Tweet
Elle est parrue dans snk-capcom .com il y a déjà une semaine. Certain l'on peut être déjà lue. On y apprend que SONY va sortir une portable et que playmore sera sur le coup. Un nouveau Baseball Star est bel et bien confirmé tout comme SvC pour PS2 (la version Xbox n'est pas encore officiellement confirmée, mais c'est tout comme), ainsi que KOF3D pour PS2. Par contre, il n'y a toujours aucune nouvelle du successeur du MVS. On ne sait toujours pas si ce sera une machine Playmore ou une machine déjà existante appartenant à un autre constructeur.
Voilà l'interview:
05.20.2003
Interview with SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's President, Ben Herman
Interview taken, Thursday, May 15th, 2003 at SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's E3 Offices.
For those who haven't been keeping up with the fast paced Playmore subsidaries, SNK NEOGEO USA and SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer, we're here to fill you in. SNK NEOGEO USA deals with MVS Distribution while, SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer deals with NEO GEO home product distribution. Confusing? Nah.
On May 15th, 2003, we had a discussion/interview with SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's President, Ben Herman. To my recent memory, I can't recall the last time a President of any company, received so much publicity across the board. Ben Herman is the new prez on the block and he's taking numbers and names to expose the Neo Geo name to new levels. So far, he's doing an amazing job and people and the press are responding with raving interviews and news for that matter.
Are we excited? Sure. But the scary thing is, Mr. Herman may have upped us one notch on that level, which is a good thing.
So let's start the discussion S-C.com had with Ben. Immediately below, we jotted some notes down of what's to come and the interview following was taken down word for word, but some juicy stuff had to be taken out for legal reasons.
Interview
Trieu: Can you give us a little bit of background information about yourself?
Herman: About myself? Um. I'm pretty much a middle age gentleman that....(laughs). I got my start in videogames with Parker Brothers. I spent almost ten years with Parker Brothers and I also got into the Atari, Mattel, Colecovision years with some titles that such as Qbert, Empire Strikes Back and Frogger. And, I got my start there, in the mid 80's, I interviewed with Nintendo. Actually, I went to work for their representative in New York, which was Sam Borofsky and Associates, was VP of sales for them, I spent a little time there, I got some consulting opportunities going, some rep. opportunities going, but one of the first things that came to me was SNK. In 1989, I was asked to fill a position with them and I did it as a consultant. At the time of the NES years, they were exiting a category, the NES was a little over bloated with product, um, they had been one of the first six licensees with Nintendo. And at that point I worked with them for about a year, they went away for a short hiatus. They came back in the nineties, I was repping a number of different lines, Data East, Sunsoft. I represented SNK when they had their home systems, Gold and Silver and cartridges, we did some testing with Toys 'R Us and other retailers. In 1998, when John Barone was President (of SNK USA), I've known him a long time, he had been coin-op VP back in the earlier days when Paul Jacobs was President, John asked me to take a look at an item called Pocket, I decided then that I wanted to come on board full time as a full time as a VP of Sales. As I came in we decided the color version (of Neo Geo Pocket), which we did. Things were great, until the Aruze situation developed. (A section of the interview was taken out for confidentiality reasons). I've spent a year and a half with Nintendo after that incident. Nintendo came to me at a very good time, but I got a phone call six months ago from SNK and saying that "we're would considering coming back" would you be available, and I love this company, so here we are. That brings us up to date.
Trieu: So basically, it seems like Playmore is focusing on the PS2 more than the arcade market, what are your thoughts on that?
