The need for adult supervision of children at amusement parks was reinforced this week with a mother charged in the U.S. for wrongs to minors when she dropped her 11-year-old son off at an amusement park to meet with some of his friends. [more information]
Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster is scheduled to be back in operation today, following its closure last week when four riders were hit and injured by pieces of metal that sheered off the cable on Monday 12 July. [more information]
The Game Initiative announced the Women's Game Conference (WGC), a new conference focusing on women in the computer and video game industry, will take place September 9-10, 2004 in Austin, Texas. [more information]
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Caesars Entertainment, Inc. in a cash and stock transaction that would be the largest in gaming-industry history. [more information]
The new image of the 17th edition of Sapar-Agis's Enada Spring International Coin-op Show, organised by Rimini Fiera Spa and being held at the Rimini Expo centre from 10-13 March 2005, has been designed by Unica Communication Agency. [more information]
We are now shipping the King of Fighters 2004 (Neo Wave) Dedicated Machine - a twin versus cabinet version. The King of Fighters 2004 (Neo Wave) is the latest update in the popular King of Fighters series of games, and this Machine allows two players to compete against one another in a battle of the characters in their teams. [more information]
We are happy to introduce our new model, the VGA to DVI Scaler Box - a high performance PC/HDTV two-way scaler that accepts analog RGB input (VGA) and converts the signal to DVI-I (digital+analog RGB) output. [more information]
Taito has acquired the rights to use images from movies owned by MGM - Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios Inc. The first coin-op game to be released utilising these rights is Cinema Tech Roulette, a medal game machine, which will premiere in September 2004. [more information]
VirTra Systems, Inc. yesterday announced an expanded contract with the United States military for the company's IVR-300 advanced training simulators. [more information]
Incredible Technologies has announced that National Online Qualifying for Team USA has now begun. During the next five months, players across the globe will be able to compete for spots on their national teams and the chance to become the next Golden Tee world champion. [more information]
As the 2004 Olympic Games draw near, Photo Play will show its Olympic spirit at the end of this month when it launches Athletics, a new 3D game, on its online terminals. [more information]
Today, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), four toy jewelry importers announced the voluntary recall of 150 million pieces of toy jewelry sold in vending machines over a two and a half year period. [more information]
Instant Change is a new change machine specifically designed to complement Namco's Pac-Man Ball - the change unit is available on 2p, 10p and 20 euro cents and was developed by Ian Eason of Instance Leisure, working in conjunction with Namco Europe, to offer the most ergonomical and aesthetically-matched solution to the game's high-level coin input needs. [more information]
GTI Expo organisers have said the 2004 show, held at the end of last month, boasted the largest scale since it's inception. Covering A, C, and D Zones of Hall 1 at the Taipei World Trade Center, organisers said the growth in size enabled buyers to find everything they needed and even more. [more information]
TAB-Austria has announced the release of Bubbles, the latest update in the V2 game series for its Virtual Pinball digital game platform. [more information]
Now arcade owners with a Section 16 licence have an alternative to the plethora of video roulette machines that have entered the market from Capital Gaming and other manufacturers. [more information]
Once a year the best Swiss Photo Play players meet to identify their national champions. The event is anticipated with great enthusiasm by the Swiss Photo Play community months before it actually takes place. [more information]
Sega has re-launched its official Japanese website today, with the closure of its Amusement Vision and Hitmaker development studios websites coinciding with their launch through Sega's new website. [more information]
The future is looking good for the Global Entertainment and Media Industry, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers latest report on the sector, which makes positive projections for the industry overall and reports the expectation of promising figures over the coming years for theme and amusement parks'. [more information]
Incredible Technologies announced a partnership Monday with Peppercoin, a payments company that provides cost-effective solutions for micro-payment transactions, as a means to offer credit card payments on upcoming coin-operated products. [more information]
Olympic Entertainment Group, Inc., a publicly traded company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Exam USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation. As a result of the acquisition, U.S. investors have what is believed to be the first opportunity to buy stock of a company in Japan's Pachinko industry - an industry with estimated revenues approaching $240 billion. [more information]
