Is Arcade1Up Pinball Finished?

[@MichaelBtheGameGenie]

Hi Everybody, thanks for checking out the video! Let me know if you think AtGames and Zen Studios Partnership signal the end of the Arcade1Up Pinball Product line

[@Cargo_Bay]

If not the end, then maybe they’re not exclusive? If A1Up does another cab, they should try the AtGames approach of downloadable tables. I know that’s not their business model, but it could work for pinball more than regular arcade games

[@carlo1132]

If Arcade1up had these for 399 they would sell all day long, at 699 with glass instead of plastic, 1080p instead of 720p, it might actually pull 599-699, but since they cheeped out like they always do, they are finished, dont take my word for it, the actual employees said as much unless they decontent the already subpar product to hit the price points!

[@Cargo_Bay]

Probably, but I hope not. As far as v-pins go, they have an excellent cabinet body. Perfect size. Not too big or small. 24” display is the perfect minimum size for VPin. I like the bezel gives it some depth. I bought a used, defective cabinet to use for my PC build. The PCB didn’t work, but monitors and speakers still did.

[@steveblersch]

They look great, but are too small and not enough game potential!

[@edt1138]

A1Up pinball was finished the moment AtGames released their Legends Pinball machine.

[@NicholasDeOrio]

At Games took a hard look at all of the community mods for their pinball and implemented them into their 4K line. They wanted to play ball, it's as simple as that. Nothing comes close to the value of what they are offering if you’re really into virtual pinball. If you love 1Up pinball, this would be a tremendous upgrade for you… but if you just kinda like 1Up pinball… you’re probably fine not upgrading. Just for context. I have the previous At Games Legends Pinball and I love it! Especially for 450 on sale! Between a PC (for Zen Pinball FX3) , Backbox 2.0, Artwork, the control deck and new legs, my $450 discounted Pinball cost me around $1800. And that’s without solenoids which will be included in the 4K. It's not even a fair fight anymore

[@bonesjackson81]

A1UP pinball was jank. ALP all but buried them first time. Getting Zen is the final shovel of dirt on A1UPs pinball carcass.

[@TheBigb1973]

Arcade 1up is the most bizarre co. I've ever seen. Their pricing, the games, the sizes, the weird decisions they make is so damn bizarre

[@douglash.7071]

I like the ones that I have (Star Wars and Mars). Disappointed that we never got the Universal Studios one (Jaws, Back to the Future, ET).

[@bludragon77]

The problem is with arcade 1up we have had so many releases and reskins of licenses that they already have another pacman, mortal kombat, etc. I would love to see another Williams release from arcade 1 up with monster bash, creature from black lagoon and theater of magic. But they have been staying silent. And not showing anything new or a hint

[@Frear]

You should prerecord your NDA disclaimer and play it super fast like they do in car commercials.

[@MichaelBtheGameGenie]

lol that's not a bad idea

[@rushmore3927]

Please do it! Get Pdubs to voice it. 😅

[@khamla616]

Don’t forget AtGames used real glass Arcade1up used acrylic which blurred the playfield even more.

[@MichaelBtheGameGenie]

Yeah that Plexiglass was brutal, had weird colour striations throughout it

[@djm2373]

Listen. They give us 32 inch 4K playfield. Dmd backglass. I’ll pay the higher price. That can be the “pro edition”.

[@gameofyou1]

I considered an A1Up pinball, but the playfield screen is just too small.

[@alkohallick2901]

💯

[@TheYuppiejr]

