Capcom to keep arcades in trim
Japanese newspapers claim they are pulling out, but Capcom won't have any of it
Japanese newspapers, unlike their British tabloid counterparts, are rarely wrong-footed when they break news on corporate shakedowns. So then, when several major publications reported yesterday morning that Capcom intended to move out of the arcade business, it was not until an angry statement was issued by the company that anyone took issue with the reports. According to Capcom's press spokesman, the news media's reports that Capcom are to leave the arcade game business "is not based on any of our official announcements, and, in fact, is not something we have decided yet." The rumours were that Capcom needed to shed its costly arcade development strategy to focus on console titles, and although the spokesman admitted, that the company is "going to be concentrating on our gaming business on consoles," and that "the operations of our arcade division will be scaled down accordingly," the company fully intends to "continue to provide arcade games during the next year." Capcom also took the opportunity to confirm that this year's Tokyo Game Show (at the end of the month) will be the platform from which they will show off "Capcom Vs. SNK Millenium Fight 2000 PRO" on Dreamcast, and allow punters to challenge the team that developed the "Capcom Vs. SNK" series! The original arcade version of Millenium Fight 2000" changes only in name on its way to the Dreamcast, and we're not quite sure what the "PRO" entails. We're hoping it's good, though. Capcom's lack of interest in the arcade format can be attributed to a sharp incline in performance of arcade machines. In previous eras, games appearing in the arcade were showcase titles that eclipsed home videogame console versions, both in terms of graphics and often gameplay. In recent times though, the consoles sat next to ours televisions have actually overtaken many arcade builders - so much so that games like Millenium Fight 2000 are having to be souped up to attract punters on the Dreamcast. It's no wonder that operations are being scaled back in this area, when punters can get better and more impressive titles at home on their Dreamcasts and PS2s, instead of having to burn through yen in expensive arcades.
