System 3 event
SuperCar Challenge and Williams Pinball Classics shown off; £2,000 trousered; beer drunk.
Publisher System 3 transformed a London nightclub into a videogame arcade on Monday 15 December in order to thank the press and its distribution/retail partners for a great ’08.
More than a dozen nostalgia-inducing Williams and Gottlieb pinball machines were set up on free-play, drawing wide smiles from all corners of the games industry. And with £2,000 up for grabs even the girls had a competitive glint in their eyes! Party-goers were also able to have a play on Williams Pinball Classics for Wii and PSP, to see just how close the videogame versions come to imitating their real-life counterparts.
The pinball machines only took up around half of the dance floor though, with System 3 choosing to showcase its brand new racer SuperCar Challenge for the first time. 16-player LAN racing was made available complete with Playseats’ premium £600 Alcantara Pro/G25 racing cockpit in place for every single one. Winners from the pinball competition went through to the SuperCar Challenge final, where budding racers took to Silverstone for the big prize! Racing fans were able to watch the legendary skills of four-time Ferrari Challenge champion Ange Barde as he threw an FXX around various courses with mesmerizing ease.
Official Xbox Magazine’s Mike Channell bagged first place in the final race, blagging himself £2,000 in the process! Eight runners up won a fantastic Playseat racing frame (worth £300 each) and everyone else who attended received a Ferrari F430 Challenge #28 Bruno Senna 1:18 scale car (worth £70 each).
System 3 would like to thank everyone who attended and wish everyone in the industry a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Photo Info (see event assets):
02: CVG’s Gavin Ogden throws verbal abuse at Sony’s Hugo Bustillos.
03: 16-player LAN racing with Playseats/G25 set-up. A logistical nightmare but well worth it.
04: Official Nintendo Editor Neil Long ponders over that Williams Pinball Classics cover.
05: Just look at the concentration!
06: Official Nintendo’s Chris Borgan has the fun of the fair.
07: SuperCar Challenge was shown for the first time at the event.
08: Based on some racing performances we should all be hoping that these guys don’t drive in real life.
09: System 3 president and lifelong pinball fan Mark Cale was barred from the competition, naturally.
10: Mike Channell accepts his prize from System 3 COO Patrick Cadore while thanking the Gods for the rather convenient model positioning.
11: Future’s cheeky chappy Lee Nutter is congratulated by four-time Ferrari Challenge champion Ange Barde.
14: Even pinball virgins were soon addicted to the pinball machines.
15: Even Codemasters head-honcho Rod Cousens can’t resist the flashing lights.
16: Official Nintendo’s Chris Borgman and Fred Dutton discuss ‘how big it was’.
About System 3
Formed in 1982 System 3 is globally renowned for heartwarming entertainment experiences that formed the very foundations of the modern videogames we know and love today.
From the behemoth that was The Last Ninja, to the platforming brilliance of MYTH: History In The Making, to the legendary status of International Karate and the joyous simplicity of Putty Squad, System 3 has been responsible for some of the greatest videogames of the past 27 years.
System 3 is currently building towards the release of Williams Pinball Classics (PSP, PS2, Wii), PowerPlay Pool (DS) and SuperCar Challenge (PS3) in Q1 2009.
For all System 3 press assets please go to:
www.system3live.com
For all System 3 PR and marketing enquiries please contact:
Chandra Nair – Brand Manager
chandra@system3.com
T: +44 (0) 207 491 4441