Cuphead is an unreleased pinball machine based on the Studio MDHR video game IP, developed by American Pinball over several years of extended development hell. The game reached approximately 85-90% completion with professional-quality mechanics, artwork, and innovative features including dice mechanics, vari-targets, and figure-eight ramps, but became mothballed following American Pinball's 2024 staff layoffs and licensing issues. A homebrew version was showcased by Scott Miller at Pinball Expo 2025. The project symbolizes American Pinball's development struggles and remains uncertain under the company's new ownership as of early 2026.
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Cuphead for American Pinball has been cancelled; the licensor retained all custom animations, art, and sounds
Cuphead pinball game might not be released due to unclear status
The Cuphead pinball design was almost complete but was mothballed
Cuphead gameplay footage is circulating in the pinball community but has not been publicly released
Long-rumored American Pinball title; status under review by new management; no confirmation of production timeline.
American Pinball game project that was mothballed during company's recent turmoil
American Pinball licensed title publicly cancelled; no longer in production
American Pinball project; designed, fun layout, cool mechanisms but licensing issues; Don speculates retheme to Shovel Knight; will appear at Expo in rethemed form
Homebrew game; advocated by Don as better project for DPX to pursue instead of Magic Girl
Rumored pinball game with Christopher Frangie art mentioned in speculation about upcoming releases
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Cuphead's animations and music were created by external licensing studio rather than in-house
Cuphead pinball will be released with fully completed code
Cuphead as a pinball theme will not move units compared to Harry Potter, Jaws, King Kong, D&D, Evil Dead, LOTR, or Medieval Madness
Cuphead is the next anticipated American Pinball title, still in development as of several months before this episode.
Cuphead has beautiful artwork but lacks code depth, leaving players uncertain about the game's purpose
Cuphead pinball may be abandoned if parent company Ametron faces financial difficulties due to contractual obligation burden
Cuphead IP is too niche to rescue American Pinball from financial distress
Cuphead pinball will not be a fun machine due to the arcade game's repetitive death-heavy mechanics
Cuphead animations will be top-notch using Fleischer animation assets with upper playfields
American Pinball licensed game; cited as example of questionable IP choice vs. potential Metroid theme
American Pinball title; Kaneda predicts will be final game from manufacturer due to poor sales
Announced game whose release timeline is uncertain
American Pinball game in development, ready to produce but blocked by inventory clearance requirements
American Pinball title in development by Ryan McQuade; described as 'utter disaster,' doesn't shoot well, company lacks funds; scheduled for Pinball Expo October 2025
Rumored American Pinball game; potential IAAPA announcement; theme concerns from community
American Pinball game in development; Kaneda predicts flop due to poor leadership during dev, weak theme, competing releases (Harry Potter, King Kong)
Rumored American Pinball game for October 2024, designed by Ryan McQuaid
Upcoming American Pinball release; niche theme; community concern about viability given AP's market position; purportedly has good playfield design despite theme liability
American Pinball announced/rumored title; allegedly blocked from parts ordering until inventory clears and 500 confirmed orders arrive; reveal shifted to early 2025 from IAAPA.
Video game IP that was made into a pinball machine; referenced as example of IP licensing
American Pinball's never-released game; represented company's failed ambitions
American Pinball Game 7; described as having beautiful artwork but significantly lacking code/rules depth; facing uncertain future
American Pinball rumored November release; Kaneda questions fan-to-buyer crossover potential
American Pinball upcoming release expected end of week with no prior marketing teasers
Video game IP rumored as American Pinball's next title; contingent on Galactic Tank Forces inventory liquidation
American Pinball game; Kaneda predicts will not sell existing inventory
Anticipated Stern game on hold until existing inventory clears (per Kaneda speculation)
American Pinball title; upper playfield feature; July 2025 release promised; predicted dead-on-arrival due to American Pinball's reputation damage
Predicted to struggle due to video game IP being difficult to translate to pinball; will come out and retire quickly
Upcoming Stern title; heavily teased; reported to have top-notch animations using Fleischer assets; expected upper playfields; positioned as strong competitor to weak releases like Berrio's
Licensed pinball in development; delayed; possibly rethemed from Masters of the Universe
American Pinball title based on Cuphead video game IP; license not renewed; reportedly not selling well commercially; Kaneda considers it a weaker choice than Kingpin would have been.
