It’s still a couple more days before I will be home but I figure it’s better to still play catch up now where I have a chance. Thanks to The Stinger Report for the links, with the connection I have available it’s much more difficult to scour the net for news like I normally do. So I’ll make this post like the previous one, with a collection of links and a small comment next to each
Newsfeed links via 
Capcom looking for arcade slogans on Super Street Fighter IV – Despite how Capcom has been handling their arcade titles as of late I give them props for still looking to include fan input on some level. Whoever has their slogan picked gets their name in the credits of the upcoming arcade release – let’s still hope that the slogan isn’t the only new addition SSFIVArc will get.
New arcade opens in Las Vegas – Gemini Arcade (LasVegasSun.com) – an arcade opens in Las Vegas which focuses primarily on rhythm gaming, making it a Bemani gamers paradise. They even have two Taiko No Tatsujin machines, which are quite rare in the US. From the article, it sounds like the management is on the right track, taking extra care to listen to customer concerns and not worrying about good players showing up to draw a crowd.
Netbook turned into an “arcade machine” (Ubergizmo.com) – sort of, it’s yet another example of a MAME project so it doesn’t really excite me but so far seeing netbooks used for this particular purpose isn’t terribly common yet from what I have seen. There’s even a video of it for those interested
Sega Launches a new site for the Sega Card Gen arcade – We first saw the Sega Card Gen MLB machine in the US some time ago but after it’s one showing at AMOA and a location test at a Gameworks, it has since disappeared in the States, not showing up at the two latest shows. The game has appeared in Japan where it apparently was much more popular as Sega has launched a new site for it in Japanese. So at least it’s on track for a release there. It looks like it could be a great game, with an original concept so it will be a shame if it wasn’t able to garner enough attention for a release in the US.
PS3 slim in a crane machine (Loot-Ninja.com) – Is it wrong for me to not really care about the prize in the machine and care more about huge crane games like this?
UPDATE: I apologize for missing out on some tips, such as Google mentioning Pac-Man’s 30th anniversary. I was sent a link by Juan about this Gamasutra blog post discussing how arcades can make a comeback but I do have a problem with the article operating off an assumption that no arcades exist anywhere anymore. I think arcades have been sort of operating off of this kind of idea for a long time now, the problem is marketing (obviously, where so many still believe the market completely dead). When you have an arcade exclusive game on site, it can be a real plus primarily due to the fact that you have to go to the arcade to play it. That’s why at my own arcade, I have little signs on every arcade exclusive game, so that players better realize that idea. Still, we have to market better as an industry at large and dispel the myth that we as arcades don’t exist.
Golden Tee Players to Raise $100,000USD for US veterans – this came a press release, which I will paste after the break so you can get the full rundown. There are some images too but I’ll have to forgo those at the moment. The events will be held in August, with players being able to donate via Twitter and Facebook.
Golden Tee Players to Raise $100,000 for Veterans
Charity Tournaments in Denver and Chicago Expected to Break All Records
(June 2, 2010 – Arlington Heights, IL) Golden Tee, the video golf game that’s in 100,000 bars and pubs around the world, has a devoted and passionate player base. After all these avid fans spend millions of dollars every month to play their favorite game. But besides having a commonality of competitive spirit for playing video golf, they also have a commonality of cause – honoring and helping our men and women who have fought for our country.
And they’ll do this by conducting Golden Tee Players Charity Championship tournaments in Denver and Chicago this August. Over 200 players are expected to compete.
The Golden Tee player community founded Video Golfers 4 Underdogs (VG4U) in 2004 as its charitable arm. Leading up to the tournament, players will create personal fundraising web pages that friends, family, co-workers and others can visit to pledge donations. Two previous tournaments in 2004 and 2008 raised more than $80,000 in total. Clearly it will be a challenge to reach their goal of $100,000, but according to Casey Brock, president of VG4U, he expects his fellow players to be up to the task.
“We’ve learned a great deal from our past two charity events,” Brock said. “This year we plan to use that knowledge and experience in a variety of ways. We’ll have fundraising goals for each contestant, a silent auction, raffles, a ‘real golf’ tournament, and several other ways for members of the Golden Tee community to participate. Every tournament attendee feels strongly about this cause.”
