Taito Corporation – the developer of influential arcade games like Space Invaders – has issued a follow-up on its nationwide effort to locate the Crown 602, an elusive crane game machine released in 1965 that the company describes as Japan’s first domestically produced model (based on its own historical records). The search is part of a public information campaign aimed at identifying surviving units or reliable records of the machine’s existence.
Taito has been collecting tips through this project since October 2025, and according to a new statement from the company, people sent in over 1,200 reports about the Crown 602 just within the first two weeks. However, after reviewing the information, Taito says that the majority of the leads were unfortunately related to similar crane game machines subsequently manufactured by other companies.
Taito attributes the difficulty of the search to the widespread presence of similar cabinets during the 1960s. While some of the leads were deemed potentially credible, the company says none have yet conclusively confirmed the location of an authentic unit.
To assist in further narrowing the search, Taito has shared three identifying features it considers essential for telling apart a genuine Crown 602. These include: an inverted trapezoid-shaped glass window mounted on the side; a plain white or beige cabinet without decorative elements; and a coin slot installed on the side (rather than the top) of the machine.
Information is still being accepted through a dedicated web form as well as Taito’s official accounts on X and Facebook. Submissions can include photographs or written recollections of locations where a unit may have been installed. The deadline for submissions is January 16, 2026, and Taito has announced that it will award ¥100,000 (around $630 USD) to the individual who provides the most substantial information leading to the discovery of an existing machine. Additional prizes, in the form of game software, will be awarded by lottery to selected tippers.
