I remember back in the late 80’s when gamers enjoyed playing the NES version of Double Dragon. It was impossible to do exact ports of recent arcade games, but still the games were really fun to play. The company that published the game (and its sequels) was called Tradewest. Meanwhile, Midway (during its best years) was producing excellent arcade games of its own and publishing cool Taito (Space Invaders) & Namco (Pac-Man) games. Eventually, Tradewest became part of Midway (it was bought by WMS Industries and was renamed as Williams Entertainment and then Midway Home Entertainment Inc.) and the name Tradewest was never heard again.
The recent purchase of Midway Games (US) by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) led to an uncertain future for Midway’s overseas operations. After receiving these two press releases from Midway Europe this morning, Tradewest is making a comeback. The brand name was not forgotten. Tradewest Games has now become the new name for Midway Games Ltd. (London) and Midway Games SAS (France). Midway Games GmbH, the German office of the company, was acquired by Uwe Fürstenberg and Hans Meyer. Read the following press releases for more info.
Recuerdo de nuevo en los años 80 cuando los jugadores disfrutaban al jugar la versión NES de Double Dragon. Era imposible transferencias exacta de los juegos arcade recientes, pero los juegos eran bien deviertidos para jugar aún. La empresa que publicó el juego (y sus secuelas) se llamaba Tradewest. Mientras tanto, Midway (durante sus mejores años) estaba produciendo sus propios excelentes juegos arcade y publicando juegos chéveres de Taito (Space Invaders) y Namco (Pac-Man). Finalmente, Tradewest pasó a formar parte de Midway (que fue comprada por WMS Industries y fue rebautizado como Williams Entertainment y luego como Midway Entertainment Home Entertainment Inc.) y nunca más se supo de nuevo del nombre Tradewest.
La reciente adquisición de Midway Games (EE.UU) hecha por Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) condujo a un futuro incierto para las operaciones en el extranjero de Midway. Después de recibir estos dos comunicados de prensa de Midway Europa esta mañana, Tradewest está haciendo una reaparición. La marca no fue olvidada. Ahora, Tradewest Games se ha convertido en el nuevo nombre de Midway Games Ltd. (Londres) y Midway Games SAS (Francia). Midway Games GmbH, la oficina alemana de la compañía, fue adquirida por Uwe Fürstenberg y Hans Meyer. Lean los siguientes comunicados de prensa para más información.
Midway Games Becomes Tradewest Games
London – August 21st 2009 – London-based Midway Games Ltd. and Midway Games SAS (Paris) will from now on be operating under the names Tradewest Games Ltd. and Tradewest Games SAS.
Martin Spiess, who previously was responsible for the European publishing and distribution arm of the international game publisher Midway Games Inc. from 2005 onwards as Executive Vice President – International, recently acquired ownership of the UK and French offices of Midway Games Inc. as part of a management buyout.
During his time at Midway Spiess significantly expanded the company’s European business. Most recently, Midway’s European publishing and distribution operations contributed close to 40 % of Midway’s worldwide business. Spiess is considered to be one of the most experienced managers in the European games industry.
In addition to Midway’s UK and French offices Spiess has also acquired the rights to the Tradewest brand. This is a brand representative of tradition, a name under which a well-known North American game publisher operated between 1986 and 1994. In 1994 Tradewest’s business was taken over by WMS Industries (the then-proprietor of the Midway and Williams brands) and became Williams Entertainment Inc., which was then renamed Midway Home Entertainment Inc. in 1996. Over the following thirteen years Midway, whose parent was listed on the US New York Stock Exchange, moved on to become one of the leading developers and providers of computer and video games in the world.
“We are very glad to have acquired the rights to such an internationally well-known brand of such tradition in the gaming industry”, said Martin Spiess. “Under the name Tradewest Games we will as of now be acting as a European full service provider in the fields of game distribution and publishing. We have access to a wide-reaching global network of game developers and international partners from all relevant areas of the games industry. First and foremost, however, there’s a well-experienced European team behind Tradewest Games that has proven its expertise and know-how in the past years by bringing to market some of the biggest games projects in the world.’’
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About Tradewest Games
Tradewest Games is a full-service provider for the international games industry. Tradewest Games consists of a European team of games industry professionals and benefits from a wide-reaching network to leading creative agencies, developers, manufacturing companies and proven service providers from all relevant sectors of the games industry. Tradewest Games offices are located in London, UK, and Paris, France.
Longstanding Midway Europe Management Team Buys Publishing and Distribution Operations
London – August 20th, 2009 – Midway Games Ltd., formerly a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc., today announced that Spiess Media Holding UG, a company owned by Martin Spiess, Executive Vice President – International of Midway Games Ltd., has purchased the UK and French offices of Midway Games Inc., formerly a developer and publisher of computer and video games with a rich tradition, as part of a management buyout. F & F Publishing GmbH, a company owned by Uwe Fürstenberg, General Manager of Midway Games GmbH, and Hans Meyer, Finance Director of Midway Games GmbH, has purchased the German office of the Midway group.
Through the transactions, the European publishing and distribution branches of Midway are secured in all three key European markets. Both Spiess and Fürstenberg will be leading their newly acquired companies as interactive entertainment distribution and publishing service providers. Plans are also underway to form a strategic alliance and use the combined forces of the European organisations as an efficient European network.
“We are very pleased that the European management team has come together to purchase Midway’s European organisation,” commented Matthew Booty, chairman, CEO and president of US-based Midway Games Inc. “Our European publishing and distribution business had consistently grown year-on-year under the leadership of Martin Spiess. These European operations are comprised of a strong network of developers and publishers from around the globe and are based around an excellent team that has proven its expertise and know-how in game production.”
“The European branch of Midway had been a significant contributor to the worldwide Midway organisation. Most recently, the European arm had contributed almost 40% of Midway’s worldwide revenues,” said Martin Spiess. “We very much look forward to the challenge of participating in the growing key European markets as a streamlined, powerful, and independent full-service videogames distribution and publishing business.”
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About Tradewest Games
Tradewest Games is a full-service provider for the international games industry. Tradewest Games consists of a European team of games industry professionals and benefits from a wide-reaching network to leading creative agencies, developers, manufacturing companies and proven service providers from all relevant sectors of the games industry. Tradewest Games offices are located in London, UK, and Paris, France.
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