Cactus Canyon LE's for EVERYONE!!

Cary Hardy·video·11m 40s·analyzed·Nov 7, 2021

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.026

TL;DR

CGC's Cactus Canyon LE launch mismanagement and topper availability tier devalue limited editions.

Summary

Cary Hardy criticizes Chicago Gaming Company's mishandled Cactus Canyon LE launch, where they initially planned 1,250 LEs but undersold demand, causing backlash when toppers weren't included. CGC responded by creating an SE+ tier offering toppers at LE prices, which Hardy argues devalues the LE by removing its primary distinguishing feature and rewarding complaint behavior. Hardy also notes CGC's contradictory statements about production delays.

Key Claims

CGC planned to produce 1,250 Cactus Canyon limited editions but significantly underestimated demand
high confidence · Direct statement about CGC's launch planning; corroborated by community reaction on Pinside
The topper is the primary distinguishing feature of the Cactus Canyon LE versus SE, and was the reason people wanted LEs
high confidence · Hardy's explicit statement: 'the topper. That is the one thing that cannot be replicated. So it is the primary reason why people want to get the limited edition'
CGC announced an SE+ tier offering toppers at the same price as LEs, making all three tiers (LE, SE+, SE) price-competitive
high confidence · Hardy describes the new pricing structure where SE+ customers pay LE prices for standard edition with topper
Planetary Rick instructed Classic Playfield Reproductions to halt selling Cactus Canyon back glasses due to plans for a new mirrored back glass available to all owners
medium confidence · Hardy reports: 'planetary rick has basically told classic playfield reproductions to halt on selling any more back glasses for cactus canyon now why that is is because they're going to be doing a different type of mirrored back glass'
CGC stated they could have shipped Cactus Canyon a year earlier but chose to perfect the game, contradicting earlier statements about licensing delays three months prior
high confidence · Hardy references Doug Duba's post citing ability to release a year ago, versus prior licensing excuse; presents this as contradictory timeline
Hardy is purchasing a standard edition Cactus Canyon without the topper, per his wife's preference
high confidence · Direct personal statement: 'Have I changed my order? No, I'm still getting the standard edition without the topper'

Notable Quotes

“You were the chosen one! I hate you! I loved you! I mean, for crying out loud, Chicago, you've had years to plan and initiate the launch of your Cactus Canyon remake.”
Cary Hardy@ 0:07 — Sets emotional tone of frustration with CGC's poor planning and execution
“The topper. That is the one thing that cannot be replicated. So it is the primary reason why people want to get the limited edition is because of the topper.”
Cary Hardy@ 1:17 — Establishes core issue: topper was the only true LE differentiator
“When everybody's special, no one is.”
Cary Hardy@ 4:52 — Summarizes the fundamental problem with making LE features available to all tiers
“I think the main people that are getting the shaft on here are the people that got the limited edition. Because you're not getting anything that's too special.”
Cary Hardy@ 4:55 — Articulates the core unfairness to early LE adopters
“I wouldn't bother getting a top tier if i could easily buy a bottom tier and just make it into that”
Cary Hardy@ 6:30 — Explains why LE tiers matter—they must have features that can't be easily replicated
“Congratulations to the SE owners that did not get a chance to get the topper with their game. Now you can have it. So obviously that's a good thing that you're going to be happy about it. but I still feel that the LE purchasers need something extra.”
Cary Hardy@ 9:21 — Acknowledges the positive for SE owners while maintaining criticism of LE devaluation

Entities

Chicago Gaming Companycompany Cactus Canyongame Cary HardypersonStern PinballcompanyDoug DubapersonPlanetary RickpersonClassic Playfield Reproductionscompany American Pinballcompany

Signals

?
business_signal: CGC's creation of SE+ tier at LE pricing indicates reactive crisis management and willingness to abandon original tier stratification in response to social media backlash
high · Hardy's description of SE+ announcement following community complaints on Pinside/Facebook; acknowledges complaint campaign was successful in changing company policy
?
community_signal: LE customer backlash over topper inclusion triggered manufacture-wide reversal of tier strategy, rewarding complaint behavior and penalizing early adopters
high · Hardy's observation that complaints led to SE+ creation; notes 'you threw your fit and you were all upset about it but it's not like you were canceling your orders'
$
market_signal: Pattern of manufacturers announcing production specs/tier structures then reversing decisions post-announcement is becoming normalized, undermining collector confidence
medium · Hardy's explicit concern: 'I'm starting to see a trend here, guys. This is now two companies in a row that have announced, said they're going to do something, and then changed their minds'
$
market_signal: Cactus Canyon's significant demand underestimation (despite CGC's experience and multi-year development window) indicates broader market capacity forecasting failures across manufacturers
high · Hardy's assessment: 'I find it mind-boggling that CGC underestimated the demand for this title' given their history and preparation time
?
community_signal: CGC's post-launch contradiction on production timeline (claims year-early capability vs. prior licensing excuse) suggests planning dysfunction or transparent communication failures

