What's with arcade game credits?

[Joystick Jerk]

This question has been gnawing at me for a while. Ever since I was a kid, I noticed something... odd about the credits in arcade games. Look at the credits for movies, or console/PC games, what do you see. Made by Tim Smithers, Julie Thompson, Mike Williams, etc etc. Even look at the japanese equivalent; Made By Akira Hashi, Takumi Inada, Kenji Utsumi. But look at arcade credits, and it's Made By Fuji Pancakes, Blood Kill, X, Saro, and Hawaiin God.

What is with the arcade industry that the typical employee of a game company takes on these strange monikers and pseudonyms? Do they think they're edgy artists working on the fringe of society. Even if they were the handles they use on the internet like many do, why exactly do they feel the need to put it in the credits. If anything, I think you'd want to use your real name and keep the credits classy for all the hard work you put into the game. Is it the culture of the arcade industry that attracts these "maverick" coders and artists?

[Havok]

I think it's that they are kids at heart, and enjoy putting their pseudonames in there. In your industry, you can actually be known by that name...

[RayB]

My theory is, alot of companies forbid real credit, for fear of talent getting poached. So they allow pseudonyms to keep the employee happy.

[More Cowbell]

I think I may change my name to Fuji Pancakes. Classic.

[Level42]

Uuhhmmmmm, is Joystick Jerk really your name ?







That's why

[shorthair]

I think it's a spin-off or whatever of the phenomenon in Rap and R&B.  The only other way I could describe it would be to use a racist analogue.

[Joystick Jerk]

Uuhhmmmmm, is Joystick Jerk really your name ?







That's why

Well, first, this is the internet, and I don't think anyone wants the internet at large to know their real name, what with fraud and part-time internet detectives who like to display info on people they can dig up.

I understand if the devs want to use internet-handle-esque names in in the credits, but most arcade games predate the use of internet forums by quite a while.

[TOK]

Who wants to see "Created by Ernie Finkelstein" after spending 15 bucks on continues to complete a shooter?

[Joystick Jerk]

Hey, at least I'd know Ernie Finkelstein was the person that created the game, not the nebulous sounding Mr. Xerxes Tambourine or King Gronk.

[Crowquill]

I think that was a Japanese trend that seems to have mostly died out. American games have usually credited the real names of their creators.

I really think that Ray's theory is probably right on why.

[Howard_Casto]

How old are you guys?  This isn't speculation it's outright fact..... early gaming companies didn't allow you to get credit for the game.  The theory was you might associate pong with "Programming guy # 1" and then you would follow them to another company, waiting for their next game if they were ever to quit.  Now I need to point out that originally psuedo names weren't even allowed, but the programmers sometimes snuck them in anyway.  Psuedo names were eventually allowed and once gamers caught on they just gave up and allowed real credits. 

Today people who use psuedo names generally fall into three categories:

Interns.  I guess the theory here is no pay, no credit either. 

Testers.  Game testers are often more of a third party and cna be working on several games (in rare instances multiple companies) at once.  Testers often work their way up to full-fledged game developers so if they use handles out of respect (not worthy of credit yet) or they are forced to is anyone's guess depending upon the company.  You'd have to ask them.  Also sometimes testers are credited as a single team due to space constraints.  The "Super Mario Club" comes to mind on nintendo's side.

Old-schooler's/Lamers.  Some real programmers do it either out of respect/nostalgia for days gone by or because they think their nickname is so L33t that it'd be hardcore to use it instead of their realname.  It's not really a requirement in either case, they just like to do it. 

[shorthair]

I don't understand this part:

"Now I need to point out that originally psuedo names weren't even allowed, but the programmers sometimes snuck them in anyway.  Psuedo names were originally allowed and once gamers caught on they just gave up and allowed real credits."

And what the ---fudgesicle--- does this mean?

"L33t"

[Howard_Casto]

typo.. read again...

If you don't know what L33t means then I'm not telling ya. 

[Crowquill]

If programmers would have gotten credit, we probably wouldn't have Activision today.

And what the ---fudgesicle--- does this mean?

"L33t"

R U A Fn N00b?   

[RayB]

Today, if someone is known by hundreds on the web under a "handle" it would make more sense to use that, than the legal name only your few friends and family will recognize...

[Joystick Jerk]

Well, in all respect to the artists and coders of arcade games, I don't think anyone remembers either the real name or their pseudonym.

[CheffoJeffo]

Well, in all respect to the artists and coders of arcade games, I don't think anyone remembers either the real name or their pseudonym.

There are some who are remembered  ... Alcorn, Jarvis, Skelly, Iwatani, Miyamoto and Rotberg come to mind before I've had my coffee this morning (so I'm sure that I have missed a few). Oh and Pfutzen-something (Joust).

I guess Wozniak and Jobs, although they are better known for that other thing.

Cheers.

[RayB]

Does "The Fatman" ring any bells with PC gamers of the 90's?

[CheffoJeffo]

Does "The Fatman" ring any bells with PC gamers of the 90's?

Of course ...

I remember him from the 80s and significant optimization on the then-limited audio hardware.

[rovingmind]

133t

ROFLMAO

wow does anybody still use that besides as reference?

[rovingmind]

heh 2600 magazine, loved the photos of the foreign payphones

[ChadTower]

It generally traces back to Activision... that was a large part of what Activision was about.  Programmers were creating hit games, back when one guy could turn out a whole game in a few weeks, and the company was making millions.  The developers were not only not making millions but they couldn't even get credit for their work so a few of their best programmers left, founded Activision, and proceeded to write most of the best games for the 2600.  Stuck their names all over them.  Guys who were big 2600 fans at the time often still think of David Crane when they think of Pitfall, for instance.