An amusement park near Dallas is closed because of flooding. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington closed yesterday after water surged over parts of the facility. [more information]
Happ Controls is pleased to announce the acquisition of Midvale, Utah based Perfect 360 Controls. Perfect 360 Controls designed and manufactured a line of patented joysticks and pushbuttons for the coin-operated amusement game industry. [more information]
Golden Tee Golf, a popular coin-operated video game, has been recognised for many accomplishments over the years, but never before has it been called a lifesaver. On 28 April 2004, a Golden Tee Golf arcade game at the Fat Man Inn in Gurnee, Illinois, absorbed the impact of a Dodge Ram pickup that crashed into the packed bar and grill. [more information]
In the U.S., California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed new agreements with five American Indian tribes Monday that will allow an unlimited increase in the number of slot machines at the Indian tribes' casinos. [more information]
Sega Amusements Europe has said its Derby Owners Club May Derby tournament has proved the success it had hoped for with the month long national tournament, held across nine locations in the UK, boasting many hundreds of entrants. [more information]
In the UK, the Save Dreamland Campaign is gaining momentum with Campaign Leader Nick Laister set to represent the cause as an expert witness at the Dreamland public inquiry next week. [more information]
In the Philippines, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas has warned internet cafes and gaming stations against allowing minors, particularly students, to enter their establishments during school hours. [more information]
"No Joke" - Now you can TOW SLOT CARS BEHIND YOUR CAR, or PUT THESE MASSIVE LANDSCAPED SYSTEMS IN YOUR GAMES ROOM. Racers on Mega Trax slot car systems often say "this beats computer games", and we agree, 3D slot car racing is really hard to beat for fun and excitement. [more information]
Funworld Elektronic GmbH Switzerland has announced the appointment of its new manager, Claude Lachat, who will assume the role on 1 July 2004. Former manager, Hans-Peter Schild is leaving Funworld to take on a new professional challenge, however will continue to hold shares in the company. [more information]
Monografie S.A has granted the Grupo De Inversiones Latinoamericanas De Juego S.A. rights to use and develop the Sagse brand name and has authorised the establishment of a gaming expo for Central America and the Caribbean - which will be held for the first time in May 2005 in Panama. [more information]
In the U.S. on June 20, CBS Sunday Morning hosted by Charles Osgood will run a major feature on Incredible Technologies popular game, Golden Tee Golf. [more information]
MGM Mirage and Mandalay Resort Group today jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which MGM Mirage will acquire Mandalay for $71.00 per share in cash, a premium of approximately 30% to Mandalay's closing share price on the day before MGM Mirage made its initial offer. [more information]
Happ Controls, a U.S. manufacturer and distributor of parts and accessories for coin-operated amusement games, slot and video gaming machines and vending machines, this week announced it has been acquired by Pfingsten Partners, an operationally oriented private equity firm. [more information]
A dwindling number of arcade locations and lack of prominent video game content from the mass exodus of leading coin-op game developers has triggered TLC Industries, the longtime Chicago cabinet manufacturer, to launch their Flexarcade game ready platform. [more information]
Entertainment Technology Corporation (EnTCo) invites interested parties to attend its stand 610 at TiLE 2004, the leading European Forum for leisure venues and visitor attractions that entertain, educate and inform. [more information]
uWink, Inc., a designer, developer and marketer of entertainment software for touch screen video game terminals, amusement vending machines, and lottery and gaming kiosks, yesterday announced that it has appointed Mr. Lawrence Early to the position of Chief Financial Officer. [more information]
As the 2004 GTI Expo draws close, show organisers have revealed over 100 exhibitors have reserved booths so far, a 41 per cent increase compared to numbers from last year's show. [more information]
Austrian Gaming Industries, an Austrian gaming giant, has selected Money Controls' Universal Hopper as its standard payout unit for future applications. [more information]
The Golden Sands, a multi-leisure amusements centre located on the sea front of Seaton Carew, Cleveland, UK, has successfully opened Europe's first multi-lane installation of Thunder Bowl, the compact bowling game from world-leading manufacturer AMF, distributed by Namco Europe/Brent Sales. [more information]
In order to meet the overwhelming demand for its newest video game sensation, Incredible Technologies has said it has had to increase production on Silver Strike Bowling. [more information]
Funworld Ag has announced its Photo Play terminals will function as a training partner this year for a practice company of the Gmunden trading college in Upper Austria. [more information]
In a blockbuster deal that would merge two of the biggest gambling companies in the world, MGM Mirage has offered to buy Mandalay Resort Group for about $US7.65 billion. [more information]
Highway Entertainment