Pinball News & Notes: Last Call for Stern Guardians of the Galaxy, Kingpin is Dead, New Code

Knapp Arcade·article·analyzed·Sep 13, 2023

Analysis

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TL;DR

Stern GotG final run, Kingpin remake dead, trademark issues, new code updates.

Summary

Industry news roundup covering Stern's final Guardians of the Galaxy production run, the collapse of Circus Maximus's Kingpin and Pinball Circus remake projects, American Pinball's lapsed Galactic Tank Force trademark, and recent code updates for Heist, James Bond, and Queen. Highlights ongoing disappointment with Circus Maximus's lack of communication to pre-order customers.

Key Claims

Stern Pinball has scheduled a final production run for Guardians of the Galaxy Pro in December
high confidence · Distributor Flip N Out confirmation; presented as definitive calendar scheduling
Pinball Circus remake by Circus Maximus is completely dead with no plans to resume
high confidence · Author received update in response to Pinside inquiry; stated as definitive decision
Kingpin remake by Circus Maximus is dead; all U.S. Trademarks have expired except one held by a gentleman in the Netherlands
high confidence · Author's sourced update; trademark status verifiable
Circus Maximus accepted pre-order money for Kingpin/Pinball Circus remakes via translite sales but has not provided updates in several years
high confidence · Author's direct observation; characterized as customer service failure
American Pinball has let the trademark for 'Galactic Tank Force' lapse
medium confidence · Author's observation with caveat of possible administrative error; verifiable via trademark records
Heist, James Bond, and Queen received new code updates
high confidence · Stated as recent factual update; manufacturers are Multimorphic, Stern, and Pinball Brothers respectively
Jurassic Park will receive a new code update launching an entirely new mode called 'Insider Connected Quest'
high confidence · Direct quote from upcoming feature announcement

Notable Quotes

“Is Stern slowly starting to fill in the mysterious late-year hole in its production schedule with random runs of existing games or are we actually going to see something new / vaulted from them. I sure hope that it's the latter.”
Author (Knapp Arcade) — Expresses speculation and hope about Stern's late-year production strategy; implies concern about lack of new game announcements
“Pinball Circus is completely dead and there's no chance that they are remaking either game.”
Author (Knapp Arcade) — Definitive statement ending speculation about Circus Maximus remake projects
“It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years.”
Author (Knapp Arcade) — Direct criticism of Circus Maximus's business practices and customer communication
“Stay tuned for details on the upcoming Insider Connected Quest which will keep players all over the world busy trying to collect Dinosaur DNA strands.”
Stern Pinball (Jurassic Park development team) — Official announcement of upcoming game mode/feature; indicates continued post-launch support for Jurassic Park

Entities

Stern PinballcompanyGuardians of the Galaxy (Stern)gameCircus Maximuscompany Kingpingame Pinball Circusgame American Pinballcompany Galactic Tank ForcegameFlip N Outcompany

Signals

?
business_signal: Circus Maximus failed to deliver on Kingpin and Pinball Circus remake pre-orders; took customer money via translite sales but has not communicated for several years
high · Author states: 'It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years.'
?
business_signal: American Pinball trademark administration issue; Galactic Tank Force trademark lapsed despite game still in production, creating potential IP protection gap
medium · Author notes: 'given the fact that the game is still in production and they want to sell other products using its Intellectual Property, they should probably seek to fix that ASAP'
?
community_signal: Community members actively working on Kingpin code documentation and preservation on Pinside and YouTube; grassroots effort to maintain game for future consideration
high · Author states: 'Someone is working on finishing and improving the Kingpin code and documenting it on Pinside and YouTube'
?
licensing_signal: Kingpin trademark landscape fractured; all U.S. Trademarks expired except one held by Netherlands-based collector with no manufacturer affiliation; effectively blocks commercial remake
high · Author confirms trademark expiration except for Netherlands holder; states this individual is 'not currently affiliated with any manufacturer that could produce the game'
?
product_strategy: Guardians of the Galaxy Pro receiving final production run in December suggests end-of-life for the game; author speculates Stern may be using late-year schedule gap with existing games rather than new releases

Topics

Production schedules and end-of-life announcementsprimaryFailed remake projects and abandoned pre-ordersprimaryTrademark management and IP protectionsecondaryCode updates and post-launch supportprimaryManufacturer business practices and customer communicationsecondaryCommunity documentation and preservation effortssecondary

Sentiment

negative(-0.65)— Author expresses disappointment with Circus Maximus's failed projects and poor customer communication, mild speculation about Stern's production strategy, but positive tone regarding code updates and community efforts. Overall weighted negative due to focus on project failures and lack of new content announcements.

Transcript

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Good morning everyone. After a big flurry of news to end last week, things have been I've very quiet on the arcade front to start this week off. Plus I've been pretty busy with work and my son's high school soccer games. I figured that I'd offer proof of life that I'm still here lol with a few minor pinball odds and ends this morning. First up, according to the distributor Flip N Out, Stern Pinball has added one last production run for its Guardians of the Galaxy Pro pinball machine to its calendar for December. This supposedly will be the final production run for the game. Is Stern slowly starting to fill in the mysterious late-year hole in its production schedule with random runs of existing games or are we actually going to see something new / vaulted from them. I sure hope that it's the latter. Time will tell. Next up is an update on Circus Maximus' efforts to reproduce Pinball Circus and Kingpin. I was recently called out on Pinside asking for an update on this situation, so this is what I've heard. Pinball Circus is completely dead and there's no chance that they are remaking either game. In fact, all U.S. Trademarks for the sought-after Capcom game have been allowed to expire except for a newer one from a gentleman in the Netherlands who has accumulated a number of parts and documents about the game but as far as I know does not currently have any affiliation whatsoever with a manufacturer that could produce the game. Someone is working on finishing and improving the Kingpin code and documenting it on Pinside and YouTube but again this individual is not currently affiliated with any manufacturer. So Kingpin sits in limbo for the foreseeable future. It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years. Speaking of trademarks, somehow American Pinball has let the trademark for "Galactic Tank Force" lapse. My guess is that this was some sort of administrative error on the company's part, but given the fact that the game is still in production and they want to sell other products using its Intellectual Property, they should probably seek to fix that ASAP, unless for some reason they don't care. In pinball code news, we recently were given new updates for Multimorphic's Heist, Stern Pinball's James Bond and Pinball Brothers' Queen. I personally am anxiously awaiting another code update for Stern Pinball's Jurassic park in the near future. The next update will launch an entirely new mode / challenge to the game: "Stay tuned for details on the upcoming Insider Connected Quest which will keep players all over the world busy trying to collect Dinosaur DNA strands."