Coin-Op Legend Shane Breaks Dies At 75 Led Ataris International Sales

Shane Gough Breaks, a pioneer in coin-op and central figure during the Golden Age of Videogames, died on Jan. 5 at his home in the South of France. He was 75.

One of the very early "Artarians," British-born Breaks entered the coin-op industry with a position at a London-based vending operation, Quick Maid, before moving to the amusements segment. He took a sales job at Streets Automatic Machine Co. Ltd., a manufacturing and operating company, of which he would eventually become president.

Successful stints in the United States at Rowe International and R.H. Belam followed Streets Automatic, prior to his joining Atari in 1979. At Atari, which was only seven years old when he joined, Breaks was in charge of international sales. He was involved in marketing such hits as Asteroids, Gauntlet, Paper Boy and Marble Madness.

Breaks' 50-year globetrotting career also included positions at Benchmark Games and Namco. He had been retired for the past five years.

He is survived by his wife Sophie, daughter Kim and son Brendan, along with stepchildren Alexandre, Emilie and Olivia.

PHOTO:Shane Breaks (l., circa 1981) congratulates Herbert Knack of Germany's Löwen Automaten for top international sales of Atari's Asteroids during a distributor meeting.