have a more advanced Games and Williams Electronics Games as special projects electronic system and graphics are far better quality than electronic system and graphics are far better quality than Games and Williams Electronics Games as special projects other games games at atthis thisprice price point. point. The The game game was was designed designed from from manager. manager. He He will will focus focus on on the the Touchmaster Touchmaster countertop countertop line line other the first first day day to to be be aa street-priced street-priced driver, driver, so so we we knew knew we we had had and Williams and Bally pinballs. Bundra has over 15 years the and Williams and Bally pinballs. Bundra has over 15 years to offer offer aa huge huge variety variety of oftracks, tracks, cars, cars, and and new new driving driving expeexpe- of coin-op experience including his most recent position as to of coin-op experience including his most recent position as riences to to give give the the game game the the depth depth needed needed for for the the street. street. For For vice president of sales at Creative Electronics & Software. riences vice president of sales at Creative Electronics & Software. California Speed, Speed,see see "What's "What's New" New" next next month. month. more on on California more 1.- Heads Heads Up Up Technologies Technologies has has installed installed its its LaserTrek LaserTrek laser tag adventure at The Factory, an FEC located at aa forforlaser tag adventure at The Factory, an FEC located at SKEE-BALL ANNOUNCES ANNOUNCES PROMOTION PROMOTION AND AND ADDITIONS ADDITIONS SKEE-BALL mer Q-Zar entertainment complex in Anchorage, Alaska, the Skee-Ball Inc. Inc. recently recently added added several several new new staff staff members members mer Q-Zar entertainment complex in Anchorage, Alaska, the Skee-Ball first facility in the northwest United States to offer LaserTrek. and promoted promoted key key individuals individuals in in the the sales sales and and engineering engineering first facility in the northwest United States to offer Laser Trek. and .- Kiddie Kiddie Ride Ride Enterprises Enterprises has has secured secured the the license license to to Changes in personnel include: areas. areas. Changes in personnel include: manufacture and market kiddie rides featuring the Chilmanufacture and market kiddie rides featuring the ChilThomas Kane Kane has has been been promoted promoted to to vice vice president president of of Thomas dren's Television Television Workshop Workshop Sesame Sesame Street Street characters. characters. Until Until sales. He He will will remain remain in in the the Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz., Ariz. , office, office, and and assume assume dren's sales. now, the the rides rides were were produced produced and and sold sold only only in in the the United United responsibilities for the Middle East, South America, expandnow, responsibilities for the Middle East, South America, expandKingdom and and Europe. Europe.The The three three rides rides are are Elmo Elmo and and Zoe's Zoe 's EZ EZ ed domestic domestic territories, territories, and and key key national national accounts, accounts, while while Kingdom ed Rider Racecar, Bert and Ernie's 123 Fire Engine, and Big been hired maintaining his present duties. Shandra Grier has Rider Racecar, Bert and Ernie's 123 Fire Engine, and Big maintaining his present duties. Shandra Grier has been hired as the the sales sales and and marketing marketing assistant assistant in in the the Phoenix Phoenix office. office. Bird's Jet Jet Ways Ways Airplane, Airplane, which which will will be be produced produced in in the the comcomas Bird's been promoted promoted to to director director of of operations. operations. pany's JeffHudson Hudson has has been N.Y., manufacturing manufacturing facility. facility. All All feature feature pany's Edgewood, Edgewood, N.Y., Jeff Hisnew new duties duties will will include include corporate corporate promotion promotion scheduling, scheduling, sound, sound, animation, animation, music, music, interaction, interaction, and and the the new new AccuAccuHis and production coordi- Track drive motion system. inventory control, trade shows, sales inventory control, trade shows, sales and production coordiTrack drive motion system. and cost cost control. control. Michael Michael Sladek Sladek will will absorb absorb the the didination, and nation, .- Betson Betson Enterprises Enterprises in in Carlstadt, Carlstadt,N.J., N.J., has haspromoted promoted Joe Joe rect sales sales responsibilities responsibilities handled handled by by Jeff Jeff for for eastern eastern domesdomes- Beston rect to the post of sales manager. Beston has over 20 Beston to the post of sales manager. Beston has over 20 tic distribution, distribution, certain certainnational national accounts, accounts, and and Europe. Europe. tic years of industry experience and has held various marketing been promoted promoted to to vice vice president president of of enen- years of industry experience and has held various marketing Dennis Keeny Keeny has has been Dennis posts with with Betson Betson for for the the past past 13 13 years. years. Betson Betson also also appointappointand will now assume responsibility for corporate gineering gineering and will now assume responsibility for corporate posts ed Tom Faranda to key account manager. He has been with ed Tom Faranda to key account manager. He has been with engineering and and product product development development in in both both Phoenix Phoenix and and engineering the company company for for 20 20 years. years. Chalfont, Pa. In addition to Keeny's promotion, four new the Chalfont, Pa. In addition to Keeny's promotion, four new .