Welcome again to Newsbytes, the collection of posts at Arcade Heroes protecting bite-sized items of reports from across the worlds of arcade and pinball. It’s been a short while since we had a daily version of this (the final was a rhythm game-focused particular, due to a spate of reports there in January), so a hefty chunk of fabric has constructed up so that you can chew on. We attempt to get these out on the weekend, however on this case it will likely be one thing to begin your week off with. Let’s go!

Arcades at MAGFest 2025

A number of weeks again was the 2025 version of MAGFest, the reveals devoted to bringing video video games and video game-adjacent music collectively in a single huge blowout. Although no person at AH was in attendance there, it’d be remiss of us to not point out the sturdy presence arcades had on the fest, from its typical choice of current video games supplied by Save Level to the higher than ever devoted space for newer indie/homebrew efforts, which might each be seen on this complete 20 minute tour by our mates at Indie Arcade Wave:

Now, a lot of the indie titles offered there weren’t ‘actual’ arcade video games – many don’t play by the principles of (and even have) conventional coin-op cupboards, and few are getting correct arcade releases as such to the trade, with tons merely going out on Steam or consoles. However there have been some housed in fully-fledged machines, equivalent to this awesomely elaborate one-off made by Arcade Commons for the 2024 mid 90s-style indie racer sensation Nightmare Kart. It could definitely value an arm and a leg if manufactured and distributed…

The largest indie recreation positioned on present at MAGFest that is seeing a correct arcade launch although would in fact be Chef It Up. For a fast refresher on this one, it’s an authentic cooking simulator out of Sydney-based MonkeySplash Studios that first turned up late final yr within the States, initially out on take a look at at a Dave & Busters after which at IAAPA. Doubtless due to our protection, it additionally received some optimistic inclusion within the small “Arcade Watch” function of the UK’s Edge Journal final month; cool to see phrase unfold about it additional.

4 pairs of BumbleBear Video games’ Killer Queen Arcade have been moreover there; additionally be aware that the corporate just lately talked about of their month-to-month e-newsletter that they’ve been testing out the arcade model of ZOMBEEZ at Wonderville in Brooklyn, NY, the place they’ve “collected a variety of attention-grabbing information”. Apart from making some changes to the cupboard, there’s not far more than that to say, apart from this picture – which to be clear right here was not at MAGFest, however let’s say it’s MAGFest/indie arcade adjoining:

Fast movies of the indie video games that have been at MAGFest in motion will also be discovered at Indie Arcade Wave’s Instagram and TikTok profiles, in addition to this add by Retro Pop Planet (H/T to Jdevy on that final one).

For an additional community-focused expo with some arcade presence final month, there was additionally Frosty Faustings for the combating recreation aspect of issues. That had its personal arcade space too, in addition to the official presence of Sega builders, who have been there to advertise the brand new Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. for PCs and signal some imported cupboards on the aspect…

Japan Sport Updates

Over the previous couple weeks we’ve posted about a number of main developments out of Japan, which alongside the reveal of Missile Command Recharged have introduced a heap of visitors to the positioning (at all times good to see) and kicked off 2025’s arcade information cycle correct. However there’s nonetheless been a number of extra issues occurring over there, in addition to one or two updates to these tales, so let’s group them collectively right here.

The primary was the placement take a look at for the brand new Bandai Namco rhythm recreation Penda Beats, information of which reached us in a short time. That take a look at has now been over for per week, and due to employees unusually allowing attendees to publish pictures and pictures on-line, regardless of the sport not being formally introduced but, there’s a number of good movies of the sport in motion on the market. This one under demonstrates the gameplay in full stream, while prolific Japan location take a look at documenter Sport Room Ariesu has a clip of the tutorial and an in depth report on their website. The play model wasn’t fairly what everybody anticipated, but it surely reveals promise.

Penda Beats and the subsequent Wangan Midnight recreation aren’t the one issues that Bandai Namco have occurring although – in addition to a brand new replace for his or her Gundam card recreation to capitalize on the franchise’s newest theatrical launch over there, they introduced one other model of its Excessive VS. area battler, Infinite Increase. Idolm@ster Excursions has additionally had some motion, with a brand new in-depth livestream and the announcement that there might be a closing location take a look at earlier than its Spring launch (which is seeking to be later than meant now). Elsewhere, Konami have confirmed their new-style Gitadora cupboards might be popping out in March.

Sega in the meantime have introduced much less in the best way of upcoming titles for Japan, owing to there being fewer of their pipeline, however Preliminary D The Arcade has been collaborating with Undertaking DIVA once more, the sixth King of Performai rhythm recreation event finals are quickly, and so they have made a neat little official information to Japanese recreation facilities for inbound vacationers, selling Preliminary D, Virtua Fighter eSports, and Maimai DX (which ought to quickly be the primary of these to obtain an official Western launch by way of Sega Amusements).

