(Topic ID: 190495)

Rebirth of Heighway Pinball

By HP_INVESTOR

6 years ago


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  • 1,528 posts
  • 331 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by Pinballs
  • Topic is favorited by 67 Pinsiders

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Topic index (key posts)

14 key posts have been marked in this topic, showing the first 10 items.

Display key post list sorted by: Post date | Keypost summary | User name

Post #19 Confirmation from Heighway Pinball Posted by HeighwayPinball (6 years ago)

Post #61 One member of the investors group named. Posted by daudioguy (6 years ago)

Post #105 Key posted, but no summary given Posted by Aurich (6 years ago)

Post #391 Key information provided in this article Posted by monkeyboypaul (6 years ago)

Post #536 Gives names of investors Posted by Pinballgeek (6 years ago)

Post #739 Confirmation from HWP employee about Andrew's departure Posted by SLAMT1LT (6 years ago)

Post #946 User story of receiving a refund from the new management of HWP Posted by Deluxodave (6 years ago)


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34
#96 6 years ago

I have been one of the biggest defenders of Heighway and I still am wanting this company to succeed. But with this last revelation, I am going to bow out and request a refund for now. It is probably the paranoid cop in me, but this really doesn't smell right to my nose. We have a person who won't identify themselves post that there is new company management, and a plan is going in place to save the company.....we are supposed to have faith in them, yet supposedly these investors have been involved all along.

So if that is the case, where was this "plan" as the company was failing, and where were these investors over the past several months? Why did it have to get to this point before anyone became interested?

This may very well all be legit, and I am not trying to sway anyone or start any crap. This is just my opinion and mine alone, but it appears to me like a group of people who realized too late they are going to lose their investment, so they are trying to calm the waters and keep money from bleeding out. I don't see any new money anywhere. If you really want people to believe you....identify yourselves, and tell us specifically what you are going to do and specifically what resources you are going to devote. This is all too vague, and something just isn't right......who just says we are signing "legal papers" and expects people to believe them? How are you going to get production going from here, and what experience do you have or are you bringing in?

Now before anyone digs up my old posts, I was very vocal about the fact that we as depositors are not shareholders, and we have no say in how the company is run. I still believe that.....but in this case, a representative is coming forward and offering information and asking all of us to believe them on blind faith. Yes, I know, a couple of people vouch for them, but I don't know those people either. I am not asking for any real insight into the company, but rather asking for information to determine the validity in who you are and what you are saying. In my eyes (and I completely understand I am the minority) you would have been better off not to disclose anything until the machines are running down the line. If they do (and I sincerely hope they do), then I will be right back in line to purchase, but even if the pins do come off the line, I want to know the company will be around long-term to provide support. For all I know, the "plan" could be to get production going just to get all of the produced and purchased parts out the door and then shut down and sell off.....I have nothing that says so, but it could very well happen. As they say in Shark Tank......for these reasons, I am out...... Good luck to the group, I hope this is 100% legit and this company comes back and kicks ass.........

#99 6 years ago
Quoted from Astropin:

What about the Heighway employees and contractors who have dealt/talked with these new people and are already vouching for them?

I don't know them either, and have any of them actually seen anything concrete other than talking to someone who has made a bunch of promises?.......sound familiar?

Like I said, I do hope it is 100% legit, I love that pin........but I am going to wait a while before jumping back in. There is really nothing for me to lose but a little time.

15
#102 6 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

He can do whatever he wants. Seriously, I don't mean that in a dickish or snarky way, I respect anyone's frustration level.
I just don't understand why anyone would stay in this long, through all the bullshit and garbage, through things that had the whole team just vanish from the public eye (when was the last time you saw any of us comment on anything, and now all of a sudden we're popping out the woodwork) and now that there's finally some good news this is when you pull the cord?
You have no idea how many things I wish I could say that I legally cannot. But this is the most hopeful I've been about this game for a long time. So it just sucks to see that this is the catalyst for anyone to decide it's over and done.

With all due respect Aurich, have you actually seen a check or money going anywhere? Have you seen the business plan? I am not asking you to disclose any details, but what concrete proof of anything do you have other than talking to someone? "new management" alone is not going to fix this mess...it will help, but this needs a real cash Band-Aid to succeed.

#152 6 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

So all I can say is I believe they're going to make a genuine effort to make this game happen, and if I didn't I wouldn't be wasting another minute of my time on any of this. If that's not enough for you I understand, you don't know me, but it's the best I can offer.

I believe you Aurich, and I can feel your passion for all of this. I wasn't referring to you when I said "I don't know them", I was actually referring to the other guy that was posting 'inside info'. I believe you want this to work in the worst way, and I believe you are being told a lot of things, and hopefully that is all true. But a lot is unknown right now, even for the guys with the suitcase full of cash. Maybe they get into this and realize Heighway owes a lot more than they know, or that the machines are going to need more development than anticipated, or a bunch of people do demand refunds, or any number of other things that has killed many other pinball companies. If any of that happens, then these guys are not going to keep throwing good money after bad, no matter how deep their pockets are or how great their intentions. I still go back to my question as to where they were when all of this was going down.....I know they were likely minority investors, but anyone who infuses cash like this into a fledgling company keeps an eye on that business at some level. If they didn't, then I question how they will ever get this turned around.

