Bernie Stolar
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Bernie" Stolar is an American businessman who worked in the video game industry for several important companies. His career started at Atari
where he worked initially in the coin-op arcade
division and eventually moved over to the home division in charge of platforms like Atari Lynx. He served as President of the company. He also founded Pacific Novelty
, an arcade cabinet
manufacturer that produced four games: Shark Attack, Thief
, NATO Defense, and The Amazing Adventures of Mr. F. Lea
.
Before the North American release of the PlayStation
home console, Stolar became the first executive vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment America where he was in charge of business development
and all content on the PlayStation platform. Stolar is remembered for his controversial policies on what games would be permitted release in America, most notably banning RPGs and 2D games, which he felt were "too nerdy" to represent the fledgling console's public image, and didn't properly demonstrate the Playstation's processing power.
The PlayStation sold well during its first holiday season in the U.S., and Stolar, after leaving Sony, accepted an opportunity to helm Sega of America as president and COO
. Stolar instituted several of the same policies that he used at Sony while working for Sega, including denying the North American release of Grandia
. After the Saturn's
failure in North America
, Stoler and Sega
began concepts for a new console, one which would eventually become the Dreamcast.
Stolar is also remembered for stating at the 1997 E3, two years after the Saturn's release, that "the Saturn is not our future" and insisted that Namco
should not be allowed to release Tekken
games on the Saturn in North America during a televised interview. Namco had already confirmed support for Sega's console starting with Soul Calibur
, prompting confusion regarding what he was trying to say. He worked with Namco so they would not release Tekken on Saturn but instead release the game on Dreamcast. The Tekken line was likely a stab against Sony and its next generation plans, as Namco later confirmed that the PlayStation 2
would receive Tekken games.
Insider reports suggest that Stolar overruled his Japan
ese superiors by pricing the Dreamcast for launch at $199. Reportedly, Sega wanted to set the price at $249 to generate profits immediately. The launch of the Dreamcast was the most successful commercial console launch in the history of gaming selling over US$300mln of hardware
and software in its first week of launch. Stolar's decisions eventually led to his dismissal from Sega.
In December 1999, Stolar joined Mattel
as President.
In late 2005, Stolar became an advisor and director at Adscape Media
, an in-game advertising
company. His support contributed to securing venture capital
in early 2006, establishing key relationships with game producers, and the company's eventual acquisition by Google
in early 2007. Stolar served as Google's Game Evangelist from the sale of the company until he left for GetFugu, Inc. in early April, 2009.
On October 5, 2006, Oasys Mobile
, Inc. announced that Stolar would assume the role of Lead Director.
On April 6, 2009, GetFugu, Inc. named Stolar Chief Executive Officer. Stolar officially remained in this position for just under a year. In an SEC filing
dated April 2, 2010, GetFugu revealed that Stolar, along with three other top executives, had resigned.
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
where he worked initially in the coin-op arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
division and eventually moved over to the home division in charge of platforms like Atari Lynx. He served as President of the company. He also founded Pacific Novelty
Pacific Novelty
Pacific Novelty was a developer of coin-operated arcade video games. Deep Death was their first title, which was later licensed by Game Plan and re-released as Shark attack . Thief, a Pac-Man styled maze chase was their greatest success....
, an arcade cabinet
Arcade cabinet
A video game arcade cabinet, also known as a video arcade machine or video coin-op, is the housing within which a video arcade game's hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the JAMMA wiring standard...
manufacturer that produced four games: Shark Attack, Thief
Thief (arcade game)
Thief is a 1981 arcade video game that is extremely similar to Pac-Man.The player operates a car being pursued by several blue police cars, in a maze that is supposed to represent city streets. There are eight mazes in all, which change every level in a set order, then repeat starting with the...
, NATO Defense, and The Amazing Adventures of Mr. F. Lea
The Amazing Adventures of Mr. F. Lea
Mr. F. Lea is an arcade game that was released by Pacific Novelty in 1982. It is a 4-in-1 game that borrows gameplay elements from three popular games of the time and includes a fourth game where Mr. F. Lea runs up a hill, jumping over pits and bursting balloons....
.