Keep tuned later this week for protection on new exA-Arcadia bulletins, together with some updates on video games that have been seen at IAAPA 2024.

New Florida Pinball Present

This month has seen Florida get the primary version of its personal new pinball present, Pinball on the Seashore. Sponsored by native pinball retailer, Little Store of Video games (whose proprietor organized the Texas Pinball Competition till 2023), this had video games each previous and new to take pleasure in, together with some model new titles like Stern’s Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Tyrant & Metallica Remastered, Spooky Pinball’s Evil Useless, Jersey Jack’s AVATAR, Barrel of Enjoyable’s Labyrinth, American’s Legends of Valhalla, and far, far more. For extra some pictures and a full report publish, Pinball Information have the small print.

Scott Pikulski Begins Doozy Studios

In a shock transfer, veteran ex-Halfway and Play Mechanix designer Scott Pikulski (CarnEvil, Aliens: Extermination + Armageddon, Halo: Fireteam Raven, Minecraft Dungeons Arcade) has just lately damaged away from PM to begin up his personal growth firm, Doozy Studios. Although he has stated this might be targeted on a number of console initiatives at first, if these are a hit the hope is to do extra from there, together with (probably) arcade video games once more. We want him the very best of luck on this new enterprise…

Thanks For 20,000 Subscribers

To not blow our personal trumpet an excessive amount of, however final month the AH YouTube channel lastly crossed the 20k mark, as anticipated, and so we celebrated it with a particular livestream:

New Releases January 2025

After a little bit of a break, we’re again to our month-to-month new video games releases shorts on YouTube too. Notice that this will not be 100% as UNIS are nonetheless but to verify the standing on some titles of theirs. However we’ll get as shut as we will on something we find out about. Additionally, if you happen to’re curious, right here’s a video that rounds up a few of the latest main recreation information that we’ve coated on the positioning.

Headlines

Bandai Namco Studies Robust Q3 2024 + Proclaims Restructuring – Bamco certain are busy, between all their new video games and this upcoming reshuffle, which apart from having lofty plans for producing their very own movies in North America implicates the amusement aspect of issues as effectively (it seems to separate the arcade growth/gross sales and placement operations segments once more in Japan, with the previous changing into “Bandai Namco Expertise” quickly). No information but on whether or not the latter half will have an effect on the abroad aspect of issues…

Chrono Circle Goes Offline – Updates had already ceased months in the past and it was seemingly by no means all that well-liked, however nonetheless a slight disgrace. Andamiro may’ve put this out as a Maimai competitor if it wasn’t for the Round1 exclusivity. It’s not all unhappy information there although – the USA aspect has introduced in an e-mail that their Star Wars coin pusher is now transport, and a restricted variety of black Pump It Up LX items operating the newest model of PIU might be bought within the US beginning with Amusement Expo. If that matches your fancy, order ASAP

Your Final Likelihood To Seize Mission: Inconceivable Arcade DX – Will we get the sitdown mannequin noticed on take a look at a pair instances final yr as a substitute sooner or later after this? Or a brand new sequel a la Transformers Shadows Rising someday? Who is aware of…

Business Veteran Ryan Cravens Leaves Stern Pinball, Joins Pop-A-Shot As VP of Arcade Merchandise – Good luck to Ryan!

Need A Sega Amusements fortieth Anniversary Polo? They’re $50 On Ebay

Twilight Zone Trademark Suggests It’s Stern’s Subsequent Pinball Replace

San Francisco Rush Helped Steel Slug Builders Get By way of The Grind

Vertigo Video games Reportedly Sells SpringboardVR

The Combined Actuality Ping Pong Desk BitPong Is Testing Nicely

[Console Headlines]

GDCA 2025 Nominees Introduced, Led By Astro Boy & Black Fable Wukong

Faucets Performed For The Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional – Penning this on my laptop computer, which I used to be promised that the AVP was going to render such tech out of date. Whoops!

Valve Stops Video games From Turning into Advert-Infested Like Cell Gaming – Thanks Valve.

The Swap 2 Pleasure-Cons Would possibly Perform Like A PC Mouse

Atari Bringing Breakout Past To Consoles – That is really a recreation created for the vaporware console, the Intellivision Amico

No Zelda Fan Movie For You

14% Of Players Nonetheless Play Retro Programs – I’m stunned it’s that top

I Might See Punk Runner Getting An Arcade Launch With A Yoke Controller

Sport Journalist Julian Rignall Talks 5 Many years Of Gaming