/vr/ - Retro Games

>>10746504
>Exa requires arcade-only content for all their games, tons of online card specific shit etc.

In Japan, modern arcade manufacturers like Sega, Taito, Namco, etc...now require a subscription service for their arcade cabinets to function and receive any updates. Is it free? Nope. Arcade compares require arcade businesses to pay a monthly fee. It's not cheap and it depends on how many machines you connect to the service. Arcade manufacturers also use the service to "monitor" how much much each arcade cabinet is earning. So owners can't even cheat the system if they wanted to.

This monthly subscription is actually whats killing independent arcades in Japan. Profits are small when it comes to arcades. These indie arcades can't afford to pay expensive monthly subscription fees and business class internet connections for their arcade cabinets. Not to mention arcade cabinet prices have more than doubled in Japan since the 1990s. So many arcades have closed down.

Exa is the opposite of that. The CEO and founder advertises EXA as a lower cost alternative to for modern arcade businesses. It's almost like a Neo Geo. The game comes in a small cartridge. You order updates in the mail. And no monthly subscriptions to run the cabinet. It functions with no internet. Once you buy the cabinets, it's yours completely. No leasing or owning a "license" to operate it (but can be revoked later). Nope. It's yours 100%.

Gotta give credit to EXA for working with SNK to put new Neo Geo Games on Exa. Exa also requires game makers to put exclusive arcade versions of their games on the platform. They must add something to the game. They cant lazily just copy paste their console or mobile phone game onto the arcade port. It actually must be different and exclusive. It's a great idea.

Subscriptions required to operate a cabinet is an awful idea. Japanese companies tried to force that in America but the American arcades told them to f*ck off and switched to Raw Thrills games.

>>10154749
Their new cabinets have potential. It's basidally a modern day Neo Geo. They also have a relationship with SNK and have some Remastered Neo Geo games on it.