It's over, CAVE is dead... or maybe not...

[Jonpachi]

Hopefully someone cool like Yuge-san or M2 or Hamster buys the rights to their shit when they officially die so that proper home releases actually have a not-zero chance of existing in the future.

We've gotten new ports of Ketsui, Dangun Feveron and Esprade in the last few years. I wouldn't say there's zero chance of other ports of their back catalog. They still exist as an IP holder and seem to continue to function as a small business that licenses out past work.

[Buffi]

Hopefully someone cool like Yuge-san or M2 or Hamster buys the rights to their shit when they officially die so that proper home releases actually have a not-zero chance of existing in the future.

We've gotten new ports of Ketsui, Dangun Feveron and Esprade in the last few years. I wouldn't say there's zero chance of other ports of their back catalog. They still exist as an IP holder and seem to continue to function as a small business that licenses out past work.

Recent Galuda2, DFK and Mushi on Switch too. Also DS1 and 2 ports. They clearly are very fine with people porting their IP.

Also, Kai is wrong about them ”stopping mobile games”. Pretty sure the referenced news is only about a specific project. Expect further mobile trash.

[Steven]

Hopefully someone cool like Yuge-san or M2 or Hamster buys the rights to their shit when they officially die so that proper home releases actually have a not-zero chance of existing in the future.

We've gotten new ports of Ketsui, Dangun Feveron and Esprade in the last few years. I wouldn't say there's zero chance of other ports of their back catalog. They still exist as an IP holder and seem to continue to function as a small business that licenses out past work.

I meant like if they went completely bankrupt and literally ceased to exist entirely.

[yosai]

Cave Interactive has revealed that they will be acquiring Deluxe Games. The 5-billion-yen (roughly $38 million) deal will see Cave take possession of all shares of Deluxe Games, making the Monster Strike developer a subsidiary of the long-standing shmup developer.

https://automaton-media.com/en/news/20220606-13107/

[pja]

At first that sounded like maybe they're doing better than anyone else thought, but then I read the article:

As of the 3rd quarter of the fiscal year ending May 2022, Cave holds a cash equivalent of around 1.07 billion yen (roughly $8 million), which isn’t enough for the 5 billion yen needed to acquire Deluxe Games. The company will divide the payment into 8 installments, with the first being a payment of 1 billion yen.

So they're essentially buying them with money they don't have?

[Steven]

How the fuck is CAVE even still alive? Do they actually have anything that makes revenue/profit other than Gothic wa Mahou Otome and the Live Wire and exA licensing? It would be ironic as shit if they went bankrupt and everyone from CAVE went to Tatsujin.

[hamfighterx]

Recurring Deathsmiles urine sales gives them a very steady stream of... revenue, yeah. At least that's my assumption for how they're staying in business, seems like the most reasonable explanation.

[Steven]

lol yes, I forgot about the Deathsmiles piss. They still make that? Eh... I think I'd rather not know the answer to that.

I also forgot about the Dangun Feveron that LRG apparently did last year. I don't bother with LRG or similar companies anymore, so I don't really know about what those companies do.

I want to give CAVE my money, but they seem hesitant to rerelease their games for whatever reason. If I ever run into IKD, the first thing I'm going to say to him is "Put more of your shit on fucking GOG or Steam or M2 ShotTriggers or whatever!". Speaking of M2, still waiting for that Ketsui PS4 reprint. I wonder when they'll get that out. Hopefully soon.

Oh hey, looks like Deathsmiles I・II is going to be on Steam in less than 2 weeks. Good, it seems Cave/City Connection/whoever isn't completely clueless after all! Now where the hell is arcade-perfect DDP aside from on the PCB? That's right, nowhere~ Put Campaign Version out as well while you're at it, CAVE human who will never see this post and probably doesn't know English anyway.

[BulletMagnet]

Recurring Deathsmiles urine sales gives them a very steady stream of... revenue

Currently fist-bumping my screen.

