NESiCAxLive explained

NESiCAxLive
Developer:Taito
Type:Arcade video game network system
Platform:Arcade video game
Status:Active

is a digital distribution system for arcade video games made by Taito. It is similar to the SEGA ALL.Net game distribution system. Taito uses NESiCAxLive to distribute not only its own games, but also allows other companies to use it as a publication platform. On its introduction SNK, Cave, and Arc System Works had agreed to distribute games on NESiCAxLive. Currently, 8 games are operated as alone running titles and 29 titles as downloadable titles on candy cabinets.

History

The system was first revealed in September 2010 at the 48th Amusement Machine Show in Chiba, Japan, as the Taito Vewlix NESiCA arcade cabinet, and was launched on 9 December 2010. The first game to be released for the system was Arc System Works' . Taito introduced the NESiCAxLive 2 system in June 2017.

System

The NESiCAxLive system consists of an arcade system board combined with a dedicated router to access and download games. The system currently works on the Taito Type X2, Taito Type X Zero, Taito Type X3, and Taito Type X4 arcade boards. The connected machines access the Taito NESYS online network to allow arcade operators to download games from Taito's servers directly to the arcade cabinet; previously arcade operators had to purchase new game boards (as well as dispose of old ones) to run a new game. Games can also be downloaded to a local server to allow quicker distribution to machines, as well as allow rapid swapping in and out of games according to player demand. Taito allows arcade operators to download games free, as part of a revenue sharing system, with income split with Taito and the game developer. The original NESiCAxLive system was originally exclusively available in Japan, however there has been a gradual introduction to the US market.

Taito introduced the NESiCAxLive 2 platform in June 2017. The upgraded system allows player versus player competition between machines in different locations, as well having improved CPU and GPU performance.

NESiCAxLive games (2010–2023)

(★ marked with dedicated software delivery NESiCAxLive)

NESiCAxLive2 games (2017–)

(★ marked with dedicated software delivery NESiCAxLive2)

See also