Herman: Well, as far as the arcade market, the arcade market has been shrinking. There is alot of concern, on alot of companies, let alone SNK as to what to do in that market place. We have always felt that we wanted to bring the arcade product home. We obviously did it with a large expensive cartridge system, but the reality was we were bringing home the arcade games. This is a very strong market, we've got great licenses. Playstation 2 is obviously the strongest platform you know, worldwide at this point. So, SNK/Playmore, whatever name you had to use a year and a half ago, they went to that market. I have convinced the company that Microsoft is a very viable American Company. We're going to come to a decision when we meet with Microsoft tomorrow and we are going to be a licensee of Microsoft as long as Microsoft says okay and I think that will be a fine situation. Microsoft wants us to go worldwide. We have to decide if we sign on as Playmore or SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer, because we are going to get the worldwide rights, and I think Playmore might prefer to be the licensee because they can do it worldwide.
Trieu: So that means that you may be doing some LIVE games as well, correct?
Herman: Oh yes! I've asked the company, in the future, plan for some LIVE action. I've asked them to look at Baseball Stars.
Trieu: Baseball Stars 3?
Herman: I don't have an answer yet on that, but to be candid I would like is to be LIVE on all formats, because whether it's 2% or 10% the perception to the consumer is a good thing. There will be future systems, whether it would Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, we will be there to support all formats. Sony has just announced their handheld, we will be there to fill that void.
Trieu: (Baffled) They announced it already? Is it an official announcement?
Herman: (Confidently) Yes, it's the PSP.
Trieu: 32 bit I assume?
Herman: I believe that would be the case.
Trieu: Speaking of systems here. The Neo Geo in terms of it's technical capabilites, it's a little old. Do we expect new hardware in the future?
Herman: In the arcades?
Trieu: Yes.
Herman: I'm not sure, that's a question for Playmore to answer. I don't know the answer to that.
Trieu: (darn!!, oh well, we'll proceed) I read an article about you in the Daily Gaming about you mentioning Metal Slug 3D. Is that for a PS2 port or?
Herman: It's being considered. I may have stepped a little bit ahead of myself. What I can say right now is that there will be a King of Fighters 3D. That's coming, it's definitely been announced, it's a home version, not an arcade version. We have an audience that is 2-D, and love us as 2-D, we're going to take a look at 3-D and we'll see how our fan base reacts.
Trieu: On the subject of Metal Slug 5 right now, what is the latest update on that?
Herman: I don't have any information on that right now.
Trieu: How about SVC Chaos on other systems? Is that inevitable?
Herman: I would hope so. You know, it's very strong, it's going to be very, very strong. Alot stronger than we thought. It will be out in the arcades in July. We will bring it to PS2. When I talk to Microsoft, that it will be something in my mind that I will be planning for that the development time is short enough for us to bring out on a timely manner.
Trieu: Is there an expected date on the XBox or PS2 versions?
Herman: I would expect it to be out at the end of this year for the PS2 version.
Trieu: How about the Neo Geo home market?
Herman: I would think it will be out a lot shorter, because it's a lot easier for us to do (convert over).
Trieu: We hope that SVC will be on-line capable, because Capcom has their own version of the LIVE right now, which is very large. So you don't have an idea if it will be implemented in the PS2 version, correct?
Herman: I don't think it will happen at this time, but it's something we will certainly discuss later (with Sony/Microsoft).
The Plan
It's obvious that Playmore brought in Mr. Herman to construct a strong U.S. Home Market, for the following formats: PS2, XBox, GBA and Neo Geo AES. Titles such as Metal Slug 3, limited to just the NEO GEO MVS and AES gives Playmore very little exposure, due to the high cost of such a medium. Enter in the CD, on PS2. With a low production cost, Playmore will now be able to reach the hungry Neo Geo fans/gamers, instead of limiting themselves to the once driven collector's market. More importantly, with the gameplay intensity and graphical demands that Metal Slug 3 requires, fans are assured a perfect port on the PS2.