[OmegaFlareX]

Recurring Deathsmiles urine sales gives them a very steady stream of... revenue, yeah. At least that's my assumption for how they're staying in business, seems like the most reasonable explanation.

Serious answer - I'd guess whales in that Gothic Otome mobile gacha shmup.

e:fb. Steve mentioned this already

[Creamy Goodness]

lol yes, I forgot about the Deathsmiles piss. They still make that? Eh... I think I'd rather not know the answer to that.

I also forgot about the Dangun Feveron that LRG apparently did last year. I don't bother with LRG or similar companies anymore, so I don't really know about what those companies do.

I want to give CAVE my money, but they seem hesitant to rerelease their games for whatever reason. If I ever run into IKD, the first thing I'm going to say to him is "Put more of your shit on fucking GOG or Steam or M2 ShotTriggers or whatever!". Speaking of M2, still waiting for that Ketsui PS4 reprint. I wonder when they'll get that out. Hopefully soon.

Oh hey, looks like Deathsmiles I・II is going to be on Steam in less than 2 weeks. Good, it seems Cave/City Connection/whoever isn't completely clueless after all! Now where the hell is arcade-perfect DDP aside from on the PCB? That's right, nowhere~ Put Campaign Version out as well while you're at it, CAVE human who will never see this post and probably doesn't know English anyway.

I feel like their licensing is kind of all over the place considering they've had recent games being released nearly concurrently by two publishers (3 if you count Progear). Their very early stuff would probably have to be done by M2 due to their connection with Atlus, but they are essentially balls deep in milking the Toaplan catalogue now.

[caincan]

searched thru forum but didnt see.. nobody mentioned this ? 02.2026. Danmaku. event Cave store in Shibuya (intel thanks to Olisan)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvhpv5KVOxc

IKD welcomes people etccc

https://x.com/hashtag/DANMAKU?src=hashtag_click&f=live

[Steven]

Yeah that place is actually insanely close to my office. Was going to go today after work but they closed before we did, so maybe later. It seems that there is like nothing there that I would actually want to buy, though.

[Gamer707b]

I'm taking a trip there this summer and want to have fun mostly game related things to do. Where in Japan exactly is this and what is it called?

[Faith]

Yeah that place is actually insanely close to my office.

Fk so jealous >.<!~ Really want to visit that place!!~ But for me, will need to take plane, hahaha!~

Hubby and I did talk about going to JP some time... but really not sure when. Not even sure if this year even possible too. So really hope they able stay around, and hope this means more to come!~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yeah that place is actually insanely close to my office.

Fk so jealous >.<!~ Really want to visit that place!!~ But for me, will need to take plane, hahaha!~

Hubby and I did talk about going to JP some time... but really not sure when. Not even sure if this year even possible too. So really hope they able stay around, and hope this means more to come!~

For Faith,

If you and your hubby do go to the "land of the rising sun," be sure to check out some of the awesome game centers like Hey! and others. It's a whole different world of the legendary Japanese game centers compared to the American indie arcades, barcades and usual "FEC" (Family Entertainment Centers) like Dave & Busters, Chuckie E. Cheese and Buckee's nowadays.

----------
It sounds like you grew up in the classic American arcade sub-culture as I did (the era of the "Golden Age" of early 1980s arcades and into the "Silver Age" of arcades in the early 1990s era as well when the almighty quarter was considered the "gold standard" to credit up a game back in the heyday).
----------

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Jonpachi]

What does that little Cave store even sell? Bootleg posters and CDs?

[Steven]

I'm taking a trip there this summer and want to have fun mostly game related things to do. Where in Japan exactly is this and what is it called?

It's in Shibuya. Fortunately it's on the east side and not the west side, so you get the upscale Aoyama and Minato-ku influence and relative cleanliness that comes along with that, although I still see plenty of rats on that side because it's still Shibuya and Shibuya is infested with them.

Yeah that place is actually insanely close to my office.

