{"id":29206,"date":"2024-04-01T14:42:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T05:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=29206"},"modified":"2024-04-01T14:42:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T05:42:02","slug":"konami-earns-ire-of-arcade-for-terminating-online-service-for-older-machines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/konami-earns-ire-of-arcade-for-terminating-online-service-for-older-machines\/","title":{"rendered":"Konami earns ire of arcade for terminating online service for older machines\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Apparently spotted in a Japanese gaming arcade, a photo of a notice brimming with anger directed at Konami has gone viral in Japan after being posted on X.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arcade gaming still has its fans in Japan, and you can find rows of machines just ready to eat your spare change in many cities. Manufacturers of arcade machines continue to release upgraded versions of beloved games, but Konami\u2019s recent decision to terminate online services to old models of DJing rhythm game <strong>Sound Voltex Exceed Gear<\/strong>, released in 2020, has apparently angered at least one arcade owner in Japan. Although the following notice is in polite, customer-facing language, it is quickly apparent who the writer has a beef with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/honmaniosashimi\/status\/1774363570656121196\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"375\" height=\"431\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20240401-29206-001.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20240401-29206-001.png 375w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20240401-29206-001-331x380.png 331w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Notice translation: <\/strong><em>Due to Konami\u2019s selfish mismanagement, e-amusement service provision for old model Sound Vortex machines will be terminated at the end of March. <\/em>\u00a0<br><em>Although we are angry at Konami for turning the arcade\u2019s assets into garbage, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to those customers who used our machine despite it being the old model.<\/em>\u00a0<br><em>*At this stage, nothing has been decided about whether we will purchase the new version of the machine.<\/em>\u00a0(Image Credit:<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/honmaniosashimi\/status\/1774363570656121196\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> honmaniosashimi<\/a> on X)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first game in the Sound Voltex series was released in Japan back in 2012, subsequently gaining popularity and spawning five sequels. It is similar to Beatmania, with players using a combination of buttons and knobs to hit notes and lasers as they come towards the player on a Guitar Hero-style course lane. 2020\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/p.eagate.573.jp\/game\/sdvx\/vi\/news\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sound Voltex Exceed Gear<\/a>, was the first arcade machine title in the series to be released in North American territories in 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"ja\" dir=\"ltr\">\u4eca\u307e\u3067\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u30dc\u30eb\u30c6\u65e7\u7b50\u4f53\u3001\u3055\u3088\u3046\u306a\u3089\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QVqkiadUxr\">pic.twitter.com\/QVqkiadUxr<\/a><\/p>&mdash; \u84ee\u5b50 (@prop_is_god) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/prop_is_god\/status\/1773662138650767443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 29, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><em>Post translation:<\/em><\/strong><em> Old model Sound Voltex, thank you for everything and farewell\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The original cabinet for Sound Voltex Exceed Gear was quickly updated to the Valkyrie model in 2021, which added a touchscreen and some new game modes. However, the old model apparently had its online service access terminated on March 31 2024, prompting social media users to post farewell messages to the machine (like the one pictured above). The game is dependent on Konami\u2019s e-amusement online service for player accounts, rankings, tournaments and multiplayer mode.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So-called \u201cplanned obsolescence\u201d of consumer and industry electronics alike has become a contentious topic in recent years, as is the dependance on online, provider-driven services. In this case, the business that posted the irate notice sees Konami\u2019s move as \u201cturning the arcade\u2019s assets into garbage\u201d by making a machine that is at most 4 years old obsolete. Commenters on the post <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/millfi_EOS\/status\/1774388908337553759?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wanted more details<\/a>, questioning whether arcade owners must buy the machines or can rent them. Others <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/prefabkoya\/status\/1774388348368585151?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mused<\/a> on the reasons behind Konami\u2019s decision, wondering if Sound Voltex cabinets had become less popular with customers. <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jubeat_jinno\/status\/1774385899813691443?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Some expressed sympathy<\/a> with the owner\u2019s anger but also disapproved of how they had openly expressed their annoyance, which could put off players from going to the arcade.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One arcade&#8217;s alleged angry notice at Konami for ending online support for Sound Voltex cabinets from 2020 has gone viral in Japan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":29214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-29206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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