Difference between revisions of "Nissho Iwai"

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| title-Nissho Iwai Corporation
 
| title-Nissho Iwai Corporation
 
| founded=1968{{ref|https://www.sojitz.com/history/en/company/nisshoiwai/}}
 
| founded=1968{{ref|https://www.sojitz.com/history/en/company/nisshoiwai/}}
| defunct=
+
| defunct=2004
 
| mergedwith=Nichimen Co., Ltd.
 
| mergedwith=Nichimen Co., Ltd.
| mergedinto=
+
| mergedinto=Sojitz Co., Ltd
 
| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Japan|Japan]]
 
| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Japan|Japan]]
}}{{stub}}'''Nissho Iwai Co., Ltd.''' (日商岩井株式会社) was a Japanese trading company, electronics manufacturer, and video game distributor.
+
}}{{stub}}'''Nissho Iwai Co., Ltd.''' (日商岩井株式会社) or '''Nissho Iwai Trading House''' was a Japanese trading company, electronics manufacturer, and video game distributor. It's computer division was known as [[Nissho Iwai Infocom]].
  
==Company==
+
==History==
Nissho Iwai is notable for assisting [[Sega]] with development of the early internet gameplay service [[XBAND]].
+
Nissho Iwai was created in 1968 in Japan. Soon, the company began operating on all continents, dealing with industries such as metals, machinery, information, construction, realty services, energy, chemicals, precious metals, finances, foods, textiles and general commodities<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/19961112111731/http://www.nisshoiwai.co.jp/nic/company/docs/E-01.html</ref>. Due to the last one, Nissho Iwai Europe Plc. was appointed by [[Sega]] in 1990 as exclusive distributor of products in some of the Eastern European countries. The company had experience in sales in that region, due to the fact that it was one of the few foreign companies that were allowed by communist governments, to trade Western goods<ref>https://iauto.warszawa.pl/pierwsza-toyota-w-polsce/</ref>.  
  
In the 1990s, [[Sega]] awarded Nissho Iwai the product distribution rights for the countries of [[wikipedia:Hungary|Hungary]], [[wikipedia:Poland|Poland]], [[wikipedia:Russia|Russia]], and the [[wikipedia:Commonwealth of Independent States|Commonwealth of Independent States]].
+
However, in late 1993, [[Sega of Japan]] gave full license for all Eastern Bloc countries to Nissho Iwai, which meaned replacing [[Sega Europe]] in that region. Japanese trading house began to appointing exclusive sub-distributors for every territories{{fileref|CTW_UK_586_Europe_Supplement.pdf|page=3}}. They also had contract for other regions were Sega wasn't distributing video games directly like [[wikipedia:Latin America|Latin America]] (besides 4 countries of [[wikipedia:Mercosur|Mercosur]] where Sega had [[Tec Toy]]). Sub-distributors strategy damaged potential of Sega in the regions because distributors weren't prepared to invest in Sega's marketing, knowing that they would share benefits with other sub-distributors. In mid-1995 (likely between August-October 1995), contract with Sega of Japan experienced and license was given back to regional distributors like [[Sega Europe]] in Eastern Europe or [[Sega of America]] in South America, which began to rebuilding of distribution network using only the most effective and experienced former sub-distributors{{fileref|CTW_UK_586_Europe_Supplement.pdf|page=3}}.
 +
 
 +
Despite the strategy, Sega games under Nissho Iwai achieved some success in the Eastern Bloc, where cheaper Sega consoles overtook more expensive Nintendo in sales. Nintendo was distributed in Eastern Europe by Stadlbauer Marketing, an Austrian company which handled distribution in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, former SFRY, former USSR and by office of Itochu Corporation, which handled Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria. Mega Drive was the leader in most countries, although far behind the most popular gaming systems - Famiclones, and in the last period struggling with 16-bit Sega clones. However, according to Sega, the profits could be much higher and the brand more recognizable and more resistant to clones, if Nissho Iwai would use other strategy. On the opposite side, in Latin America, where Nintendo was distributed by Itochu Corporation, [[Super Nintendo]] was doing much better than Sega Genesis.
 +
 
 +
Nissho Iwai is also notable for assisting [[Sega]] with development of the early internet gameplay service [[XBAND]].
  
