The first arcade and pinball news roundup of 2026 covers a newly preserved Atari prototype, ownership changes at American Pinball and Orbit Games, UNIS’s Ski Hero, trade-show developments, independent arcade projects and the loss of Sega co-founder David Rosen.
Atari’s 1986 Relief Pitcher prototype preserved
A second Atari arcade prototype has surfaced soon after the preservation of a prototype for Atari Games’ Jammin’ was dumped. This time, the discovery concerns Relief Pitcher, a baseball game whose better-known arcade release arrived in 1992, followed by an SNES version in 1994. A Lynx conversion was planned but cancelled.
The newly preserved software is a very different 1986 System 1 project that used the same name. It is comparable to the unusual development history of Atari’s contemporary Road Runner, where an earlier concept and the later released game were substantially different.
A physical prototype PCB owner supplied the data for the preservation. That differs from Jammin’, whose recovery came from backup tapes. The MAME team has made the game functional, and it can be played with two analogue sticks; the game has been made functional in MAME. One contributor also shared the gameplay footage below and produced a documentary about Jammin’.
American Pinball and Orbit Games change hands
American Pinball is now owned by JB Vincent L.B., a family-owned manufacturing investment firm based in Texas. The same firm has acquired its video-game and redemption-focused sister company, Orbit Games, and has appointed Ron Lindeman as president of both businesses.
American Pinball entered the modern pinball market with Houdini: Master of Mystery in 2017. Its latest release was Barry O’s BBQ Challenge in 2024. The company’s corporate arrangements had previously been difficult to follow because its manufacturing parent was also involved in other ventures. Plans to develop redemption games appeared shortly before 2020, but were abandoned as American Pinball continued concentrating on pinball.
Orbit Games has shared a close relationship with American Pinball, including displaying Whirl-O-Ball at the American Pinball stand during Pinball Expo 2025 and using American Pinball’s social-media accounts for every post. Kineticist did an interview with Ron, although it does not reveal new game announcements.
The acquisition is not a closure announcement. In the weeks before the change of ownership was publicised, Lindeman was advertising positions at American Pinball. The company is preparing to launch Whirl-O-Ball; what else may follow remains unknown.
UNIS reveals Ski Hero
Ski Hero first appeared in an IAAPA-period preview distributed by Shaffer Distributing, then disappeared before the show and was not exhibited there. The title was also listed on Polish company Magic Play’s website, where it was described as a new skiing simulator in the style of Alpine Racer.
UNIS has now acknowledged the project indirectly through a single YouTube trailer. There have been no reported trade-show appearances, but Amusement Expo in March could provide another opportunity to see it.
ATRAX highlights arcade and attraction equipment
While EAG 2026 was taking place in London, Istanbul hosted ATRAX Expo as the London event ended. The Turkish amusement and attractions show included distributors representing Bandai Namco, Sega Amusements, LAI Games and other major suppliers. Sega Amusements shared several posts promoting their showcased titles over on LinkedIn.
GTI’s video from the exhibition shows a broader selection of equipment, including titles not seen at EAG. These included Ace’s Hover Rush and UNIS’s Turbo Nova racing games. ATRAX also appeared to feature more virtual-reality equipment than EAG, which had relatively little VR on display.
India’s Bamigos enters the videmption market
Bamigos is a new manufacturer from India developing videmption games and attraction equipment. Founder Virender Khanna says the company has operated for three years, primarily supplying the expanding Indian arcade market.
Its products include several VR attractions and augmented-reality exergaming equipment such as Hyperjump. International distribution details have not yet been confirmed, but Bamigos is now a company worth watching. Visit their website here.
Independent arcade games at Super MAGFest 2026
Super MAGFest 2026 featured a substantial collection of independent arcade projects. Coverage from Indie Arcade Wave includes short videos of the games, although it is not clear whether every title is intended as a one-off build or whether its creators plan wider production. Their Instagram account also contains material, though its desktop presentation is less complete than the group’s posts elsewhere.
- Super Sharp Birds
- League of Foes
- Nothing Good Can Come Of This
- Hungry Hungry Hippos, separate from Adrenaline’s redemption game
- Typing Party
- Slam City Oracles, with a Quick Cabinet Look
- Particle Mace
- Nidhogg II
- Foam
- Massive
- Volleybird
- Waddle Throttle
- Chef It Up
- Dye Breaker
- Weathersys Admin
- Don’t Push Me
- Galactic Battleground
- Kung Fu Kickball
- Cosmotrons
Indie Arcade Wave also interviewed Brian Stabile and Caris Baker of Astro Crow Games about Jai-Alai Heroes and its rerelease during the previous year. The game remains in production and is being built at Fun Company.
Remembering Sega co-founder David Rosen
Sega co-founder and former chief executive David Rosen died on Christmas Day at the age of 95. The news was confirmed in early 2026 by RePlay Magazine and his spokesperson.
Rosen was one of the earliest and most influential advocates for arcade and video games, with an impact reaching back to the 1950s and 1960s. A detailed obituary is available here. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.
More arcade and pinball headlines
- Registration Is Now Open For Amusement Expo International 2026
- Konami’s Demon Slayer Nichirin Battle Gets Its First Location Test
- It Looks Like DDR World Is Also Rolling Out In South Korea
- Enterrium In Schaumburg, IL Gets A DanceRush Stardom, apparently an offline-mode test for future United States plans
- Bandai Namco’s Penlalive Goes Back On Location Test In Japan
- Bandai Namco Are Also Testing One Piece Dawn Strike Again
- Fun World, Nashua’s Galaxian 3 Theatre Is Back Up And Running after another projector fault
- Maimai DX Circle Is Now Available On All International Cabinets
- Sega Amusements Commemorate Ian Colley’s 25th Anniversary
- 3MindWave Celebrate IAAPA 2025, 1k+ Units Sold For Apex Rebels; further Apex news may be forthcoming
- LAI Games Names Jason Gould As VP Of Global Sales, Marketing
- Changes Come To The IFPA, the organisation responsible for pinball tournaments
- New Footage Of The Much-Missed London Trocadero Funland Arcade
- Arcade Odyssey Gets Some Mainstream Gaming Press
- Mini-Documentary About The ICE Chexx Bubble Hockey Game
- An Argument To “Bring Back Arcades” Using Retro
- Raw Thrills now has an operator app. It is not publicly listed in an app store, remains fairly basic and is connected to RT’s High Score website.
Home gaming headlines
- Emergency Call Ambulance, Magical Truck Adventure + Slashout Come Home Through Yakuza Kiwami 3 Dark Ties
- Nintendo Is Holding A Nintendo Direct About The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie On Sunday
- Hideki Konno, Director & Producer At Nintendo Since 1986, Has Retired
- Sonic’s 35th Anniversary Celebrations Officially Begin
- Ubisoft Cancels And Delays Several Games; Prince of Persia Remake Among The Canned
- The Newzealand Story Remake Is Coming To Steam Next Month
- Atari Is Putting Some Marketing Behind Their Upcoming Bubsy 4D Game
- The Creator Of The Fantastic Racing Homebrew FASTER Is Now Making Cavey Taxi For The Atari STe
- Meta Discontinues Horizon Workrooms, Scales Back VR Push With 1,500 Layoffs, while questions remain over the wider direction of its VR strategy
For Australian operators, collectors and home arcade builders, the main themes are preservation, hardware development and the continuing variety of new arcade projects. Follow more industry coverage through the RETROCADE Arcade Blog, and compare options in the Arcade Machine Buying Guide or virtual pinball machines range.
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