The end of Compile

by Sander on 24-01-2003, 12:11
Topic: MSX Related
Languages:

Source: ActiveMSX

Compile, known to everyone for making Zanac, Puyo Puyo, Golvellius and the Aleste shooters, is history.Compile already operated under a debt-restructuring plan, but was unable to get enough cash for repaying the $25 million it owed to its creditors. It's financial problem saw the daylight in 1998, when Compile filed for bankruptcy due to a $63 million debt. To get some cash, Compile sold their rights on the Puyo Puyo brand to Sega, which just released a Puyo budget clone for the Playstation.

It is unclear what will happen with Compile latest game Pochi to Nya we reported about earlier.If I'm not mistaken Compile sold the rights on this game to Taito for their Arcade Machines. Hopefully we will see the PS2 version one day. In the meantime, make sure you get a copy of their PS1 version of Zanac, called ZanacXZanac, released in 2001.

Relevant link: www.compile.co.jp

Comments (10)

By msxgamesbox

Champion (397)

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24-01-2003, 12:33

sad to hear Sad

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10096)

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24-01-2003, 14:12

Amazing, that such a potentially huge company couldn't come along. What did they do wrong?

By Latok

msx guru (3929)

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24-01-2003, 16:03

They quit MSX Smile

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

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24-01-2003, 16:51

Let's hope they can make some sort of restart or something. Because it would be a shame for them to disappear completely now that MSX is becoming commercially attractive again. I would've liked to see some of their old games rereleased on MSX PLAYer!

By djh1697

Paragon (1698)

djh1697's picture

24-01-2003, 20:06

Since they have gone out of business, what happens to the copyright on there games? Do they become public domain? or does the company administrator hold the copyright? Will they be bothered ?

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10096)

wolf_'s picture

24-01-2003, 21:27

afaik the copyright law, a (c) remains a (c). Compile, say the president of compile, probably owns the (c). And the fact that Compile doesn't generate $ anymore, doesn't mean that that president doesn't own the (c) anymore..

Even dead composers own the (c) for years Smile

By FiXato

Scribe (1742)

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25-01-2003, 01:00

A real shame... a black day in gaming history Sad

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

anonymous's picture

25-01-2003, 23:45

Actually the company holds the copyrights, not the director. And when the company is bankrupt, the rights of its products are sold to the highest bidder by the curator. Generally employees do not own the rights to things they make during work hours themselves.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

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25-01-2015, 00:50

By fernando.collazo.5682

Champion (257)

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25-01-2015, 22:04