The organization that will benefit from the tournament is SALUTE, INC. of Palatine, Illinois. Salute’s founders, Will and Mary Beth Beiersdorf, are looking forward to working with the players and being a part of these unique and exciting events.
“For over seven years SALUTE, INC. has been assisting and supporting our service members, veterans, and their families in significant ways across America,” said Will Beiersdorf, a Naval Reservist. “The lifeblood and strength of our organization is grounded in everyday folks giving back in some form or fashion to say ‘thank you’ to these heroes for their service and sacrifice.
We SALUTE the Golden Tee family of players and Incredible Technologies during its 25th anniversary for stepping up to make a positive difference in these heroes’ lives. We could not do what we do without folks like you!”
The company behind Golden Tee, Incredible Technologies of Arlington Heights, Illinois, is assisting the players in helping make these events the most successful fundraising tournaments in the game’s long history.
“During Golden Tee’s long history hundreds of thousands of players have won over $50 million competing in our online tournaments,” said Elaine Hodgson, IT’s CEO. “Now to see our players come together as part of our 25th anniversary celebration, and compete to raise money for such a worthy organization as Salute, is very gratifying. We knew our players had big hearts, but this is truly remarkable.”
Besides individual player pledge pages, non-attendees will be able to make donations using their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
“We’re going to make sure that anyone who is a fan of Golden Tee will be able to participate and donate – even if they’re not playing in the tournament,” Brock said.
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- Denver Tournament Chicago Tournament
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- August 13-15 August 27-29
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- Table Steaks Sports Bar Splinter’s Sports Bar
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- 3253 S. Parker Rd. 2070 Rand Rd.
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- Denver, CO Palatine, IL
303.743.8888 847.991.0002
To make a donation and for more information on the Golden Tee Players Charity Championship tournaments visit the official website at www.goldentee.com/PCC.
About SALUTE, INC.
SALUTE INC. was founded in 2003 by Will and Mary Beth Beiersdorf to help meet the financial, physical and emotional needs of military service members, veterans and their families. They strive to raise awareness of their sacrifices and provide a safety net to ensure every military family is treated with honor and dignity. SALUTE, INC. is a recognized 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. You can learn more about this very worthy organization at www.saluteinc.org.
About Video Golfers 4 Underdogs
Video Golfers 4 Underdogs, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, was founded in 2004 to support charitable causes in the U.S. and Canada. The organization raises funds by conducting Golden Tee Players Charity Championship tournaments. These events have provided an avenue for Golden Tee players and fans throughout North America to give back to their communities. For more on VG4U, visit their website at www.VGforU.org.
About Incredible Technologies
Founded by Elaine Hodgson and Richard Ditton in 1985, Incredible Technologies is celebrating its 25th anniversary during 2010. For more information visit the company’s websites at www.goldentee.com and www.itsgames.com.
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The blog post has a really good idea with the “exclusivity” for a little while before it comes to the console. The only thing wrong with the idea is that the “new arcades” won’t be arcades anymore, they will become a room with 30 xbox 360’s, 30 PS3’s and 30 wii’s. Home console video games have things such as online, chat between friends etc things that wouldn’t work in a arcade because arcade games run by paying a small fee and than playing the game until you die. This couldn’t be executed on a home console game because in a online FPS you die in the first 2min. People would feel ripped off. In same games (like final fantasy) the story Is soo deep that you need to watch a 30min into to understand what’s going on if a timer would be used people wouldn’t get any playing time and again complain. To get something like this developers would have to make a arcade version which would be 100% differant than the console conterpart. It would give people no reason to come to the arcade if they are getting a seperate experance.
To get arcades popular you need to go to the heart of gamers, E3. E3 is the biggest videogame developers confrence in the world, every gamer is watching it carefully and all the major videogame sites like IGN are there to cover EVERY game (including all the arcade ones). If developers would bring arcades in a place where people could see them and see that arcades are not dead people may actually want to play some of these like the terminator or guitar hero arcades those are two great cabinates the hardly anyone who doesn’t follow arcade news knows about. They would please many gamers that like rythem games or shooters . They don’t know what they’re missing.
http://www.chickiesandpetes.com/pictures/play2/)