Difference between revisions of "Competition Pro"

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{{sub-stub}}'''Competition Pro''' is a brand created in the UK during the early 1980s. Similar to [[QuickShot]], it is a brand which derives from a specific (and extremely popular) joystick, the "Competition Pro". The Competition Pro line lasted throughout the 1980s to the point where the name was considered more relevant than the companies involved, and so was used on a variety of other products during the late 80s and early 90s.
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{{sub-stub}}'''Competition Pro''' is a brand of computer joysticks created in the UK during the early 1980s, originally created by Coin Controls Ltd.. The name derives from a specific (and extremely popular) joystick, the "Competition Pro 5000", which debuted in 1983.
  
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Despite its widespread success, very little documentation exists about the creator of the Competition Pro, and its ownership history. Multiple companies marketed the product and distributors varied between regions. Four destinct models of the joystick were created during the 1980s, the original Competition Pro, the Competition Pro 5000, the [[Competition Pro Star]] and the Competition Pro Extra. Multiple colour schemes and third-party offshoots were created during this time, but aside from turbo features, most Competition Pro joysticks involve two buttons (later four) and a joystick.
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Coin Controls operated from an old cotton mill, and presumably manufactured Competition Pro 5000 joysticks on-site, later distributing through Dynamics Marketing Ltd., a company housed in the same location. It continued to refine the product over the 1980s, producing coloured variants, the "Competition Pro Extra" (which added turbo features) and [[Competition Pro Star]] which added more buttons.
  
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During the early 1990s the Competition Pro line expanded past traditional joysticks and onto game pads and similar accessories. In most situations, these products were not produced in-house, but rather licensed from [[ASCII]] or [[Honey Bee]]. In this period, Happ Controls distributed products in the United States, while the Powerplay Group were the distributors in the United Kingdom. This conduct continued until the mid-to-late 90s, where for whatever reason, the brand went out of circulation.
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Coin Controls also operated a US branch whose "controls" division was sold to employee Frank Happ in 1986, becoming Happ Controls Inc.. Happ Controls took on distribution duties for Competition Pro products in North America, while in the UK, distribution was handled by another company, Powerplay Ltd.
  
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Today, the Competition Pro line is owned by Speed Link, which produces cheaper USB versions of the classic joysticks. No other products use the Competition Pro name.
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While the joystick line was often synonymous with 1980s home computing in Europe, the 1990s saw a wind-down in-house production, the Competition Pro name being applied to products imported from the far East (principly designs by [[Honey Bee]]). By the late 2000s, the brand had been pulled out of circulation, with Coin Controls and partners reverting to their previous business of producing "controls" for vending machines and other arcade equipment.
  
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==Hardware Produced==
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The Competition Pro brand has since been picked up by German company Speedlink, which produces cheaper USB versions of the classic joysticks. Powerplay continues to operate from Grape Mill, but now distributes clothing.
  
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[[Category:Companies]]
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==Accessories produced==
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{{CompanyHistoryAll|Competition Pro|type=accessories}}
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==References==
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<references />
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[[Category:Third-party accessory manufacturers]]

Latest revision as of 10:56, 2 October 2022

https://retrocdn.net/images/5/5e/CompetitionPro_logo.png

CompetitionPro logo.png
Competition Pro
Founded: 1983-01-23
Defunct: 1993-12-17
Headquarters:
Grape Mill, Royton, Oldham, United Kingdom, OL2 6JZ

This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.

Competition Pro is a brand of computer joysticks created in the UK during the early 1980s, originally created by Coin Controls Ltd.. The name derives from a specific (and extremely popular) joystick, the "Competition Pro 5000", which debuted in 1983.

Coin Controls operated from an old cotton mill, and presumably manufactured Competition Pro 5000 joysticks on-site, later distributing through Dynamics Marketing Ltd., a company housed in the same location. It continued to refine the product over the 1980s, producing coloured variants, the "Competition Pro Extra" (which added turbo features) and Competition Pro Star which added more buttons.

Coin Controls also operated a US branch whose "controls" division was sold to employee Frank Happ in 1986, becoming Happ Controls Inc.. Happ Controls took on distribution duties for Competition Pro products in North America, while in the UK, distribution was handled by another company, Powerplay Ltd.

While the joystick line was often synonymous with 1980s home computing in Europe, the 1990s saw a wind-down in-house production, the Competition Pro name being applied to products imported from the far East (principly designs by Honey Bee). By the late 2000s, the brand had been pulled out of circulation, with Coin Controls and partners reverting to their previous business of producing "controls" for vending machines and other arcade equipment.

The Competition Pro brand has since been picked up by German company Speedlink, which produces cheaper USB versions of the classic joysticks. Powerplay continues to operate from Grape Mill, but now distributes clothing.

Accessories produced

Master System

Mega Drive

Saturn

Dreamcast

References

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