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Midway and Atari
SirPoonga:
--- Quote from: SavannahLion on August 08, 2011, 11:30:10 pm ---When did Midway purchase the rights to Pong and Centipede?
--- Quote ---Midway Amusement Games -- a former leading American producer of coin-op titles -- has led the video game revolution with many classic arcade hits such as Pong, Centipede and Defender, as well as NFL® Blitz™, Rush, Cruis'n® and Mortal Kombat®. For years these games have been found in arcades, restaurants, bowling alleys, and other establishments all over the world.
--- End quote ---
First off, I don't recall Midway ever obtaining the rights to Pong and Centipede (Though the rest of the list seems kosher from my recollection). What really irritates the ---fudgesicle--- out of me is the credit Midway is receiving for leading "the video game revolution with many classic arcade hits such as Pong, Centipede....."
Is my memory deceiving me? Less than half the games on that list are actual Midway games. The rest aren't owned by Midway or they're just licenses.
Here's the lazy link: http://na.suzohapp.com/midway/midway.htm
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In 1996 after an unsuccessful bid by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, Atari Games was sold to WMS Industries (owners of the Williams, and Bally/Midway arcade brands). When Hasbro Interactive bought the remains of Atari Corporation, the console manufacturer, and resurrected the Atari name in the home software arena, Atari Games was renamed Midway Games West by parent company Midway to avoid confusing two Atari brands.
RayB:
You guys have to remember that Atari had some fairly separate divisions (arcade, home gaming, computers) which got sold off to different parties (ie: one example posted above).
Vigo:
Yeah, that makes sense. Different division, different purchaser. In 1996, I can't imagine I was paying to much attention to company buy outs to begin with.
Mikezilla:
--- Quote from: Vigo on August 09, 2011, 02:04:54 pm ---Yeah, that makes sense. Different division, different purchaser. In 1996, I can't imagine I was paying to much attention to company buy outs to begin with.
--- End quote ---
Same here. I was 14 so I was riding my bike, going to arcades, and trying to talk to girls. :lol
Howard_Casto:
Yeah midway or one of midway's spinoff companies owned about everything at one point and/or owned the US liscense to it.
That being said, midway really did lead the videogame revolution. Back in the day all american games were atari, all japanese games for sale anywhere in north america were liscensed to midway. Back in the golden age midway was pretty much the sole inporter of foreign games. it wasn't just a franchise sticker deal either, Midway physically manufactured the cabinets for virtually everything.
But pong and centipede... nah, they had nothing to do with that.
But understand that Midway Games West was not midway.... it's a spin-off of midway. Hell I think midway owned tradewest (double dragon) at one point.
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