Playtronic

Last updated
Playtronic Industrial Ltda.
Company type Joint venture
Industry
Founded15 March 1993;31 years ago (1993-03-15)
Founders
  • Eugênio Staub (Gradiente)
  • Mario Adler (Estrela)
Fate Merged with Gradiente (1996)
Headquarters Manaus, Brazil (closed)
Products
Owners
Website http://www.playtronicbrasil.com.br/

Playtronic Industrial Ltda. is a Brazilian video game company. Its original iteration was also a toy manufacturer and was based in Manaus, Brazil, and was a joint venture between companies Gradiente Industrial S.A. (consumer electronics company) and Manufatura de Brinquedos Estrela S.A. (toy manufacturer). [1] The company was founded on March 15, 1993, by the CEOs Eugênio Staub, from Estrela, and Mario Adler, from Gradiente. The initial business was assembling Nintendo products outside Japan for the Brazilian market, competing directly with Tec Toy, the Sega representative in the country. [2]

Contents

History

The announcement of the fusion attained great attention on the media, considering that Playtronic was the first company in the world to produce Nintendo products outside Japan. Shortly thereafter, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was the first console to be announced and then produced already on August 24, 1993, [2] adapted to the Brazilian's PAL-M analog TV system and bundled as Control Set (with one controller) and Super Set (with two controllers and the Super Mario World Game Pak) versions. The initial distribution included the Super Scope light gun and 12 games shipped and later sold separately. [3] Even with the late release, the success of its sales snapped up 60% from the 16-bit video game consoles local segment in April, 1995. [2]

The Nintendo Entertainment System was the next console to be produced. But even after the start of the sales, the Brazilian market has been dominated for a long time by smuggled (from China and Taiwan) [4] and local NES clones — one of the most successful being the Phantom System, manufactured by Gradiente itself. [2] Due to this fact, the quite late launch and the high prices of Nintendo's licensed products, the sales were very weak. [5] The NES clones and Tec Toy's Master System were still the best selling 8-bit video game consoles in the country. [4]

Until its final year of 1996, Playtronic also brought the Game Boy, Virtual Boy and Nintendo 64 to the Brazilian market. But due to a long time cash flow problem, [6] Estrela sold 50% of its equity participation in Playtronic to Gradiente for $7.3 million, ending the joint venture. [7] After that, the Gradiente Entertainment Ltda. was the division created to succeed the Nintendo's local representation until 2003, when it left the video games business due to several factors, including the high dollar exchange rate, reduction of average household income and high diffusion of piracy in Brazil. [5]

After 10 years completely abandoned, Playtronic was acquired in 2013 by the programmer Leandro Mattos, with the purpose of preventing the Brazilian people from forgetting the brand. In 2016 it started to develop its own games for Android and became present in the global market. [8]

Games

Playtronic distributes its electronic games exclusively on its own website or on Google Play [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo</span> Japanese video game company

Nintendo Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes and releases both video games and video game consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo 64</span> Home video game console

The Nintendo 64 (N64) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, in North America on September 29, 1996, and in Europe and Australia on March 1, 1997. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was the last major home console to use cartridges as its primary storage format until the Nintendo Switch in 2017. As a fifth-generation console, the Nintendo 64 primarily competed with the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Nintendo Entertainment System</span> Home video game console

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Europe and Oceania and 1993 in South America. In Japan, it is called the Super Famicom (SFC). In South Korea, it is called the Super Comboy and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics. The system was released in Brazil on August 30, 1993, by Playtronic. Although each version is essentially the same, several forms of regional lockout prevent cartridges for one version from being used in other versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master System</span> Home video game console

The Master System is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 with graphical capabilities improved over its predecessors. The Master System launched in North America in 1986, followed by Europe in 1987, and then in Brazil and Korea in 1989. A Japanese version of the Master System was also launched in 1987, which features a few enhancements over the export models : a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a dedicated port for the 3D glasses. The Master System II, a cheaper model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.O.B.</span> Video game console peripheral

