Here is Rick's official response:

He's super-freaky.....

I just got a set of A13 decals from op. Great quality material and printing.

Great to hear it.... I'll may also need a set in the near future...

Rick will be sending you a letter!

Sure...

image (resized).jpeg

I'm late to this one.

Why is this thread open yet? What question are we waiting for PPS to answer?

If I'm understanding this correctly people are bashing PPS and supporting someone who illegally reproduces artwork? (I don't care if PPS is not the rights holder)

If that's the case I'm not surprised. The entitled mentality is across all age groups these days. Because one has the money to purchase they feel they have the "right" to buy it regardless of if the source is legit or not.

If I am understanding this correctly this is incredibly sad. I wonder how the hobby would be affected if PPS shut it down today. I have an idea.

Kinda beating a dead horse, and what's the point of bumping an old thread especially one that you'd like to see dead?

I'm not sure if you are talking to me as I never said I wanted to see this post dead.

I didn't read all of the pages and am curious what PPS has not answered.

Perhaps you should read all the pages before commenting. It's rude to jump into a conversation without knowing all that's been said.

Thanks internet etiquette coach!

Just doing my part to help clueless people from haphazardly interjecting their thoughts.

You're gonna get hammered by the mob on this one. You can't dissent here. You've been here 7 years you should know that.

There is a long history of anyone picking up the B/W rights mantle to become an almost protectionist nazi. Wayne did it, now Rick.

Or Maybe they're just egotistical dicks.

Either way the end result is a dick-stomp on the collector's enthusiasm. So to seek alternate means of purchase is not surprising.

When did you become the supreme being? Your bashing him is worse than his original post. Go back to your safe zone.

Oh get the eff out of here with your "safe zone" bullshit. You enjoy people who haven't kept up with the conversation butting in? You need to stop pointing your haughty fingers at me every time I make a post you don't like. Just downvote me like a passive-aggressive JO and keep it moving.

Damn I defend volcanodiver in the thread he got the boot from and then he calls me one of the bad guys? Yawl are savages. Non-reading the whole damn thread savages.

Why did you reply in the first place? You couldn't ignore the bump like everyone else?

Or.... They are business people.

When did I call you a bad guy?

Awww, did we hit a nerve there? Don't be such a snowflake!

LOL, I was waiting for this thread (which is too long & redundant as it is) to go all 'Godwins Law' on us.....I *think* it just did.

You looked at him the wrong way

FWIW, I contacted Rick awhile back about trying to get some different licensing to produce some items and found him very, very difficult to work with. He was completely unwilling to help make the process more understandable. I don't understand why I can't say hey Rick, I want to make this part, what do I need to do from you, and get an answer instead of a run around. It's as if we're supposed to just understand how his whole process works and what's required before even presenting an idea. I'll be going elsewhere for parts and it will be easier making what people need on the side without him.

To address the question of why the thread is still open:

The OP offered to have it closed as it wasn't going anywhere and no clarity had been forthcoming.

Mods however thought that there were questions which deserved answers, so didn't want it shut down.

Well, why did you reply to my reply? This could go on forever. A good way to get the coveted Pinside Broken Record badge!!

It was the "hammered by the mob" thing. I apologize if I misunderstood you.

Go blow a balloon, MRA.

I'm shocked by this revelation.

Shocked I tell you!

Nah I hadn't even seen your comment when I made that post. My comment was just in general. I don't care if people pile on.

damn SHOOTTHEPYRAMID you are relentless.

I kind of see both sides on this kind of stuff....After reading MOST, not all 15 pages of the thread. What I don't get? Is why it was taken to a public forum from either side. I also don't get the "well he won't make the parts and holds the rights, It's not fair...." part of it either. If someone owns rights, it's theirs! I wouldn't dislike someone because they were unwilling to work with me on something they own, I have no right to it?

Who ever owns the rights? Fights to keep them, the next guy tries to walk the fine line to stay borderline legal,or find the weak spot.... and the game goes on....

That's just how it's played. it's all fair. I don't care if both sides are "nice guys" or complete dicks! It's business and there are games played there too.

Make graphics, burn cd's and movies, make parts, etc...Buy the stuff too, who cares!! But when caught or challenged? It's all fair!!! Just the game on some of this stuff!

If the op is in the right? Then let the attorneys fight it out if he's challenged.

Funny thread!

I'm curious if this is because he does not have the rights in question and gives the runaround so folks don't realize just how limited his holdings are. This way he can posture and limit production or limit/reduce the number of others acquiring licenses. It seems like there is a lot of doubt over their holdings.

Rick has not once ever proved he has the rights to Capcom stuff. He beats around the bush and even teases that he might, but no evidence of anything. Hell he even teased that the next remake after AFMr would be one of a few titles, and 2 games that he listed were Capcom games. I completely rule those out as options since I don't believe he is trustworthy and he has not ever proved he has the license to sell or produce anything related to Capcom games.

I heard from a pretty reliable source that the capcom rights were never had by PMI.

The capcom stock was to be disposed of... a van in the middle of the night at the Capcom warehouses and a wad of cash... BBB was made!