As stated by Mr. Herman in previous interviews, software development for the XBox is undergoing negotiation. S-C.com feels that Mr. Herman is on the right track with his vision of releasing games on the XBox, which is to make most of it's game implement with the LIVE feature. With so many great "different" games on different formats, it is not uncommon for a household to own more than 1 system. Because of this, we feel that if Playmore is developing for both PS2 and XBox with identical titles and features, the market would be saturated and sales, well, not do as well. Point is, unless different titles are released for each system, the LIVE feature for the XBox is a necessity on it's fighting games at least. Mr. Herman is well aware of that and also hinted that it would be nice to have a Baseball Stars LIVE game as well. Woohoo!! Wouldn't that be nice? Just make sure to add in team editing features and we're there!! I don't know about other fans out there, but I went out to spend $600.00 just to buy an XBox, a full arcade joystick and the game, Capcom vs. SNK 2 to play other people on-line. Being able to challenge an opponent from across the country is just too plain cool and hella convenient. You can even each chips and salsa in between matches. So Playmore, please add in the LIVE feature. We need it!!
The games that Ben confirmed for us being released are King of Fighters 3-D for PS2, KOF 2000/2001 (as a bundle), KOF 2002 (PS2), Metal Slug 3 (PS2), Metal Slug 4(PS2), Metal Slug Advance (GBA) and SVC Chaos (MVS, AES, PS2). There's a few more titles, but at at the time of this interview, they could not be confirmed.
New Hardware?
As expressed by Ben Herman, there is no official news on any new hardware being developed by Playmore, but here are our thoughts:
It's natural to think a new system is on the horizon, but given the state of the economy, the better choice, we think would be to license hardware such as Sony's System 246 for the arcades, which would allow for near seamless ports to the PS2. Whatever Playmore decides to do, we're here to support them.
Final Notes
The interview was quite long and sure, we discussed things off the record and when the time comes, Mr. Herman will release the "great" news that I think it's fans will welcome. I know I did. It's a double edge sword as they say with news. Even though you know more and are excited to share it, you just can't, because you have to respect the privacy and confidentiality of it's owners. We do, but I least s-c.com knows right? All right, we'll stop the teasing.
The best thing about Ben Herman is no other than his enthusiasm. Forget his title as President. When you talk to Ben, you can see the fire in him, eager to not only please Playmore or it's retailers, but most importantly, the consumer themselves. In other words, you have a President that is down to earth, listening to everyone's opinions, taking nothing for granted, but at the same time, taking charge of his day to day operations and moving SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer forward.
S-C.com congratulates Playmore for working it's way back to the consumer market in the U.S. and hiring Ben Herman to head it.
- by trieu
Voilà l'interview:
05.20.2003
Interview with SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's President, Ben Herman
Interview taken, Thursday, May 15th, 2003 at SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's E3 Offices.
For those who haven't been keeping up with the fast paced Playmore subsidaries, SNK NEOGEO USA and SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer, we're here to fill you in. SNK NEOGEO USA deals with MVS Distribution while, SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer deals with NEO GEO home product distribution. Confusing? Nah.
On May 15th, 2003, we had a discussion/interview with SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer's President, Ben Herman. To my recent memory, I can't recall the last time a President of any company, received so much publicity across the board. Ben Herman is the new prez on the block and he's taking numbers and names to expose the Neo Geo name to new levels. So far, he's doing an amazing job and people and the press are responding with raving interviews and news for that matter.
Are we excited? Sure. But the scary thing is, Mr. Herman may have upped us one notch on that level, which is a good thing.
So let's start the discussion S-C.com had with Ben. Immediately below, we jotted some notes down of what's to come and the interview following was taken down word for word, but some juicy stuff had to be taken out for legal reasons.
Interview
Trieu: Can you give us a little bit of background information about yourself?
