Steepler
From Sega Retro
| ||
| Steepler | ||
|---|---|---|
| Founded: 1991 | ||
| Defunct: 1996 | ||
Headquarters:
|
This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.
Steepler was video game distributor in former USSR countries, mainly known from Dendy brand.
Contents
History
1991-1992
The company was established by Andrey Cheglakov, Maxim Selivanov, Vladislav Undeyev and Rustem Ahiyarov in 1991 and was an official HP distributor in the country.
In 1991, Victor Savyuk heard about the existence of Nintendo which was the leading video game producer in the world. He decided to import counterfeit consoles from Asia and start marketing them in Russia. In 1992 he started looking for a company in Moscow that would be able to do so. He came across Steepler, whose founders he once knew. The company was doing well then and had the money for such a risky venture. At that time, the first Famicom clones in Russia could be found along with the original NES consoles at local distributors, which is why Savyuk wanted to invent, register and promote his own brand. The new console was named Dendy and the logo was created by Ivan Maximov. At the end of the year, console sales began and its TV advertising began.[1]
1993-1994
Sales from December and January confirmed expectations and the console sells well, however, in the following months it did worse. First model sold by Steepler was already outdated and more expensive so they presented new model called Dendy Junior and old one was still on sale as Dendy Classic. Expansion into other territories of the former USSR began and in autumn 1993 Steepler celebrated the great success of the company. The growing popularity of the console contributed to the creation of Video Ace Dendy magazine.[2]
At that time, the company got an offer to promote Sega consoles, provided they resigned from selling Dendy clones. Seeing the popularity of the Dendy, Steepler refused.
At the beginning of 1994, Steepler had already sold 1 million consoles in Russia. They decided that they should move all production to Russia to save costs, which meant that they purchased the Tenzor instrument engineering plant, located in Dubna.
Later the company separated with antoher one name Lamport. In the same year, the competition appeared: Kenga (created by Kenga, imported by Kenmaster and distributed by Lamport), Bitman (by Bitman) and Subor. No one was able to beat Dendy. The sale of Mega Drive (some from an official source, some clones) was also started.
Another success was the gaming program called Dendy Novaya real'nost' broadcast from 1994 on 2x2 and later on ORT as Novaya Real'nost' .
At the end, the company signed a contract with Nintendo to distribute their products in all states of the former USSR countries.[3]The products were imported from Germany. Super Nintendo and Game Boy were released. Steepler also had the right to sell the original NES console but it did not do that because Nintendo allowed for further distribution of the Dendy console.
1995-1996
In 1995, Video Ace Dendy split into Velikiy Drakon (independent) and Dendy Novaya real'nost' (supported by Steepler.)
In 1996, a new television program called Mir Dendy (MTK) was created, but it was not as popular as the predecessor.
In mid-1996 Steepler went out of business. The exact reasons were never given. One of many cited are:
1. Reduction in revenues from the sale of consoles, especially 8-bit consoles. Steepler planned to replace sales of consoles in the future, for sale DVD players and other electronics under his own brand.
2. In 1995, the prices of oil fell in which the company invested and many companies broke contracts with Steepler.
3. Problems related to the automation of the Russian State Duma.
Dendy (company)
| ||
| Steepler | ||
|---|---|---|
| Founded: 1994 | ||
| Defunct: 1998 | ||
Headquarters:
|
Dendy was establish in August 1994 by Incombank and Steepler. Viktor Savyuk became its general director.
Dendy was the exclusive distributor of Nintendo, Konami, Ocean, Acclaim in Russia and CIS. [4]
In 1995, Dendy became Subor representative in Russia and CIS.
Steepler's fall in 1996 paralyzed Dendy. Of the many dealers in Russia and the CIS, at the very end remained only a few stores in Moscow. Most of the time, prices were constantly raised but in some months the sale of the expected amount of goods was successful. There were some new consoles such as Bonza,[5] Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Pocket but only in small amounts because various types of toys became an increasingly large part of the assortment at the time. It was decided to suspend operations in 1998 during the crisis.
Products sold by Steepler/Dendy
8 bit Famicom
- Dendy Classic
- Dendy Classic 2
- Dendy Junior
- Dendy Junior II
- Dendy Junior IIP
- Dendy Junior IVP
- Subor SB-225
Nintendo
- Super Nintendo (PAL and NTSC-U)
- Game Boy (PAL and NTSC-U)
- Virtual Boy (NTSC-U)
- Nintendo 64 (NTSC-J)
- Game Boy Pocket (PAL)
- Nintendo Entertainment System (only sale rights)
Sega
- Pro 16 Bit,
- Pro 16 Bit Songa II version,
- High Quality
- Mega Drive (clone)
- Mega Drive II (PAL originals and clones)
- Sega Genesis CDX (NTSC-U)
- Sega Saturn
Others
- Panasonic 3DO
- PlayStation
- Bonza portable
References
- ↑ https://secretmag.ru/business/trade-secret/nintendo-so-slonom-kak-viktor-savyuk-pridumal-pristavku-dendy.htm
- ↑ http://tv-games.ru/wiki/Companies/Steepler.html
- ↑ https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/94004?query=steepler
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoupLDkYAck&list=PLilc6-ICNoeU5Ox5pKypv-A9ObkroT1S6&t=648s&index=15
- ↑ http://www.potroshiteli.ru/Reviews/Game/Bonza.html