8/15/06

For Immediate Release

Play Mechanix joins Raw Thrills/Betson juggernaut

Arcade video game developers Raw Thrills, Inc. and Play Mechanix, Inc. have merged. The two companies first worked together on the smash hit hunting game Big Buck Hunter Pro, and have now permanently combined their award winning design groups to further their chart dominating hit streak.

Play Mechanix, designer of the popular Big Buck Hunter series of games, and Raw Thrills, makers of The Fast and the Furious, SuperBikes and Target: Terror will be working together on future projects. “ We needed to step up our design output to keep up with the resurgence of coin-op video”, Raw Thrills boss and Defender/Cruis’n designer Eugene Jarvis stated. “ We can hardly keep up with the demand for SuperBikes and Big Buck Hunter Pro, and we have to follow them up with some truly kick-ass games!”

While combining administrative, manufacturing, and support functions; the two firms will retain both the Play Mechanix and Raw Thrills design studios. Betson will be handling Sales and Service, with Mark Struhs serving as in-house Sales Manager for both PM and RT games.

Play Mechanix founder George Petro, whose history in the game biz goes back to the early days at Williams/Bally/Midway with NARC, and Terminator 2, talked about the new combo – “The key thing in game design is passion. I feel strongly that if you aren't having a good time making games, players aren't going to have fun playing them. The guys at Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix both have that drive and enthusiasm for the industry. If we lose that zeal, we won't stay and put out games that lack what players love and what operators need. But let me say this, we have a lot of butt to kick before we are through!"