Herman: About myself? Um. I'm pretty much a middle age gentleman that....(laughs). I got my start in videogames with Parker Brothers. I spent almost ten years with Parker Brothers and I also got into the Atari, Mattel, Colecovision years with some titles that such as Qbert, Empire Strikes Back and Frogger. And, I got my start there, in the mid 80's, I interviewed with Nintendo. Actually, I went to work for their representative in New York, which was Sam Borofsky and Associates, was VP of sales for them, I spent a little time there, I got some consulting opportunities going, some rep. opportunities going, but one of the first things that came to me was SNK. In 1989, I was asked to fill a position with them and I did it as a consultant. At the time of the NES years, they were exiting a category, the NES was a little over bloated with product, um, they had been one of the first six licensees with Nintendo. And at that point I worked with them for about a year, they went away for a short hiatus. They came back in the nineties, I was repping a number of different lines, Data East, Sunsoft. I represented SNK when they had their home systems, Gold and Silver and cartridges, we did some testing with Toys 'R Us and other retailers. In 1998, when John Barone was President (of SNK USA), I've known him a long time, he had been coin-op VP back in the earlier days when Paul Jacobs was President, John asked me to take a look at an item called Pocket, I decided then that I wanted to come on board full time as a full time as a VP of Sales. As I came in we decided the color version (of Neo Geo Pocket), which we did. Things were great, until the Aruze situation developed. (A section of the interview was taken out for confidentiality reasons). I've spent a year and a half with Nintendo after that incident. Nintendo came to me at a very good time, but I got a phone call six months ago from SNK and saying that "we're would considering coming back" would you be available, and I love this company, so here we are. That brings us up to date.
Trieu: So basically, it seems like Playmore is focusing on the PS2 more than the arcade market, what are your thoughts on that?
Herman: Well, as far as the arcade market, the arcade market has been shrinking. There is alot of concern, on alot of companies, let alone SNK as to what to do in that market place. We have always felt that we wanted to bring the arcade product home. We obviously did it with a large expensive cartridge system, but the reality was we were bringing home the arcade games. This is a very strong market, we've got great licenses. Playstation 2 is obviously the strongest platform you know, worldwide at this point. So, SNK/Playmore, whatever name you had to use a year and a half ago, they went to that market. I have convinced the company that Microsoft is a very viable American Company. We're going to come to a decision when we meet with Microsoft tomorrow and we are going to be a licensee of Microsoft as long as Microsoft says okay and I think that will be a fine situation. Microsoft wants us to go worldwide. We have to decide if we sign on as Playmore or SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer, because we are going to get the worldwide rights, and I think Playmore might prefer to be the licensee because they can do it worldwide.
Trieu: So that means that you may be doing some LIVE games as well, correct?
Herman: Oh yes! I've asked the company, in the future, plan for some LIVE action. I've asked them to look at Baseball Stars.
Trieu: Baseball Stars 3?
Herman: I don't have an answer yet on that, but to be candid I would like is to be LIVE on all formats, because whether it's 2% or 10% the perception to the consumer is a good thing. There will be future systems, whether it would Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, we will be there to support all formats. Sony has just announced their handheld, we will be there to fill that void.
Trieu: (Baffled) They announced it already? Is it an official announcement?
Herman: (Confidently) Yes, it's the PSP.
Trieu: 32 bit I assume?
Herman: I believe that would be the case.
Trieu: Speaking of systems here. The Neo Geo in terms of it's technical capabilites, it's a little old. Do we expect new hardware in the future?
Herman: In the arcades?
Trieu: Yes.
Herman: I'm not sure, that's a question for Playmore to answer. I don't know the answer to that.
Trieu: (darn!!, oh well, we'll proceed) I read an article about you in the Daily Gaming about you mentioning Metal Slug 3D. Is that for a PS2 port or?
Herman: It's being considered. I may have stepped a little bit ahead of myself. What I can say right now is that there will be a King of Fighters 3D. That's coming, it's definitely been announced, it's a home version, not an arcade version. We have an audience that is 2-D, and love us as 2-D, we're going to take a look at 3-D and we'll see how our fan base reacts.
Trieu: On the subject of Metal Slug 5 right now, what is the latest update on that?
Herman: I don't have any information on that right now.
Trieu: How about SVC Chaos on other systems? Is that inevitable?
Herman: I would hope so. You know, it's very strong, it's going to be very, very strong. Alot stronger than we thought. It will be out in the arcades in July. We will bring it to PS2. When I talk to Microsoft, that it will be something in my mind that I will be planning for that the development time is short enough for us to bring out on a timely manner.
