NCS Historical Timeline
Year Highlights, Occasions, and Milestones 
2011 January: The snowiest (yes, it's a proper word) January in recent memory comes to a close.
May: Our turtles always lay eggs around this time of the year. They'll scrabble around, kick their legs, and start laying eggs on what they suppose are suitable locations.  
June: Heat's coming in and our Purslane plants are started to reach for the skies. We're going to revamp the NCS site (this one, not the shopping sites) but we'll keep the entire archive of old news updates intact on our server so that they are accessible.
September: Summer's already over and the Purslane crop was bountiful as usual. The sunflowers also did alright on the rooftop this year.
2010 January: We're in a deep freeze in NYC as we kick off the new year. Trading targets for the year include long dollar, short gold, short crude with our pyramiding trading strategy which was a Livermore bastion. Myth makers and their myth making can only last for so long. As usual, we wait for the markets to let us know when breakdowns and breakouts occur and follow the trend.
February: Punxsutawney Phil sees its shadow but Staten Island Chuck doesn't. As the Groundhog Day lore goes, if the hog sees its shadow, there'll be six more weeks of winter but if it doesn't, Spring will be here within 2 weeks. When those groundhogs are being held up by the celebrants on Groundhog Day, they're probably thinking, "Why are these F&#*@s holding me up like a pelt?" Chuck bit NYC's Mayor Bloomberg last year so maybe the stress of predicting the weather is getting to the rodents. February 25 Update: Punxsutawney was right because winter's still lording over New England.
June: The Purslane plants on our rooftop garden are already forming seedpods. The sunflowers are about 2' tall and there's exactly one lemon growing from our lemon trees. One. Last year, we had two. What appears to be happening to the lemon buds (which eventually turn into lemons) is they're being eaten by squirrels or birds. We haven't caught the critter(s) in action yet.
December: Another year's in the bag as New York City digs out from a mountain of snow. See ya in 2011.
2009 January: Happy New Year and all that jazz. We're braving below freezing temperatures in NYC as we start the year but the local weatherman are projecting warmer days ahead.
February: Similar to last year, Punxsutawney Phil sees its shadow but Staten Island Chuck doesn't. Maybe Chuck has it right this year because February 8 in NYC was a balmy 57° throughout the afternoon.
March: Spring is in sight as Mother Nature works off the last legs of Winter.
July: We're in the midst of summer but temperatures in New York City are strangely mild. There was a stretch in June where it rained every day for 2 weeks straight and we haven't cracked 90° yet.
November: Mushihimesama Futari v1.5 was worth the wait
December: Final Fantasy XIII (game and Lightning bundle) make up nearly 30% of NCS' overall sales for the month of December.
2008 January: Just like last year, temperatures in New York City are balmy as the mercury hits the 50° and 60° ranges. We spot a few pedestrians in shorts and t-shirts. The stock market takes a precipitous dip to welcome the New Year and we reminisce about Martin Armstrong's Economic Confidence Model and its predictive abilities. If the model is on track, we should get a healthy bounce and extended run starting on March 22, 2008. Regarding the current downdraft in the indices, remember that nothing ever moves in a straight line.
February: Punxsutawney Phil sees its shadow but Staten Island Chuck doesn't. We'll know who got it right in six weeks...
March: Punxsutawney Phil (the OG) wins another round. Retire Chuck before it gets embarrassing.
April: A rush of preorders this month as Japan gears up for the summer sales season
September: Another year is almost over as we head towards the holidays
December: We made it through an interesting year with ups and downs around the globe.
2007 January: The year starts off nice and warm with New York City basking in 60˚ temperatures. We know the warmth won't last so we're enjoying it while we can.
February: Temperatures dip below freezing and New Yawkers suffer under the yoke of a cruel winter. On the brighter side, all of our oil-service sector stocks rebound...
March: The weather brightens up towards the end of March and the summer doldrums are in our sights.
May: We survived the Golden Week hiatus.
July: The heat is on in New York City as Mama Nature ratchets the mercury up to triple digits.
September: We're at the tail-end of summer but the holiday season is in our sights.
December: Another fruitful year is in the books and we look towards 2008
2006 January: The weather in New York shifts between subfreezing and balmy as temperatures go from 16˚ to 58˚ and down again in the space of 24-48 hours. Like a roller coaster.