 
In 2004, Nissho Iwai and fellow trading company Nichimen Co., Ltd. (ニチメン株式会社) merged to form [[wikipedia:Sojitz|Sojitz Co., Ltd.]] (双日株式会社).
 
In 2004, Nissho Iwai and fellow trading company Nichimen Co., Ltd. (ニチメン株式会社) merged to form [[wikipedia:Sojitz|Sojitz Co., Ltd.]] (双日株式会社).
  
==Countries==
+
==Softography==
Nissho Iwai has distributed video game products to the following countries.
+
{{CompanyHistoryAll|Nissho Iwai}}
{{multicol|
+
 
*Commonwealth of Independent States
+
==Promotional material==
*[[History of Sega in Hungary|Hungary]]
+
Since the European branch of Nissho Iwai had three representative offices in Eastern Europe - Hungarian, Polish and Russian/CIS, these divisions created special promotional materials. In other countries of the region, sub-distributors created materials on their own and these are not listed here.
*[[History of Sega in Poland|Poland]]
 
*[[History of Sega in Russia|Russia]]
 
}}
 
  
==Manuals==
+
===Manuals===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
???|Mega Drive I
 
 
MD2 Manual HU PL RU.jpg|Mega Drive II
 
MD2 Manual HU PL RU.jpg|Mega Drive II
???|Master System I
 
 
Master System II manual PL HU RU.jpg|Master System II
 
Master System II manual PL HU RU.jpg|Master System II
 
Game Gear HU PL RU manual.jpg|Game Gear
 
Game Gear HU PL RU manual.jpg|Game Gear
 
Notavailable.svg|Mega CD II
 
Notavailable.svg|Mega CD II
 
Notavailable.svg|Mega Drive 32X
 
Notavailable.svg|Mega Drive 32X
Notavailable.svg|Saturn
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
==Posters==
+
===Posters===
 
Poster-catalog added to Mega Drive in Hungarian, Russian and Polish.
 
Poster-catalog added to Mega Drive in Hungarian, Russian and Polish.
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Line 48: Line 46:
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
==Launch titles and accessories==
+
===Adverts===
As Nissho Iwai became the exclusive importer of Sega, they released several games and accessories as launch titles. Information about these games could be found in the poster-catalog added to Mega Drive.
+
{{gitem|VideoClub 392 PL Master System.png|Print advert in Video Club (PL) #18: "03/1992" (1992-xx-xx) also published in:
 
+
*Video Club (PL) #19: "04/1992" (1992-xx-xx)}}
It is worth adding that some of these titles were released a second time by Nissho Iwai, because they replaced the former distributor who resigned from being a Sega game dealers in this countries for various reasons, so some of these titles were released for the second time in Hungary for MD, SMS, GG, in Poland for SMS, and in Russia only Alex Kidd in Miracle World.
+
{{gitem|VideoClub20PLSegaITI.png|Print advert in Video Club (PL) #20: "05/1992" (1992-xx-xx) also published in:
 
+
*Video Club (PL) #21: "06/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
===Mega Drive{{fileref|MD_poster_HU.jpg}}===
+
*Video Club (PL) #22: "07-08/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
{{multicol|
+
*Video Club (PL) #23: "09/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
*''[[Alisia Dragoon]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #24: "10/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
*''[[Alien Storm]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #25: "11/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
*''[[Last Battle]]''
 
*''[[Shadow Dancer]]''
 
*''[[Taz-Mania]]''
 
*''[[Lemmings]]''
 
*''[[Fire Shark]]''
 
*''[[After Burner II]]''
 
*''[[Columns]]''
 
*''[[Galaxy Force II]]''
 
*''[[Atomic Runner]]''
 
*''[[Ecco the Dolphin]]''
 
*''[[Evander Holyfield's "Real Deal" Boxing]]''
 
*''[[Tale Spin]]''
 
*''[[Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II]]''
 
*''[[Home Alone]]''
 
*''[[OutRun 2019]]''
 
*''[[Mercs]]''
 
*''[[Sonic The Hedgehog 2]]''
 
*''[[Spider-Man]]''
 
*''[[Quackshot]]''
 
*''[[World of Illusion]]''
 
*''[[Ariel The Little Mermaid]]''
 
*''[[X-Men]]''
 
*''[[Castle of Illusion]]''
 
*''[[Streets of Rage II]]''
 
