VTB Bank, one of the major financial institutions of Russia, has officially been sanctioned by the United States for assisting the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran evade sanctions, according to the US State Department’s official announcement.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the whole announcement of the State Department. Some parts in boldface…
The United States sanctioned VTB Bank, one of Russia’s largest financial institutions, for helping Iran evade sanctions and sustain its support for terrorism. VTB Bank opened offices in Iran, built banking ties with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions, and worked to move billions of dollars in Iranian assets.
The United States remains steadfast in cutting off the financial lifelines that allow the Iranian regime to fund terrorism, destabilize the region, and threaten U.S. economic security.
Today’s action sends a clear message to governments and financial institutions considering similar arrangements: any effort to help Iran evade sanctions will carry serious consequences, including exposure to U.S. financial restrictions.
The United States will continue to use every diplomatic and economic tool at its disposal to isolate the Iranian regime. We urge the international community to join this effort to sever the financial lifelines of a regime that threatens peace and security.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this latest move by the United States will convince more members of the international community to join in the effort to cut the financial lifelines of the Islamic terrorist state Iran? Do you think VTB Bank has a lot of financial ties with your local business community?
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is expecting tourism growth for the Philippines as it makes a serious brand adjustment with its “Love the Philippines” campaign, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
For insight, the Philippines counted 4.11 million foreign tourist arrivals for 2026 as of August. While the Philippines remains an international tourism weakling as well as an economic weakling among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), domestic tourism is actually thriving.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of Tourism (DoT) said that changing its branding direction in its Love the Philippines campaign will help boost the country’s tourism growth.
“Upon entry into the office, the first mandate that I had carried out was to change the tone of voice of the Department of Tourism with regard to how it communicates to the public,” DoT Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications Armand Lorenze “Ren” Sapitan told lawmakers in a House Committee on Appropriations budget hearing.
“We didn’t have to change the members of branding and the marketing team,” he added. “The only thing that we adopted was a change in direction.”
Mr. Sapitan noted that the agency will shift how it approaches the Love the Philippines campaign instead of replacing it through its Discover More to Love program.
“We would not change this campaign because we recognize that the administration only has two years left,” he said. “What we are changing is how we approach the campaign.”
“The way we relate to the people, the way we promote, the way we market our tourism destinations,” he added.
The Discover More to Love program aims to highlight local destinations by partnering with companies, offering travel bundles and discounted offers.
“The Sun Group actually not only invests in marketing, but they also invest in the entire ecosystem,” Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay explained, citing the agency’s relationship with the private sector.
“The tourist attractions, from hotels, the accommodation, the entire village – that’s the kind of investment that is complete; it’s almost like a subsidy,” she added.
Filipino talents BINI and SB19 were also named as the country’s tourism ambassadors who will support the push for domestic travel.
The DoT earmarked a P4.03 billion budget under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), down 4.6% or P196 million from the approved P4.23 billion budget for 2026.
Of the proposed budget, P1 billion will fund branding campaigns, mostly for overseas marketing (60%) and domestic efforts (40%).
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that the Philippines will be able to attract more foreign tourists this year? Do you think the DOT’s recent moves will boost both domestic and international tourism for the Philippines?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
If you have been purchasing a lot of products online here in the Philippines, was there a time when a seller cheated you or scammed you over a transaction? A lot of online sellers have been involved in the distribution of fake and unregulated products, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) is actively searching for them, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine National Police has strengthened its intelligence and enforcement efforts against online sellers and networks involved in the distribution of fake and unregulated products that may endanger consumers.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said they are now working with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other partner agencies to identify those behind the illegal trade and build cases for prosecution.
“The PNP backs efforts to strengthen the crackdown against counterfeit goods online. We will continue to coordinate with our partner agencies to identify those behind the illegal trade and ensure that appropriate charges are filed,” Nartatez said.
Nartatez ‘statement was issued amid a call from consumer advocacy group Malayang Konsyumer for an immediate and sustained government crackdown on counterfeit products being sold through e-commerce platforms.
The group warned that fake medicines, vitamins, health supplements and beauty products may contain toxic chemicals, while counterfeit clothing, footwear, toys and perfumes as products that could expose consumers to hidden health risks.
It also raised concerns over substandard electronics that may cause fires or electrocution and fake household adhesives, sealants and building materials that may pose structural and health hazards.
