The Stinger Report

The Stinger Report

Consumer Sees Soft Centre
The Stinger highlights a changing video sector. Financial data reveals rising profitability of (coin-op) video amusement for five leading Japanese video manufacturers, even while sales of consumer consoles slows worldwide (and this trend is accompanied by major losses for leading consumer publishers like Midway and Atari/Infogrames). Well-placed financial experts stress a slowdown in sales for consoles overall till the next generation of hardware platforms is launched. Is an arcade video revival in the wings?

Sammy's Second Attempt at Consolidation
Exclusive sources to the Stinger Report confirm that Sammy Corp. plans to acquire prominent Intellectual Properties from SNKP to run exclusively on the ATOMISWAVE. This purchase would support an initial joint project expected for 2004. Meanwhile, SNKP licks its wounds from the collapse of its lawsuit against Aruze, and Sammy changes its European presence.

SEGA Winter Wonders
The Stinger covers the last SEGA Private show for 2003, with a glimpse at 2004's new line-up. TSR reveals the latest skateboarding race game, a Asian centric Mah-Jongg release, and the second revision to the highly popular driver "Initial D: Arcade Stage 3", along with a detailed evaluation of SEGA's change in fortunes. Is SEGA the first manufacturer to start the march back to video amusement with vengeance?

New Gaming Platform - UK Style
The Stinger reveals the burgeoning issue of Fixed Odd Betting Terminals in the UK market, along with the issues of their current application. Meanwhile the market waits to see how the cards of deregulation will fall: will changes allow new gaming hardware, or will the industry have to change its definitions to meet the new restrictions? Concerns on the actual shape and style of these new gaming terminals under evaluation.

HOT TOPIC - High Score - Past & Future! Keeping the players coming back for more "New ways to Play" drives re-ascendance of video amusement
In the second Hot Topic special feature, the Stinger reveals changes in player incentives to play more. Smart cards and online leagues are transforming the "high score" experience, and broadening the means to receive recognition from other players. And, when operators use smart cards to track a player's habits, it creates powerful new ways to draw back the audience. Las Vegas has long done this to stimulate customer loyalty among its gamblers; now the amusements industry is (finally) beginning to follow suit.

The Stinger Report (in brief) is provided to Highwaygames by Kevin Williams, the publisher of "The Stinger Report". To read the full articles and information, please visit www.thestingerreport.com