The first 35 Old Chicago machines are coming off the production line this month as Freddy Bailey introduces his new single player coin pusher to the US and international markets.
The New York-based Briton sees Old Chicago as a follow-up to his Panoramic console cabinet, a conversion of the Golden Tee golf game. Bailey, now 25 years in the industry, was one of the major manufacturers in the original video boom in the UK with his Game World Manufacturing Group.
In the 1980s, Bailey was a founder member of the British Video Game Manufacturers’ Association, joining forces with John Stergides of Electrocoin, Bill Tulloch of Subelectro, Tony Marsh of Nichibutsu, Don Last of Summit Coin and others to use their joint buying power to compete with the larger US manufacturers. They secured rights to some of the top games from Taito, Nintendo, Universal, Sega and SNK for the UK market.
Still a firm believer in old-fashioned games, Bailey has launched several products from his New York home, having them manufactured under licence. "American manufacturers never considered the street operator when it came to game design," he said. "They didn’t understand the little things that make life a bit easier for the serviceman."
He intends to market his new products through several small distributors and has a stream of games lined up in development or on the drawing board. "I’m a hands-on character who believes in designing my own product from start to finish, right through to cabinet fittings and artwork. I will take this new game to the IAAPA show in Florida and it will be one of three new products I will have there."