American Pinball upcoming game; criticized as not a theme most players care about; evidence of poor market research
American Pinball title promised by Kerry Hardy; described as not coming to market; cited as example of failed pipeline management
American Pinball title; reportedly shown as company's best game, summer release speculated
Upcoming American Pinball game based on Cuphead IP; described as most vibrant/coolest game American has produced; staff reportedly underpaid
American Pinball game in development by Ryan McQuaid; leaked by Kaneda as next title; criticized as niche market choice
American Pinball game in development; Kaneda predicts will never be released
American Pinball title; Kaneda predicts poor 2025 window due to oversaturated market and lack of marketing momentum; low collector interest
American Pinball game expected to release after Fix's departure, potentially last new title from company
Upcoming game release in next 6 months alongside Potter, Kong, D&D, Barrels of Fun, Tales of Arabian Nights, Medieval Madness remake
American Pinball game being delayed past Expo; known for exceptional video game art style
Upcoming American Pinball machine based on video game IP; release window before midsummer; not appearing at TPF or MGC
American Pinball game in development; reportedly shipping around January/February alongside Avatar CE
American Pinball game in development for nearly two years; lacks ordered parts and cannot commit to launch date; delayed due to parts availability and cash flow issues
Homebrew VPX pinball table based on the Cuphead video game; original EM-style design created by community member, features soul collection and character advancement mechanics.
American Pinball title (designer Ryan McQuaid); lumped in with predicted commercial failures alongside Barry Osler tribute and Whitewater 2
American Pinball game in development; described as 'American Pinball's best game to date'; non-mainstream theme; expected release timing uncertain.
Rumored/announced as American Pinball's next title; criticized by Kaneda as lacking mainstream appeal
American Pinball next title; licensing conflicts with art height specifications; not being revealed at Expo due to incompleteness
American Pinball in-development title; physically complete, code ongoing, expected late Feb/early Mar 2025 preview at Texas Pinball Festival
Upcoming American Pinball release; described as company's potential 'make or break' game; based on Cuphead video game IP; positioned as last realistic survival opportunity
Homebrew pinball machine designed/built by Scott Miller; based on Pete Morrison's visual pinball table; EM-style with two-inch flippers, video backglass, addressable LEDs, in continuous service since 2000-2001
American Pinball game in development; functioning shooting game ready but not released; held up by unknown reasons (speculation: inventory clearance of Galactic Tank Force)
Video game licensed to American Pinball; game reportedly fun but company instability affects confidence
American Pinball unreleased game; rumored to be 'on the line' but 'not on the assembly line' per Rumor Corner
American Pinball's unreleased next title; assumed next project; described as 'super niche' with heavy aesthetic focus; unlikely to save company despite being iconic IP
Upcoming pinball machine from American Pinball; based on arcade/Switch game; subject of teaser confusion
Rumored next American Pinball release; designer no longer with company; unconfirmed but widely discussed in community
Stern Pinball game (upcoming); praised for art aesthetic; hosts uncertain about market viability vs. larger licenses
American Pinball's upcoming release (expected December 2024) based on Cuphead video game; features heavy animation requirements; Don notes Ryan McQuaid's extensive involvement
Video game IP; rumored as American Pinball's next pinball game; Don speculates gameplay could use Barry O's layout with Cuphead art assets
P3 game still unreleased as of August 2025; ongoing 'Cuphead watch' tracking status
Rumored American Pinball title; not officially announced; absent from Pinfest and other recent shows
Rumored next American Pinball title; expected release unknown; mentioned as 'forthcoming' several months before this episode.