March: On average, temperatures in March were lower than those in January. Phoenix Wright [USA] on the NDS garners a reprint and Tales of Eternia for the European PSP continues to break sales records.
May: Warm weather reaches New York City and Central Park is in full bloom. Pollen everywhere.
June: In the middle of the month, the heat wave creeps into the City. Markets started dropping last month to vindicate the age old adage of "Sell in May." 
October: NCS hunkers down and prepares for the USA and Japanese launches of the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation 3.
December: The holiday season blows in and blows out in the space of 2 weeks of frenzied trading.
2005 January: 2005 kicks off to a slow start as Japanese suppliers take their usual 1-2 week vacation.
March: Japanese PSP sales continue strong even as the USA debut nears. The interest in the Japanese version may be caused by rumors that the USA PSP will use a lower quality screen... With no territory lockout for PSP games, screen quality may be enough to push hedgers into becoming buyers.
April: In the blink of an eye, the first quarter is over and we head onto the busy month of April where publishers are keen on shipping a lot of product to market.
July: We're avoiding the summer doldrums so far this year with brisk trade in games, toys, and the ever lovin' scrap heap scramble.
November: With the Thanksgiving holiday over and done, NCS gears up for the year end rush. 
December: Another interesting year is in the history books. 
2004 January: Happy New Year. January's been a cold month thus far but spring's only 2 months away...something to look forward to. The month starts out slow as it always does since Japan is on extended holidays but things pick up mid-month when Nintendo announces a new Famicom GBA SP variant and Microsoft announces two limited edition Xbox consoles.
February: As we hurtle towards the end of February, the weather perks up a bit and we're hitting the high 40s. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow...but Long Island Chuck saved the day when he didn't. This bodes well for an early spring and our money's on Chuck. Business continues to be strong with a steady stream of imports shipping every week. The final week of February is a strong one with Psyvariar 2 on Dreamcast and Kaido Battle 2 on PS2 selling briskly.
March: The first week of March proves Long Island Chuck right as temperatures swell into the 50s. Punxsutawney was wrong and the old rodent probably needs to retire... As the month comes to a close, roughly 60 new imports in the last two weeks help us break another sales record for the first quarter. Shikigami no Shiro 2 on the DC helps a lot as does the new Sakura Taisen Paris game on PS2.
June: We awaken in the start of the summer to lazy days and barbecues. There's an adage for the stock market that goes "Sell in May and go away!" that we think applies to overall business. While our sales are still rather strong during the summer months, we do notice the downtick in overall activity. We also tend to trade futures (SP E-minis, JPY E-minis mostly) during the summer months based on the "Sell in May..." principle and seasonal trends leading up to September.
Sept: Back to school and back to vigorous business as we prepare for the holiday season which is around the corner.
Dec: Another good year on the back of the PSP and a heavy influx of imports as the year closes out.
2003    As the first quarter ends, NCS is content in knowing that we made it through a parade of GBA SP sales relatively unscathed and also handled the launch of the Gameboy Player, Soul Calibur 2 on three consoles and the release of the Freeloader on Gamecube. We also enjoyed strong sales of the GC Action Replay although Xbox AR sales are somewhat less than expected. Datel did what they could do on the Xbox and buyers were striking to show their displeasure with what was essentially an X-port instead of a cheat device.
   At the beginning of the second quarter, NCS nears conclusion on the development of a new shopping site. The current shop has served us well over the past few years but with the volume of transactions that we handle now, we need a new engine which helps us work more efficiently. A new look and feel never hurts either. NCS will keep the current shop up as a backup however since there's a few years worth of order histories and reference products since the launch in 1999. The new site debuts on May 28 and we're up and running with another chapter.
   The third and fourth quarters are brisk with new releases and we end the year with another great season as holiday buyers come out in force for stocking stuffers and other import items that one wouldn't find at the local Walmart or chain store.
2002    Similar to 2000, NCS starts the new year with Sakura Taisen. Sega's Memorial Pack re-releases of all three Sakura Taisen games on Dreamcast promise continued sales to staunch fans seemingly unaffected by all the rehashes. Sakura would also capture the hearts of it's fan base with Sakura Taisen 4 on March 21 and the Sakura Complete Box, which gathered together all four volumes in the series. Otherwise, the Dreamcast limps along as software releases slow to a trickle but ends the year with a bang when Playmore ships King of Fighters 2001 and promises KOF 2002 sometime in 2003.