I DO hope they get these out the door, and all of my concern is for nothing! As I said, I will be right back in line if that happens, but I need to see the company is going to be healthy and around long-term. $8,000 is still a lot of cash to risk, especially with someone we don't know. I would love to see them sell by the thousands so you can at least be recognized and realize some compensation for the great work.

Your comment above about "genuine effort" says it all.....you know they are going to give it a shot, but you also are not 100% confident either. None of us can predict the future, and for me it is best to wait. The investors can risk their cash, and that gives them more incentive to make it work. I love the pinball hobby, but the one thing I hate is this pre-pay crap. I will never place another deposit on a ghost game, and I would love to see the practice outlawed somehow. It would save us all a lot of heartache and Robin a lot of disk space.

#158 6 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

More than likely these guys were minority equity owners who heighway had enlisted as backers of the venture as part of his funding of the company. I suspect the story is something like...Years go on, Andrew keeps thinning the ship because new revenue isn't coming in and they push to get alien done with that being the savior. Heighway keeps the backers from forcing the company to call it quits by showing the end is sooo close.... they make the push for expo... and they are so close.
Fast forward... and I guess the money just isn't there to see production through. I guess they only ordered sample runs of parts?? Now they can't move forward.. and someone... Andrew or the investors forces a come to Jesus point. The investors see they have assets... and the potential to get a return is there... so they put more in to make it happen. sounds like they are doubling down and taking the reins of the company in doing so to make it happen.
Since at least some of the guys have been said to be original backers, it's likely this is about saving their investment and making another round of funding... either from the same guys or by bringing in more.
Sounds like a swap for equity in an attempt to make the company viable. The question going forward is it will Andrew be reined in fully or pushed to the side entirely?

I am sure all of that is true, and I figured the same. But with that said, even minority investors keep an eye on their investments. No one worth their salt just hands over cash and tells the person in charge to do with it as they please and send the profit checks later. They either didn't care, or they were in it up to their necks.....either way, they are still part of the original problem. Now they are going to double-down and throw more money at this to try and turn it around, and no matter how passionate they are about pinball, they are in it first to make back their money, plain and simple. The question is...will throwing more money at this fix everything? or will it just prolong the agony. Odds are the latter, but we need to wait and see.

#162 6 years ago
Quoted from cliff_clavin:

It's hard to see turning this ship around anytime soon. As an earlier poster mentioned, hopefully the new investors are prepared for all the refunds that will surface in the next few weeks. In any event, good luck to the investor group, we are all hoping you can make this work.
Cheers.

This is going to be the big white elephant in the room. Investors come up and say 'we will address all refund requests". At this point, folks know there is supposedly cash coming back into the company, so hell yes a bunch are going to ask for refunds while they can. If it goes well, they buy right back in....if it goes bad, at least they got their cash out before it tanked. I really do hope the corner is close so they can turn this ship without losing too many folks..........

#265 6 years ago
Quoted from daudioguy:

I have spoken with the Roger who is leading the charge and he is determined to establish a viable production line and produce Alien and other pins as soon as possible. He understands and has planned to do the right thing to earn back the reputation needed to be a viable pinball manufacturer.

I am sure Andrew was just as determined before reality kicked him in the nuts.

14
#318 6 years ago

This pre-pay crap has to stop.....period. As stated above, the only real protection is to never place money down again without a game ready to ship..... This started in pinball because of the start-ups being under funded and trying to raise cash. It doesn't matter if it is Stern, JJP or Heighway, if we as a consumer will stop doing pre-orders the industry will change....but to do so we all need to stop being so greedy and the best kids on the block with the newest toys. If we all stop running to the trough, quality and content will improve...it has to. But just as with Star Wars, we all complain about the art work, yet Stern has no incentive to knock anything out of the park with people lined up to buy the pin and lay down deposits without ever playing a ball. Make then work for the cash, and you will be amazed at what you see happen.

#417 6 years ago
Quoted from Sonny_Jim:

or is it some kind of 'infinite monkeys at typewriters' thing?

Not taking sides in the argument, but for the record, I thought the comment itself was epic......I have a few places in life to use this........

#542 6 years ago
Quoted from SLAMT1LT:

So there you have it, 5 investors, all extremely successful and now in full control.

I am NOT disagreeing with your statement, but asking if someone actually knows these folks and the qualifications they list. I get a little suspicious when people post statements like this, telling us they have "vast" experience and own a lot of different companies, yet never name any of those companies. I own a business and built it from the ground up as well, and my opinion of success might differ from yours. I have one employee, and that is me...... Just because someone writes you a letter or email doesn't make anything true....everyone needs to do their own due diligence. They may very well all have millions, but if they are going to use their business acumen to qualify them to run this company and turn things around, I would want something a bit more specific.

#623 6 years ago

I only had a deposit and got 2 emails today. Still going forward with my refund. Those staying in, I want tjis to succeed, and i hope you get your pins.....but right now the prognosis is not as great as you want to believe, and these new owners have a real uphill battle. They are giving you an 'out' so anyone that chooses to stay in cannot later blame anyone for misleading them.

11
#791 6 years ago

I just got a reply today to my email, and I'll admit, the new owners sound genuine and I do believe they want to do the right thing. But with that said, I had filed a CC dispute to get my deposit back at least until quality machines are rolling. The email I got said they understood and would work with me to get my refund. Not sure if they notified anyone, but when I check with my CC company today, they said the return was final and was not going to be disputed. So at this point I am whole and will wait to see what happens in the next few weeks. I still want an alien pin, but I need to see some proof of what is going to happen.

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