“We will not allow online platforms to become a safe haven for counterfeiters. The PNP will strengthen intelligence gathering and enforcement operations against individuals and networks engaged in the sale and distribution of fake and unregulated products,” Nartatez said.
“Counterfeit goods are not only an intellectual property concern. They are also health and safety matters in most cases that need immediate and aggressive law enforcement response,” he added.
The PNP’s planned action will build on its existing campaign against smuggling and other economic crimes.
From January to June 2026, police conducted 8,986 anti-smuggling operations, resulting in the arrest of 2,560 individuals and the seizure of about P8.6 billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and equipment.
The campaign has also extended to other illegal goods as the PNP confiscated P628 million worth of smuggled goods, counterfeit products, and other illegal articles in nationwide operations in July.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Has any online seller released to you a counterfeit product? Do you believe that online shopping platforms like Shopee and Lazada have a lot of scammers and abusive online sellers?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
There is still a lot of buzz flowing online as a result of yesterday’s sudden and unexpected breakthrough that boosted Xbox as a video game entity and as an entertainment brand. I am talking about Team Xbox acquiring the right to publishPhysint, an ambitious next-generation gaming project by the legendary game creator Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear, Policenauts, Death Stranding) and this is the result of PlayStation’s move to cancel that project internally.
To be clear, Physint started as a project of the PlayStation partnership with Kojima Productions a few years ago. Watch and learn from the official PlayStation video below.
Physint marks Hideo Kojima’s return to the action-espionage genre of gaming. As such, it is a loss on the part of PlayStation and now a significant gain for Xbox which itself has reset its gaming business with improvements in mind.
To put things in perspective about the expanded Xbox-Kojima partnership and Physint itself, posted below is an excerpt from the official Xbox announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Hideo Kojima has spent his career challenging conventions and expanding what games can be. Today, KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS announced the next chapter of its partnership with XBOX.
“Creators have choices about where and how they bring their ideas to life. We’re honored that Kojima-san has chosen XBOX to work with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on PHYSINT. His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at XBOX,” said Asha Sharma, XBOX CEO.
“This expands our relationship with XBOX beyond OD. As we move forward with the development of PHYSINT, we remain committed to redefining the action-espionage genre for players around the world,” said Hideo Kojima, Game Creator and Founder of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS.
In addition to OD and PHYSINT, this relationship will also extend beyond games, with XBOX and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS collaborating across film and television to bring new stories to broader audiences.
Being a long-time Xbox fan myself and having played Kojima’s work in Metal Gear games long ago, I am very delighted and surprised by this sudden breakthrough. Kojima already has OD in its partnership with Team Xbox, and to see Physint added is both intriguing and exciting. Also notable is Xbox’s statement that it will collaborate with Kojima’s company across film and television in a serious attempt to entertain a wider audience.
Am I surprised to see PlayStation to step away from its collaboration with Kojima Productions on Physint? Not at all because PlayStation’s leadership has changed so dramatically, the Japanese perspective and interest on video gaming has faded away. There are PlayStation executives who want more live-service games instead of the single-player experiences that have long defined PlayStation’s gaming history and enduring success. PlayStation learned nothing from the multi-million Dollar failure of their exclusive game Concord. Worse, PlayStation itself has turned woke and that means it does not prioritize the interests of gamers anymore. Insomniac is the most blatant example of wokeness in PlayStation and their executives are fine with that. These are facts that many PlayStation fanboys and fangirls don’t want to acknowledge.
Let’s be very clear here…PlayStation betrayed Kojima over the Physint project and it paved the way for Team Xbox to save it and expand their strategic partnership even more. I can feel the PlayStation fanboys/fangirls expressing disappointment and embarrassment right now. I believe Physint will be in good hands under the Xbox leadership of Asha Sharma as she clearly values the partnership with Kojima.
This is truly the biggest video game surprise of the year and Xbox fans should get excited. Watch out for future updates about Physint and the growing Xbox-Kojima partnership!
Starting January 3, 2027, direct flights between Manila and Tel Aviv will launch with Israeli airline Arkia in-charge of the service, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. For many Filipinos who desired to visit the Holy Land in Israel, this is a dream that will come true and the new route is the first non-stop air link between the two major cities.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface.
Filipinos can soon fly directly to Israel without making a stopover, as Israeli airline Arkia prepares to launch the first nonstop flights between Manila and Tel Aviv in January 2027.
