Fantasy Entertainment, the largest owner/operator of electronic self-service photo imaging systems in North America, has announced a new entry to its product line – a multi-product portable photo booth designed with new features of special interest to rental companies. Advance orders are now being accepted for shipment in July, 2008 and customers can get 0% financing through Firestone Financial. The addition of the portable booth compliments the Vintage photo booth which was introduced in January, 2008.

“Our portable photo booth is an exciting new design with features that makes it unique in the industry,” says Dale Valvo, Fantasy Entertainment’s President and CEO.  “Now, the fun, spontaneous photo booth experience can be offered by a host of new service providers at locations where a full-sized photo booth may not be practical,” says Valvo, who mentions disk jockeys, photographers, and event facilities as target markets.

According to Valvo, the initial response to the product has been positive. “We’re very pleased with the final design and how well it’s been received. It was important that we have a look and feel that works in both formal and informal settings, as well as a road-worthy product that’s easy and fast to set-up and tear-down. Because of its unique design, no tools are required and assembly takes approximately 20 minutes.”

Another important aspect is the product’s capabilities. “We want to provide maximum value to our customers, so the portable booth will include three of our most popular outputs at no additional cost,” says Casey Cammann, Vice-President of Business Development. “Depending on the needs of their clientele, our rental partners can offer traditional Foto Fun® Strips, our unique 3-dimensional Foto Cube®, or an artist rendering using Portrait Studio. With this mix of outputs, the portable booth will be as appealing for weddings and corporate events as it is for children’s parties.”

Like the Vintage booth, the portable booth’s outputs will be customizable through the use of Fantasy’s exclusive web-based Graphic Design Tool. “This tool provides tremendous flexibility so that our rental partners can customize each photo output to their customer’s exact specifications,” says Cammann.

Professionally designed graphics from our extensive library can be personalized with a text overlay, or customer-supplied graphic design or logo can be used. Then, the finished design is saved and imported into the booth using USB flash memory.”

Cammann explains that a suite of new operator tools improves the functionality of the product for the rental market. “Traditional, coin-operated photo booths are not optimized for use as rental items, as is our product line. Both our Vintage booth and new portable booth include tools that enable graphic importing, file management, photo exporting, and CD-burning at the push of a button.”

Fantasy Entertainment has teamed up with Firestone Financial, a leading equipment financing company, to offer a 12 month, 0% financing program for companies wishing to add photo booth rentals to their service portfolio. Firestone Sales Executive Sal Cifala says:  “Firestone Financial is happy to partner with Fantasy Entertainment and provide an exciting finance promotion. We feel that this is a product that is established and will continue to help the operator with a strong ROI.”

Kick on target with net.game “Football Fever” and attractive championship packages

The football event of the year, the EURO 2008, is just about to get underway. So that locations are not standing on the sidelines during the general football fever, on 12 May 2008 funworld is launching an exciting football game “Football Fever” as a net.game in the PHOTO PLAY NET. In addition, funworld is now offering great European Championship special packages to take players by storm.

“Football Fever” – net.game for the Football European Championship

In May, funworld’s new net.game “Football Fever” will be the perfect appetizer for the European Football Championship (7-29 June 2008 in Austria and Switzerland) for four weeks, generating immense gaming interest and getting players worldwide into a euphoric football frenzy.

PHOTO PLAY players thereby take turns in the striker’s or goalkeeper’s role and attempt to score from the spot. As in a genuine football game, goals must be scored or prevented and mastered round after round to win at the end of the tournament.

“‘Football Fever’ guarantees lots of fun playing and a game experience charged with emotion. The increased enthusiasm for the game surrounding the football European Championship will certainly ensure that the net.game is a success and perhaps even outdo ‘Pengu Flip’, to date the most successful net.game of all time,” says Josef Öhlinger, funworld ag CEO, with great anticipation.

Locations profit from EURO 2008

funworld is offering attractive special packages matched to the Football European Championship, which consist of two PHOTO PLAY terminals and one LCD flat screen TV each. Hence for a special price there are two RACER PROs or two SPRINTER PROs, including SYSTEM 2008 together with a flat screen television. funworld also has inexpensive European Championship packages in the product range with SPIRIT XTREME or SMART PLUS.

Through the LCD flat screen TV PHOTO PLAY players are always on the ball and can follow football games live, however also simultaneously pursue their own passion for playing at the terminals. Locations are hence in turn able to increase the playing frequency of and/or proceeds from the PHOTO PLAY terminals and thus profit from the general football euphoria.

“With the European Championship packages funworld creates the perfect synergy between EURO 2008 and the coin-operated machine entertainment branch so that locations do not get the red card during the European Football Championship, but rather participate in the success of the mega-event and can themselves compete for the coveted title of ‘European Champion’!” emphasises Öhlinger.

