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r -. ·····~·································'· News Notes v WMS WMSINDUSTRIES INDUSTRIES TO TO ACQUIRE ACQUIRE ATARI ATARI GAMES GAMES ~ tion of ofthe the copyright copyright laws laws to topublicly publiclyperform perform parallel parallel games gamesin in tion the United States without the permission of the copyright owner. the United States without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an an agreement agreement by by manufacturers manufacturers to to market market games games in in However, the same same format format around around the the world world was was reached reached prior prior to to that that the Chicago-based WMS WMS Industries Industries announced announced last last month month that that Chicago-based one of its affiliates has entered into an agreement to acquire Atari one of its affiliates has entered into an agreement to acquire Atari Corp., an an indirect indirect wholly-owned wholly-owned subsidiary subsidiary of of Time Time Games Corp., Games Warner Inc. Inc. A A spokesman spokesman for for WMS WMS said said the the move move would would ininWarner crease the the company's company'spipeline pipeline for for both both arcade arcade and and home home games. games. crease The purchase purchaseprice price was was not not disclosed. disclosed. Headquartered Headquarteredin inMilpitas, Milpitas, The Calif., Atari Games does business under the name Time Warner Calif., Atari Games does business under the name Time Warner The company develops, manufactures, markets, liInteractive. Interactive. The company develops, manufactures, markets, licenses, and publishes coin-op arcade games under the Atari censes, and publishes coin-op arcade games under the Atari name and and interactive interactive electronic electronic and and game game entertainment entertainment prodprodname for home systems under the Time Warner Interactive name. ucts ucts for home systems under the Time Warner Interactive name. Accordingtotothe the announcement, announcement, no no rights rights to to the the names namesTime Time According Warner or or Time Time Warner Warner Interactive Interactive will will be be included included in in the the Warner transaction. Atari Atari Games Gamesisis not not related related to to Atari Atari Corp., Corp., the the manumanutransaction. facturer of of the the Jaguar Jaguar home home game game systems. systems. Time Time Warner Warner Inc. Inc. facturer will continue to develop, manufacture, distribute, and publish will continue to develop, manufacture, distribute, and publish consumerinteractive interactive game game entertainment entertainmentproducts productsfor foruse usewith with consumer computers and console platforms through subsidiaries and affilicomputers and console platforms through subsidiaries and affiliates of ofits its Warner Warner Bros. Bros. and and Warner WarnerMusic MusicDivisions. Divisions. ates date. Kirby's Kirby's statement statement was was issued issued as as aa clarification clarification after after mismisdate. leading information about parallel boards purchased before the leading information about parallel boards purchased before the sunset date appeared. sunset date appeared. v ACCLAIM ACCLAIM INTEGRATES INTEGRATES LAZER-TRON LAZER·TRON SUBSIDIARY SUBSIDIARY V Acclaim Entertainment Entertainment Inc. Inc. of ofMountain Mountain View, View, Calif., Calif.,has has ininAcclaim Coin-Op EnterEntertegratedits its two two arcade arcade game game divisions, divisions, Acclaim Acclaim Coin-Op tegrated Corp. The companies will merge and tainment and Lazer-Tron tainment and Lazer-Tron Corp. The companies will merge and operate under the name of the former. Tom Petit will remain operate under the name of the former. Tom Petit will remain of Acclaim Acclaim Coin-Op Coin-Op and and will will be be responsible responsible for for all all president of president sales, marketing, and video product development. Lazer-Tron sales, marketing, and video product development. Lazer-Tron Petermeierwill will head head up up all all aspects aspects of ofmanumanupresidentNorman Norman Petermeier president facturing, finance, finance, reporting, reporting, and and budgeting. budgeting. facturing, v HOUSE HOUSE APPROVES APPROVES COMMISSION COMMISSION TO TO-STUDY GAMING V STUDY GAMING The House House of of Representatives Representatives has has approved approved aa measure measure esesThe of legalized tablishing a federal commission to study the effects tablishing a federal commission to study the effects of legalized gaming across across the the nation. nation. This This nine-member nine-member commission commission would would gaming at the the economic economicimpact impact of ofgaming gaming on onbusinesses, businesses, as as well well as as look at look itsinfluence influence on on the the public public process. process. A A Senate Senate committee committee was was exexits AMOA hopes hopes to to pected to to take take up up the the measure measure late late last last month. month. AMOA pected have one of its members named to the commission. have one of its members named to the commission. .VALLEY v.VALLEY TO TO PURCHASE PURCHASE TORNADO TORNADO TABLE TABLE SOCCER SOCCER r Valley Recreation Products ofBay City, Mich., will acquireTorTorValley Recreation Products of Bay City, Mich., will acquire nado Table Table Sports Sports of ofFt. Ft. Worth, Worth, Texas, Texas,in in aamove move that thatwill will combine combine nado thepromotion promotion and andmarketing marketingstrengths strengths of ofboth, both,the the companies companies ananthe nounced at at aajoint jointpress press conference conference during during ACME ACME'96. '96. nounced Ed McCloud, McCloud, president president of of Tornado, Tornado, will will stay stay on on as as executive executive Ed of Valley under the direction of Valley president vice president vice president of Valley under the direction of Valley president Dick Shelton. Shelton. A Alease leasehas has also also been been signed signed with with McCloud McCloud for for the the Dick newly-completed Tornado Tornado factory factory in in Texas, Texas, which which will will remain remain newly-completed will continue continue to to be be marketed marketed under under the the open. Tornado Tornado products products will open. v NDA NOA ANNOUNCES ANNOUNCES PREMIER PREMIER TOURNAMENT TOURNAMENT DATES DATES V The AMOA AMOA National National Dart Dart Association's Association's sanctioned sanctioned league league The will compete for over $220,000 in prizes at the associaplayers players will compete for over $220,000 in prizes at the associa1996. Over Over 3,000 3,000players players are areexextion's two two premier premier events eventsin in 1996. tion's pected to compete at the team championship, Team Dart XI, at pected to compete at the team championship, Team Dart XI, at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nev., April 2 9-May 4. the Sahara Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nev., April 29-May 4. 