Aren't we all being a little hasty here?

What if the game is REALLY cool?!

Who cares.

Jpop + "New guy with no mfg experience"

They'll ask for money with no plans for building/shipping.

This project is dead already, if it's indeed even real.

Agreed.... hell a company that's been in business forever is haveing its own issues but we the customer get to eat the price increase for their mess ups.....

can someone please take pictures of the lynching, for those who can't come

The removed part was brought to you by the letters F and Y......

Since the podcast is free and has no ads, how exactly does this help Kaneda?
Maybe I am in the minority here but I really think Kaneda is just a pinball fan that expressed his opinion to often here.

Houdini could be the coolest game ever made and I wouldn't know, because I will never touch one if JPop was involved.

Anyone who supports him is definitely on my shitlist.

I'm glad Mike is rethinking their involvement in expo.

Thank you!

Remember in May 2015, Jpop alluded to something like this...

I have granted this new company (“Licensee”) an exclusive license for MG, RAZA and AIW. They will then be able to take MG from its current state to the point of production, along with potential orders for RAZA and AIW.

So is American Pinball the licensee Jpop spoke of? I think renaming the machine would be logical given the toxic drama around MG.

What Jpop did was horrible, whether it was fraud or incompetence. Unfortunately I can't imagine a scenario where MG/RAZA/AIW buyers could be reimbursed, since the new investor would obviously not do so and I doubt Jpop could make things right solely with his share of earnings, were he even willing. Very sad for all involved.

No that was Pintasia. This is another pyramid, I mean company, this is another "company."

Jackass Punk Oughta Pay

Just Pilfered Our Pin-money

Guessing an LLC...

I can picture it now. JPOP strolling around expo with the group of pinside tough guys nervously shuffling their feet while staring at the ground not saying a word.

Most will claim their lawyers told them to leave him alone due to their pending case. Others will say they were looking for him and he got wind of the angry mob and just slinked out the back before they could get him.

If I were going to Expo I'd totally take a picture of his back.

Right on the money

I know Mike pretty well. He's heavily involved with pinball, but not so much the "pinside" side of it. His knowledge of JPOP was basically "trying to do some kind of project but not getting very far." Yes there are a gazillion posts about it here.... but they're all in JPOP threads, and if you never read the threads or talk to a victim or a friend of a victim... Anyway, looks like Mike knows the true story now so put the pitchforks n torches away

Not being able to exhibit anything at Expo might light a fire under american pinball's arse to do something about JPOP's customers. They now know they can't bury the past..

Great idea.
Why not bring in the Predator "creator" to work the door - do meet and greets as well?
I'm happy to say I do not remember his name, but I'm sure some of these folks do.

This will all be good reading after it all goes down, at the very least!

C'mon. Did anyone really give this guy 5K after seeing some game mock ups? That is so sad if it's true. People are so desperate -- no other hobby like it.

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If he were there, lots of pictures of him would be taken.....

Now I'm picturing a large group of people in the parking lot milling about, nervously looking at their watches, and not going in until they change shifts at the door.

Nobody wants to miss out on the next Tron/BIB LE and when it's ultra limited then nobody wants to miss out on the next BBB. Even Stern is taking notice and making a SLE. Sadly when you have a hobby with deep pockets and the mentality that every NIB will hold it's value or appreciate then it's easy to throw money at things without any risk of consequences.

I never followed any of this with JPOP because I would never spend 10 k on a game.

But how is this guy not in jail if he stole over a million bucks?

He has a good Lawyer and is gaming the system.

Intent, probably. From all outward appearances, he intended to produce a product, but simply was unable to bring it to market.

There are currently several ongoing civil lawsuits against him right now to try to reclaim funds.

If he has over a million dollars you would think he could afford a haircut and some nicer clothes.

Epxo seminar #4 1:00 PM:
HOW TO PULL IN 1 MILLION DOLLARS FROM UNSUSPECTING PINBALL FANS- by Jpop and Kevin Kulek

100% agreed. I know many people in the hobby who don't read Pinside or see this stuff anywhere, so as far as they know this is just "a new game by the guy who made TOM and TOTAN". Mike's a great guy and there's no reason to boycott him or his show over this, he simply wants to get the newest and coolest things at expo, and he thought this fit that bill. Now that he's been made aware of the past situation, he'll look this over more carefully.

Botanic Garden Ballroom, correct? Which day?

He's a Yankee fan.

I KNEW IT!!!!

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This is probably general knowledge, but I was surprised to see American Pinball is actually presenting on October 14, 09.00 am.
http://www.pinballexpo.net/seminar.pdf

Do pinball seminars allow time for questions, like scientific symposia do? If so, that question session might see quite some audience participation, I guess.

PLEASE, PLEASE someone record this fiasco and post it immediately!!! Better yet, a LIVE feed!

If this actually happens, please someone show up with a loud speaker and play Lebowski clips on a loop "Where's the money!?!?!?" "Where's the fucking money, shithead!!!!!"

If I make it there again this year I'll have the live setup with me (with a better mic this time!)

Because he's a narcissist. He also has too much in common with the likes of a mosquito.

Just a funding raising idea for Expo... they could squeeze it in after the 9AM presentation

Screen Shot 2016-09-23 at 11.32.27 AM (resized).png

Why scare them off....I'll be there, and would LOVE to see what happens....or, sadly, what doesn't happen. If, during their "seminar", they could get in 2 words, or suck in another victim, I would be very surprised. I hope they show up.

It must be down here somewhere, let me take another look.

Good idea. I see he is in front of the cage not inside. He might want to wear a catchers mask because I think there may be a few "stray" pitches.

I think many would prefer this fundraising idea

Jpop (resized).png

Damn, I gotta start dieting right now if I'm going to try and squeeze into this shirt for that 9AM Friday American Pinball seminar.

Cheap shirt shrank a ton. Why am I not surprised?

IMAG0894 (resized).jpg

"Don't kick the baby!"

Careful all, at this rate Pinside will be to blame for this project not succeeding...at least according to JPOP!

I highly doubt they bring JPop with them to Expo, even if he is in LV. Can't be that stupid.

I like how the cage is not in front of JPop. That way an errant throw could still hit the target.

No knowledge of the game from Stern phone call.
GB issues solved, though, for me.

I like how the tank is empty.

Hold the boat, jpop took 4 to 5 years to produce 1 60% prototype and only after extreme pressure and a lot of assistance to get it to the nw show. How the hell could he have a Houdini ready to show in less than year?? Unless they are bringing only preliminary drawings of the amazing cabinet it's going to have or something??

Totally f'd if American pinball is using the patents jpop got with aiw raza and mg $$$ to make houdini. Anyone buying would be directly screwing over all the investors that got nothing

Proper management and product development? Meaning Jpop not in charge.

Or they just took mg and changed a few things around, slapped new art on and are calling it Houdini..? Could they get away with that?

Legally, yes.