Stinger Report - 19/04/2021

TSR Newsletter | April 19, 2021

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Amusements Spring Forward

# 1066

Report Skinny

In The Stinger Report #1066 – This issue covers in detail:

1. [TRENDING NEWS] The Stinger Report covers new releases in the amusement trade as the vacuum of physical trade events is replaced by sporadic announcements.

2. [TRENDING NEWS] Western amusement rollout plans as UNIS Technologies and ACE Amusement bring some innovation to the table, with the launches of their own brand-new titles for those operators needing new titles.

3. [BREAKING NEWS] Raw Thrills reveals a brand-new major IP release with ‘Minecraft’ being given an amusement outing in a unique four-player configuration.

4. [TRENDING NEWS] Also, some new attraction releases including a partnership between BoldMove and TRIOTECH, and new VR attractions from CAPCOM and SPREE Interactive.

….and much, much more!

To read the full Stinger Report, register for your subscription here.

- The Stinger Report, published by KWP and its director, Kevin Williams, is the leading interactive Out-of-Home Entertainment news-and-views resource, covering the immersive frontier and beyond.

Main Report

At this time of the year, normally, we would be evaluating the production runs of the latest Western amusement machine releases, following on from what would have been seen first at EAG, then at JAEPO, and then with Amusement Expo. But as this is not a normal year by any means, the launch of new releases seems either curtailed or fragmented. But there are green shoots appearing and we are starting to get tantalizing news of new releases aiming for a late 2021 release window.

- New Amusement Pieces

Following on from the recent Stinger Report feature on crossovers and cross promotion, and the latest example of this trend was revealed from amusement powerhouse Play Mechanix. The game development studio arm of Raw Thrills revealed they have been working on a brand-new release based on the biggest-selling video game of all time. Called ‘Minecraft Dungeons Arcade’, this game has been developed in partnership with Minecraft publishers Microsoft Studios. It will be released later in the year, as a four-player combative dungeon crawler, team-based game. The cabinet also includes the popular card dispensing feature adding a collectable, repeat play element to the platform, with some 60 cards to collect, which can be scanned into the game.

Four-player dungeon action for the arcades [Play Mechanix]

While SEGA in Japan seemed limited on new developments, SEGA Amusements International (SAI) revealed several new developments which are in the process of rolling out to the market. Leading the charge is ‘Mission: Impossible Arcade’ – while originally revealed in 2019 (and covered in our IAAPA’19 report), the final version of the cabinet design and game play of the four-player competitive shooter, based on the movie property, has now received its official release. Adjustments to the cabinet artwork and back panel are the main differences [Image].

The final cabinet design for the shooter [SEGA]

There are obviously still speed bumps in the release program for SAI, as with many other corporations, based on the impact on the Western amusement scene following the Global Health Crisis. One of those games that reflects this impact was ‘Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020’ – now pushed forward into the 2021 slate, and the game is doubly relevant, marking the new date for the Tokyo Olympics, but also now on the 35th Anniversary of Nintendo’s Mario. Regarding any other completely new releases which are expected from SAI, ‘Men In Black: Arcade’ was spied on loc-test, although there is currently no word on if this will get a solid release in the near future.

Regarding SAI, The Stinger Report has already covered the Management Buyout (MBO) of the Western distribution and amusement operation. This is expected to see, as revealed in the press release announcing the move, a major rollout of new products in the pipeline from SAI. We look forward to seeing a brand-new drive-in product from the Western independent in June’21.

New releases from other parties for the emerging 2021 season in North America and the West, in general, are only now appearing in test, or only just now being teased for release later in the year as the green shoots of new facility investment appear. In compiling this coverage, we noticed that at least one amusement distributor and manufacturer (BANDAI NAMCO Amusement) was looking at June for the reveal of their new amusement pieces. The current conditions are possibly impacting the sales window, as some wait for a full reopening of the sector.