Before the North American release of the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
home console, Stolar became the first executive vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment America where he was in charge of business development
Business development
A subset of the field of commerce, business development comprises a number of techniques and responsibilities which aim at:1. Researching new types of business/products/services with an emphasis on identifying gaps in the mitigation of needs of potential clients .2. Attracting new customers3...
and all content on the PlayStation platform. Stolar is remembered for his controversial policies on what games would be permitted release in America, most notably banning RPGs and 2D games, which he felt were "too nerdy" to represent the fledgling console's public image, and didn't properly demonstrate the Playstation's processing power.
The PlayStation sold well during its first holiday season in the U.S., and Stolar, after leaving Sony, accepted an opportunity to helm Sega of America as president and COO
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
. Stolar instituted several of the same policies that he used at Sony while working for Sega, including denying the North American release of Grandia
Grandia
Grandia is a console role-playing game series created by Game Arts. Games in the Grandia series have been published on Sega and Sony consoles, and Game Boy Color. The Grandia games have been published by Sega, Ubisoft, Enix and Hudson Soft...
. After the Saturn's
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
failure in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Stoler and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
began concepts for a new console, one which would eventually become the Dreamcast.
Stolar is also remembered for stating at the 1997 E3, two years after the Saturn's release, that "the Saturn is not our future" and insisted that Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
should not be allowed to release Tekken
Tekken
is an arcade fighting game franchise created and developed by Namco. Beginning with the original Tekken arcade game released in 1994, the series has received several sequels, as well as various home conversions and spin-off titles released for consoles...
games on the Saturn in North America during a televised interview. Namco had already confirmed support for Sega's console starting with Soul Calibur
Soul Calibur
is a 3D, weapons-based fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soul series, preceeded by Soul Edge. It was released in arcades in 1998, and it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware. In 1999 it was ported to the Dreamcast with improved graphics and...
, prompting confusion regarding what he was trying to say. He worked with Namco so they would not release Tekken on Saturn but instead release the game on Dreamcast. The Tekken line was likely a stab against Sony and its next generation plans, as Namco later confirmed that the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
would receive Tekken games.
Insider reports suggest that Stolar overruled his Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese superiors by pricing the Dreamcast for launch at $199. Reportedly, Sega wanted to set the price at $249 to generate profits immediately. The launch of the Dreamcast was the most successful commercial console launch in the history of gaming selling over US$300mln of hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
and software in its first week of launch. Stolar's decisions eventually led to his dismissal from Sega.
In December 1999, Stolar joined Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
as President.
In late 2005, Stolar became an advisor and director at Adscape Media
Adscape
Adscape is a San Francisco in-game advertising company that was acquired by Google in February 2007.Google purchased San Francisco-based Adscape, a company that specializes in in-game advertising for video games, on February 15, 2007 for US$23 million. Adscape was founded in 2002 by Dan Willis, a...
, an in-game advertising
In-game advertising
In-game advertising refers to advertising in computer and video games. IGA differs from advergaming, which refers to a game specifically made to advertise a product.The IGA industry is large and growing...
company. His support contributed to securing venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
in early 2006, establishing key relationships with game producers, and the company's eventual acquisition by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
in early 2007. Stolar served as Google's Game Evangelist from the sale of the company until he left for GetFugu, Inc. in early April, 2009.
On October 5, 2006, Oasys Mobile
Oasys Mobile
Oasys Mobile is a leading mobile game developer and publisher. Oasys develops top-ranked franchise games and applications based on brands such as Mattel, Sid Meier's Civilization IV, Railroad Tycoon, Pirates!, Phil Hellmuth, AROD and Hooters Calendar...
, Inc. announced that Stolar would assume the role of Lead Director.
On April 6, 2009, GetFugu, Inc. named Stolar Chief Executive Officer. Stolar officially remained in this position for just under a year. In an SEC filing
SEC filing
An SEC filing is a financial statement or other formal document submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission . Public companies, certain insiders, and broker-dealers are required to make regular SEC filings. Investors and financial professionals rely on these filings for information...
dated April 2, 2010, GetFugu revealed that Stolar, along with three other top executives, had resigned.