Merit Entertainment is pleased to announce the release of its 2008.5 software for ION and Force platforms. This upgrade includes two former Sneak Peek games plus new and enhanced content to refresh the ever-popular trivia and photo games. For MegaNet-connected machines, there will be 4 additional Sneak Peek games arriving in the coming months. There are also several “under the hood” improvements contained in this release.

The 2008 Sneak Peek games Beer Pong 21 and Luxor 2 are now available for the first time to everyone with this software release. In Beer Pong 21, players test their skill and accuracy while clearing 21 Beer Pong cups before time runs out. Fast-paced game play and stunning graphics are sure to make it another Megatouch crowd-pleaser.
Luxor 2 takes players on a mystical journey through ancient Egypt. The non-stop action, killer power-ups, and hundreds of gorgeous levels will draw players in huge numbers, resulting in a booming cashbox for operators.
The next round of Sneak Peek games for MegaNet-connected operators kicks off in the coming months with the Vegas chip-counting game Lucky 11’s. The solitaire-inspired card game Spider Kings and its symbol version 13 Spiders will follow soon after. Chainz 2 Puzzler, a tricky and challenging twist on a Megatouch favorite rounds out the roster.
Additionally, 22 classic Megatouch games such as Trivia Whiz, Photo Hunt, and Hollywood Match have been updated with fresh questions, puzzles and photos. MegaNet operators will also continue to receive regularly updated new images for Penthouse-branded games.

Enhanced system features on the 2008.5 software include improved clip art scaling on operator advertising screens, eye-popping Luxor 2 graphics on machines utilizing an ION Turbo Boost Kit (free with all 2008 machines), and complete access to AMI’s full music catalog on all IONs.

With new multiple product strategy and unique skill games cooperation

There were a lot of innovations to discover this year at ENADA primavera at the funworld trade show stand in Rimini. The game system manufacturer in Italy known for PHOTO PLAY presented itself for the first time as a multiple product company with multiple new products and a fresh market presence. funworld’s revolutionary cooperation with Microgame in the skill games sector was introduced as an absolute innovation.

The highlights

ENADA primavera 2008 was very successful for funworld, as Europe’s market leader in the touchscreen business was not only able to greet many visitors at the stand, but also report numerous direct orders. Sales after the fair have likewise gone well.

Although the key PHOTO PLAY brand continues to attract significant interest, the two new product brands, “BET-solutions” and “fun|select”, have also been very well received. BET-solutions offers the complete infrastructure for sports betting and fun|select introduces a choice of commercial products with proven game concepts. Above all the simple and attention-grabbing skill game “Stacker” from the fun|select product unit enthused visitors to the trade show.

“How well our new business divisions were received on the Italian market confirms once more to us that the step from a single to a multiple product company was the right one. With the new, innovative products we are able to further expand our pioneering role and accelerate our ambitious expansion plans more intensively,” Josef Öhlinger, funworld ag Chief Executive Officer is delighted.

New cooperation in the skill games sector

The presentation of the cooperation between funworld and Microgame, the leading provider of online games in Italy, was particular cause for enthusiasm. Through the creation of effective synergies in the skill games sector it is possible for the first time to transfer game content from an Internet platform to PHOTO PLAY terminals and vice versa. This makes the collaboration of the two most important players in the Italian market unique, which will have a sustainable impact on the entire branch.

 “We are very satisfied with our trade show presence, as our expectations were by far exceeded. We are particularly delighted about the major interest in the cooperation with Microgame and about the new skill games project. The first major customers have already made enquiries regarding exclusive distribution in their regions, which shows us we can anticipate the cooperation to be a great success,” emphasises Andrea Scampini, General Manager of funworld italy srl, with enthusiasm.

Sound Leisure is honoured to have signed a landmark agreement with the world’s premier distributor and restorer of classic and antique jukeboxes.
 
Jukebox Gallery BV is based in the Netherlands and is a specialist agent for all types of modern and latter-day jukeboxes, with a global reputation. The company’s decision to stock the Sound Leisure’s hand-built range of classic jukeboxes is a huge compliment.
 
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Sound Leisure to introduce its range of Nostalgia boxes to more European customers. The only way for us to enter new markets with this type of specialist product is with a team of dedicated, professional partners. After visiting Jukebox Gallery’s emporium in Holland, I believe we would have to go a long way to find anyone with such an amazing set-up.
 
“We were frankly overwhelmed at the company’s expertise and professionalism and
feel they have exactly the same ethos as us regarding customer service and after-sales. Anyone who ever has the chance to visit their showroom and museum that houses what must be the world’s finest collection of antique jukeboxes and amusement machines should take the opportunity, it is an awe-inspiring experience - we were all like kids in a sweet shop,” he added.
 
Alan, Chris and Michael Black visited Jukebox Gallery in Holland with Colin Vernon who runs the Classic side of the business to finalise the deal and also have a guided tour of their facility.