Adrenaline Amusement has continued to broaden its Videmption line, with the great ‘Hot Wheels’ four- and six-player versions of the competitive racer. The company also revealed ‘Blox Breaker’ – with its big screen-based ball-throwing product receiving a new software and cabinet skin to be turned into ‘Zombie Breaker’. Continuing its investment into strong IP-based entertainment, Adrenaline revealed it had licensed the popular skill-game brand from Hasbro to launch ‘Twister. Seen on loc-test, the new redemption title uses an interactive floor and wall feature to allow players to match the colours by standing and touching the corresponding area, with the game able to accommodate up-to-four players. This is not a video game, but a physical action game mimicking a fun element of the original property. Sources also point to another new video amusement piece in the wings from the company, although information is still wrapped under covers.

The developer and distributor UNIS Technology continued its rollout of new products, following its successful Virtual Roadshow. The company revealed a new racing game, ‘Big Foot Crush’, a two-player side-by-side racer, aimed at players of all ages. The game is based on the licensed Bigfoot monster truck property, appealing to fans of the series. Another example of a game given a new lease of life was revealed from UNIS, with ‘Cruis’n Blast’. Reported on in The Stinger Report 2017 AAA show floor coverage, this is a two-driver, one unique motion platform version of the Raw Thrill’s / Nintendo 2016 release. This will be a new title only currently distributed in China and South Asia. Previously only expected for Asian release, UNIS USA has brought the game into the Western market. Other new UNIS releases include the showing of the latest version of the company’s physical game systems, with a four-player version of ‘ATARI: PONG Knock Out’, now enable to offer e-ticketing capability. Meanwhile, the company also continues to see strong revenue from its previously released ‘Ultra Moto VR’ street bike racer.

The unique two-player motion cabinet version of the racer [UNIS]

One of the newcomers to the Western scene has been ACE Amusement Technologies, and it was confirmed that UK distributor UDC will be representing the latest releases from the Chinese developer. ACE leads the charge of new development with ‘Sky Riders’ (previously known as ‘Retro Tech Cycle’) – a pedal powered video, that has players soaring round a colorful landscape on their powered air vehicle, dodging obstacles and popping balloons. The game is available in a ‘Deluxe’ (DX) single player and in a ‘Twins’ version, with two cabs placed together for competitive flying/racing action. The game is clearly aimed at a Kidtainment audience with a three-years of age target as the youngest, but the action looks fun enough to draw in older players. It was more than obvious that ‘Sky Rider’ has been influenced by the seminal NAMCO 1994 release ‘Prop Cycle’ – the physicality of the game experience adds a little of the “Exergaming” element to the play style.

The other new release from ACE was the appearance of ‘Nitro Speed’ – a four-player, third person, racing game. The players race in a cartoon environment, collecting coins, in what can be operated as a Videmption title. The players use a steering wheel and an accelerator in the fast-paced racer. This game is in the same vein as the Adrenaline Amusement ‘Hot Wheels’, offering a compelling and high-speed blast of racing action. The company has also rolled out a selection of its four-player physical screen shooters, either using water jets or screen blasting. The company has also released its video screen basketball titles, such as ‘Game On! Basketball’.

The two-player peddling action of the flying game [ACE Amusement]

Speaking of game crossovers and the use of IP in immersive consumer entertainment (as we touched on in our previous coverage, and it was announced that KONAMI would be entering the consumer VR scene with ‘Beat Arena’. The game is based on the amusement BEMANI franchise and offers a music skill game experience set in VR and launched on the Oculus Quest 2. It was surprising that KONAMI took such a long time to offer up a VR experience for the latest generation of tech, and especially taking so long to come up with an answer to Beat Games’ hugely popular ‘Beat Saber’ (now owned by Facebook). This is a dedicated Japanese release, and the Oculus platforms have found it difficult to break into the Asian market. It remains to be seen if a new VR music game based on an amusement property can make an impact in this sector.