The aesthetics (chrome legs/surrounds, licensed artwork, etc..) , haptics/sound and size of the A1Up tables are superior in terms of a "casual' home pinball experience even though I agree the pandemic scarcity driven low powered PCB was a huge miss in a cabinet that would, as configured, easily support 1080p/60fps tables. The launch price was right for the A1Up tables, though pandemic pricing made everything weird and I certainly think the jump to $750 was too much for the sort of impulse/basement game room purchase from a warehouse club in today's market. The atgames HD products were always more of a "me too!" enthusiast focused product with super generic artwork and limited licensing partnerships that was more of a refinement of the generic multicade kit approach than something that truly competes with the licensed A1Up replica approach. A1Up captured a more casual home player niche in their tables like their arcade cabinets with an easily transportable form factor and "good enough" tech inside. On the arcade side, using widescreen displays in retro arcade cabinets is still a dumb design choice by Atgames that makes their cabinets weirdly proportioned with less USABLE screen real estate than many competing products with "spec sheet" smaller displays. The limited control panel choices in the otherwise brilliant rotating (but unfortunate widescreen) mini LU variant could otherwise be a brilliant compliment to A1Up collectors who want a similar scale multicade to cover titles not available from their rival. A few smart changes to an updated 'HD" line of pinball tables and multicades to compliment the 4k products would potentially change the game for them.. yet we get crappy software updates and ho-hum dated basic designs while they dump resources into trying to one-up a larger rival while launching more expensive products in the face of a global market downturn in available recreational spending, with no real benefit to their bottom line? AtUp took some licks in the prior year or two but turned in strong 4th quarter results selling their products at retail with much less end of season clearance losses to deal with than prior years. The Atgames 4k generation products are certainly better, but the massive increase in price effectively doubles the point of entry which puts them into an entirely different market segment vs A1Up (budget enthusiast vs premium casual buyer). I think the biggest issue Atgames has is it's own weird obsession with trying and failing to one-up A1up instead of leaning into building and refining great products and taking feedback from enthusiasts who want to see them succeed in their own niche. They are instead expending financial resources chasing licenses that have already been brought to the market by A1up from Zen Studios / Rare out of spite and courting favor with social media influencers to try and swing opinion their way, which wouldn't be necessary if they just excelled in their own market doing what they do well. Recent dodgy software releases, a website that didn't function for almost a week, delays in releasing their new products... they really need to get their stuff together.

[@evilgeniusentertainment]

A1up basically gave up the vpin ghost when they took a year to fix the problems with WHITE WATER.... The only real way that A1up can beat AG/Zen moving forward is to bring out a much larger, more pro machine - something closer to the $4000+ up rigs you can buy from Xtreme. Something with a 43" screen, chrome, full on solenoids, etc. Could they do it? Sure. Are they? Considering the lack of truly new cabs this year that seems very unlikely. But I hope I'm wrong - competition is good.

[@jollygreen9377]

They’re finished in my opinion.

[@jerseyjon73]

Please tell me they will have the Indiana Jones Pinball and Twilight Zone Pinball downloadable for the 4K At Games Pinball Table. If so, I will be a buyer!!!

[@bonesjackson81]

I further that Twilight Zone thought! I want a TZ themed ALP4K. Favorite show and love the table.

[@hudsonwindsor1136]

Gut them all and mod with a PC. I gutted my A1Up and added my old PC, some vibrating speakers, an accelerometer, and shes a mini Vpin cab now with way more table options. So if youre in to modding, get a second hand either and pop a PC in it. If i got an Atgames, which isnt available in ny country, i would gut it straight away.

[@timfolly7323]

I don’t think Arcade1Up even thinks they are still in the pinball business. They have not indicated they will ever make another pinball game. I think they are concentrating on frustrating their retro arcade fan base instead.

[@King_Midas]

I could be wrong, but I feel like Zen likes to spread their product to as many places as possible. I don't think that their deal with AtGames is exclusive. I also believe that they take pride in their software and if the hardware isn't up to a certain standard they won't put their tables on it. There were some problems with the A1up tables after they were released and I think that may have made Zen more tentative to put them in A1up tables in the future. A1up will have to step up their game and make sure the chip they use is powerful enough to run the Zen tables like Zen wants them to. A1up doesn't really need to lower their price now, it just has to be lower than AtGames. What they do need to do is make the quality better because what they have now (720p, small DMD not using the whole display, static backglass) isn't good enough to compete with the 4KP. I'm preordering the 4KP in a few days, but I do hope that A1up figures something out as well.

[@alkohallick2901]

Arcade1up pinball was finished the second it was released with that garbage tiny monitor.

[@CZpersi]

Is the ghosting of the ball caused by KZbin compression, or does it appear on the device IRL?

[@EQOAnostalgia]

yt

[@cameranmanner4701]

I don't think a1up is done with pinball until they work on 10 version of pacman pinball.

[@NeuralX000]

One up customer service non existence star wars broke attack from mars delivery on my porch yesterday I refused delivery!

[@boboifiii1289]

I still enjoy my marvel and sw pin. Coulda been better but I got what I expected

[@JayCuts]

Let’s just say there’s a good chance Zaccaria pinball comes to existing A1UP pinball tables in the near future

[@EQOAnostalgia]

Depends, but yeah, prolly lol. If At Games doesn't get the Zen packs onto the OG ALP, it will be a shitshow. If they do... and the library is VAST. It's curtains for basically any other Vpin makers outside of the guys who go all out for the big $$$. They could dominate the market with Zen. It's... crazy lol.

[@suplrist4437]

There is no mention of PFX exclusivity from Atgames, Is just a matter of Tastemakers and Zen coming to an agreement.