   The Japanese launch of the Xbox fizzles with moderate interest in the console. NCS brings in the Xbox Limited Edition console along with the regular edition to moderate sales. Perhaps we can blame it on the lack of "must-have" software but we see great sales of the Japanese X-box controllers which are smaller in girth than the USA joypads. As the year comes to a close, Xbox releases in Japan pick up but are still tepid.
   The Playstation 2's dominance in the import market is assured with another impressive lineup of new releases including names such as Xenosaga Episode 1, Grandia Xtreme, Virtua Fighter 4, and Onimusha 2. The first quarter ends with a strong PS2 flourish with Tekken 4, Super Robot Wars Impact, and Kingdom Hearts hitting the market. The fourth quarter sees similar success with PS2 Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance and Kidou Shin Sangumi Moeyo Ken. 
   Old friends visit when Sun/Eolith release King of Fighters 2001 and 2002 on the Neo Geo. In between that, we enjoy Metal Slug 4 and Rage of the Dragons. Sales are always consistent for Neo releases and we order the Japanese editions with confidence. NCS also brings in a USA version of the four games for customers who desire the English insert and manual. 
   The first quarter for the Gamecube sees a small number of releases but sales pick up exponentially when Biohazard ships to market. It marks our best selling Gamecube to date, besting the sales performances of Luigi's Mansion which we pretty much sold 1 for 1 with every Gamecube console we shipped last year. Impressive performance for Capcom's remake of the original Biohazard game bodes well for the franchise in general. As the year closes, GC Phantasy Star Online and Eternal Arcadia Legend lead sales.
2001    Sakura Taisen leads the way into the new year by way of a special Dreamcast console package, a complementing joypad, and e-mail software. Sakura Taisen 3 gives good follow-up and ships in March with two limited editions. Unfortunately for the DC, Sega announces cessation of it's Dreamcast production at the end of January although software titles would still be published for the remainder of the year. A powerful PS2 lineup dazzles the market with Zone of Enders, Devil May Cry, Biohazard Code Veronica LE, and Metal Gear Solid 2; it's sophomore year defines the PS2 as a serious contender. The Gameboy Advance proves a smashing success when it ships in Japan during the first quarter and performs equally well in the USA a few months later. The Wonderswan Color sees it's fortunes flag under the weight of Nintendo's portable juggernaut. 
   During the second half of the year, NCS pre-occupies itself with Gamecube sales. The Japanese launch is welcomed warmly, with mighty volumes shipped to domestic and international customers. When the Gamecube modification [USA/JPN] is discovered, sales spike as Nintendo fans scramble to get their own international CUBE. Microsoft ships X-Box to the USA market but due to LAME distribution, NCS side-steps the big mess. NCS re-enters the Japanese toy business with Parappa plushes and Samba plushes proving their mettle in a fickle buyer's market. Candy Toys and various other products are dabbled in as the holiday season rolls around. 
2000    NCS kicks the Dreamcast Mod first in a 26-wire version and then in 6-wire and currently 5-wire versions. The Playstation 2 is launched with much fervor but the software follow-through is suspect. Nevertheless, Japanese PS2 sales are very strong and interest is high. The beat goes on with Dance Dance Revolution on the DC and DDR 3rd Mix on the Playstation 2. Final Fantasy IX is released mid-year, safely ahead of the impending juggernaut known as Dragon Quest VII. NCS stops accepting new vendor accounts but maintains existing wholesale buyers. The company ends the year with a mighty mix of product offerings to cap our best year yet - King of Fighters 2000 leads in gross numbers but Guilty Gear X LE, Last Blade 2, Phantasy Star Online, Daytona USA 2K1, and Card Captor Sakura boast stellar sales. 
1999    NCS opens the on-line store and fills it up with our complete inventory. The store currently handles over 70% of all sales. SNK strengthens their hand in the handheld market with the Neo Geo Pocket Color. NCS enjoys brisk sales of the NGP handheld and feels the conviction of the Neo Geo fanbase. The Dreamcast import library remains mighty and the DC product line takes over as NCS' strongest seller. Near the end of the year, we hear the Saturn swan song as publishers abandon the console. The same goes for the Neo-Geo CD with King of Fighters 99 as the last release. The Neo Geo console also seems sickly. NCS scales back wholesale operations and focuses primarily on retail accounts.
