Play Meter

fROM THE EDITOR Don't be caught with your pants down I t has been just one month since parallel boards have been legal to operate One month doesn't seem like such a long time, but in that time there have been a number of seizures of copied boards trying to make their way into the country. The significance of this should not go unnoticed by anyone in the coin-op industry. Copied boards are not parallel boards. There is a huge difference: parallel boards are legal, copied boards are illegal. They always have been and always will be. A parallel board is sometimes called an original board because the parent company in Japan manufactured it, generally for use overseas. In the long run, buying one of these boards benefits that company and research and development can continue . However, buying a copied board drains profits from the industry , leaving companies little choice but to abandon research and development projects. In turn, operators will have slim pickings when it comes to buying video games. After the last AMOA show, everyone agreed that they saw a much better selection of games than usual. However, choosing what to buy is still difficult at best with a soft video game market. Even though we have seen the video game market soften, manufacturers have continued to offer a pretty good selection of games. While you may wonder why the prices are so high or why the games aren't better, you should also be thankful that the choices are so varied. An industry cannot survive on copies of games . It wouldn't take long before the copiers have nothing to copy. Operators who would look at the short-term option of saving money by buying a copied game will have no long-term future . And herein lies the greatest problem of all right now. There is never a shortage of people looking to make a quick buck in this industry. They can sell genuine parallel boards or they can sell copied boards, and most of them don 't care which it is as long as they pocket the profits . Once those profits dry up, they're on to something else, leaving the industry battered, bruised, and down for PLAYMETE R 10 JANUARY1992 the count. As I mentioned before, there have already been copied boards confiscated. I don't doubt that many more copies will get by U.S. Customs officials. Then they will be sold to unsuspecting operators, who will think they got a great deal. We can't expect Customs to stop every copied board that comes ashore. But we can reasonably expect the operators in this country to use some common sense. I've spent many hours on the phone with manufacturers, distributors, and operators trying to determine how parallel boards will affect the industry. Just about everyone agrees that it's not the parallels we have to worry about, it's the copies . After all, one of the most prominent industry leaders is making plans to sell parallels, reasoning that at least with him operators won't be suckered into inadvertently buying copies. Manufacturers are not the enemy, guys . In the long run it won't be the manufacturers who cause problems and bring the industry down the path of destruction. The enemy will not even be the sleezebags that prey on ignorance and greed, who will be in abundance with their copied boards and big smile on their faces. They know that they have nothing to lose because there are many more industries they can ravage and abandon once they're through with ours. The real enemy is a friend, a business associate, a co-worker. These enemies will be hard to determine because we 've always trusted and respected them. Their willingness to put their businesses on the line with the justification that they can save a buck will end up costing much more. I promise not to dwell on this subject. You will not pick up Play Meter every month and see it blasted across the pages. But I'm asking in all sincerity that you listen carefully to what I am saying right now. Take these words to heart, knowing how much I love this industry: if you think that buying parallel boards is a good business decision, so be it. They are a legal option . But I think that many of you are greatly overestimating the potential availability of these boards . However, be prepared for a deluge of copied boards. These copiers know darn well how easy it could be to slip them past officials and into the country. Be aware of the destruction they will cause to the industry. If you are offered a deal you think is too good to be true, take a tip from the antidrug campaign and "just say no." If you have any doubts about the authenticity of a board, ask questions. Play Meter, like other trade publications , will be running ads for parallel games. While we have had one of our best advertisers tell us that they won't advertise with us as long as we are accepting the ads, others realize that parallels are now legal and understand our position . In fact , another advertiser said he'd hate to see us refuse the ads because it would look like the manufacturers were trying to stop parallels . "Then operators would want them all the more," he added. We 'll all miss that advertiser , but perhaps when they see that operators are being cautious and realistic, they'll be back . But I 'd like to strongly caution everyone to be careful. If you have doubts or if you have a problem, give us a call and let us know so we can warn others who take the time to call. Companies could be advertising games they don 't have or can't get. If something seems funny , remember the anti-drug slogan. If operators are watchful and prudent, the fly -by-nighters will soon be on their way. Operators , please consider copied boards a serious issue. Sure, you'll be able to buy all you want and maybe you'll pat yourself on the back for saving all kinds of money. If you do , you better save enough for your retirement, because trying to skirt the law and buying copies now could cost "'"llan;z:~ Valerie Cognevich Editor