I find that Rick, PPS, and Bay Area Amusements are very trustworthy. I've ordered from them many times and have received awesome service and very fast shipping. FWIW

I was recently listening to clays podcast and the interview with Gene. If I'm not mistaken, in that interview Gene claims to own the capcom rights. (Albeit many years ago)

http://www.pinrepair.com/topcast/past.php
Show 11 is Gene. Clay's videos are excellent too, well worth the price. Pinwiki would not exist in its current form if not for Clay, everyone who uses it owes him a thank you.

I bought who dunnit addams gold wcs94
Judge dredd and very happy with the product happy enouhj to have bought another set of addams gold decals if they were being produced by PPS would have been happy to have bought there im a little precious with the appearance of my games and ill buy them from anyone who is prepared to sell them also i need a junkyard wrecking ball that no longer produced and out of stock every where id buy 1 from Islamic state if yhey were producing them

And if anyone has a spare 1 please let me know

That's not the contention... contention would be how the rights were handled and if they were transferrable in IPB's bankruptcy/liquidation.

Being relatively new in the hobby, I didn't realize that had happened. After your comment I did some searching here. Even in the pps announcement thread it's never clarified what happened to capcom. Unfortunate.

Just did the same myself. What i cant figure out is why someone would sit on these rights? Its not like they are getting more valuable as time goes on.

PPS was formed in the process of the guys behind Bay Area Amusements consolidating the licensing deals that were setup in the wake of the WMS Pinball shutdown.

In the WMS shutdown, several parties were able to buy out the excess stock and assets of the division.. including people like Mike Pacak, and Gene Cunningham. Gene had started Illinois Pinball (IPB) and had gotten some licensing agreement with WMS to produce parts and work with the WMS licensed assets. Additionally, WMS had setup a licensing agreement with MrPinball in Australia to produce parts and work with assets. Who had rights to what, and exclusive rights to what, was a long story of back and forth and disagreement for years. Eventually, MrPinball in Australia sold out his licensing and parts deal to Rick/PPS.. and when Gene was forced into bankruptcy, PPS swooped in buying up much of the assets and acquired the IPB entity. At that point.. the WMS licensing saga had pretty much been put to bed and PPS became much more active in trying to license and produce more approved parts. (not to say PPS wasn't earlier.. but now the table was clear and only one was left standing)

Gene had also acquired the capcom assets when Capcom closed up.. including the leftover parts.. and he would say licensing deals to produce parts (and games). While IPB was notorious for not really knowing what they had part wise, and slow to produce parts... they did have the capcom inventory which lead to the BBB project. No one questioned Gene's authority to make those games.. and they setup temp companies to build that project.

Through Matt Christiano's acquisition of the IPB entity... it's presumed they retained whatever licensing arrangements IPB had and rolled those into PPS. But since no one externally really has all the details on Gene's original deals.. nor has anyone (to my knowledge) really researched the whole buyout and dissolution of IPB.. its only PPS that really know what they have or not. And that general distrust (because hobbyists tend to hate the guy asking to license stuff...) of PPS has led to some default skepticism. Skepticism that really doesn't have much behind it really...

Thank you. Very well written for us "not in the know"

There is much more to this adventure, "than who owns the rights". It is a bit complicated to explain because the story originated all the way back to 1997. There are more people involved than PPS and IPB.

Yet you have no comment on the quality of the products from PPS.

Btw fwiw if there's discrepancies in regards to things (artwork) being sold/produced without having proper authorization/permission then what is going to be done about all of the aftermarket modifications available such as Ghostbusters Slimer (unauthorized use/sale of likeness), and all of the other custom parts (toppers)infringing via using characters/artwork that is part of some Williams/Bally products?

Typically speaking as long as the quality is up to my standards I always try to buy a product from a verified source however if it's not available from such a place I will get it wherever I can ( again if the quality is good).

Now lets not open up the repro Pacman artwork and stencils can of worms in regards to Namco lmfao.

I love how hard they go about the Copyright issue but dont actually sell or have anyone licensed to sell decals to redo cabs. I would have no issue paying for legally licensed decals if they were availiable. Most of the middle to high end games owners would be happy to redo....if the decals are available.

(edited by mod team) I will never ever buy anything from pps, or baa, or any "affiliated" again, as long as I can find it in the so called "black market", and I'm spreading the word! And if I don't find it anywhere else, I'll wait until it's available from other sources, or buy alternative versions (or even not restore my game at all)!

He has been a one-post wonder (or some other word that fails me).

onepost1 (resized).JPG

Rick probably paid him 1000 dollars to make a post, but didn't want to spend 100k to go after him in Europe

I'm guessing Pete doesn't think Rick owns the rights. It would take a court case to decide that. Not financially viable for the small sums available.

Let see, in the last year .....TAF, TAFG, Dr Dude, Scared Stiff, WCS. Those are just the titles I personally know that PPS has had made. Not scanned but silk screened. Care to venture the cost to run a set of licensed, accurate cabinet art? BTW they don't al cart that stuff. Each title ships on a pallet.

You go, boy! Keep that black market second-hand crap alive. I guess you we not here for the days of no parts. I high-end game's all the time and it's frustrating not getting parts but even more frustrating getting "Shitty" parts. PPS has made great strides in bringing better parts to the market. They may have had growing pains just like any other relatively new company, but I can tell you the stuff being made recently has been a blessing.