Fk so jealous >.<!~ Really want to visit that place!!~ But for me, will need to take plane, hahaha!~

Hubby and I did talk about going to JP some time... but really not sure when. Not even sure if this year even possible too. So really hope they able stay around, and hope this means more to come!~

I am not sure if it's a permanent store or if it's a pop-up. I'd be kind of surprised if it isn't a pop-up, and in that case there is a chance that it might be gone by the time you get here. I'll be sure to ask them if I can ever get in there.

What does that little Cave store even sell? Bootleg posters and CDs?

lol it's CAVE's official store, so no bootlegs, it's all 100% legit.

[KAI]

The last picture with the cab next to the gacha machine, ironic...

Asked a friend who's planning to visit that store to get me a DFKBL poster. Sad they dont have stuff from ibara.

[Jonpachi]

How sad. It's like seeing your favorite actor at a small convention looking old and tired, begging to sign autographs.

[spmbx]

Any japanese there or is it just french/italians ?

[To Far Away Times]

Is this the equivalent to peaking in high school?

[Augemitbutter]

are they constantly reprinting everything or is it just old stock? I have some CDs and other older stuff.

[tzm_rade]

Their job application information said working there is a contract for three months, so presumably at the minimum it will be open for another couple months and potentially beyond. You would imagine they'd keep a rolling stock of stuff at least.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

are they constantly reprinting everything or is it just old stock?

Reprinting posters isn't unheard of by any means, I wouldn't be surprised if CAVE were making some money now by offering reprints. KVCLabs in Akihabara also sells official Namco reprints of posters, I picked up really nice Dragon Buster and Splatterhouse posters from there.

[Faith]

I'll be sure to ask them if I can ever get in there.

Thank you Steven!~

For Faith

Haha yes... if we go... there will be a very long list to do!! I also really want to visit Bandai HQ because I love Tamagotchi very much!!~

I think our arcade experience still different :p for me... younger then you I think haha... so actually, reason why arcade became refuge is because at that time... mostly dead or dying already. But, in a way... for me... that was perfect! Because it gave me space to be alone, away from people. Actually, the arcade near my house... was not very big. Like 6 cabinet... because it was not really proper arcade... it was more like shop that had a small arcade area at the side! But most people left that side alone >.<! But at least they had Raiden!~

[Augemitbutter]

Their job application information said working there is a contract for three months, so presumably at the minimum it will be open for another couple months and potentially beyond. You would imagine they'd keep a rolling stock of stuff at least.

are they constantly reprinting everything or is it just old stock?

Reprinting posters isn't unheard of by any means, I wouldn't be surprised if CAVE were making some money now by offering reprints. KVCLabs in Akihabara also sells official Namco reprints of posters, I picked up really nice Dragon Buster and Splatterhouse posters from there.

Okay that's interesting. There is tons of good old promo art that shouldn't be forgotten.

[Steven]

I wish I knew what they have. No idea what they have at the brick and mortar store, but their official online store is not especially promising. These guys seriously want 60 bucks for an acrylic block with a picture of a game's instruction card...

I'm taking a trip there this summer and want to have fun mostly game related things to do. Where in Japan exactly is this and what is it called?

BTW I forgot about this before, but there is an event on June 21 in Numabukuro, so if you're around on that date, I know of something cool that you might be interested in. Don't have the specifics yet because it hasn't been formally announced, but it will be eventually.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Okay that's interesting. There is tons of good old promo art that shouldn't be forgotten.

A lot of really neat officially licensed reprints: https://kvclab.com/shopbrand/ct60/

Hopefully CAVE does something similar with their posters sometime!

[Faith]

These guys seriously want 60 bucks for an acrylic block with a picture of a game's instruction card...

Oops. Time for Faith to make another post in "stupid STG things you buy" thread me guess :p

(But... maybe price increased? Of course, not know what currency you talk? But I assume US? If US, quite sure I "only" paid half of that lol.)