The appearance of more reinterpretations of classic video amusement properties in immersive incarnations was seen. This time promoting AR technology and, first off, ‘Pac-Man’ celebrated its 40th anniversary and found its way into a new Pizza Hut marketing promotion with BANDAI NAMCO. The iconic character is apocryphally claimed to have been inspired by a pizza with a slice taken out, and it has been recreated as a playable game using a downloadable app for smartphones through a QR code on promotional pizza boxes. At the same time, ‘Space Invaders’ was teased as soon to be available as its own AR smartphone interpretation, realized by Square-ENIX Montreal, part of the parent of TAITO, who worked in collaboration with this project. Augmented game applications seem still to be stuck in limbo as innovative promotional tools, unable to escape this cycle.

Smartphone AR app promoting the classic mascot [Pizza Hut]

- New Attraction Pieces

The development of Mid-Scale attractions which can support the new needs of FEC operations continued to gain momentum. The trend of partnerships and acquisitions continued in this sphere as reported in others.

An example of Japanese amusement factories moving towards developing attraction-based experiences is illustrated by CAPCOM, who announced the opening of ‘Biohazard Walkthrough The Fear’. This is a free-roaming VR experience for two or four players, wearing HTC VIVE Pro headsets and backpack PCs, navigating the zombie outbreak based in the ‘Biohazard’ (‘Resident Evil 7’) world (based on the 100m selling video game franchise). The experience opened in March at Taito Station Kurayami Amusement Park, offering a VR attraction that is planned to be rolled out at other amusement sites. This is the second VR attraction developed by CAPCOM based on the property, with the company launching ‘Biohazard Valiant Raid’ in 2018.

Regarding new VR free-roaming platforms, DOF Robotics announced their entry into this sector with ‘VR Room: Warp in The Space’. The unique enclosure-based VR system uses both a free-roaming VR enclosure system, that incorporates motion seats as a physical effects element of the experience. The four player systems details have yet to be fully revealed but seems to point to a trend in development for immersive installation style attractions. The Stinger Report in a coming feature will look at the explosion in immersive “Transportable Entertainment” systems that include many of these elements. This latest design from DOF emulating the work that has also been seen from Backlight, Immersive Tech, SPREE, and Movie Power to name a few.

Rendering of the intended VR attraction [DOF Robotics]

TRIOTECH, along with their amusement releases, announced their continued investment into the interactive dark ride scene, partnering with BoldMove Nation towards a collaboration to build ‘Smash & Reload’ as a compact interactive dark ride. With this partnership, TRIOTECH will be bringing their multi-sensory, high-energy interactive attractions experience to the collaboration, while BoldMove Nation will focus on the interactive media content and gameplay with their ‘TooMush’ IP. This compact system will accommodate six players per vehicle (three or five vehicles per attraction variant), shooting at the screens and smashing buttons during the four-minute experience. The three-vehicle variant is looking at an average of 240pph (player-per-hour) throughput, against the larger variant 360pph throughput. Sales of this compact attraction are focused on the markets of FEC, theme park, leisure, and retail venues. We await news of the first installation, and a chance to try this ambitious attraction in action.

Artist’s interpretation of the attraction experience [BoldMove]

As covered in our IAAPA 2019 feature, SPREE Interactive, partnering with I.E Park, launched the fruits of their efforts – launching their latest VR bumper car attraction ‘Cyber Blaster’. We reported on the SPREE and I.E. Park partnership towards using the latter’s next-generation bumper car technology married to the virtual reality technology and content for the former, who have also seen SPREE partner with PIXOMONDO in the development of the virtual environment that players compete within, while physically steering their vehicles. This is the first dedicated VR bumper car platform deployed into the market, although we have seen attempts from Chinese developers in the past. It was revealed there are plans to bring ‘Cyber Blaster’ to several locations, the first being Erlebnispark Schloss Thurn theme park in Nuremberg, Germany, with further installation plans for over the summer months – more details to follow.

Players enjoying the VR bumper car experience [SPREE]

Speaking of new products and trends, The Stinger Report will be following this coverage with a series of features charting new amusement and attraction trends which are making an impact on the re-emerging scene. We will start looking at the explosion in interest in “Transportable Entertainment” platforms, and then follow this with the growth in 360° immersive platforms, coinciding with the anniversary of the iconic SEGA ‘R360’.