1,000players players will will also alsobe be on on hand hand for for the the 3rd 3rd AnnuAnnuMore than than 1,000 More Championship at the Adams Mark Hotel, al Singles and Doubles al Singles and Doubles Championship at the Adams Mark Hotel, Nov. 7-9. 7-9. Indianapolis, Ind., Ind., Nov. Indianapolis, company name. name. company of expandinginto into the the table table soccer soccer market market first first began began Talk Talk of expanding during the the World World Cup Cup competition competitionhosted hostedin in the the United United States, States, during and Valley Valley was was given given the the final final go-ahead go-ahead after afterits its acquisition acquisition by by and Partners last year. Company officials declined to comFenway Fenway Partners last year. Company officials declined to comment on on financial financial details, details, but but Valley Valley chairman chairman Chuck Chuck Milhem Milhem ment "Ed McCloud McCloud has has aa substantial substantial stake stake in in the the success success of of did say: say: "Ed did Valley." Valley." As aa result result of ofthe the move, move, Tornado Tornadovice vicepresident presidentDave Dave CourCourAs ington will be vice president of all Valley promotions, while Valington will be vice president of all Valley promotions, while Valley marketing director Scott Schroeder will head marketing for ley marketing director Scott Schroeder will head marketing for both operations. yalley sales vice president Dou!l~ir will both operations. Valley sales vice president Doug Blair will mamtam that that position pos1t10n for for both both companies, companies, and an&-ON Irector maintain VNEA director the future include applying league Greg Elliot says plans for Greg Elliot says plans for the future include applying league knowledge to to foosball foosball and and creating creating an an international international champichampiknowledge i.onship for pool. pool. onship for v 3DFX 3DFXINTERACTIVE INTERACTIVE REACHES REACHES AGREEMENT AGREEMENT WITH WITH V HAPP CONTROLS CONTROLS HAPP 3Dfx Interactive Interactive of of Mountain Mountain View, View, Calif., Calif., has has signed signed an an 3Dfx agreement with Happ Controls of Elk Grove, Ill., to distribute acagreement with Happ Controls of Elk Grove, Ill., to distribute accessory products products for for the the former's farmer's newly newly announced announced System System 3D, 3D, cessory a customizable, low-cost, turnkey system designed to power the a customizable, low-cost, turnkey system designed to power the of texture-mapped, 3-D coin-op games. "Happ's next generation next generation of texture-mapped, 3-D coin-op games. "Happ's reputation for for high high quality quality and and breadth breadth of ofproducts products has has earned earned reputation position," said said Ross Ross Smith, Smith, 3Dfx 3Dfx Happ its its industry industry leadership leadership position," Happ "Its coin-op industry posivice president and company founder. vice president and company founder. "Its coin-op industry posiour new offerings." tion will help fuel the acceptance of tion will help fuel the acceptance of our new offerings." v AAG AAG CONDUCTS CONDUCTS RAID RAID IN IN RIO RIO DE DE JANEIRO JANEIRO V v PARALLEL PARALLEL BOARD BOARD CLARIFICATION CLARIFICATION ISSUED ISSUED V The Anti-Counterfieting Anti-Counterfieting Advisory Advisory Group Group announced announced last last The Civil Police Police month that that its its investigators investigators in in cooperation cooperation with with the the Civil month ofRio Rio De De Janeiro, Janeiro, Brazil, Brazil, and and Sega Sega Enterprises Enterprises Ltd. Ltd. raided raided the the of Game House arcade in Rio De Janeiro and seized a number of Game House arcade in Rio De Janeiro and seized a number of interfaces utilized to convert home systems to coin-op commerinterfaces utilized to convert home systems to coin-op commerthat distribution distribution of of cial use. use. AAG AAG superintendent superintendent Bob Bob Fay Fay said said that cial such interfaces interfaces isis an an intellectual intellectual property property infringement infringement and and carcarsuch is the the ries civil civil as as well well as as criminal criminal penalties penalties and and fines. fines. While While this this is ries first raid conducted in Brazil, AAG plans additional enforcement first raid conducted in Brazil, AAG plans additional enforcement In an an open openletter lettertotothe the industry industry last lastmonth, month, AAMA AAMApresident president In Rick Kirby said that mass enforcement investigations involving Rick Kirby said that mass enforcement investigations involving prior to to Oct. Oct. 11 of of last last year, year, when when parallel boards boards purchased purchased prior parallel copyrightlegislation legislation regarding regarding the the issue issue expired, expired, would would not not be be copyright initiated by by the the association. association. "However, "However, II must must point point out out that that initiated AAMA manufacturers manufacturers have have the the right right to to make make individual individual decideciAAMA sions regarding any investigation or prosecution of any of their sions regarding any investigation or prosecution of any of their copyrightsincluding including infringements infringements of oftheir theirpublic public performance performance copyrights right," he he added. added. right," Since last Octoberitithas has been been and and will will continue continue to to be be aa violaviolaSince last October PLAY METER METER PLAY actionin in that that and and other other South South American American countries. countries. .A. action 33 APRIL 1996 1996 APRIL