The Madman's Cafe

News from 03/12/2001

SNK in financial difficulty; request to Government for extention on tax payment

Aruze has announced that their subsidiary SNK, has requested to the city of Osaka for an extention in tax payment due to financial difficulties.
Having a history of red ink, SNK's enormous amount of deficit has accumulated to a point where it has been preventing from the company to re-establish itself, despite efforts in cutting unneeded costs and departments, and laying off employees. The decision to request for a tax extention was made by SNK on 3/8, and announced to the public in Aruze's latest investor's release, dated 3/9. SNK plans to take advantage of the tax extention and rebuild itself, as projected since its acquisition by Aruze.
[ Link: Aruze IR Release ]

Bloomberg: SCEI, IBM & Toshiba to make new Chip,
SCEI also to develop new chip for PlayStation series

"Tokyo, March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the game unit of Sony Corp., will join with Toshiba Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. to research and develop new chip technology, the three companies said. ...Separately, Sony Computer Entertainment said it will develop chips for the PlayStation series of video-game consoles using an advanced 0.13 micron processing technology. Sony Computer is aiming to make 20 million PlayStation 2 video-game consoles in the year starting April 1."
Link: Bloomberg ]

Short comment: Interesting images from the Weekly Jump

This isn't news, but here's a few images from the Weekly Jump which may interest gamers. -H.Moriarty

From "Gun Blaze West"; drawn by artist of Rurouni Kenshin Watsuki Nobuhiko
[ Image 1 ] This character look like anyone familiar?
[ Image 2 ] Likewise, from the same manga. . . Garou . .. ok, I'm just being paranoid.

From Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Part 6
[ Image 3 ] Dio Brandeau's back.. though only in the memories of a minister, he never looked better.


	Reuters: Microsoft declines comment on Xbox profitability

	"LOS ANGELES, March 9 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) on Friday declined to address a recent report that it would take five years to reach profitability with its new Xbox video game console, saying the forecast by Merrill Lynch was based on assumptions that were the brokerage's own. "That forecast was based on information and targets that have not been shared with the public," said John O'Rourke, director of games marketing. He declined to comment on Microsoft's projected profitability. Earlier in the week Merrill Lynch analyst Henry Blodget predicted the Xbox console would lose $2 billion before breaking even in about five years." [ Link: Reuters ] [ Cache ]


	"X-BOX.com returns 03-13-01"

	Microsoft's official X-Box site has been cleared of its original contents, with a Pop-up flash and a message of "X-BOX.com returns 03-13-01" in its main window. No comments has been released of what will happen on the specified date. How long have I been missing out on this? And. is that a PlayStation I see in the Flash background? -H.Moriarty [ Link: Microsoft X-BOX ]