Universal Entertainment


, formerly known as Aruze Corporation, is a Japanese manufacturer of pachinko, slot machines, arcade games and other gaming products, and a publisher of video games. Aruze possesses licenses to both manufacture and distribute casino machines in the American states of Nevada, Mississippi and New Jersey. The company's corporate headquarters are in Tokyo. Aruze is also the licence holder of the video game franchise Shadow Hearts. Up until February 18, 2012, the company owned approximately 21% of Wynn Resorts. On November 1, 2009 Aruze Corporation changed its name to Universal Entertainment Corporation due to financial crisis of 2007–2008.

Universal

Universal Lease Co., Ltd was established in December 1969. It later changed its name to Universal Ltd in Japan and Universal USA in America. Universal Distributing Company opened as a U.S. subsidiary to sell video games direct to operators. Universal's greatest hit game was "Mr. Do!" in 1982, which spawned three sequels in the eventual Mr. Do series: "Mr. Do's Castle," "Mr. Do's Wild Ride" and "Do Run Run." Other games include the hugely influential platform game Space Panic and the maze game Lady Bug. Cashing-in on the success of laserdisc video games, Universal released Super Don Quix-ote in 1984, on a new standardized laserdisc video game system they called the Universal System 1. A new game was planned every six months for the Universal System 1, including an unreleased laserdisc adventure game based on Mr. Do!, but the company stopped producing arcade games in 1985, and Super Don Quix-ote ended up being the only game released for the system. Universal Distributing of Nevada was established to begin selling Universal's first slot machines direct to the gaming industry. In January 2005, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Aruze.
Aruze Corporation changed its company name to Universal Entertainment Corporation effective November 1, 2009.

Relationship with SNK

In 2000, Aruze bought out SNK Corporation, maker of the Neo-Geo. In exchange for the use of SNK's popular characters on their pachinko and slot machines, and a few games for the Neo-Geo, Aruze promised financial backing for the failing SNK. Instead Aruze instituted a program to liquidate SNK's assets and cut costs. This included licensing out popular IP to other companies, closing underperforming divisions, discontinuing distribution outside Japan, ending support for the Neo Geo arcade platform and selling off warehoused inventory. By 2001 it was clear to many SNK's employees that Aruze was not planning to preserve SNK and was simply going to let the company implode after liquidating most of its useful assets. So Eikichi Kawasaki and many other executives from SNK left to form Playmore in August 2001. Over this period many rank and file employees left to join other arcade developers or form their own companies.
In October 2001, Aruze allowed SNK to file for bankruptcy and all of its assets went up for bidding. Kawasaki's Playmore stepped in and bought up most of the auctioned assets and set itself up to re-enter the video game market as the successor to SNK. Playmore also acquired some of the companies formed by ex-SNK employees, namely Brezzasoft and Noise Factory, to jumpstart development of more titles for the Neo Geo arcade system. Playmore quickly went about re-establishing themselves in the market; they opened new branches in North America and Europe, announced development of new titles for the Neo Geo arcade system, started developing games for console and portable systems for the first time in years and re-established distribution channels to sell inventory for the Neo Geo home and pocket systems. To further establish themselves as a reborn SNK they officially changed their name to SNK Playmore in 2003.
In October 2002, Aruze was sued by SNK Playmore founder Eikichi Kawasaki for copyright infringement over SNK's intellectual properties, claiming their use was unauthorized by Playmore. In January 2004, a preliminary decision was handed down by the Osaka District Court favoring SNK Playmore and was awarded 5.64 billion yen in damages.

Notable games released by Universal

TitleFirst releaseDeveloperConsole
Pachi-Slot Aruze OukokuJune 3, 1999AruzePlayStation
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku Pocket: HanabiOctober 21, 1999AruzeNeoGeo Pocket Color
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 2November 25, 1999AruzePlayStation
AztecaFebruary 10, 2000NeoGeo Pocket Color
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 3July 19, 2000AruzePlayStation
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku Porcano 2July 20, 2000AruzeNeoGeo Pocket Color
Pachisuro Aruze Oogoku OhanabiDecember 14, 2000AruzeNeoGeo Pocket Color
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 4December 14, 2000AruzePlayStation
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku Pocket: DH2January 15, 2001AruzeNeoGeo Pocket Color
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 5November 15, 2001AruzePlayStation
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 6December 13, 2001AruzePlayStation 2
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 7August 8, 2002AruzePlayStation 2
Shadow HeartsNovember 6, 2003SacnothPlayStation 2
'February 19, 2004NautilusPlayStation 2
Hanabi Hyakkei AdvanceJuly 29, 2004Game Boy Advance
Don-Chan Puzzle: Hanabi de Don! AdvanceJuly 29, 2004Game Boy Advance
Aleck Bordon Adventure: Tower & Shaft AdvanceNovember 26, 2004Game Boy Advance
Cool 104 Joker & SetlineDecember 2, 2004DS
Type Tunes - Chase the Music!2005Arcade
Guts da!! Mori no IshimatsuMarch 31, 2005PlayStation 2
'July 28, 2005NautilusPlayStation 2
Pachi-Slot Aruze Oukoku 82005AruzePlayStation 2
Aoi Don: Hanabi no Kiwami & Hanabi no TakumiTBA 2010AruzeDS
Pachinko Aruze OukokuCancelledPlayStation
The SplizerCancelledPlayStation 2