Thenew route will begin on Jan. 3, 2027, with an initial service of one flight a week and a travel time of about 11 hours, according to Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh.
For years, travelers between the Philippines and Israel have had to take connecting flights, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi among the main stopover points, while other options include connections through New Delhi, Bangkok, Seoul, and other Asian cities.
The new service will therefore provide the first nonstop air link between Manila and Tel Aviv.
Kursh welcomed the development in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Sept. 8, saying the route would bring the two countries closer after years without a direct connection.
“For the first time in many years, our two countries will be connected by a direct flight, bringing Israel and the Philippines closer than ever before,” she said.
The Israeli envoy said the new air link would go beyond making travel more convenient, as it could alsoopen more opportunities for tourism, business, investment, and cultural exchanges.
“This is much more than a new flight route,” Kursh said.
“It is a bridge between our peoples, creating new opportunities for tourism, business, investment and cultural exchange, while making it easier for Israelis and Filipinos to discover each other’s beautiful countries,” she added.
The Department of Transportation had earlier pushed for direct flights between the Philippines and Israel, with officials saying improved air connectivity would help strengthen bilateral ties.
Kursh said she looked forward to welcoming more Israeli visitors to the Philippines while encouraging more Filipinos to discover Israel.
“I look forward to welcoming many more Israeli visitors to the Philippines and to seeing even more Filipinos discovering the beauty, diversity and warmth of Israel,” she said.
To all my readers, I encourage you to thank the Lord for this breakthrough of cooperation between Israel and the Philippines. Ambassador Dana Kursh is absolutely right by stating that the direct Manila-Tel Aviv air link is the bridge between Filipinos and the Israelis who will benefit from the new opportunities for tourism, business, investment and cultural exchange. For Filipinos who desire to visit the Holy Land to discover the holy sites, witness the Holy Bible come to life and deepen their faith in the Lord, the direct flights are absolutely golden.
I personally have a desire to return to Israel someday to spend quality with the Lord right there in the Holy Land. I love Israel and I believe strong in the biblical ties between Jews and Christians.
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord for this breakthrough to lead to more breakthroughs for both Filipinos and Israelis.
At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Ever since US President Donald Trump returned to office, the immigration crackdown and tightening implemented by the current administration not only brought illegal crossings down and deported a lot of illegal immigrants/aliens but also made the migrant shelters along Mexico’s northern border getting emptied, according to a news report by Newsmax.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
Migrant shelters along Mexico’s northern border are emptying as fewer migrants head to the United States following President Donald Trump’s tighter immigration enforcement and expanded deportation efforts.
For Salome Villena, an Ecuadorean migrant who once planned to cross into the U.S. with her husband and two children, aged 4 and 6, the shifting landscape of U.S. immigration policy helped change those plans. Instead, the family has decided to remain in Ciudad Juarez, where they are among the few people still staying at a local shelter.
“Our intention was to cross into the United States, but because of what Trump did, we couldn’t,” Villena said, referring to changes in U.S. immigration and asylum policies.
The family also considered paying a smuggler to take them across the border, but abandoned the idea after they said the man began stealing their money.
After returning to office, Trump ended one of the main pathways migrants had used to seek entry to the U.S., ending the CBP One app that allowed asylum seekers to schedule appointments at ports of entry. The change left thousands of migrants in border cities such as Ciudad Juarez and prompted Mexican authorities to prepare for a surge in deportees by opening emergency shelters.
Many of those facilities, however, remained largely empty as migrant arrivals fell and deportations were often carried out by air to southern Mexico or other countries.
The drop in migrant flows has been felt across Ciudad Juarez’s shelter network. Juan Fierro, who heads the city’s Good Samaritan shelter, said Trump’s policies had sharply reduced the number of new arrivals.
“It’s becoming increasingly complicated and difficult for people to reach Mexico’s northern border and cross into the United States,” he said.
The shift has altered the makeup of the city’s migrant population, said Dirvan Garcia of the state population council, Coespo.
“We are living something completely different,” Garcia said. “There are a large number of people who initially intended to cross the border but are now putting down roots in the city.“
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you pleased with the ongoing immigration crackdown in America under the Trump administration? Are there still a lot of illegal immigrants/aliens still living in your local community? Do you think the number of foreigners who planned to illegally enter the United States but ended up staying in Mexico will settle in Mexican towns/cities permanently?