[@rushmore3927]

Very likely a sales condition. A1Up is no longer pushing products, or don't want to keep paying the fees.

[@stokjock]

@MichaelBtheGameGenie , nice video today and I have to agree, I think 1Up is done with pinball. I should know as I'm now a pinball table owner 😀

[@videogamevegas]

Michael B. I think Arcade1Up is still part of the VPin game in one area, no one else offers a form factor in the size they do (well, except maybe ToyShock, but I haven't heard much from them lately). Arcade1Up made a size that could fit into my preferred home arcade configuration. Though I'm looking at getting the new AtGames 4K, I'm not going to add it to my home arcade, because I would have to sacrifice other games I want to have in there. AtGames going bigger isn't necessarily a plus in my book. And though AtGames does make their mini-pinball, it's on the other extreme end, just too small for my tastes. It's like the 3 bears story in a sense. One is too big, one is too small, and one is just right (Arcade1Up in the physical size department). Now wouldn't it be cool if in the future, AtGames made yet another model in their VPin line, something with a 24" screen playfield, and two other monitors to mimic the 4K setup. I would FINALLY have an AtGames Product in my home arcade. I like your well rounded thoughts on licenses, but here's the rub. Both ToyShock and AtGames both had Farsight Studios Pinball Arcade running Gottlieb tables at the same time with that license. Unless someone can show me there is some exclusivity on any of these companies, then I wouldn't be surprised if we see multiple platforms running them. Heck, how many consoles and mobile devices run Zen, Magic Pixel, Pinball Arcade, you name it, right now? They're EVERYWHERE! Maybe I just missed the "Zen Exclusivity" portion of AtGames announcement, because I don't recall that being said (if I'm wrong, let me know). I believe Arcade1Up can at least get Magic Pixel or Farsight Studios on board, given their multi-platform record, and even Zen, unless these companies just don't like money anymore (or exclusivity is in place, of course). And let me provide my personal experience when running Zen products, even the new Pinball FX has issues on my BEEFY PC. Zen has always been, for me, harder to run than other VPin products I've used. Heck, when Pinball FX2 came out, I stopped playing it altogether, because Farsight's product was just so much better, no lag or other game breaking stuff. Same thing when FX3 came out. Now did it get better with updates and with my computer upgrades? Yes, but holy heck, is Zen notorious for being hard to run. So Arcade1Up, the company known for cheaping out where ever they can, tries to run a Zen product on a woefully underpowered PCB. Big surprise it runs like crap. Then I get the Team Encoder Mod which allows me to run Farsight's Pinball Arcade on my Arcade1Up and the tables run flawlessly and smooth AND in 1080p! Addams Family on my Arcade1Up is AMAZING! Now, of course it doesn't look like the upcoming AtGames 4K release, but it still looks and plays amazing, better than any of the stock Zen games on the Attack From Mars. And come on. You know that companies say things all the time. Stern may be saying right now that they have no interest in virtual pinball, but you wait and see if AtGames, or any other company who may enter the market, show a boom of success, and you best believe Stern will be all in on the VPin scene (especially if people start pushing back hard on their ridiculous physical machine price hikes, or they start losing some market in that current gravy train; trends, no matter how strong, tend not to last forever). And of course Stern might say something like, "We were just waiting for a product to really make our machines shine in this arena before trying this again," but it's all just corporate speak. Companies will pivot on a dime for the all mighty dollar. Do I think Arcade1Up is still a valid player in the VPin market right now? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Do I think they can be? Anything is possible, but I think it's highly unlikely. They have a physical form factor that works for more people than you think, but they have NO business acumen to pull it off beyond just looks. Arcade1Up can't do quality, or at the very least, consistent quality, especially in the things that matter, and especially in every necessary area that counts. That's become the breaking point for a lot of us. The minds with the power at Arcade1Up live under the philosophy of making a quick buck attached to products with nostalgia flare, but with a less than bare minimum effort output. A lot of us can see beyond that beautiful emerald curtain and are sick of being fooled over and over again with unacceptable cut corners. If Arcade1Up brought out a new VPin that had that same convenient form factor, new 1080p 60fps, and even managed to add a download store to the mix, I STILL WOULD NOT BUY IT! I would need to see and play it in person EXTENSIVELY, and it would have to come with NO BLOCKERS important to me, before I'd give even the slightest inkling of purchasing it. I have ZERO trust in Arcade1Up and they've earned every bit of that. You have to understand Michael B. Some of us don't need, or even want, that bigger playfield screen and aren't as interested in all the bells and whistles you might think we all want. My wants are definitely different than some of the things you say the community wants. I'm part of that community and I can tell you right now that I don't fit perfectly into a "one size fits all" ideal. But I do want you to know that I appreciate your takes, and what's great, it just goes to show that we can have differing opinions and still come together and have great discussions and play games together. Have a great one Michael B! Good Video! vgv

[@banzairunner7860]

Huh?