1998    The Dreamcast debuts late in the year and causes much pain and suffering with Sega's short supplies to the market. Lived through it however and what didn't kill us made us stronger. Wiser. Bemani is unleashed and a new genre is born. The original Dance Dance Revolution is still an office favorite with it's superb soundtrack (Butterfly anyone?). It's a super Saturn year with Radiant Silvergun on the money - still one of the most sought-after shooters and a true gem from the Treasure crew. Capcom strikes gold with the Saturn 4MB collection of arcade conversions. The original Neo Geo Pocket is released - a black & white handheld with great promise and a seemingly bright future.
1997    NCS considers 1997 the 32-bit Golden Age with many, many excellent imports released to market. It is around this time that the realization sets in that the web will change the way everyone conducts business and NCS looks into daily updates on a bustling import market. One of the best Saturn shooters arrives in the form of Soukyugurentai and Square releases the first Final Fantasy on the Playstion with numero VII which promptly captures the imagination of a 32-bit hungry public. Sakura Taisen is introduced to the world and a new fan base develops for the fuchsia princess. Sakura is one of our best sellers on the Saturn. Note that we said "is" and not "was". It's got endurance. 
1996 The Nintendo 64 is released, the Saturn gets Virtua On fever, and the Playstation goes Namco retro. The Nintendo 64 was a killer because of it's high cost at debut. NCS took heavy losses since prices for the console were quartered within a month of it's release due to dead sales in Japan and the USA. Mario 64 wasn't enough to save this one and Pilot Wings was dead on arrival. It would be a harbinger of doom since N64 sales in Japan have since died. Kaput. On the legal front, NCS is sued by Sony because of the Playstation mod chip. Sometimes it's not good to be a pioneer since it may attract corporate wrath.
1996    Web updates are still performed at random intervals but we're beginning to believe... This is an early 1996 selection of updates but it was a memorable first half because of Vampire Hunter on the Saturn. NCS sells over 1,000 units on the first day and another 2,000+ units in the months that follow. We would beat these numbers by a wide margin with the Capcom releases that would follow such as Vampire Saviour, Marvel  vs Street Fighter, etc. The ability to import Capcom games a week before our fiercest competitors helped NCS corner the Capcom fighting game market. Some ardent rivals leave the business and others join the market.
1995    NCS tiptoes into the web and issues spotty web updates due to lack of conviction in the new medium. Much of our early material has been lost since we figured the web was a fleeting fad and the future remained on paper and print. Most updates were weekly and only faxed to our vendor accounts. Another mistake. The Playstation and Saturn distinguish themselves with the PS strong in 3-D games while the Saturn offers Astal and Clockwork Knight, both excellent 2-D platform titles. 
1994    The Saturn and Playstation debut in Japan with PS consoles hitting the USA retail market at a nice US$850 each and the Saturn kicking in at US$750. Early Playstation games such as Ridge Racer and Toshinden would command prices of $125 each but fans damn the cost and feed the need for 32-bit gaming. NCS is still doing business the old fashioned way around this time but makes a push into retail. The 32-bit consoles open up new opportunities.
1993    NCS goes heavy into the Super Famicom, Super Mega Drive, Game Gear business; SFC carts cost $115 each thanks to Nintendo's Japanese monopoly and "normal" cartridge prices of Y11800 (US$110). NCS expands wholesale operations to vendors around the country.
1992    Old school players may remember NCS back in the day...
1991    Business is conducted by phone and fax. The internet is still relegated to universities, government and few envision a web for the masses. Every week, we'd fax vendors our weekly sales sheets for new releases. This was back when long distance charges were still hefty.
1990    NCS enters the import gaming niche and supplies only local vendors, neglecting the retail side. Big early mistake. Other markets are explored to test viability. For a while, we built PCs which was profitable but it was too time and labor intensive.
1989    NCS begins as a part time coin-op vendor. The first machine sold is a near-junked cabinet purchased from a local pizza parlor. Miniscule profits at the dawn of business ops pave the way for bigger things to come.