Subject: Official Word from Tiger
From: toysrlife@aol.com (ToysRLife)
Newsgroups: alt.games.video.tiger.game-com
Date: 17 Jun 1998 14:23:43 GMT
Here is an OFFICIAL word from Tiger to address some of the issues that have
been surfacing reguarding the game.com system. Feel free to comment on it.
game.com Users:
Like any consumer products company, we live or die by how well our products are
received -- or, in some cases, perceived. In this case, we've been reading
lots of misconceptions about game.com, so it's time to set the record straight.
Before we do, however, we need to let you know how much we appreciate your
input, advice, guidance, and…okay…even your (shudder) CRITICISM. So keep those
cards & letters (well, email) coming (tigercom@aol.com). And help us create
THE DEFINITIVE handheld portable gaming system.
Misconception #1: THERE'S NOTHING NEW & EXCITING COMING FOR game.com.
Truth #1: LIKE HELL THERE ISN'T! Check out our 1998 lineup: Sonic Jam,
Fighters MegaMix and Jeopardy will ship imminently, with Tiger Casino close
behind. Following those are third- and fourth-quarter blockbusters: Resident
Evil 2, Castlevania, NBA Live, Small Soldiers, Monopoly, Madden Football…to
name just some of them.
Misconception #2: THE COMMITMENT TO game.com IS WANING; AFTER ALL, GODZILLA AND
X-FILES ARE NO LONGER PLANNED.
Truth #2: The commitment is stronger than ever -- not just because we say so,
but because of everything that's been invested to acquire the best
licenses/best games possible and to create the new, even cooler game.com.pocket
pro system that will be in stores in Sept.
While it's true that we won't have Godzilla, it's not true that that's a
reflection on game.com. Tiger dropped Godzilla products in EVERY ONE OF ITS
CATEGORIES (game.com, handheld games, etc.) because of a license dispute.
The X-Files game has NOT been abandoned; it's simply been delayed until next
year. Why was it delayed? Because several months ago Fox and the X-Files
production company asked us to move it back so they could focus on finishing
the motion picture. Now that the film will be released, we'll all turn
attention back to the new, original-for-game.com cart.
Misconception #3: No game.com carts are in stores.
Truth #3: Well…we confess; this one has been partially true. game.com HAS had
a tough time establishing a strong presence at retail. This is largely because
it originates from Tiger, which a toy company, not a video game company per se.
As a result, many retailers have chosen to merchandise game.com as a toy --
not as the strong vid game system it is. Because Tiger's traditional toys
don't come in "multiple parts" (such as a system and carts), retailers haven't
been mindful of the big picture, and carts have tended to languish in
distribution centers instead of making their way to store shelves next to
hardware.
We've been working closely with every retailer to ensure store managers
understand the intrinsic system/cart relationship -- and to ensure they're all
racked together. In the meantime, if you can't find carts, ORDER THEM DIRECTLY
FROM US! Orders are now being fulfilled by our parent company, Hasbro, which
offers easy-to-use phone or e-commerce service. For info, call toll free:
1-888-377-3335.
Misconception #4: The accessories are a myth!
Truth #4: They feel pretty real here on my desk. The AC Adapter has been
available for months, although we understand that it's hard to find at retail
(what to do? ORDER FROM US! 1-888-377-3335). The compete.com cable is also
available for head-to-head play in specially designed games (including Mortal
Kombat Trilogy, Fighters Megamix and Joust in the Williams Arcade Classics
cart). Missing is the carrying case, which was yanked from production to be
redesigned for greater consistency with the new pocket pro styling. However,
we expect carrying cases to be available by Oct.
