Pinball FX (4)

[trash80]

The next iteration of the Pinball FX series has been officially announced and is scheduled to release sometime in 2021. What do people think this new platform will bring to the table?

My guess...

The Mandalorian is the last FX 3 table pack
The PC version will be EPIC store exclusive
Subscription and/or Freeemium based content ownership model
PC cabinet mode as it is currently implemented is discontinued
Compatible cabinet hardware available only through Arcade1UP or other Zen specified partner
Indiana Jones will be one of the first Williams tables released for FX 4
Loss of some of the current table IP (Walking Dead and Portal for instance)
VR "built in" where it is supported by platform/console ecosystem
Battle Royale will be a bust
The Pinball Show will not make it past 3 episodes

 

[Xanija]

Subscription / Freemium is unlikely in my opinion. That doesn’t mean it won’t come, but I really hope not. I deleted Zen from my tablet for that reason.

I think the show will stay. It will be one part of their communication strategy going forward, together with TikTok and Discord.

VR is not worth the investment, I don’t think they will invest resources here.

Battle Royale: I’m curious, how it will work. Depending how they execute it, it could be interesting. But is the player base big enough, even if they go freemium with it?

 

[Hinph]

VR is not worth the investment, I don’t think they will invest resources here.

Mel already told us a VR announcement is coming in February on the 1up podcast last month and reaffirmed that a VR announcement would be coming “soon” today in the Reddit discussion (while hyping up how nice the Quest 2 is and telling a user that it “has to happen” on PSVR). It’s a sure thing now! And not worth the investment? Have you tried it yet on a newer display that has solved the screen door effect such as the Quest 2? Best way to play digital pinball! Like standing in front of a 3D table in real life. Well worth $300 compared to the $600+ people spend on 2D screen cabinets.

 

[Byte]

I'm not so hyper about the Battle Royale etc. It's a lot like Super Mario Bros. 35 on the Switch; very frustrating when other people interfere in a negative way with your gameplay. Some may like this though, but for the people that just want a pinball simulator for casual play the show didn't have much to offer. That's the crowd that came to Zen from TPA and play their games in Classic mode. Maybe their stats show that isn't really a large crowd?

 

[Hinph]

I'm not so hyper about the Battle Royale etc. It's a lot like Super Mario Bros. 35 on the Switch; very frustrating when other people interfere in a negative way with your gameplay. Some may like this though, but for the people that just want a pinball simulator for casual play the show didn't have much to offer. That's the crowd that came to Zen from TPA and play their games in Classic mode. Maybe their stats show that isn't really a large crowd?

Well, no reason they can’t and shouldn’t serve both. They did announce that the Williams Classic physics will be available for the Zen tables as an option as well this time around, so that’s rad. If I just want to play some gimmick free pinball with prettier graphics in VR while somebody else is all about the videogamey stuff and new crazy modes like this, we both win!

 

[McLovin]

Hi everyone! Don't mean to intrude but thanks for the topic!

All info will come as we get closer to the finished game!

I think we have enough stuff for at least 5 episodes - just kidding! But yeah, we are looking to have this is a conversational information machine for the future.

Pinball Royale - I think it'll be great. I was relaying the requests for a multiplayer pinball mode from the players for years now, so I'm really happy we are working on one.

Also yes, we are not done with VR pinball as Mel said.

 

[Xanija]

Mel already told us a VR announcement is coming in February on the 1up podcast last month and reaffirmed that a VR announcement would be coming “soon” today in the Reddit discussion (while hyping up how nice the Quest 2 is and telling a user that it “has to happen” on PSVR). It’s a sure thing now! And not worth the investment? Have you tried it yet on a newer display that has solved the screen door effect such as the Quest 2? Best way to play digital pinball! Like standing in front of a 3D table in real life. Well worth $300 compared to the $600+ people spend on 2D screen cabinets.

I meant not worth the investment on Zen's side. But if they feel it is worth it, happy to see them working on it. I haven’t heard anything about Zen and VR, but I admit I haven’t followed everything lately.

 

[trash80]

Hi everyone! Don't mean to intrude but thanks for the topic!

All info will come as we get closer to the finished game!

I think we have enough stuff for at least 5 episodes - just kidding! But yeah, we are looking to have this is a conversational information machine for the future.

Pinball Royale - I think it'll be great. I was relaying the requests for a multiplayer pinball mode from the players for years now, so I'm really happy we are working on one.

