Over the last few weeks we have seen many companies and individuals questioning what Amiga International and Amiga Inc are doing or in fact not doing. Paul Carrington of Vulcan Software, the biggest Amiga Games Publisher has publicly critised them for not acting like the mother company of the Amiga and taking the responsibility of making the next generation of Amiga's. I have also been frustrated and so asked Petro Tyschtschenko, Managing Director of Amiga International some tough questions to find out what is going on and look for reassurance on some concerning matters.
Petro Tyschtschenko
President of Amiga International
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1. How did Amiga Inc and Amiga International come to the decision that no new Amiga models would come from them?
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I would say the question you have raised is not 100 % in line with our
statement.
Amiga Inc. will upgrade the OS 3.1 and AMIGA International, Inc will produce
and distribute these products. Amiga Inc. will develop new products and we
will license this developments to potential companies. If the companies are
willing to produce under their own brand name, AMIGA International, Inc. is
able to distribute the machines also under the Amiga brand name.
As you may know, our current A1200s were produced by a 3rd party and not by
AMIGA International, Inc.
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2. Many Games Publishers where staying with the Amiga under the assumption that a new Amiga model would come from Amiga Inc and Amiga International and the consequences of this announcement as been the News that one of the biggest Amiga Games Publishers has entered into the PC and Playstation markets. Surely this decision has been a bad one for the Amiga Market?
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I'm 100 % sure that as soon as new developments from Amiga Inc. are
available Software companies will apply to participate on the success of this
new developments.
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3. Vulcan Software, the biggest Amiga Games Publisher who have recently entered into the PC and Playstation market after being instrumental in creating the CD-Rom revolution have critised Amiga International and Amiga Inc for not acting like the mother company of the Amiga and taking the responsibility of creating the new Amiga for the future. What is your reaction to Vulcan Software's statement?
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I'm very unhappy about the statement of Vulcan Software.
I think that patience will be rewarded in future. I fully understand the
reaction of Vulcan Software, because they have to survive. And other markets
are more profitable at this time than our current Amiga market. But I have
also connections with other software houses in the U.K. which have developed
software before in the glorious times of Amiga. They are watching us and if
they smell a business, I'm convinced they will be back again.
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4. Some people within the Amiga Community have been suggesting that the money allocated for Amiga Inc and Amiga International from Gateway 2000 was less than expected and this has caused the decision that no new Amiga models will be made by you? Is the support from Gateway 2000 still strong?
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There are many rumours going around in our Amiga community, because of the
lack of information. My understanding and my experience with Gateway 2000,
Inc. is that Gateway will support Amiga were ever it is necessary and were
ever it makes sense. Gateway has already spent a lot of money with the
purchase of Amiga. And they are not hesitating to invest more, if they are
convinced that presented and explained business plans are realistic and it is
to expect a return on investment. And I have no doubts that we can be a very
profitable company with a new Amiga production range in future.
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5. In the announcement by Amiga Inc, it said that "New machines will come from companies who have a license from Amiga International" but it is obvious to many that even though these companies are good engineers to design a new Amiga they do not have the money or capabilities to get new Amiga's into the shops or have any effective Advertising. Do you intend to help these companies by providing the money for distribution of their Amiga's to the high street shops worldwide and by having heavy Advertising through the media?
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You are absolutely right. A lot of very good development companies are
short of financial means, but there are also investors which are willing to
spend money - just like Gateway 2000, Inc. Heavy advertising through the
media's make only sense if we can offer the market new products.
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6. In a very recent interview for a German magazine, Amiga Plus according to the following rough English translation you said there will be new Amiga's from Amiga Inc.
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"Amiga International, respectively Amiga Inc. will develop new Amiga models themselves. However, it is still open who will build and sell them, says Petro Tyschtschenko in an interview with Amiga Plus. He can imagine, that the Amiga group (AInc, AI) will do it themselves. On the other side, one could also imagine licensing the newly-developed concepts.
Is the above true that new Amiga models will come from Amiga Inc and Amiga International and why has this not been announced?
The statement you mentioned is right because as I explained already in your
Question 1, there will be developed new technology which will be licensed to
competent companies. In a discussion with Jeff Schindler I have learned that
this will happen in 1999. But remember this is an annual forecast, a plan and
not a commitment.
Petro Tyschtschenko
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Thanks to Petro Tyschtschenko for taking the time to answer these questions. Although some aspects of his answers are reasuring, there are no commitments. Over the last weeks I have been talking to Petro Tyschtschenko but I have found it very hard to get any firm commitments or for him to make policy but hopefully this will change for it needs to.
I think it was interesting to note that Petro Tyschtschenko has received contact from the big Software Publishers in the UK who use to make games for the Amiga. Hopefully this is a good indicator for the future of the Amiga Games Market.
If you want an opportunity to question the people behind the future direction of the Amiga such as Amiga Inc's Darreck Lisle, Jeff Schindler, Joe Torre, and Amiga International's Petro Tyschtschenko you can ask them the questions you want answered on the IRC conferences to be held from the Amiga '98 show in Saint Louis. More details are available for the Amiga International web site.
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Visit their web site at :-
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amigaflame.demon.co.uk