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NEWS BULLETIN bat II, scheduled for release this month. It will be 486compatible and utilize digital characters. CAPCOM AND DATA EAST SETILE SUIT On Nov. 15, Capcom Co. Ltd. of Japan announced that in discussions presided over by the Japanese court, it has agreed to settle its copyright suit against Data East over alleged copyright infringement of Capcom's popular Street Fighter II series of video games. As part of the settlement, Capcom USA has dismissed the suit pending against Data East in federal court in San Francisco. Data East also dismissed its counterclaims against Capcom. The companies agreed that the question of appropriate standards of originality in video games should be a part of an ongoing process of discussion between the companies and other industry leaders. SEGA UNVEILS PINBALL LOGO There is a reasonable explanation why you don't see the Sega name on the new Maverick The Movie pinball machine. According to Sega Pinball president Gary Stern, "That's because we didn't know exactly when the name of the company would change. I'm happy to announce we have officially and legally become Sega Pinball Inc. We have a great new logo incorporating the well recognized Sega design. With Sega on our backglass we have what is unquestionably the best known trademark in the coin-op business and the only one the casual player will recognize. As Data East Pinball I feel we were innovators and in many ways leaders in the pinball business." As far as the future is concerned, Stern said, "The industry can expect to see some pretty exciting stuff out of us ." In other Sega Pinball news, vice president of design Joe Kaminkow announced the dedication of the company's newest title to Louis Boasberg of New Orleans, who passed away on Nov. 9. Kaminkow said, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a dear friend of mine. Though separated by many generations, Louis was a staunch supporter of our company and a great critic of my work. Louis was always making welcome suggestions, throwing ideas at me to consider, or suggesting that we explore making games based on the classics . When the design team that I was a part of designed Space Shuttle 1O years ago, Louis was the first to welcome pinball back. "Deep down in his soul, Louis was always a 'pin man.' I'm sorry that he will not be here to play our next game, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I know he would have loved it. Our design team will dedicate Frankenstein as a memorial to his memory in the display of its first new game under Sega ownership." Turn to the "News" for more about Boasberg's passing. SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES VOTE ON GAMING Voters in 11 of 46 counties in South Carolina voted against retaining legal gaming machines when they went to the ballot box on Nov. 8. The county-by-county referendum was held to let voters decide whether Class III machines, including video poker, video craps, and 8-liners, would remain legal. Of the 11 counties that voted against video gaming, most were located in the northwest, although the Greenville and Spartanburg areas did approve keeping the machines. The vote "put us down by about 25 percent of the state, " said Phillip Caldwell with Drew's Distributing in Fair Forest. "That 's not the end of the world. There was such a big question .. .at least we have a clear future." Voters will be unable to reconsider the issue during the next four years. Industry leaders in South Carolina mounted a massive voter registration campaign in hopes of bringing their customers out in majority numbers in all 46 counties, and even in some of the counties that voted against gaming, the majority won by less than 100 votes . Machines in counties that voted no must be removed by May 1995. State computer tracking of all machines by the Department of Revenue is scheduled to be put in place the following month. Currently $60 million in revenue from the machines goes into the state's general fund, which is used for governmental programs in all counties. PAPA 5 RETURNS TO NEW YORK CITY The Professional and Amateur Pinball Association's major event of the year will return to New York City on Feb. 3-5 at the Park Central Hotel. That's the time and place for the PAPA 5 World Pinball Championships. Over $30,000 in cash and prizes is at stake. In addition to the pinball action, a benefit party will be held Sunday evening for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. For information on special hotel rates , call (800) 346-1359. No pre-registration is necessary. MORE GAMBLING UPDATES Voters in New Mexico approved a constitutional amendment that would authorize statewide lottery and video gaming. The Legislature must address the issue, determining the extent and the regulations, now that voters have expressed their wishes. In Missouri, voters approved a referendum to allow slots and other games of chance on licensed riverboats, where previously only video poker machines and table games were allowed. VIDEO LOTIERY SQUEAKS BY IN SOUTH DAKOTA Voters also spoke up in South Dakota on Nov. 8 to reinstate video lottery terminals, which were shut down Aug. 12 in the aftermath of a state Supreme Court ruling that declared video lottery unconstitutional. The vote on Amendment E was 53 percent for and 47 percent against. Slow returns in some precincts made it a nail-bitter for supporters of video lottery. Bob Williams ofMusivend in Sioux Falls, commented, "We are grateful and thankful that we survived this whole process. Operators and location owners worked hard together to make it happen." Forty-four of the 64 South Dakota counties voted for the amendment to reauthorize the games , which were expected to be up-and-running again by the end of November. ACCLAIM COIN-OP APPOINTS PASIERB Acclaim Entertainment has appointed John Pasierb as vice president of research and development for Acclaim Coin-Operated Entertainment. He will be responsible for overseeing engineering and design of coin-op arcades and will report directly to Tom Petit, president of the new company. Pasierb is an industry veteran who previously held engineering posts at American Laser Games, Scientific Games , and Midway Mfg. Acclaim is making its entrance into the new interactive entertainment software market with its first title for the PC CD-ROM market, martial arts video Mortal KomPLAY METER 3 DECEMBER 1994