Although the Panasonic website's corporate history makes no mention of video games, in Japan Matsushita Electric did publish a handful of computer games during the '80s. However, in the video game industry Panasonic is best known as one of the three manufacturers of the 3DO console (1993-96), calling its model the R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. In North America the division known as Panasonic Software Company advertised the 3DO quite heavily and published a dozen games for the system, including versions of Myst, Ballz, and D.
Showing posts with label 3DO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3DO. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Gaming Ads: Panasonic Software Company
Founded by Konosuke Matsushita in 1918, Panasonic was originally known as Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works. It began as a manufacturer of household electrical fixtures, created a reliable battery-operated bicycle light that was a big success in 1929, and was renamed to Matsushita Electric Manufacturing Works in 1929. Over the years Matsushita would make irons, radios, appliance motors, fans, televisions, tape recorders, washing machines, microwave ovens, VCRs, and a variety of other products. It was in the 1960s that the Panasonic brand was created for use outside of Japan and in 2008 the parent company changed its name to Panasonic.
Although the Panasonic website's corporate history makes no mention of video games, in Japan Matsushita Electric did publish a handful of computer games during the '80s. However, in the video game industry Panasonic is best known as one of the three manufacturers of the 3DO console (1993-96), calling its model the R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. In North America the division known as Panasonic Software Company advertised the 3DO quite heavily and published a dozen games for the system, including versions of Myst, Ballz, and D.
Although the Panasonic website's corporate history makes no mention of video games, in Japan Matsushita Electric did publish a handful of computer games during the '80s. However, in the video game industry Panasonic is best known as one of the three manufacturers of the 3DO console (1993-96), calling its model the R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. In North America the division known as Panasonic Software Company advertised the 3DO quite heavily and published a dozen games for the system, including versions of Myst, Ballz, and D.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Gaming Ads: New World Computing and Nexoft
New World Computing (NWC) was founded by Mark Caldwell, Jon Van Caneghem, and his wife Michaela in 1984. Based in California, NWC is best known for the Might and Magic series of role-playing games that began in 1986 and its 1995 strategy spin-off Heroes of Might and Magic. The 3DO Company acquired NWC in 1996 and it continued to publish games as a division of its new parent company. However, as The 3DO Company began struggling financially it laid off a significant number of staff at NWC in 2002 and ceased to exist in 2003. Ubisoft purchased the rights to the Might and Magic series shortly before the closure.
Nexoft was a subsidiary of ASCII Corporation thatwas founded in 1989 in Cypress, CA and first released accessories for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) while only publishing a handful of games from 1989 to 1991 for the NES and Game Boy. Nexoft and ASCII Entertainment were merged in 1991 to form ASCII Consumer Products with the Nexoft location handling sales and distribution.
Nexoft was a subsidiary of ASCII Corporation thatwas founded in 1989 in Cypress, CA and first released accessories for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) while only publishing a handful of games from 1989 to 1991 for the NES and Game Boy. Nexoft and ASCII Entertainment were merged in 1991 to form ASCII Consumer Products with the Nexoft location handling sales and distribution.
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Gaming Ads: GoldStar and Greer & Associates
Founded in 1958 in South Korea, GoldStar changed its name to LG in 1995 and is still in business today making a variety of electronics and appliances. In the gaming industry GoldStar was one of the companies that manufactured 3DO game consoles. The 3DO Company designed the console but didn't produce it, instead it licensed the platform to others such as Panasonic and GoldStar. One of the three ads I currently have displays both the GoldStar and LG names as the company name change took place the year after GoldStar began making the 3DO.
Greer & Associates was based in California and made at least one game accessory. It's likely Greer didn't do too much else as I cannot locate any information on the company and it's certainly not the insurance company in Texas that shares the same name. All four of the ads I've got are for the same product which is a light device for the original Game Boy called The Illuminator.
GoldStar albums: Facebook - Google Photos
Greer & Associates albums: Facebook - Google Photos
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Gaming Ads: The 3DO Company
Originally founded in 1991 as San Mateo Software Games by Trip Hawkins, The 3DO Company designed the 3DO game console while other companies -- most notably Panasonic -- built the hardware. The system launched in 1993 at a very high price point of $699.99. There was plenty of competition from Sega and Nintendo at the time and Sony was not far behind, entering the video game market in 1995 (1994 in Japan) with the PlayStation and its $299.99 price. In 1996 the 3DO console was discontinued while The 3DO Company found some success as a software developer and publisher. It is best known for the development of the Army Men and High Heat Baseball games.
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