Chapter 20 Old Times and New Times
'San Francisco Video Game Show? Mr. Frank words
made countless question marks appear on Ethan's forehead.
Because in his memory, he didn't seem to have heard of such a gathering?
"Mr. ..."
"Call me Frank!"
"Okay Frank." Ethan changed his words very decisively, "Uh... I don't understand what you mean."
He pursed his lips and said seriously: "You Can you explain it to me?"
"Hey~" Ethan's curiosity made Frank on the other end of the phone laugh.
Although there was no Face To Face communication, Ethan always felt that the guy on the other end of the phone already looked proud?
"I knew you didn't know!"
Frank's laughter penetrated Ethan's ears. "Actually, I didn't know it at first. I even thought it was a gathering of liars, but I didn't know this until I asked. This bullshit video game show is actually the original arcade show!"
"Oh! Sxxt! These guys are so boring! They just changed their names!"
"And when I asked them why they changed their names, they told me They said that in the past two years, no one has made traditional arcade machines. Everyone has switched to video games, so they adapted to the times and changed the name of their exhibition. In their words, the video game exhibition is better than the arcade exhibition. It sounds too high-end!"
After Frank's explanation, Ethan finally understood what the San Francisco Video Game Expo was.
For people living in the 21st century, when arcades are mentioned, video games such as Street Fighter and King of Fighters may come to mind. Even arcades as video games.
But in fact, before the emergence of video games, the concept of arcade machines already existed in the world. The kind of machines placed on the streets and alleys that can provide people with entertainment are arcade machines.
For example, claw machines and coin machines.
Since the arcade industry emerged in an era when communications were underdeveloped, everyone was developing in isolation at the beginning.
You sell machines in San Francisco, and I pay protection money to Al Capone in Chicago. If we don't mess with each other, we will have a bright future.
But after occupying the local market, frictions emerged as each company expanded externally.
Then...
these companies started fighting over defending their own market share and encroaching on other people's business areas.
In this commercial war, many weaker companies have disappeared in the long river of history. Since the claw machines and coin machines they sold back then did not have any special technical content, they had to engage in price reductions if they wanted to gain market share. Therefore, when many companies discovered that fighting life and death can only benefit consumers, they immediately reached a tacit ceasefire.
Then he changed direction and focused on research and development, trying to defeat all opponents through innovation.
And when they embarked on the road of R&D to win, in order to better promote and sell their new machines, related trade fairs were spontaneously organized by these merchants.
Of course, this trade show also has geographical protection. Shows covering Illinois are usually held in Chicago, while shows gathered in California are usually held in San Francisco.
Since the 1960s, these exhibitions have been held with great success, but...
When Nolan Bushnell came out with "Pong" in 1972, the old-school traditional arcade manufacturers were replaced by electronics overnight. The game is on the brink of death.
Therefore, these traditional arcade manufacturers were forced to change careers, but they would not give up their previous channels, so they put the old-fashioned name of the arcade exhibition on the shiny vest of the new era and transformed it. became a video game expo.
When this period of history was told by Frank, Ethan immediately understood why he had no memory of this exhibition.
Because magnavox never made arcade machines and did not pay attention to this matter at all, he was unable to collect relevant information from magnavox.
Video games have only been around for a short time, and the popular companies on the market are all newly founded by electronic engineers and have nothing to do with traditional arcade companies.
Therefore, Ethan didn't think about these guys at first.
But now...
emerging companies are unwilling to cooperate, but traditional companies are eager to enter the market?
'That's a good idea. '
Ethan's eyes lit up.
What day is the exhibition?" he asked.
"Hey! Brother! I knew you would be interested!"
Frank laughed and said, "The day after tomorrow, April 19th, will you come?"
Ethan glanced at the calendar next to the phone. The 19th was Saturday.
"Here, address."
You just come to my store to find me." Frank on the other end of the phone was very happy, "Well, see you on Saturday."
Just as Mr. Verboler was about to hang up the phone happily, Yi Sen shouted again: "Wait a minute!"
"I want to ask, can you get the booth?"
"Aha?" This question was asked to Frank.
The sound on the other end of the phone suddenly went silent, as if he was thinking about the problem, but the fumbling sound was more like taking something. After a moment, he said again: magnavox Marketing Manager...Ethan Jones..."
At this moment After the sound appeared, Ethan immediately slapped his forehead!
He suddenly remembered that when Frank gave him a business card that day, he answered one without even thinking about it!
And that one seemed to be the one he used when he was working at magnavox!
Sure enough, when Ethan explained to Frank that he had resigned from magnavox and that it was just a misunderstanding that day, there was a surprised roar on the other end of the phone - "
What? You have resigned from magnavox?"
" Oh! Fxxk! Why didn't you tell me earlier!"
"Dxxn! I've already filled out the dangerous chemicals sales form!"
'...'
Ethan was just stunned for a second, and then he understood why Frank Called myself!
I guess 99% of the reason is because I want to know if my number is real!
To avoid involving him in the event of an accident!
'I thought he was a good guy...' Ethan cursed in his mind.
As for Frank caution, Ethan truly admired him.
Considering that this guy really helped, Ethan didn't bother to worry about it.
After a few simple words, he hung up the phone. When he looked at his family again, a smile appeared on his face.
"It seems like there's no need to run around."
Since traditional arcade manufacturers from California and nearby California would gather in San Francisco, Ethan temporarily put aside his plan to push. The next day, April 18, he After a good day's rest at home, on the third day, in the early morning of the 19th, he set off directly and sped towards San Francisco.
After an hour and a half's drive, he arrived at the gate of San Francisco Electronics Supply Company at about 7:30. When he knocked on the rolling shutter door, the sound of "clang, clang, clang, clang" led to a shout -
"Here we come!"
In less than half a minute, Frank, who was always vigilant, appeared in front of Ethan. After seeing the machine wrapped in oilcloth on the Ford pickup truck, his pupils also flashed with peace of mind. .
"Is this the game console you were talking about yesterday?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, great."
Frank gave Ethan a thumbs up, and then said, "Brother, have you had breakfast?"
"What do you think?" Ethan tilted his head slightly and pointed at the sky shrouded in haze.
"Hahaha~ So I made an extra sandwich and fried an extra egg this morning."
Frank smiled and stepped aside, "Come in, brother."
Note: ① There are three eras of arcades, the earliest is In the mechanical age, pure mechanical game consoles and real engineering charm can be traced back to 1920. Next came the circuit board era, and the magic of circuits was brought about by Nolan Bushnell. The third era is the era of microcomputers, and its representative point is that arcade machines use CPUs. Therefore, it is written on Encyclopedia that the arcade was officially born in 1971. This sentence has certain limitations. It abandons the mechanical age. And now, there are still people who are still alive who have been making arcade machines since the mechanical age, such as Sega.
(End of chapter)