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INTERNATIONAL ROUND –UP

UK: Goldmine, in both section 16 and section 34 versions, was Ace Coin’s stand-out product at Earls Court. Both are three-game compendiums in one cabinet, with upgrades available every six to nine months. “The cabinet can support a library of at least eight games – four of which can be displayed at any time,” CEO Phill Thomas told InterGame. Each game is sold direct to the operator, so operators gain total control over their portfolio of games. As the cabinet is configurable for both sections 16 and 34, operators can for example buy a section 16 compendium, but then change it to a section 34 one without moving the cabinet, as updates are carried out via Flash cards and sim cards.

PORTURAL: Portugal has resigned from Euromat, but the European trade association, headed by the outspoken Eduard Antoja, has agreed to let the country remain involved for a years an ‘observer.’

UK: At the ATEI, Gamesoft’s Robert Taylor told InterGame that its new dual screen Dreamplay cabinet would allow operators flexibility without the headache of having to move cabinets around the whole time. “The new games have been very well received,” he told InterGame. Taylor added that his firm had struggled to secure a large stand for the last three years, but that 2007 would see a stand that matched the size of Bell Fruit’s this time out. “We already know what we’ll be doing next year, theme-wise,” he revealed, standing alongside his outfit’s dual screen Power Games steel cabinet.

GERMANY: An industry source told InterGame that the coin-op and gaming market in Germany has turned into a rather farcical ‘duel’ between the two industry heavyweights – Merkur versus the Novomatic Group. He told InterGame that the real reason for Stella and Mexim consolidating under one brand name was to strengthen its offering in the face of Novomatic buying up smaller, eastern European companies a rate of knots. Both companies are trying to gain footholds in the growing eastern European markets.

UK: An industry insider, whose company had a large exhibition booth, told InterGame that although he had ‘no problems’ with the show’s new organizer Clarion Events, he was concerned that he had been ‘inundated with spam’ in the weeks leading up to the Earls Court exhibition, in the knowledge that his company was one of the major players. He added that he had heard that another major player, Harry Levy, was adamant that it would not allow the expansion of ICE to affect its stand’s regular position 2007.

ARGENTINA: Sacoa’s rechargeable debit card system has been accepted at two major new locations. The Argentine firm told InterGame that Planet Zero, a huge 800sq.m indoor and outdoor theme park in Venezuela, Colombia, had embraced Sacoa’s card for customer use. “Parque Tolon used to use chip cards, but the owners are much happier with our system,” beamed director Sebastian Mochkovsky. Further installations are due in various locations across the middle East, the US and Mochkovsky’s home country Argentina.

SPAIN: Digital Center of Barcelona brought an upgraded technology to its photo booths at the London show. The higher – capacity, faster-operating New Generation has new technology, which allows 900 plays before the paper roll needs replacing, instead of 220. “It means it only has to be replaced perhaps every two weeks,” said Joseph Tarres, managing director. He also showed the refined and completed version of the company’s new promotions unit, which was shown in protype format in November’s Atlanta IAAPA show. The unit can be housed in any kind of display, wall-mounted, on a stand or even hanging. A picture can be taken o the visitor and then using the neighboring printer unit, a picture can be generated in seconds.
“It is ideal for use as a promotional tool at trade shows, conferences or even as a feature in a fun pub,” said Tarres, which was illustrated by its name Foto Pub. The company has appointed Crown Leisure as its distributor in the UK.

NETHERLANDS: Theo Vranken one of the best –known veterans of the European AWP industry, has joined testing organization GLI, operating out of the company’s Dutch office. Vranken, with many years’ experience of particularly the eastern European market, left Janshen-Hahnraths last year. He is now the market development manager for Europe at GLI.

BELGIUM: Seeben has released a new poker game for the Belgian street market. Magic Circus trades on the company’s expertise in bingo tables produced by its Sirmo brand to bring a live game to the AWP market. The game is played through a monitor on the top of the live-action game, using a domino feature.

FRANCE: French company Avranches will represent Universal Space (Unis) in most European countries. The deal was concluded during the London show. Unis ‘managing director Sephen Tan is pictured with Sonia Douville from Avranches’ export department.

US: Nissan has unveiled a concept sports car called the Urge, equipped with an xbox 360 video game system, at the North American International Auto Show, according to the Los Angles Times. When the car is parked, the steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals and a 7ins LCD screen that drop down from the rearview mirror turn it into a personal video arcade so the driver can play the Project Gotham Racing 3 game. The car racing game only works when the Urge is stationary.

Nissan designer Bruce Campbell said the car was developed after conducting an internet survey asking young auto and gaming enthusiasts the kinds of features they would want in their ideal car. Most of the 2,000 respondents were young males who overwhelmingly wanted “a small, fun-to-drive sports car (with) the technology products they use on a daily basis,” said Cambell, vice president of design a Nissan’s advanced research and design center in La Jolla, California.