NEWS > GAMES > MIDWAY BATTLING TO SURVIVE AS JAPAN REVELS IN VENGEANCE

MIDWAY BATTLING TO SURVIVE AS JAPAN REVELS IN VENGEANCE

February 15 2009

Chicago, IL – The Battle of Midway was one of the most important and decisive battles during World War II. With plans to eliminate the United States as a Pacific power, the Japanese forces were instead devastated after American code breakers were able to uncover the attack and launch an ambush of their own. That attack helped turn the tide of the Pacific War and paved the way for American victory.   

Midway Games was founded in 1958 as a manufacturer of amusement machines and by the 1970’s had branched out into arcades, producing some of the most regarded and successful video games in history. With classic games like Galaga, Joust, Rampage, Smash TV, Spy Hunter, the Mortal Kombat series, and the North American versions of Pac-Man and Ms Pac-Man in its repertoire, the company has portfolio which few others can dream of having. Now, owing $281,000,000, the company has filed for bankruptcy paving the way for Japanese victory in the video game industry.

“Video games were started in the United States but it is Japanese companies that made the games that made the industry popular. From Space Invaders to Pac Man the early days of Midway’s success in the video game market was based primarily on titles produced in Japan. At the time companies like Taito and Namco had no foothold for distribution in America and Midway was able to get rich off their properties,” said Scrape TV Gaming analyst Graeme Hawthorne. “At the time co-operation was mutually advantageous for all Japanese developers but eventually they began to realize that the true way to success was to invade American shores, something the military failed to do during the war.”

By the time the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in North America the Japanese invasion had begun full force. With companies like Nintendo, Capcom, Tecmo, Namco, and Square becoming the dominant sales presence in arcades and consoles, American producers were pushed more and more into PC development.

“The battle between American and Japanese developers hit a crescendo in the early 1990’s when Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter went head to head. Midway scored a financial success but a critical failure and that led American developers down a path to near doom. Something that has really only been righted by Madden, Grand Theft Auto, and the X-Bx systems” continued Hawthorne. “The last thing American game developers expected was for Japan to dominate their market so thoroughly but much like the Battle of Midway they knew of the plans ahead of time, only they did nothing this time.”

Midway has had a significantly reduced release slate in recent years. For 2008 the most notable title released was another entry in the long running Mortal Kombat series, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the 17th entry in the series.

“There are lots of reasons companies run into financial problems and the downturn in the economy certainly doesn’t help, but the main reason is making games that people aren’t interested in playing. The principle reason that Japanese developers have had so much success on American shores was because they make games people are interested in playing. Midway did that for a little
while, but this isn’t 1992 anymore,” continued Hawthorne. “Much like the real Battle of Midway one opponent was outdone by the other through creativity, determination, and a desire to win. During the war the Japanese had become enamoured of their success and believed in their own destiny, much like American video game developers were in the 70’s. I’m sure there are quite a few Japanese executives who are giggling just a little bit as Midway finally goes their way.”

Midway Games has a limited release schedule for 2009, the chief title being ‘Wheelman’ featuring Vin Diesel. Few are expecting it to generate the $300,000,000 needed to put the company in the black.

“Vin Diesel and ‘Wheelman’ aren’t exactly going to be Coral Sea or Guadalcanal. Odds are Midway is going to fall deeper into debt and some bigger company will buy up its assets. It would be especially fitting if it was a Japanese company that started buying their properties,” continued Hawthorne. “America has continuously bled video game companies like Atari and Coleco. The same thing just hasn’t happened in Japan. They may have lost the world and their shot at world domination, but they sure have ruled videogames.”

Midway’s bankruptcy filing can be found here. A fund to help resurrect Midway and it's executives to it's former glory has been set up here.

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