[@alkohallick2901]

Maybe you should write a longer comment.

[@CobrettiKai]

I don't agree with A1UP that they need to add features and lower the price. The pinballs just need to be better and people will buy it. I love my Williams table from them, even though it has warts like the White Water table not working right (slowdown). That's why their pins need the ability to take firmware updates, first and foremost. The size of the cabinet and screen is not really an issue, I think it's just the bare minimum in size right now, to give a good play experience. A larger screen would be welcomed. I think they should see how well the new Atgames unit sells at their price point, and rethink their stance.

[@gerrystarchild]

Well. I was going to get the Arcade 1up starwars pinball game, but now I'm not . I don't feel comfortable buying a product that is going to be canceled 😢 I'm very disappointed 😔 😞.

[@mcrecordings]

What happened with Stern and Farsight studios? Or was it just that Stern didn't think it was worth their while?

[@svenop]

My local Costco had the star wars pin yesterday for...... $700.

[@alkohallick2901]

😆

[@ls-prez6125]

I want the atgames 4KP. 😊😊😊

[@purdue98]

Better to take the money and put in a used Williams or Bally machine.

[@scottboehmer1975]

It's not looking good for Arcade1up's pinball machines right now. If they had an exclusive agreement with Zen and let that lapse that just shows they had nothing else planned. If Arcade1up had allowed a store to purchase Zen tables this might have been a different story but as is they really have not been able to compete with what AtGames has been doing.

[@borisdisko4322]

Arcade 1up is at Costco right now. Should breath some life into them.

[@cwescrab]

Unless they come out with a 1440p or 4K pinball machine soon they are probably done.

[@MattTheKidd]

It would be cool if arcade1up could fix finally fix white water. Glad I paid for a game that doesn’t work.

[@cwescrab]

Atgames makes a way better arcade cab and pinball cab.

[@barcodebattler2587]

Full disclosure, i have a non disclosure agreement 😂😂😂😂

[@andrewkirk1112]

I hope zen make the centaur table

[@vincenzovieri3743]

Also how do they justifiy raising prices on those garbage hanging cases that went $175 or countercades at )200 to $300?? It’s the same cab!!! They just love scamming people

[@hectoraleman]

“Yes”… 30 second video. Most of of it the intro.

[@MichaelBtheGameGenie]

haha maybe i will make a follow up

[@ThorKCade]

@@MichaelBtheGameGenieYasss! 1 3/4 playback speed would be appropriately ironic. 😂

[@marcusrericha]

You haven't said anything in this video

[@Pitbull0669]

The better question is does any one give a shit about Arcade 1 SHLUP Pinball anymore? No not really lol

[@gothamcityarcade]

I'm don't think Arcade 1up VP is finish, just A1U have to come with the same and with more! If not, this will be the end, friend...

[@petergriffinelectricdrums4164]

😢😢ARCADE1UP REALLY REALLY DROPPED THE BALL …. 😡😡😡…. They had the Partnership they had the Licensing and after they released the 3rd Pinball they Stopped…. 😡😡 Whomever in charge dropped the ball and should be fired!!! 😡 We all should have had more Arcade1up Pinballs long time ago!!! It’s very saddening…..

[@Jrm0724]

RIP A1Up

[@MaxForce357]

T2 Arcade, but no T2 pinball? For shame…

[@rushmore3927]

I'm very disappointed that you're annunciating Mars differently. It's Mehhrs!

[@stupidfathobbit4262]

1up likes cheap and affordability to its consumers these v pins cost more to the average gamer to 1up its not worth investing into anymore.

[@steveblersch]

Aside from re-releasing the same machines, Arcade1up is dead in the pinball game!

[@rushmore3927]

For pinball, they duuuuuun. That said, competition is better than a monopoly.

[@mralapenosarespicy]

Get your ass to marzzzzz

[@stringerfilms.]

Pretty sure Arcade1up as a whole is closed to being finished. As in, sold to a different company. AtGames perhaps?? 🤔

[@MichaelBtheGameGenie]

Who knows, maybe another Toy Company would buy them out or thief financial status is much different than we think

[@stringerfilms.]

@MichaelBtheGameGenie My guess is they would have probably been bought out earlier this year or late last year if they had not received all the blow back from the Blitz & MVC2 online debacle 🤔