American Pinball title in completion phase; code is primary blocker; delayed from Expo and APA reveals; production held pending inventory clearance
American Pinball title; status highly uncertain; not appearing at IAAPA booth; may or may not be released
American Pinball game #7; rumored still in development; expected to be shown at Midwest Gaming Classic April 1-3
American Pinball machine in production, will be shown 'probably in January' per hosts
Rumored upcoming American Pinball title; hosts express strong skepticism about appeal and market fit
American Pinball game; rumored not to be unveiled at Expo; described by Bruce as 'bad idea'
American Pinball game reportedly near completion when Steve Bowden was fired; shown to exclusive distributors at Expo but not general industry
Original 1970s game extensively modified; placed second in Favorite Homebrew with new electronics/software
Announced/in production; characterization 'nowhere to be found' suggests supply/availability issues
Pinball game supposedly coming with full code this month; Kaneda predicts no one will buy it
Mentioned as likely American Pinball project being worked on for return
American Pinball Game 7 (unreleased); reported unfinished code; expected 2025 release despite organizational collapse
American Pinball's Game 7 (rumored); allegedly in 'bare bones' code state; uncertain if will reach market or Texas Pinball Festival
2017 video game being adapted to pinball by American Pinball with designer Ryan McQuaid; targeting Chicago Pinball Expo October release
Upcoming American Pinball game announced; hosts skeptical due to game not targeting older demographic (40-45+) who represent primary pinball buyer base
Upcoming American Pinball release; mentioned as driver for current inventory clearance/pricing moves
American Pinball project mothballed; symbol of company's recent development failures
Long-rumored American Pinball title; status remains uncertain under new ownership; listed as 'nothing is off the table'
Unreleased pinball machine based on video game IP; ~85-90% complete with professional assets; features innovative dice mechanics, vari-target, figure-eight ramp, and casino meta-game
Licensed pinball game stuck in development limbo; homebrew version exists; Don rates it better than Stern's worst modern games; potential candidate for Turner Pinball manufacturing
Pinball game based on Studio MDHR computer game; mothballed despite near-complete design after 2024 staff layoffs
Homebrew pinball game; featured at Expo 2025 homebrew showcase
Homebrew pinball machine showcased at Pinball Expo 2025, based on VP table, features 2-in flippers and multiball
American Pinball project; long rumored, not released, likely never to be released given company decline
Long-delayed American Pinball project described as 'kind of dead' but potentially viable for revival under new ownership before end of 2026
American Pinball project in development hell; hosts express doubt of release despite original enthusiasm 4 years prior
American Pinball project; only one copy produced; hosts skeptical game will ever reach full production
American Pinball project; appears stalled; hosts skeptical about viability
American Pinball project cancelled due to licensing issues
American Pinball prototype with impressive mechanics and artwork but incomplete code; license not renewed due to management inattention
American Pinball machine ~85-90% complete; praised for exceptional mechanics and artwork; based on video game IP; in limbo due to American Pinball instability; featured prominently in episode discussion
American Pinball title; appears stalled; reportedly best American Pinball machine made despite production delays
American Pinball project; completed but unreleased; licensor may have concerns or lost faith; potential reacquisition by another manufacturer
American Pinball extensive R&D; Kaneda speculates it will eventually be released despite delays
Pinball machine game in development with completed code, discussed as having poor market appeal
Predicted American Pinball final release; predicted market failure due to low IP recognition in pinball demographic
Reported dead in water due to copyright/mechanical issues preventing release
Proposed game that will not be made; Kaneda describes cancellation as best news in pinball, calling theme 'horrible' and labeling it a 'sales disaster.'
American Pinball project; appears stalled based on Ryan McQuaid's recent communication; future viability questioned
American Pinball game with leaked images (yellow coloring) and unreleased gameplay video; positioned as game that could have succeeded at Expo but not expected to release
Spooky Pinball release. Dismissed as having no game/product market success ('no cuphead').
American Pinball title under David Fix; stuck in licensing/contractual limbo; may never release