R.O.B. is a toy robot accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was launched in July 1985 as the Family Computer Robot in Japan, and October 1985 as R.O.B. in North America. Its short lifespan yielded only two games in the Robot Series: Gyromite and Stack-Up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth generation of video game consoles</span> Gaming generation from 1987 to 2005

In the history of video games, the fourth generation of video game consoles, more commonly referred to as the 16-bit era, began on October 30, 1987, with the Japanese release of NEC Home Electronics' PC Engine. Though NEC released the first console of this era, sales were mostly dominated by the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo across most markets: the Sega Mega Drive and the Super Nintendo. Cartridge-based handheld game consoles became prominent during this time, such as the Nintendo Game Boy, Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear and TurboExpress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third generation of video game consoles</span> Gaming generation from 1983 to 2003

In the history of video games, the third generation of video game consoles, commonly referred to as the 8-bit era, began on July 15, 1983, with the Japanese release of two systems: Nintendo's Family Computer and Sega's SG-1000. When the Famicom was released outside of Japan, it was remodeled and marketed as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This generation marked the end of the video game crash of 1983, and a shift in the dominance of home video game manufacturers from the United States to Japan. Handheld consoles were not a major part of this generation; the Game & Watch line from Nintendo and the Milton Bradley Microvision that were sold at the time are both considered part of the previous generation due to hardware typical of the second generation.

In video gaming, famiclone is a term used to refer to a hardware clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known in Japan as the Family Computer or Famicom. They are designed to replicate the workings of, and play games designed for, the NES and Famicom. Hundreds of unauthorized clones and unlicensed game copies have been made available since the height of the NES popularity in the late 1980s. The technology employed in such clones has evolved over the years: while the earliest clones feature a printed circuit board containing custom or third party integrated circuits (ICs), more recent (post-1996) clones utilize single-chip designs, with a custom ASIC which simulates the functionality of the original hardware, and often includes one or more on-board games. Most devices originate in China and Taiwan, and less commonly South Korea. Outside China and Taiwan, they are mostly widespread across emerging markets of developing countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power Player Super Joy III</span>

The Power Player Super Joy III is a line of handheld Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom video game console clones. They are notable for legal issues based on the violation of intellectual property rights held by Nintendo and its various game licensees. Manufactured by Sinango, the Power Player line has been sold in North America, Brazil, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Nintendo Entertainment System</span>

The history of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) spans the 1982 development of the Family Computer, to the 1985 launch of the NES, to Nintendo's rise to global dominance based upon this platform throughout the late 1980s. The Family Computer or Famicom was developed in 1982 and launched in 1983 in Japan. Following the North American video game crash of 1983, the Famicom was adapted into the NES which was launched in North America in 1985. Transitioning the company from its arcade game history into this combined global 8-bit home video game console platform, the Famicom and NES continued to aggressively compete with next-generation 16-bit consoles, including the Sega Genesis. The platform was succeeded by the Super Famicom in 1990 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, but its support and production continued until 1995. Interest in the NES has been renewed by collectors and emulators, including Nintendo's own Virtual Console platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Color TV-Game</span> Video game console series by Nintendo

The Color TV-Game is the first video game system ever made by Nintendo. The system was released as a series of five dedicated home video game consoles between 1977 and 1983 in Japan only. Nintendo sold three million units of the first four models: one million units of each of the first two models, Color TV-Game 6 and 15; and half a million units of each of the next two models, Block Breaker and Racing 112. The Color TV-Game series has the highest sales figures of all the first generation of video game consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sega Genesis</span> Home video game console

The Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan as the Mega Drive, and in 1989 in North America as the Genesis. In 1990, it was distributed as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, Ozisoft in Australasia, and Tectoy in Brazil. In South Korea, it was distributed by Samsung Electronics as the Super Gam*Boy and later the Super Aladdin Boy.

IGB Eletrônica S.A., doing business as Gradiente, is a Brazilian consumer electronics company based in Manaus, and with offices in São Paulo. The company designs and markets many product lines, including video, audio, home theater, high end acoustics, office and mobile stereo, wireless, mobile/smart phones, and tablets for the Brazilian market.