Trieu: Is there an expected date on the XBox or PS2 versions?
Herman: I would expect it to be out at the end of this year for the PS2 version.
Trieu: How about the Neo Geo home market?
Herman: I would think it will be out a lot shorter, because it's a lot easier for us to do (convert over).
Trieu: We hope that SVC will be on-line capable, because Capcom has their own version of the LIVE right now, which is very large. So you don't have an idea if it will be implemented in the PS2 version, correct?
Herman: I don't think it will happen at this time, but it's something we will certainly discuss later (with Sony/Microsoft).
The Plan
It's obvious that Playmore brought in Mr. Herman to construct a strong U.S. Home Market, for the following formats: PS2, XBox, GBA and Neo Geo AES. Titles such as Metal Slug 3, limited to just the NEO GEO MVS and AES gives Playmore very little exposure, due to the high cost of such a medium. Enter in the CD, on PS2. With a low production cost, Playmore will now be able to reach the hungry Neo Geo fans/gamers, instead of limiting themselves to the once driven collector's market. More importantly, with the gameplay intensity and graphical demands that Metal Slug 3 requires, fans are assured a perfect port on the PS2.
As stated by Mr. Herman in previous interviews, software development for the XBox is undergoing negotiation. S-C.com feels that Mr. Herman is on the right track with his vision of releasing games on the XBox, which is to make most of it's game implement with the LIVE feature. With so many great "different" games on different formats, it is not uncommon for a household to own more than 1 system. Because of this, we feel that if Playmore is developing for both PS2 and XBox with identical titles and features, the market would be saturated and sales, well, not do as well. Point is, unless different titles are released for each system, the LIVE feature for the XBox is a necessity on it's fighting games at least. Mr. Herman is well aware of that and also hinted that it would be nice to have a Baseball Stars LIVE game as well. Woohoo!! Wouldn't that be nice? Just make sure to add in team editing features and we're there!! I don't know about other fans out there, but I went out to spend $600.00 just to buy an XBox, a full arcade joystick and the game, Capcom vs. SNK 2 to play other people on-line. Being able to challenge an opponent from across the country is just too plain cool and hella convenient. You can even each chips and salsa in between matches. So Playmore, please add in the LIVE feature. We need it!!
The games that Ben confirmed for us being released are King of Fighters 3-D for PS2, KOF 2000/2001 (as a bundle), KOF 2002 (PS2), Metal Slug 3 (PS2), Metal Slug 4(PS2), Metal Slug Advance (GBA) and SVC Chaos (MVS, AES, PS2). There's a few more titles, but at at the time of this interview, they could not be confirmed.
New Hardware?
As expressed by Ben Herman, there is no official news on any new hardware being developed by Playmore, but here are our thoughts:
It's natural to think a new system is on the horizon, but given the state of the economy, the better choice, we think would be to license hardware such as Sony's System 246 for the arcades, which would allow for near seamless ports to the PS2. Whatever Playmore decides to do, we're here to support them.
Final Notes
The interview was quite long and sure, we discussed things off the record and when the time comes, Mr. Herman will release the "great" news that I think it's fans will welcome. I know I did. It's a double edge sword as they say with news. Even though you know more and are excited to share it, you just can't, because you have to respect the privacy and confidentiality of it's owners. We do, but I least s-c.com knows right? All right, we'll stop the teasing.
The best thing about Ben Herman is no other than his enthusiasm. Forget his title as President. When you talk to Ben, you can see the fire in him, eager to not only please Playmore or it's retailers, but most importantly, the consumer themselves. In other words, you have a President that is down to earth, listening to everyone's opinions, taking nothing for granted, but at the same time, taking charge of his day to day operations and moving SNK NEOGEO USA Consumer forward.
S-C.com congratulates Playmore for working it's way back to the consumer market in the U.S. and hiring Ben Herman to head it.
- by trieu
Commentaire