Breakaway group from Replitech trade show and conference is to emerge today (Fri.) as Media-Tech Assn. (MTA), registered entity that plans to establish rival events for prerecorded replication industry. Group of 10 companies is spearheading split on complaint that Replitech shows, produced by trade publisher PBI Media and sponsored by International Recording Media Assn. (IRMA), had become too frequent and too expensive for exhibitors. All of MTA founders are European companies and 6 are IRMA members. They plan single Media Tech Expo yearly, with venue switching between Europe and N. America, compared with 3 Replitech shows each year in Asia, Europe and N. America. First Media Tech Expo is scheduled for Frankfurt, Germany, May 6-8 -- following Replitech in L.A. in Feb. and Amsterdam in June. PBI and IRMA contend that upstart organization and show are disservice to industry and have appealed to their attendees and members to shun MTA. They argued that industry needed multiple yearly events and said they would stick to that format. But in response to exhibitor grievances about Replitech, PBI and IRMA announced changes, including: Reduced cost for exhibit space and frequency discounts for participants in multiple shows and for IRMA members, IRMA will be solely responsible for developing all conference events such as speaking session. Name of show also has been changed to M3Replitech, to reflect show’s broader constituency in media manufacturing, distribution, storage.
Cable reluctance to allow freer access to set-top boxes “has channeled the transition to the Digital Age into yet another instrument for retention of monopolistic control of revenue” from new digital services, Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition said in report to FCC on cable-DTV compatibility (CED Nov 8 p2). Coalition accused cable of refusing to allow more open standards and box mobility, meaning retailers “have not been allowed to bring their competitiveness and ingenuity to the world’s biggest broadband system, saying NCTA’s retail set-top initiative “promises to freeze this mold for the foreseeable future.” Cable is worried that truly opening boxes would mean cable would “lose monopoly control of new service revenues,” report said. It said cable had given no assurances that persons buying set-tops at retail would be treated equally and had set unreasonably low price for buying boxes back from customers. It asked FCC to mandate more open set-top environment.
EA Sports started shipping Madden NFL 2002 for GameCube and NASCAR Thunder 2002 for Xbox. NFL title now is available on 7 game platforms, game maker said, and Game Boy Advance (GBA) version will follow Nov. 19.
Integration of newly acquired MB Quart and Audio Innovations is proceeding on plan, Rockford Corp. executives told financial analysts in conference call Wed. to discuss 3rd quarter financial results.
Ubi Soft Entertainment said it would ship Disney’s Tarzan Untamed and Batman: Vengeance for GameCube in time for rollout of Nintendo’s new console system Nov. 18.
Oct. videogame comparable-store sales were “on target, decreasing as expected 19.7%” from same month year ago when PlayStation 2 (PS2) started shipping in N. America, Barnes & Noble said Thurs. It said comparable-store sales of its GameStop videogame division in quarter “were also on target, increasing 3.6%.” Barnes & Noble said videogame earnings “will be on target with previous guidance at 1? per share for the 3rd quarter.” Company said comparable-store sales in its “super” store book division dipped 0.4% in year but inched up 0.2% in quarter. At company’s B. Dalton book division, comparable-store sales fell 5.1% in year. It called “super” store and B. Dalton Oct. results “below plan and guidance.” Barnes & Noble CEO Leonard Riggio said: “Given the conditions of the economy, we are encouraged by our ability to outperform the retail sector.” But company admitted that “events connected to the war on terrorism are affecting sales,” adding: “As an example, on Halloween day, which is normally one of the strongest days of the 3rd quarter, sales for company bookstores were down between 2 and 20% depending on their proximity to malls, owing to renewed warnings about terrorist threats.” Company reduced guidance for consolidated earnings per share for full year to $1.08-$1.12, compared with $1.06 year ago. It said results in its online book division, Barnes & Noble.com, “continue to improve as planned, and GameStop is expected to meet previous guidance” for year. Barnes & Noble is to report 3rd quarter results Nov. 29. Separately, company said it would open 25,000-sq.-ft. store in Bowie, Md., Nov. 14. In addition to books, like other “super” stores, new location will offer more than 25,000 music, DVD and VHS titles, it said.
Ronald Unkefer relinquishes Good Guys CEO post to Pres. Kenneth Weller but will remain chmn… Ron Richie, Pixtech board member, named interim CEO, replacing Dieter Metzger, who died earlier this year of heart attack… Appointed at Palm’s new Solutions Group: Glenn Cross, ex-Sun Microsystems, joins as vp- sales and enterprise business development; Steve Manser, ex- Propel Software, joins as vp-worldwide product engineering.
Transition to next-generation videogame console systems will be completed this holiday season, and outlook for next 3 years is robust. However, “execution is key” to fast adoption of GameCube and Xbox and continuing growth of PlayStation 2 (PS2), as “product slippage or the release of poor quality games can be extremely costly at this stage” of industry’s development.
Take-Two Interactive’s game Grand Theft Auto 3 for PS2 was top-rented videogame in week ended Nov. 4, Video Software Dealers Assn. (VSDA) said Thurs. Title generated $870,000 in week for cumulative total of $1.48 million, VSDA said. Meanwhile, entering top 5 at #2 was Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 for PS2, which took in $620,000 in its first week. Only top 5 title in week not for PS2 was Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 for Nintendo 64 at #4 with weekly earnings of $250,000 for $2.97 million total to date. Rounding out top 5 were Capcom’s Devil May Cry at #3 ($350,000 for week, $1.09 million total) and Midway’s Spy Hunter at #5 ($220,000, $1.38 million). Only game to drop out of top 5 from week ago was Madden NFL 2002 for PS2 from Electronic Arts.
THQ started shipping game Tetris Worlds, developed by Blue Planet Software, for PC. Version of title for GBA already started shipping, Calabasas Hills, Cal., game maker said, adding PS2 version will follow this holiday season, followed by GameCube version “in early 2002.”