索尼的拥抱杀死了南梦宫的街机帝国吗？

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

索尼的拥抱杀死了南梦宫的街机帝国吗？

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 美国产品经理 Jerry Momoda 表示，Namco 在 PlayStation 时代与索尼的合作被证明是一把双刃剑。虽然它提高了 PlayStation 的采用率，并为 Namco 提供了一个运行街机品质游戏的平台，但也让玩家在可以在家体验类似游戏的情况下，更难证明在街机上花钱是合理的。

The Symbiotic Relationship That Hurt Namco

伤害南梦宫的共生关系

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 认为，Namco 与索尼的合作开发了 System 11 街机主板，这对公司街机业务的衰退起到了至关重要的作用。 “当我看到 PlayStation 与 System 11 相当时，我就知道投币游戏的长期统治已经结束，”他说。

The Quest for Experiential Games

追求体验式游戏

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.

为了应对街机受欢迎程度的下降，南梦宫将重点转向创造更多无法在家里轻易复制的体验式游戏。其中包括《Prop Cycle》、《Final Furlong》和《Alpine Racer》等游戏，它们具有独特的控制和箱体配置。

Unique and Innovative Games

独特和创新的游戏

"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.

“我们唯一能打的牌就是创造在家里无法复制的游戏体验，”桃田解释道。例如，《Prop Cycle》允许玩家通过踩踏板来控制自行式滑翔机，而《Alpine Racer》和《Alpine Surfer》则提供身临其境的滑雪和单板滑雪体验。

The Inevitable Decline

不可避免的衰落

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.

尽管南梦宫努力开拓一个利基市场，但投币游戏业务仍然在利润更丰厚的游戏机市场中挣扎。由于公司街机销量下降并进行内部重组，桃田本人也被解雇。

The End of an Era

一个时代的结束

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.

退出街机市场对于南梦宫来说是一个重要的转折点。这让与桃田密切合作的《铁拳》团队成员感到震惊，并认识到他对该系列做出的巨大贡献。

A Remarkable Legacy

非凡的遗产

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.

尽管面临挑战，桃田对自己在美国推出《铁拳》系列所发挥的作用感到自豪，该系列使公司收入连续三年翻倍，单位销量在四年内增加了八倍。

In Conclusion

综上所述

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 时代与索尼的合作对该公司产生了积极和消极的影响。虽然它帮助 PlayStation 确立了游戏机市场的主导力量，但也导致了 Namco 街机业务的衰落。 Momoda 在创造体验式游戏方面所做的努力令人钦佩，但最终事实证明，家用游戏机市场对于街机来说是一个过于强大的竞争对手。