Topics

Limited Edition pricing strategy and tier differentiationprimaryCactus Canyon LE launch failure and customer backlashprimaryPost-announcement manufacturing/pricing reversals and industry trendprimaryTopper as sole LE distinguishing feature and its devaluationprimarySE+ tier creation as customer appeasement vs. reward for early adoptersprimaryAftermarket customization (3D printing, powder coating) enabling LE replicationsecondaryCGC's contradictory statements on production timeline and licensingsecondaryMirrored back glass accessory for all Cactus Canyon ownerssecondary

Sentiment

negative(-0.78)— Hardy is strongly critical of CGC's planning failures, launch mismanagement, and the LE devaluation strategy. However, he acknowledges some positives (SE owners getting toppers) and expresses continued interest in purchasing the game. Frustration is directed at corporate decision-making and industry trends rather than personal attacks.

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.035

You were the chosen one! I hate you! I loved you! I mean, for crying out loud, Chicago, you've had years to plan and initiate the launch of your Cactus Canyon Remake. You've had plenty of time to get this stuff sorted out and do a hell of a good launch and impress everyone without pissing off a certain faction of it. But then you're just like... What's up guys and welcome back to my channel where I talk and do everything pinball. So if that sounds interesting to you then hit that subscribe button down below. So, Pinside is blowing up as well as anybody that's involved in getting a Cactus Canyon Remake, which includes me. So, let's break it down. They launched their game planning to do 1,250 of their limited editions. And the big factor, as I stated in a previous video, of the LE in comparison to the SE is the topper. That is the one thing that cannot be replicated. So it is the primary reason why people want to get the limited edition is because of the topper. But it seems once again in this hobby a manufacturer has underestimated the demand for machines. But I find it mind-boggling that CGC underestimated the demand for this title. I can kind of get behind American Pinballs underestimating the amount of demand for their game due to their history on their sales. But with CGC and the Cactus Canyon theme, why would you poorly execute this? Poorly plan this? So with the high demand, you had a lot of people that were very upset and obviously letting their feelings out on Pinside Facebook and all that stuff and junk. Complaining about how they didn't get their topper with their LE. They're going to miss out because they didn't get their topper. Yeah and I'm gonna be like that guys because I'm buying the game I'm not getting the topper and I was perfectly content with that but there are those of you out there that want to have their LE and they want to have their topper too because it does stuff mine have it but to throw a fit and what's even funnier about this guys is that you threw your fit and you were all upset about it but it's not like you were canceling your orders it's not like you weren't going to get the game you were throwing a little fit you're like oh I didn't get my topper I didn't get it I can't believe this well you know we just uh just keep throwing at the company you dumbasses that's not going to teach them anything but evidently it did something because they decided to go hey you know what how about this guys for those of you out there that didn't get a chance to get your topper with your limited edition we're going to make it available to everybody we'll make a new tier the SE Plus that's going to give you the topper along with a standard edition. I'm gonna get my money back in my wallet here real quick before I forget. So when the SE owners see this announcement from Chicago Gaming, obviously the standard edition owners that didn't get a chance to get their special little topper are going to be excited and rightfully so. Congratulations, you're going to get a topper with your Cactus Canyon Remake. But the real kicker is that in order to get this topper, you're going to be spending the same amount of money as the limited edition owners the same amount so you're going to be getting the standard edition with the topper for the same amount of money that someone spent to get a limited edition that's going to have the powder coating and the other little special little features throughout the game but this is where I'm really just like are you serious because a lot of the people that get limited edition or collector's editions is because they're getting something that other people can't. They're putting themselves into an elite group. That is why a lot of those people get those tiers. One reason is because they'd like to have all the extra features and whatnot, but this game isn't really implementing any extra features except for the topper. Everything else that's going to be different in these tiers can be replicated with 3D printing or with someone else that's an artist and stuff like that. The topper is the only thing that was segregating itself as being the elite group in comparison to the others. And now you have made that available to everyone. And when everybody's special, no one is. So I think the main people that are getting the shaft on here are the people that got the limited edition. Because you're not getting anything that's too special. Aside from the fact that you're not going to have to put things into the game yourself like the powder coating as well as the mine cart and the railroad tracks and the emblem on there and the side art that's just one less thing you have to worry about but as far as that I can get an SE Plus get it powder coated 3D print