Tomoko Akane, the incumbent president of the International Criminal Court, called her organization in The Hague the “last bastion of the rule of law” as she labeled America’s sanctions against her illegal and unacceptable, according to a news article by Jiji Press.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire Jiji Press news article. Some parts in boldface…
International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, under U.S. sanctions, on Sunday called The Hague-based organization the last bastion of the rule of law in the world.
Support from people around the world is necessary for the continuation of the ICC, she said in an event held by a nongovernmental organization in Tokyo.
Akane, who attended the event online, expressed her sincere gratitude for assistance from Japan, such as a signature campaign.
The U.S. sanctions are illegal and unacceptable, she said, calling them a move to suppress justice through external force.
Akane said she has been able to receive her salaries through a local bank while facing problems remitting money. Companies have rejected transactions with her due to the sanctions, she added.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you find Akane’s words about the American sanctions on her rather twisted given the fact that the ICC itself threatened American sovereignty and even interfered Philippine sovereignty and justice system? Are you convinced that Akane is simply pretending to be a victim? Do you want to see the ICC come to an end soon?
Several economic factors and the continued vulnerability to climate-driven shocks make it unlikely for the Philippines to achieve gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6% in the medium term, according to a news report by BusinessWorld citing Moody’s Ratings.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
MOODY’S RATINGS said the Philippines’ medium-term growth outlook seems bleak as its slow investment recovery and vulnerability to climate-driven shocks may derail its economic rebound.
In a statement following its latest rating action on the Philippines, the debt watcher said the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected to hover below its pre-pandemic level of around 6% over the medium term.
“The Philippines’ medium-term growth will continue to be underpinned by favorable demographics, resilient remittances and service exports, and a gradual strengthening of investment as confidence recovers, with electronics and other goods exports providing a more marginal offset,” Moody’s Ratings said late on Monday.
“Even so, we expect medium-term potential to settle somewhat below the near-6% pace recorded before the pandemic, as investment recovers only gradually and the economy remains exposed to recurrent natural disasters and climate-related shocks,” it added.
Moody’s slashed its Philippine GDP growth forecast for this year to 3.6% from 5.5%. This falls near the bottom end of the government’s 3.5%-4.5% target for the year.
In the second quarter, GDP growth tumbled to a new post-pandemic low of 2.3%, bringing average growth to 2.6% in the first half.
The fourth consecutive quarter of slowing growth came as investments continued to reel from last year’s flood control corruption scandal, while rising prices amid the Middle East war squeezed household spending.
Moody’s Ratings noted that the Middle East war shocks and investment slump are “largely cyclical,” with an investment-driven recovery expected later this year.
“The recovery from the second half of 2026 should be led by a rebound in public investment as the government resumes stalled disbursements and normalizes spending execution,” it said.
Moody’s Ratings said that local investments should focus on public infrastructure and public-private partnerships, especially in renewable energy “as the country diversifies its energy mix in response to the recent shock.”
The government’s recent reforms should also eventually boost investment and productivity as their benefits are realized, the debt watcher said.
These include the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act, foreign investment liberalization, and allowing more private and foreign participation in sectors such as renewable energy.
By 2027, Moody’s Ratings expects GDP to expand by 5.3%, although still slower than its previous estimate of 5.6%.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the economy of the Philippines really does not have enough strength to achieve 6% GDP growth anytime soon? Do you think the current economic managers know what they are doing? Do you think there will absolutely be no economic gains from the Philippines’ hosting of the 2026 ASEAN Summit?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
With the Peso performing terribly in the global currency market, weakening economic growth, high inflation and fears of an economic recession growing, 2026 has not been good for the Philippines. There is a bright spot in tourism, however, as the Philippines saw its 2026 foreign tourist arrivals reach 4.11 million in the January-August period and the United States and South Korea combined for more than 1.5 million tourist arrivals, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines has recorded 4.11 million foreign arrivals from January to August, higher by 3.7 percent compared to the same period last year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Tuesday.
The United States posted the highest number of share at 818,318, followed by South Korea at 727,379, Japan at 350,191, China at 310,088, and Australia at 234,156.
Also making it in the top 10 source markets are Canada with 231,972, Taiwan with 154,957, the United Kingdom with 132,370, Singapore with 126,812, and India with 77,883.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the Philippines targets to surpass its 2025 arrival figures to reach between 6.4 million and 6.8 million, or at least 7 million, by the end of 2026.