*''[[Mario Lemieux Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Ghouls'n Ghosts]]''
 
*''[[Grandslam]]''
 
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive)]]''
 
*''[[Rambo III]]''
 
*''[[Fatal Fury]]''
 
*''[[Batman Returns]]''
 
}}
 
*''[[Menacer]]''
 
*''[[Megafire]]''
 
*''[[Arcade Power Stick]]''
 
===Master System{{fileref|Sega RU Catalogue.jpeg}}===
 
{{multicol|
 
*''[[Alex Kidd in Miracle World]]''
 
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)]]''
 
*''[[Sega Chess]]''
 
*''[[Parlour Games]]''
 
*''[[Casino Games]]''
 
*''[[Putt & Putter]]''
 
*''[[Penguin Land]]''
 
*''[[Columns]]''
 
*''[[World Grand Prix]]''
 
*''[[Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II]]''
 
*''[[OutRun]]''
 
*''[[GP Rider]]''
 
*''[[Chase H.Q.]]''
 
*''[[Wonder Boy in Monster Land]]''
 
*''[[Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse]]''
 
*''[[The Cyber Shinobi]]''
 
*''[[Shadow Dancer]]''
 
*''[[Mercs]]''
 
*''[[Bubble Bobble]]''
 
*''[[Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (8-bit)]]''
 
*''[[The Ninja]]''
 
*''[[Double Dragon]]''
 
*''[[Kenseiden]]''
 
*''[[Cyber Police ESWAT]]''
 
*''[[Shinobi]]''
 
*''[[Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck]]''
 
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)]]''
 
*''[[Tennis Ace]]''
 
*''[[Slap Shot]]''
 
*''[[California Games]]''
 
*''[[Pro Wrestling]]''
 
*''[[World Games]]''
 
*''[[World Cup Italia '90]]''
 
*''[[Basketball Nightmare]]''
 
*''[[Golfamania]]''
 
*''[[Joe Montana Football]]''
 
*''[[Golden Axe]]''
 
*''[[Dragon Crystal]]''
 
*''[[Lord of the Sword]]''
 
*''[[Golvellius]]''
 
*''[[SpellCaster]]''
 
*''[[Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord]]''
 
*''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar]]''
 
*''[[Phantasy Star]]''
 
*''[[After Burner]]''
 
*''[[F-16 Fighter]]''
 
*''[[Air Rescue (Master System)]]''
 
*''[[Line of Fire]]''
 
*''[[Dynamite Duke]]''
 
*''[[Assault City]]''
 
*''[[R-Type]]''
 
*''[[Rambo III]]''
 
*''[[Thunder Blade]]''
 
*''[[Aerial Assault (Master System)|Aerial Assault]]''
 
*''[[G-LOC: Air Battle]]''
 
*''[[Submarine Attack]]''
 
*''[[Space Gun]]''
 
*''[[???]]''
 
*''[[???]]''
 
*''[[???]]''
 
*''[[???]]''
 
 
}}
 
}}
*''[[Control Stick]]''
+
{{gitem|VideoClub 2 93PL Master System II.png|Print advert in Video Club (PL) #29: "02/1993" (1993-xx-xx) also published in:
*''[[Light Phaser]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #30: "03/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
===Game Gear{{fileref|Sega RU Catalogue.jpeg}}===
+
*Video Club (PL) #31: "04/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
{{multicol|
+
*Video Club (PL) #32: "05/1993" (1993-xx-xx)}}
*''[[Columns]]''
+
{{gitem|VideoClub 993 PL Mega Drive.png|Print advert in Video Club (PL) #36: "09/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
*''[[Shinobi II]]''
+
also published in:
*''[[Streets of Rage]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #37: "10/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
*''[[The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #38: "11/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)]]''
+
*Video Club (PL) #39: "12/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
*''[[G-Loc: Air Battle]]''
 
*''[[Super Monaco GP (8-bit)]]''
 
*''[[OutRun]]''
 
 
}}
 
}}
*''[[Wide Gear]]''
 
*''[[TV Tuner]]''
 
===Mega CD===
 
*''[[Road Avenger]]''
 
 
===Mega Drive 32X===
 
*''[[Doom (32X)|Doom]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Arcade]]''
 
*''[[Virtua Racing Deluxe]]''
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==

Latest revision as of 06:36, 31 August 2024

https://segaretro.org/images/3/3e/NisshoIwai_logo.png

NisshoIwai logo.png
Nissho Iwai
Founded: 1968[1]
Defunct: 2004
Merged with: Nichimen Co., Ltd.
Merged into: Sojitz Co., Ltd
Headquarters:
Japan

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.


