Today Bandai Namco Amusements sent out the following e-mail, looking for information on where to find Star Wars Battle Pod arcade games out ‘in the wild’:
To owners of:Star Wars: Battle Podand
Star Wars: Battle Pod Flat Screen EditionWith the record shattering success of the new film,Bandai Namco Amusement America is creating a new location directory on our website which will help players find where they can play Star Wars: Battle Pod.
If you own a Star Wars: Battle Pod or Star Wars: Battle Pod flat screen edition and would like to be listed on this directory please click the following link and fill out the information:
[Link removed to prevent spam] – AHThis is just one of the many new plans we have to bring new players and business to arcade owners, operators and distributors. Keep an eye out for more emails from us in the future for more ways which we will be working with you to better promote amusement gaming!
Sincerely,BANDAI NAMCO Amusement America Inc.
This appears to be a fresh effort to build upon the directory that they launched with Starwarsbattlepod.com. That site has had sporadic updates and the locations tab is a bit out-of-date. As to the question ‘How do they not know where the games are already?’, arcade manufacturers sell to distributors who turn around and sell to operators but tracking that can become very difficult, if not impossible as games don’t always stay where they originally ship to, you have blind shipments, distributor clients don’t always buy just one particular game, etc.
Certainly Namco is vetting the entries that are coming in to be sure that the location is legit. What is also noteworthy is the line about “one of many new plans” to increase business based on this game. As someone that has the Pod version, that is good news as it has been a solid earner but I think it could do much better (and for the cost, should be doing much better) with some tweaks. Episode VII content would be a huge plus; what do you think Namco is cooking up for the Battle Pod?
Is the directory live already? Would love to check it out and add a few locations if they allow users to do so.
Not yet, it is something they are putting together. There is the location directory on the official site but that hasn’t been updated in almost a year and the email makes it sound like this will be integrated into the Namco America website as well.
here in Spain theres one Battle Pod in a new arcade venue in Madrid. its not fully translated, but most parts of the game are in spanish!
theres a lot of new SEGA games too, like transformers, jurassic park, plants vs zombies, typhoon, showdown, etc.
one of a kind in this country
It would be awesome if Bandai Namco could update the pods as each of the new Star Wars movies come out. Even if they release it as affordable upgrade kits with pop art, the potential is there to keep people coming back. They could even sell new pods / games with the updated software as well.
saw this at http://www.starwarsbattlepod.com/info/219
They are adding more stages but I don’t know if they will push the updates over-the-air (similar to MKAGPDX and WMMT series). Hopefully the new stages will be arrived soon.
Good catch, while I had read that story, I had missed the additional stages line. Look forward to it!
Wow this makes a nice change to add other countries as it’s usually just catered to the US. They’ve not added Sheffield or cleethorpes, is there a way to tell them? Tried finding a contact but can’t see one