To achieve this, she said the DOT is intensifying its branding and promotions to reach more tourists in its key source markets.
The DOT is also in active talks with airlines to open up and establish more chartered flights between the Philippines and secondary cities of Korea and China.
DOT Assistant Secretary Ren Sapitan said the agency is also set to sign a contract with a creative agency in November to broaden the country’s marketing efforts and make the Philippines more visible worldwide.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to exceed the 2025 foreign tourist arrivals number by the end of this year? Do you think the DOT is doing a good job to strengthen the Philippines’ attraction of foreign tourists? Considering the Top 10 markets of foreign tourists the Philippines attracted so far, are you convinced that the nation’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit did not create any positive tourism results?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Frogger Print Ad
Do you find this old ad humorous?
When Frogger was first released in video arcades in 1981, it easily attracted countless gamers offering them bouts of fun and the video game critics were very impressed with it. Considering its massive arcade success, it was unsurprisingly ported to the game consoles and home computers of the time. Parker Brothers secured the license for cartridge versions and the company produced Frogger ports for not just the Atari 2600 but also the Atari 7800. This print ad they came up with had a deliberate cartoony artwork (with a touch of humor) and an artist created a hand-drawn illustration intentionally made to resemble a screenshot from the game. I saw this ad a number of times when I read comic books in 1982.
2. The Legend of Kage Japanese Arcade Flyer
Action and excitement in ancient Japan!
In my life, I never had the opportunity to play the original arcade version of The Legend of Kage and ended up playing only the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) port. Behind the scenes, Taito itself came close to preventing The Legend of Kage from being released in the arcades. The company placed it in a certain game show where it received praise by many which prompted Taito to give it a full arcade release. To promote the game, the Japanese arcade flyer had lively hand-drawn artwork that perfectly reflected what the game is about, who the playable hero is and what ancient Japanese setting was used. Fortunately for Taito, The Legend of Kage became a huge commercial hit and this led to the production of ports for different consoles and computers.
3. Hyper Olympic Japanese Arcade Flyer
Arguably the best track and field game ever made for the arcades.
In 1983, Konami released their summer Olympics-inspired arcade game Hyper Olympic (titled Track & Field in other parts of the world) which offered players the opportunities to compete in a series of events with emphasis on pressing the buttons as quickly as possible. The arcade flyer Konami came up with featured fine-looking hand-drawn artwork showing athletes competing in track and field events (with the types of events displayed at the top-most part of the flyer) while showing just one screenshot (lower right) and displaying the officially 1984 Los Angeles Olympics logo (lower left). In my view, this old arcade flyer does a good job promoting both the arcade game as well as the 1984 Olympics itself. Too bad nobody makes this kind of arcade flyer anymore.
4. Terra Cresta Japanese Arcade Flyer
Did you ever play Terra Cresta in the arcades in Japan?
Nichibutsu, which produced a lot of arcade games that were released only in Japan, released Terra Cresta in Japanese arcades in 1985. It turns out Terra Cresta is a sequel to their 1980 game Moon Cresta which itself was their first big arcade hit game. Nichibutsu literally loaded the front of Terra Cresta’s arcade flyer with lots of visuals and details. As you can see, seven screenshots of the game were displayed (each with descriptive text), a fancy looking artwork that emphasized the science fiction setting, some English descriptive text, the cocktail table arcade machine and a pretty Japanese lady wearing an aerobics outfit with legwarmers (popular in the 1980s). This flyer truly has a strong 1980s flavor.
5. Sega Master System European Print Ad
From the early days of Sega’s console business.
After many years doing arcade games, Sega made the bold decision to start competing in console gaming with the release of the SG-1000 in 1983 in Japan. Even though Nintendo was a very tough competitor with the best-selling Famicom, Sega did not give up and proceeded to launch their console in America and Europe referred to as the Master System. In a serious attempt to gain customers specifically in England, Sega made a print ad showcasing a family sitting in front of a TV set with the young boy playing a racing game on a Master System. Looking at how the descriptive text was presented, it was clear that Sega emphasized bringing the arcade game experience into the comfort of home while also promising that a lot more new games will be released in the near future. This is an eye-catching ad and also a fine example of aggressive marketing by Sega.
6. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run North American Print Ad
What was the best baseball video game you ever played?
