With the recent string of unlicensed games receiving such a lackluster response, is there any potential for unlicensed games that could reach widespread popularity?

So, before Levi can pop in and say “we want unlicensed themes, just not that one”, let’s have some fun discussing unlicensed games that you think would actually be cool. We know that they’ll never compete against a superstar IP, but are there any ideas that would actually even sell? Are there any you would like to see even if they wouldn’t sell?

I’ll start:

A brew house/ brewery/ fermenting factory game with the ability to be customized to incorporate your businesses name on the backglass and in the screen text..

I work with many breweries who all spend insane amounts of money to have their name on a multitude of things in their retail space. They are just throwing money at custom signs, artwork, merchandise and knickknacks.

I’ve had a couple ask me what it would take to have their name on a pinball machine for the tasting room. ( neither of them have pins in their brewery)

So I’m envisioning a game in python’s irreverent style, that takes place in a brewery, with the game able to be customized with the owners/ business name on the backglass and in the screen during gameplay.

The games could come with the translite artwork in a digital file that is designed so that breweries or bars that own the game can have their graphic designer customize the artwork with their businesses name/ logo.

The game could also come with a web or app based editor that allows you to replace the default brewery and beer names within the game with your own.

I imagine many breweries that are doing well would jump at the opportunity to have a custom game with their name in it. I also think many private collectors would also love to be able to put in their own game room / family name and favorite beers.

Eh… maybe a little.. but it’s really an entirely different thing. I mean. There is beer in it, but the Octoberfest theme/ festival is largely irrelevant to the current brewery/ beer culture that I was talking about.. and you can’t get your brewery’s name on the octoberfest translite/ screen.

Houdini definitely was a solid theme, but I’m just not seeing it with the space ice cream tanks and generic BBQ… Octoberfest was a creative idea for a theme, though like you say, the execution could have been more off putting than the theme itself.

Another unlicensed theme that could suck less than recent offerings.

Merlin.

If the manufacturer was able to move away from the weird children’s book style illustration that they seem stuck with recently. Think more like the classic dark comic book/ fantasy/ sci-fi artwork on sorcerer, barracora, paragon. Put some of the money saved on licensing towards hiring a legit artist. Hell, make it a DMD and go full 80s with the style.

The game could include King Arthur, the knights of the round table, sorcerer’s stone, collecting ingredients for making potions and spells, other evil magicians you have to fight whose powers change the gameplay.

No license, endless potential that could actually be cool. Black night meets sorcerer and medieval madness.

Yeah! We just got the cactus canyon remake, so the Wild West is covered. But as someone who has a couple surfing games, I’d love to see a modern take on skateball, though I think it’d be near impossible for any current manufacturers to pull off without it being more cringeworthy than collecting space fudge for your galactic tank. They would have to hire an actual surf artist to do it, as well as get some direction from people in the sport.

It’s not the 60/70s where you can get away with just throwing an illustrated surf scene on the backglass and playfield. The theme needs to be integrated, and that one would be tough to pull off. But man it’d be great if someone did. I know this is the unlicensed thread, but there is an insane amount of amazing 70s surf and skate footage that could be had cheap. Or just do it illustrated DMD.

Bring back the DMD!!!

Yeah, they were saying that those unlicensed themed games have sold very well in the past.

This is an interesting one I’ve never considered. I have a bunch of buddies that love to play golf and pinball. I don’t golf, but it seems to be wildly popular, and I bet a modern golfing game would be a hit in the clubhouses. Although in this instance I’m sure some association with a big name golfer or brand would be necessary.

Ob yeah.. I’d completely forgotten that was one of their potential themes. It sounds great. But get rid of children’s book style artwork.

I mean, the manufactures seem totally capable of creating their own tits up unlicensed themes without our help.

But yeah, following up on your theme idea , how do we incorporate the self righteous blowhard denizens of the pinball forum who just endlessly shit on all the other denizens of the forum? Maybe the game just makes fart noises occasionally.

But there’s pinball in lots and lots of breweries. I can only think of two BBQ spots with pinball.

I work as an art director for a bunch of breweries. I know for a fact they would love the opportunity to have a generic beer pinball in their locations that is designed to be able to incorporate their branding on the game.

But I guess that idea sucks just as bad as ice cream tank force, punny factory, and bbq. Fuck me!

Oh yeah. Definitely working on it. It’ll be an EM though because I don’t know how to work on solid states. We’re actively working on donor games and integration of the brewery items. That was part of the impetus for thinking of a generic beer license that could be slightly customized by breweries.

My take away from the direction this thread is headed is that there is zero chance anyone is going to successfully release an unlicensed theme again. Which I think is a shame.

The other thing I’ve learned, I’d like the DMD to come back.

Well a boy can hope.

Take my money.

I really should have known better than to start this… but I just saw so many threads of people shitting on the unlicensed games, I wondered if there really were any ideas that were viable.

Clearly not..

My other take away from this, I think the general dislike of unlicensed games isn’t exclusively the fault of the horrible themes, (because apparently they are all horrible) but also the execution and artwork used to flesh out those themes.

Tank force had the right idea by exploring the retro atomic googie style, but the ridiculous live action and concept seems to outweigh it. What would have happened if it was just a little less spastic? It’d still be unable to compete with the major IPs, but it definitely could have been less of a laughing stock with someone a little more “in touch”holding the reins during development.

is the consensus that there is truly zero chance for a successful unlicensed game anymore?

I acquiesce.. this is also a terrible idea. It just seemed so much more viable than BBQ in my pre run morning optimism, as I tried to envision the connections between BBQ and pinball relative to the much higher instances of pinball in breweries and bars along with my communications with brewery owners expressing interest in custom branded games. But it’s true. It’d still be a joke if someone did it.

I have so many ideas for this one..

Yeah, the more I’ve thought about it the more it seems just as ridiculous as BBQ. I was just envisioning python style game that takes place in a brewery, most importantly one that is designed so locations can customize it with their name and products. There is so much more pinball in breweries than BBQ joints that it felt like a more viable idea.

Regardless. I’ve been brow beat and have come to terms with the reality that all unlicensed themes are terrible ideas. Luckily there’s tons of boomer rock, Disney, marvel, and 1970-1988 throwback franchises to look forward to!

and there’s a dog warden resembling Charles Manson that you have to avoid.

I think this is the ultimate hurdle…

I was having such a nice day, and now I hate myself and pinball.

Hooked on pinside worked for me!