Tec Toy S.A., trading as Tectoy since late 2007, is a Brazilian toy and electronics company headquartered in São Paulo. It is best known for producing, publishing, and distributing Sega consoles and video games in Brazil. The company was founded by Daniel Dazcal, Leo Kryss, and Abe Kryss in 1987 because Dazcal saw an opportunity to develop a market for electronic toys and video games, product categories that competitors did not sell in Brazil at the time. The company stock is traded on the Bovespa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Nintendo</span>

The history of Nintendo is from 1889 to the present, starting as a playing-card company to eventually becoming a multinational video game conglomerate. It has always remained headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo video game consoles</span> Overview of the various video game consoles released by Nintendo

The Japanese multinational consumer electronics company Nintendo has developed seven home video game consoles and multiple portable consoles for use with external media, as well as dedicated consoles and other hardware for their consoles. As of September 30, 2021, in addition to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has sold over 863.07 million hardware units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo Entertainment System</span> Home video game console

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the Family Computer (FC), commonly referred to as Famicom. It was redesigned to become the NES, which was released in American test markets on October 18, 1985, and was soon fully launched in North America and other regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retro Duo</span> Handheld game console

The Retro Duo is a handheld game console developed by Retro-Bit and distributed by Innex, Inc. It plays game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It plays North American, European and Japanese games and has the highest compatibility of any other clone system. S-video is compatible when playing SNES games. The console is not licensed by Nintendo and it's not fully compatible with every game released for the two game systems, but the majority of games function properly. While it has only been released in Canada and the United States, it can still be used in Europe and Japan with a power plug adapter. The console is compatible with official and third party SNES controllers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NES Classic Edition</span> Home video game console by Nintendo

NES Classic Edition is a dedicated home video game console by Nintendo, that emulates the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Family Computer (Famicom). It launched on November 10, 2016, in Australia and Japan, and November 11, 2016, in North America and Europe. Aesthetically, the console is a miniature replica of the NES, and it includes a static library of 30 built-in games from the licensed NES library, supporting save states for all of them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo Entertainment System models</span> Overview of NES model variants

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo, had numerous model variants produced throughout its lifetime. It was originally released in 1983 as the Family Computer in Japan, with design work led by Masayuki Uemura. Nintendo intentionally redesigned it as the NES in North America in an attempt to avoid the stigma of video game consoles lingering from the video game crash the same year; while it was initially conceptualized as a home computer, it was ultimately modeled after a videocassette recorder (VCR) for its debut there in 1985. Nintendo subsequently exported the NES to Europe and Oceania via local distributors.

References

  1. ↑ Andrade, Igor (2018-03-21). "Demorou, mas comecei a escrever meu livro sobre a Playtronic" [Took time, but I started to write my book about Playtronic] (in Portuguese). A Águia Pousou. Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Playtronic, a história" [Playtronic, the history] (in Portuguese). Nintendopedia Brasilis. 2018.
  3. ↑ Fittipaldi, Mário (September 1993). "A Nintendo já chegou" [Nintendo already arrived](PDF). VideoGame (in Portuguese). Brazil: Sigla Editora Ltda.
  4. 1 2 Barboni, Flavio (2013-07-13). "Master System x NES" (in Portuguese). TechTudo.
  5. 1 2 Noviello, Renato (2000). "O NES no Brasil" [The NES in Brazil] (in Portuguese). The Nes Archive. Archived from the original on 2018-09-22. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  6. ↑ Vassallo, Cláudia (2011-02-18). "Por que a Estrela perdeu o brilho" [Why Estrela lost the brightness] (in Portuguese). Exame.
  7. ↑ "Mercado: Reforço de caixa" [Market: Cash reinforcement]. Folha de S. Paulo (in Portuguese). 1996-04-04.
  8. ↑ Governo do Brasil (2018-08-08). "Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial" (in Portuguese). Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior.
  9. ↑ Googlel (2023-03-07). "Playtronic no Google Play" (in Portuguese). Google.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.