the things that are missing and aesthetically you wouldn't be able to tell a difference between my SE Plus and the person that got the limited edition there might be a special plaque on there but you're not going to be able to tell difference nothing's going to be different about it the only thing that people this is cracking me up too is that the collectors out there like well we still have the serial number that dictates that it an actual limited edition okay because you know how many people and I know there a small niche faction of you out there that whenever you're purchasing a game you're looking at serial numbers but for the vast majority I'd say 98 or higher we could give two shits about what that serial number is so that sucks in a way that the SE Plus owners are going to be spending the same amount for the limited edition when they're actually getting less but at least you're getting your topper so there's that but me I feel like those that spent the extra dollar immediately to reserve their limited edition their game should be better their game should be different they should be on a higher level that's the purpose behind getting a limited or collector's edition I wouldn't bother getting a top tier if I could easily buy a bottom tier and just make it into that. If you look at the difference between the Premiums and the Pros with Stern there are mechanics and features within that that cannot be replicated by easy means at least not without trying turning your Godzilla Pro into a Godzilla Premium or an LE yeah granted the Premium could easily be turned into an LE without the plaque but I'm talking like mechanical features that can't be replicated the tower the Mech Godzilla mech I can go on and on the bridge whatever it cannot be replicated so therefore there's a reason why that particular tier is better so now we're getting a particular low tier in comparison and then I can go oh you know I'm gonna get the powder coating on there it's a couple of hundred bucks all 3D printed things that I need put those in there I've got the topper on there voila mine looks just like your limited edition and then aside from that you also have Planetary Rick has basically told Classic Playfield Reproductions to halt on selling any more Brewing Company back glasses for Cactus Canyon now why that is is because they're going to be doing a different type of mirrored back glass. It's going to be special and evidently it's going to be available to all Cactus Canyon Remake owners. Limited one per customer. Now this back glass has yet to be created also. So that is basically in the works. So that's not going to be available until sometime next year. So have I changed my order? No, I'm still getting the standard edition without the topper. Talked to the wife about it. She doesn't want the topper. She doesn't care for it. So I'm sticking with my guns so to speak and just getting the standard edition. I'm just flabbergasted at how horrible the rollout was on this game. Like I said, they've had years. And what's funny is that I look at this post, and this is from Doug Duba over there at CGC, and he states here that they could have had this game out a year ago but they were wanting to make this game the best it could be Whereas what three months ago if that we were told that the reason why they couldn't show us the game three months ago is because they were still working on licensing issues and getting that resolved. So now you're telling us that you could have had it nearly a year ago, but you took the time to make this game the best of our collective abilities. Hmm. Which is it? They should have charged more for their limited editions. I think they didn't charge enough. They could have raised the price on that. Or they caved in. They shouldn't have caved in on the topper. And the baseline is, guys, congratulations to the SE owners that did not get a chance to get the topper with their game. Now you can have it. So obviously that's a good thing that you're going to be happy about it. But I still feel that the LE purchasers need something extra. The LE owners need something that sets them aside as being different because everything else can be replicated. So it sounds weird, but I'm fighting for the LE owners on this one because it feels like you're getting the shaft. I'm starting to see a trend here, guys. This is now two companies in a row that have announced, said they're going to do something, and then changed their minds on what they're going to be doing. Is this going to continue is this trend going to continue in the pinball industry if so whenever someone announces a game on Arcade being a limited edition and this is how many they're going to make maybe should be behind that depends on what the demand is the demand depends on whether or not they're going to have a limited number and what that limited is going to contain so CGC by all means I'm still looking forward to getting my game but I do feel that you guys need to come up with a plan and do something for your limited edition owners. They got in early. They paid the extra cash immediately. I think they should be rewarded in some sort of fashion. They need something that people can look at and go, oh, that's an LE owner. So by all means, guys, let me know how you feel in the comments down below. Did this change your buying situation or your decision on going with a Cactus Canyon Remake at all? Is this getting blown way out of proportion? But you have to agree, they could have launched a little bit better on this. Give me the thumbs up guys, subscribe button is down below, and by all means ding my dong that way you can be notified whenever I upload something for your viewing pleasure. And until next time, peace out. Thank you.