What Retro Games Taught Us About Life: The Neo Geo Chapter
Introduction: The "Unattainable Flower" in My Home
For many young gamers, the "Neo Geo" was a dream. It was the concept of bringing the excitement of the arcade directly home, but its high price also made it an "unattainable flower." Fortunately, my family's business was a store that dealt with games, so I had the opportunity to touch this "luxury car."
What I experienced was the overwhelming graphics and sound, just as the rumors said. But the real emotional impact came decades later when I touched its internal structure for maintenance. It was surprisingly simple, beautiful, and robustly built. It had the aura of a "genuine" luxury item, imbued with a philosophy and not just a high price tag.
What's interesting is that even while owning this "genuine article" at home, we still ended up going to the arcade. Masterpieces like Fatal Fury and Samurai Shodown were the "common language" of high school students. To immerse ourselves in that frenzy, we clutched our 100-yen coins.
Why did SNK create such a unique, pure, and convention-defying game console?
The Arcade was the Main Stage
The answer lies in SNK's business model itself. To state the conclusion first, their main battlefield was always the "arcade," and the home Neo Geo (AES) was the ultimate "peripheral device" for maximizing that arcade business.
The system SNK was truly focused on was the "MVS (Multi Video System)" for arcades. This was a revolutionary system that allowed operators to insert multiple game cartridges into a single cabinet, making it easy to swap games. It gained immense support from arcade owners.
So, why was the home version (AES) made? It was initially planned not for the general public, but for the hotel and bar rental business and as an ultra-luxury item for the most hardcore arcade fans.
They intentionally did not make it "cheaper." This was because the home AES was built with the exact same board and performance as the arcade MVS. If they compromised on performance, the core concept of "bringing the excitement of the arcade home" would collapse. They chose not to compromise on performance, and the result was the ultra-high price.
A Perfect Synergy
The expensive home console, far from cannibalizing arcade sales, created a perfect "synergistic effect".
First, a new game would become a huge hit in the arcades (MVS). Then, the most passionate fans, wanting to "practice perfectly at home," would purchase the ultra-expensive home version (AES). Players who practiced at home would then show off their improved skills at the arcade, heightening the community's excitement. This excitement, in turn, further enhanced the "desirability" and brand value of the home AES.
The home AES functioned as the ultimate fan item to accelerate the excitement of the arcades.
The "Guts" of an Uncompromising Craftsman
The story of the Neo Geo teaches us a vivid lesson that overturns the conventional wisdom of business.
Normally, when bringing a professional product to the consumer market, the basic approach is to develop a "spec-down" version with fewer features and lower costs. But SNK did not do that.
The pure concept of delivering the exact same performance and experience used in the professional setting of the arcade, directly to the home. And the "guts" to actually execute it.
It's like an F1 team selling the very same machine they use in a race to the public, without detuning it. Not just anyone can do that.
The story of the Neo Geo teaches us that in craftsmanship, sometimes the "resolve" to reject compromise and purely believe in your own ideals is what creates a legend that transcends time.