NESiCAxLive

NESiCAxLive
DeveloperTaito (Square Enix)
TypeArcade video game network system
Launch date
Platform(s)Arcade video game
StatusActive

NESiCAxLive (Japanese: ネシカ　クロス　ライブ, Hepburn: Neshika Kurosu Raibu) is a digital distribution system for arcade video games made by Taito, a subsidiary of Square Enix.[1] It is similar to the SEGA ALL.Net game distribution system. Taito uses NESiCAxLive to distribute not only its own games, but also allows other companies to use it as a publication platform. On its introduction SNK, Cave, and Arc System Works had agreed to distribute games on NESiCAxLive.[2] Currently,[when?] 8 games are operated as alone running titles and 29 titles as downloadable titles on candy cabinets.

History

The system was first revealed in September 2010 at the 48th Amusement Machine Show in Chiba, Japan, as the Taito Vewlix NESiCA arcade cabinet, and was launched on 9 December 2010. The first game to be released for the system was Arc System Works' BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II.[3][4][2][5] Taito introduced the NESiCAxLive 2 system in June 2017.

System

The NESiCAxLive system consists of an arcade system board combined with a dedicated router to access and download games. The system currently works on the Taito Type X2, Taito Type X Zero, Taito Type X3, and Taito Type X4 arcade boards. The connected machines access the Taito NESYS online network to allow arcade operators to download games from Taito's servers directly to the arcade cabinet; previously arcade operators had to purchase new game boards (as well as dispose of old ones) to run a new game. Games can also be downloaded to a local server to allow quicker distribution to machines, as well as allow rapid swapping in and out of games according to player demand. Taito allows arcade operators to download games free, as part of a revenue sharing system, with income split with Taito and the game developer.[3][6] The original NESiCAxLive system was initially exclusive to Japan,[6] but was later made available at Round 1 arcades in the United States beginning in 2015.[7]

Taito introduced the NESiCAxLive 2 platform in June 2017.[8] The upgraded system allows player versus player competition between machines in different locations, as well having improved CPU and GPU performance.[8]

NESiCAxLive games

(★ marked with dedicated software delivery NESiCAxLive)

NESiCAxLive2 games

(★ marked with dedicated software delivery NESiCAxLive2)

See also

References

  1. ^ Williams, Kevin; Mascioni, Michael (2014). The Out-of-home immersive entertainment frontier : expanding interactive boundaries in leisure facilities. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-1472426956.
  2. ^ a b Helgeson, Matt (14 September 2010). "Taito Bringing Digital Game Distribution To Arcades In Japan". GameInformer. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b "So how is Taito's NESiCAxLive platform working out?". Arcade Heroes. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Taito Announces Digital Download System For Arcades". Gamasutra. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Features: JAMMA 2010". Edge Online. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b ""Nesica Live interview w/Price model, etc" - translation of Japanese interview". Dreamcancel forums. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Walker, Ian (14 August 2015). "NESiCAxLive Arcade Service Arrives in Southern California". Shoryuken. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b "NESiCAxLive 2". Taito. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d Walker, Ian (23 August 2014). "Hyper Street Fighter II, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Street Fighter Zero 3, and Vampire Savior Heading to Taito's NESiCAxLive Network". Shoryuken. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  10. ^ Silvia, John (26 October 2016). "King of Fighters XIV Comes to Arcades With NESiCAxLive 2". Shoryuken. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  11. ^ Co, Franz (10 August 2017). "X-Kira presents evidence of an in-development Taito arcade build of Street Fighter V". Shoryuken. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  12. ^ Co, Franz (27 November 2018). "Street Fighter V for arcades gets a new name, new location tests in Japan". Shoryuken. Retrieved 5 March 2019.