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starting a business selling cabs with games

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bishmasterb:

I spoke to a firm that handles the Williams licensing a few years back when I was seriously considering a venture with arcade cabinets. I can't recall the details precisely, but it was in the ballpark of $10K upfront and 10% or so of gross sales, which seemed fairly reasonable. Namco wouldn't even talk to us unless the numbers were a lot larger than we were prepared to deal with.

surface tension:


--- Quote from: BeachRunnerJoe on August 18, 2009, 12:01:44 am ---so does that mean this business is breaking the law?

http://drinkngame.com

how are they allowed to pre-load it with mame roms?


--- End quote ---

These are retail packs running through the GameEx front-end. Though they are suggesting it will play all the old console and arcade stuff, ("including bootlegs, unlicensed and hacked games") which is a bit naughty.

BeachRunnerJoe:

are you sure those are retail packs?  i'm not so sure, there are games on that list (i.e. street fighter 2 CE, 720, etc.) that i can't find in retail packs anywhere. 

surface tension:

I'm pretty sure. I don't have those two titles, but have a similar setup for my systems.

720 is on Midway Arcade treasures
http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/pc/midway-arcade-treasures

and SF2 CE is on Capcom Arcade hits
http://www.amazon.com/Capcom-Arcade-Hits-Three-Compatible-pc/dp/B000E4N1CQ

LeedsFan:

Not wishing to derail the thread but I was toying with this idea also. But without the games as such, just the cabs as a kit. But the idea was to be a desktop replica of something like a Galaga cabinet, or Space Invaders. Something small and compact but a copy of the original (well the top half anyway).

But then I got to thinking about the copyright of the artwork etc. Would I be able to make a Pacman desktop as a kit for example and sell it? I wouldn't have thought so, but then I thought about people that sell the artwork for our projects and how they do it? I'd basically be selling the same artwork on but in packs containing bits of wood. (i.e. kits). I'd have to source the artwork from one of these people anyway as I don't have that expertise, so it's mot like I'd be doing them out of any business.

Now you're probably thinking "whats the point of a cab with no game(s)?" Well I'd point people in the right direction of course. I know full well I can't supply roms with these kits. Maybe install some roms that are freely distributable? I dunno if I could do that even. I know I cannot sell Mame, but it's the cab I'm selling. Mame would be installed free. Or does that not wash?

I am literally toying with the idea. Please don't flame if I'm way out of line with this thinking. If it's totally illegal then so be it.... consider it quashed.

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