Following the commercial success of the 1994 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Nintendo got Ken Griffey Jr. again as endorser and proceeded with the follow-up Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run. With the highly talented Rare (Donkey Kong Country) chosen as game developer, Nintendo was highly confident with the baseball sequel and the 2-page print ad reflected that. The Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run ad had a striking image of a broken baseball bat on one side while the game’s details, two screenshots and the creative description dominated the other side. While I am not so interested in baseball, I can say that this old print ad is indeed attention-grabbing.
7. 2Xtreme North American Print Ad
From the time when the X Games were wildly popular.
Remember how popular the X Games (Extreme Games) were back in the 1990s? Early in the life of the PlayStation console, Sony released ESPN Extreme Games which sold over a million copies worldwide. As expected, a follow-up titled 2Xtreme was approved for a 1996 release. Sony came up with a 2-page ad that had an upside-down X Games participant with roller blades dominating most of the space and six screenshots were displayed. The descriptive text in the lower part of the ad was deliberately written to be hip and cool.
8. Macross Plus Japanese Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Based on the mid-1990s anime OAV, the Macross Plus video game from Banpresto was designed as a vertical-scrolling 2D shooter that captures the feel and intensity of the anime’s spectacle. The front of the Japan-only arcade flyer showcased the YF-19 Excalibur, the YF-21 Sturmvogel and the VF-11 Thunderbolt (plus the basic arcade controls on the lower-left) which were all rendered in 3D polygons to delight Macross fans and gamers who are interested in new 2D shooting experiences. The rear of the flyer showed additional details and it even includes English text descriptions. Strangely, no screenshots of the game were displayed. Being a long-time Macross fan, I can say this old arcade flyer is still engaging to look at.
9. Macross VF-X2 North American Print Ad
An impressive looking print ad for a Macross video game that never got released in North America.
In the late 1990s, Bandai prepared to launch Macross VF-X2 (the sequel to 1997’s Macross Digital Mission VF-X) on the PlayStation console in North America. This was a very intriguing move because Bandai never brought the mentioned 1997 Macross game outside of Japan. Shortly after the official announcement of a North American release, Macross VF-X2 got featured in video game magazines, an English demo of the game (first mission only) was distributed through Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, and Bandai came up with the 2-page print ad you see here. Unfortunately, Macross VF-X2’s North American release got cancelled because of copyright issues and legal obstacles (note: Harmony Gold held the Western rights to Robotech and actively blocked the release of genuine Macross products in America). As such, this impressive looking Macross VF-X2 print ad for North America ended up as a promotion for nothing!
10. Star Wars: Racer Arcade Japanese Print Ad/Poster
This is one of the many video games based on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
In 1999, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was a massive box office hit in theaters around the world and it marked a new era of Star Wars movies with digital effects available. Similar with 1993’s Jurassic Park, George Lucas’ movie also had a huge lineup of merchandise, action figures and video games. The pod racing from the movie became the basis for Star Wars: Racer Arcade which was released in Japan on June 2000, and then in America a month later. To help arcade operators attract gamers and Star Wars fans, a print ad and poster were released featuring a very dynamic image of pod racing from the game dominating the background, a few screenshots displayed and some computer-generated of characters and vehicles. At the lower right part of the ad/poster is the image of the arcade machine which has a huge screen, a seat and control panel. The descriptive Japanese text was written to excite both fans and gamers. Did you play this Sega-produced Star Wars game in the arcades?
11. Konami Wai Wai World Japanese Print Ad
Can you spot Simon Belmont, Mikey Walsh and King Kong in this Japan-only print ad of Konami Wai Wai World?
Going back to the late-1980s, Konami released a 2D adventure game on the Famicom that was very ambitious as it featured side-scrolling treks, vertical-scrolling shooting sequences and, most notably, a cast of characters that emphasized crossovers between intellectual properties of gaming. I am talking about Konami Wai Wai World (sometimes called Konami World for short) which had characters, settings and elements of Konami’s own properties like Gradius, Castlevania and Twin Bee. Not only that, King Kong of King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch and Mikey Walsh of The Goonies were also featured which is astonishing because they represent entertainment intellectual properties that were licensed to Konami for video game adaptation. That said, the emphasis of crossovers and excitement was shown in the form of 2D character sprites in this Japanese print ad of Konami Wai Wai World. This is the kind of game that Konami itself will never be able to make again and to do a remake or an enhanced re-release of Konami Wai Wai World will require overcoming all the legal obstacles in the way.
