This particular logo was used during the eras of the PC Engine, Sega Mega Drive, Super Famicom, and the arcades. |
|
| Industry | computer and video game industry |
|---|---|
| Fate | Bankrupt (the company's former intellectual properties were purchased by Star-Fish in the mid-'90s) |
| Successor | Star-Fish (1994) |
| Founded | 1983[1] |
| Defunct | July 24, 1993 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Products | video games |
| Website | http://www.hotb.com/index.html |
HOT・B Co. Ltd. (ホット・ビィ株式会社), formally known as GA Gamu (GA夢 / GAがむ), was a Japanese video game company founded and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan in 1983. They are best known for developing the The Black Bass series.
On July 24, 1993, HOT・B filed for bankruptcy and became defunct, while it was bought a short time later by Star-Fish, a company that was found in 1994 that has got formed by former HOT・B staff members.
Contents |
HOT・B was established in 1983 as an independent project section among advertising agencies.[1] A short time later, when the home computer boom occurred, HOT・B started developing and selling software under the GA Gamu (GA夢 / GAがむ) label. The company originated the fishing game genre with The Black Bass series.
In 1984, HOT・B released Psychic City,[2] an early cyberpunk role-playing game (RPG),[3] for the FM-7[2] and NEC PC-8801 computer platforms. In contrast to the fantasy theme used in other early RPGs such as Hydlide and The Black Onyx, Psychic City was a science fiction RPG set in a post-apocalyptic New York devastated by World War III and where the protagonist fights using psychic/telepathic abilities.[4] Psychic City had a scenario expansion system that could used by other companies to create mods like the Kaleidoscope series. However, HOT・B's technical skills lagged behind those of other companies at the time, and so it became known for always being slow to produce games.
In 1987, HOT・B began development on the Famicom.[3] As the company's technical skills hadn't improved, its 2nd title, Hoshi wo Miru Hito, is still considered to be legendary among Kusogee, lit. "shit games" (クソゲー).
After that, the company began development on the PC Engine, Sega Mega Drive, Super Famicom, and arcade games. At this point, HOT・B began to be used as the brand name instead of the GA Gamu (GA夢 / GAがむ) label.
In 1993, the company refocused its development efforts on arcade games and the Super Famicom. However, the same year, it fell into insolvency and went bankrupt the day after its last game, Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, was released on July 23.
Following bankruptcy, HOT・B's remaining arcade games, Schmeiser Robo and Play Girls 2, were released. They were powered by Data East's DECO32 arcade system board. Titles that didn't make it to completion, including Steel Empire 2 and Cuby Bop, were delayed mid-development due to the staff being pulled onto Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, and were shelved being only a few screens away from completion.
Super Black Bass 2 for the Super Famicom, announced prior to bankruptcy, was completed and released by Star-Fish, a company formed by former HOT・B staff members. Star-Fish continues to release new games in HOT・B's game series, including a Game Boy Advance port of Steel Empire. HOT・B USA Inc. has outlasted its Japanese parent, although it currently exists only as a publisher of other companies' games, its latest release being Graffiti Kingdom in 2005.