- The South Carolina Carolina Coin Coin Operators Operators Association is geargearmembershave have been been named named to to Skee-Ball's Skee-Ball's engineering engineering and and The South Association is members ing up up for for its its annual annual convention convention and and trade trade show show Feb. Feb. 19-21 19-21 design team. They are: Timothy Dutt, Dennis Nordman, Aning design team. They are: Timothy Dutt, Dennis Nordman, Anat the the Sheraton Sheraton Hotel Hotel and and Convention Convention Center Center in in Columbia, Columbia, tonio Boyer, Boyer, and and Randy Randy Griffard. Griffard. at tonio S.C. For For details, details, call call Helen Helen Sikes, Sikes, (803)345-2048. (803)345-2048. S.C. DATA EAST EAST TRANSFERS TRANSFERS STAMP STAMP CLUB CLUBTO TO SEGA SEGA .- Oriental Oriental Trading Trading Corp. Corp.has has issued issued aa new new Happy Happy Sack, Sack, a a DATA Data East East Corp. Corp. of ofJapan Japan has has transferred transferred manufacturing manufacturing complete complete party party pack pack that that includes includes aa variety variety of ofitems items such such as as Data andintellectual intellectualproperty property rights rights of ofits its Stamp Stamp Club Clubphoto photo stamp stamp straws, key chains, coloring books and colors, plastic frisbees, and straws, key chains, coloring books and colors, plastic frisbees, machine to Sega Enterprises of Japan. As many as 30 staff play disguises, Halloween attractions, and more. The compamachine to Sega Enterprises of Japan. As many as 30 staff disguises, Halloween attractions, and more. The compaworkers in in Japan Japan devoted devoted to to the the Stamp Stamp Club Club project project will will be be play ny is is also also offering offering aa new new line line of of Mardi Mardi Gras Gras items items for for this this workers ny movedto to Sega, Sega, according accordingto to Game GameMachine Machinemagazine, magazine, which which month's Carnival moved season. that Data Data East East would would curtail curtail the the development development of of month's Carnival season. claimed that claimed .- Konami Konami Computer Computer Entertainment, Entertainment, the the Japanese Japanese video video coin-op video video games. games. coin-op game manufacturer's United States-based consumer division, However, Data Data East East USA's USA's senior senior executive executive vice vice presipresi- game manufacturer's United States-based consumer division, However, has opened opened an an all all new new development development office office in in the the San San FranFrandent Jeannie Petit told Play Meter late last month that the fate has dent Jeannie Petit told Play Meter late last month that the fate cisco Bay area for console and PC development. Konami of the the company's company's operations operations in in this this country country remains remains unun- cisco Bay area for console and PC development. Konami of Computer Entertainment Entertainment America America is is located located at at 1400 1400 Bridge, Bridge, "The only thing we are comfortable saying is the Computer known. known. "The only thing we are comfortable saying is the Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065. Konami's coin-op diviStamp Club Club has has been been transferred transferred to to Sega," Sega," she she said. said. "Nothing "Nothing Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065. Konami's coin-op diviStamp sion remains at its headquarters in Buffalo Grove, ill. A else has has been been decided." decided." else sion remains at its headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Ill. PLAY METER MAGAZINE, (ISSN 1048-8243) FEBRUARY 1998, Volume 24, No 3. PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION. The editors are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. PLAY METER Copyright 1998 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE is MAGAZINE buys ALL RIGHTS, unless otherwise specified, to accepted published monthly, except for the two issues in January. Publishing office: 6600 Fleur de Lis, New Orleans, LA 70124. MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184, USA Phone: 504/488-7003; fax 504/488-7083. Subscription rates: U.S. and Canada -- $60. Advertising rates are available upon request. NO PLAY METER manuscripts, cartoons, artwork, and photographs. Periodical postage paid at New Orleans, LA 70113 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER Send Form 3579 to Play Meter Magazine, P.O. Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184. 4 FEBRUARY 1998