Also yes, we are not done with VR pinball as Mel said.

Its always nice to have an official voice in the forums. If the Pinball Show does make it to five episodes and assuming they are released at the end of each month, let me guess what they will be...

#2 The Mandalorian with actual live play footage
#3 Arcade1Up Cabinets
#4 Announcement of an announcement
#5 "Holy Grail" table that will be featured in FX 4 and a release window of Q3/Q4 2021 (plus we learn that it will be an EPIC store exclusive)

I am curious if Zen has "outsourced" some of the new FX development to others within the Embracer Group since you guys are not able to fully occupy your office space.

 

[Lykaion23]

not only mandalorian, cause they said there will be another star wars table next time, so I think we will see the last 2-pack of the software in second episode

 

[trash80]

not only mandalorian, cause they said there will be another star wars table next time, so I think we will see the last 2-pack of the software in second episode

The Mandalorian IS a table pack that will be two or more Star Wars tables using the Disney+ Original Series IP.

 

[Lykaion23]

Ah okay I didn't know right then sry wasn't a complain

 

[shutyertrap]

I'll have a lot more to say in our next BlahCade episode, but regarding a lot of posts about subscription and freemium models...I seriously doubt this will affect PC and consoles for the regular pinball stuff. With Battle Royale? I could see it there, if it were to happen at all. As for mobile? Absolutely things will continue as they are currently with the Williams app. If the Zen Pinball app ever gets updated (please), I imagine it too will go the way of freemium.

 

[Hinph]

I'll have a lot more to say in our next BlahCade episode, but regarding a lot of posts about subscription and freemium models...I seriously doubt this will affect PC and consoles for the regular pinball stuff. With Battle Royale? I could see it there, if it were to happen at all. As for mobile? Absolutely things will continue as they are currently with the Williams app. If the Zen Pinball app ever gets updated (please), I imagine it too will go the way of freemium.

A lot of people complain enough already over paying a few bucks for unlimited play of a digital table. The ideas being tossed around here regarding paying for digital tokens would be absolute suicide in the console and PC markets. I’d “nope” out of that hard myself too. I wouldn’t hate the idea of a subscription as an option (so if somebody wants to pay for a month access to play whatever table they want here and there, that could be a good value for them), but I’d definitely like to go on paying for digital table ownership.

 

[Scared Stiff]

A lot of people complain enough already over paying a few bucks for unlimited play of a digital table. The ideas being tossed around here regarding paying for digital tokens would be absolute suicide in the console and PC markets. I’d “nope” out of that hard myself too.

It’s suicide for mobile too. Two classic game apps (Atari and Midway) tried that token idea for their games and both apps tanked. The midway one wasn’t even updated when Apple abandoned 32 bit apps, and I cannot find the Atari one anymore. It seems like Atari is spinning off their classic games into their own cash winning type apps. Could that be the model Zen is going for? Winning cash like a casino?

 

[Lykaion23]

I don`t think that Zen will go for the winning Cash like a casino cause they would lose everything then, cause gambling law is very strict in this way, it wouldn`t be allowed in any store to be shown or sold, I think more of that they are going for season and battle pass

 

[Rayder]

Just hope they bump up the ESRB rating so they don't have to alter the real life table recreations anymore on console.

 

[TFHFony]

I really hope that we can migrate our tables again. And hopefully 4K support on the PS4 Pro / PS5.

 

[pinfan7]

For statistical reasons only I repeat what I said in another thread. I don't endorse bribe money for exclusivities, bait & switch tactics, Swiney as a person and Epic as a company, nor its store which should be more than obvious by now to anyone that it is just the chinese front, so going to Epic Games Launcher is a big no for me. I'm done with Zen -didn't even buy Vol.6 as they did nothing for the old physics and all the bugs-, there are better alternatives already.

 

[Byte]

Just hope they bump up the ESRB rating so they don't have to alter the real life table recreations anymore on console.

Here's an obvious idea. Have Pinball Fx (rated E) and Pinball Fx M (Rated M). Other than the rating, they are the exact same except Fx M uses different DLC, only where applicable. Maybe 'M' can even be free with purchase of the regular version. It's only so your parental controls work (so legally a$$ is covered), the content is created for the STEAM version anyway.

 

[Hinph]

I don’t think any pinball tables out there would require more than a T rating for suggestive sexual themes or alcohol use, and do many parents out there even care or know about the difference between an E10+ and T rated game? Such a small distinction.