Nissho Iwai Co., Ltd. (日商岩井株式会社) or Nissho Iwai Trading House was a Japanese trading company, electronics manufacturer, and video game distributor. It's computer division was known as Nissho Iwai Infocom.

History

Nissho Iwai was created in 1968 in Japan. Soon, the company began operating on all continents, dealing with industries such as metals, machinery, information, construction, realty services, energy, chemicals, precious metals, finances, foods, textiles and general commodities[2]. Due to the last one, Nissho Iwai Europe Plc. was appointed by Sega in 1990 as exclusive distributor of products in some of the Eastern European countries. The company had experience in sales in that region, due to the fact that it was one of the few foreign companies that were allowed by communist governments, to trade Western goods[3].

However, in late 1993, Sega of Japan gave full license for all Eastern Bloc countries to Nissho Iwai, which meaned replacing Sega Europe in that region. Japanese trading house began to appointing exclusive sub-distributors for every territories[4]. They also had contract for other regions were Sega wasn't distributing video games directly like Latin America (besides 4 countries of Mercosur where Sega had Tec Toy). Sub-distributors strategy damaged potential of Sega in the regions because distributors weren't prepared to invest in Sega's marketing, knowing that they would share benefits with other sub-distributors. In mid-1995 (likely between August-October 1995), contract with Sega of Japan experienced and license was given back to regional distributors like Sega Europe in Eastern Europe or Sega of America in South America, which began to rebuilding of distribution network using only the most effective and experienced former sub-distributors[4].

Despite the strategy, Sega games under Nissho Iwai achieved some success in the Eastern Bloc, where cheaper Sega consoles overtook more expensive Nintendo in sales. Nintendo was distributed in Eastern Europe by Stadlbauer Marketing, an Austrian company which handled distribution in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, former SFRY, former USSR and by office of Itochu Corporation, which handled Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria. Mega Drive was the leader in most countries, although far behind the most popular gaming systems - Famiclones, and in the last period struggling with 16-bit Sega clones. However, according to Sega, the profits could be much higher and the brand more recognizable and more resistant to clones, if Nissho Iwai would use other strategy. On the opposite side, in Latin America, where Nintendo was distributed by Itochu Corporation, Super Nintendo was doing much better than Sega Genesis.

Nissho Iwai is also notable for assisting Sega with development of the early internet gameplay service XBAND.

In 2004, Nissho Iwai and fellow trading company Nichimen Co., Ltd. (ニチメン株式会社) merged to form Sojitz Co., Ltd. (双日株式会社).

Softography

Promotional material

Since the European branch of Nissho Iwai had three representative offices in Eastern Europe - Hungarian, Polish and Russian/CIS, these divisions created special promotional materials. In other countries of the region, sub-distributors created materials on their own and these are not listed here.

Manuals

Posters

Poster-catalog added to Mega Drive in Hungarian, Russian and Polish.

Adverts

VideoClub 392 PL Master System.png
Print advert in Video Club (PL) #18: "03/1992" (1992-xx-xx) also published in:
  • Video Club (PL) #19: "04/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
VideoClub 392 PL Master System.png
VideoClub20PLSegaITI.png
Print advert in Video Club (PL) #20: "05/1992" (1992-xx-xx) also published in:
  • Video Club (PL) #21: "06/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #22: "07-08/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #23: "09/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #24: "10/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #25: "11/1992" (1992-xx-xx)
VideoClub20PLSegaITI.png
VideoClub 2 93PL Master System II.png
Print advert in Video Club (PL) #29: "02/1993" (1993-xx-xx) also published in:
  • Video Club (PL) #30: "03/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #31: "04/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #32: "05/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
VideoClub 2 93PL Master System II.png
VideoClub 993 PL Mega Drive.png
Print advert in Video Club (PL) #36: "09/1993" (1993-xx-xx)

also published in:

  • Video Club (PL) #37: "10/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #38: "11/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
  • Video Club (PL) #39: "12/1993" (1993-xx-xx)
VideoClub 993 PL Mega Drive.png

External links

References