索尼的擁抱殺死了南夢宮的街機帝國嗎？

Did Sony's Embrace Kill Namco's Arcade Empire?

索尼的擁抱殺死了南夢宮的街機帝國嗎？

Namco's partnership with Sony in the PlayStation era proved to be a double-edged sword, according to former Namco US product manager Jerry Momoda. While it boosted the PlayStation's adoption and provided Namco with a platform for its arcade-quality games, it also made it harder for players to justify spending money on arcade machines when they could experience similar games at home.

前 Namco 美國產品經理 Jerry Momoda 表示，Namco 在 PlayStation 時代與索尼的合作被證明是一把雙面刃。雖然它提高了 PlayStation 的採用率，並為 Namco 提供了一個運行街機品質遊戲的平台，但也讓玩家在可以在家體驗類似遊戲的情況下，更難證明在街機上花錢是合理的。

The Symbiotic Relationship That Hurt Namco

傷害南夢宮的共生關係

Momoda believes that Namco's collaboration with Sony, which resulted in the development of the System 11 arcade board, played a crucial role in the decline of the company's arcade business. "Once I saw the PlayStation was the equal to System 11, I knew coin-ops long reign was over," he said.

Momoda 認為，Namco 與索尼的合作開發了 System 11 街機主機板，這對公司街機業務的衰退起到了至關重要的作用。 「當我看到 PlayStation 與 System 11 相當時，我就知道投幣遊戲的長期統治已經結束，」他說。

The Quest for Experiential Games

追求體驗式遊戲

In response to the waning popularity of arcades, Namco shifted its focus to creating more experiential games that couldn't be easily replicated at home. These included titles like Prop Cycle, Final Furlong, and Alpine Racer, which featured unique controls and cabinet configurations.

為了因應街機受歡迎程度的下降，南夢宮將重點轉向創造更多無法在家中輕易複製的體驗式遊戲。其中包括《Prop Cycle》、《Final Furlong》和《Alpine Racer》等遊戲，它們具有獨特的控制和箱體配置。

Unique and Innovative Games

獨特和創新的遊戲

"The only card we could play was to create game experiences that couldn’t be duplicated at home," Momoda explained. Prop Cycle, for instance, allowed players to control a self-propelled glider by pedaling, while Alpine Racer and Alpine Surfer provided immersive skiing and snowboarding experiences.

「我們唯一能打的牌就是創造在家裡無法複製的遊戲體驗，」桃田解釋道。例如，《Prop Cycle》允許玩家透過踩踏板來控制自行式滑翔機，而《Alpine Racer》和《Alpine Surfer》則提供身臨其境的滑雪和單板滑雪體驗。

The Inevitable Decline

不可避免的衰退

Despite Namco's efforts to carve out a niche, the coin-op business continued to struggle against the more lucrative console market. Momoda himself was laid off as the company's arcade sales declined and underwent internal restructuring.

儘管南夢宮努力開拓利基市場，但投幣遊戲業務仍然在利潤更豐厚的遊戲機市場中掙扎。由於公司街機銷量下​​降並進行內部重組，桃田本人也被解僱。

The End of an Era

一個時代的結束

The retreat from the arcade market marked a significant turning point for Namco. It shocked members of the Tekken team who had worked closely with Momoda and recognized his immense contributions to the series.

退出街機市場對於南夢宮來說是一個重要的轉捩點。這讓與桃田密切合作的《鐵拳》團隊成員感到震驚，並認識到他對該系列的巨大貢獻。

A Remarkable Legacy

非凡的遺產

Despite the challenges, Momoda takes pride in his role in launching the Tekken series in the US, which doubled the company's revenues for three consecutive years and increased unit sales volume eight-fold over four years.

儘管面臨挑戰，桃田對自己在美國推出《鐵拳》系列所發揮的作用感到自豪，該系列使公司收入連續三年翻倍，單位銷量在四年內增加了八倍。

In Conclusion

綜上所述

Namco's partnership with Sony during the PlayStation era had both positive and negative consequences for the company. While it helped establish the PlayStation as a dominant force in the console market, it also contributed to the decline of Namco's arcade business. Momoda's efforts to create experiential games were admirable, but ultimately, the home console market proved too formidable a competitor for arcades.

Namco 在 PlayStation 時代與索尼的合作對該公司產生了積極和消極的影響。雖然它幫助 PlayStation 確立了遊戲機市場的主導力量，但也導致了 Namco 街機業務的衰退。 Momoda 在創造體驗式遊戲方面所做的努力令人欽佩，但最終事實證明，家用遊戲機市場對於街機來說是一個過於強大的競爭對手。