Welcome to the annual IAAPA preview, 2022 edition. Here, I will lay out everything I know about what will be at the IAAPA 2022 tradeshow that takes place from Nov. 14-18th in Orlando, FL. If you don’t know what that show is, think of it as the arcade & amusement industry’s e3. It’s much bigger than just arcades though – you also get attractions for theme parks (such as brand new roller coasters announced or smaller rides), inflatables, stuff for museums and so on.
The following is provided as “best-of-knowledge” with what info I’ve been able to gather up to the publication of the post. It is possible that due to shipping problems or some other unforeseeable circumstance, that some games may not appear. If there is any update, I will inform via social media.
Arcade-Focused Booths
As always, we’ll start with our focus on those who cater specifically to the arcade industry, be it with video games, videmption, pinball, or redemption. If you’re interested in those who are wholly or mostly focused on VR, you’ll have to scroll a ways down 🙂
Adrenaline Amusements (Booths 643 & 647)
Adrenaline has been posting about their existing games on rare occasion but we’ve not seen a thing about what they plan on bringing to the show, whether they have anything new or not. I imagine that they will, given that they always have something and they have two booths.
American Pinball (Booth 640)
AP recently announced that the Classic model for Legends of Valhalla would finally begin shipping but when they did a promo at Pinball Expo last month, they only mentioned new games in development without teasing what they were. Perhaps one of those could show up; Or they bring their pirate-themed redemption game back again. Either way, LoV will definitely be there. UPDATE: American Pinball just announced after posting that they are adding Scorbit to their machines, starting with Hot Wheels. The feature will debut at Expo.
Amusement Source International (Booth 209)
ASI has a heavy focus on redemption products but among those are some video titles including Sky Rider 2 and the impressive looking Sniper Strike II. The Replay IAAPA preview also mentions a VR video game called X-Spy which looks very much like Sega’s VR Agent.
Andamiro USA (Booth 600)
Andamiro is always a strong redemption products, with this show seeing a new Avengers ball-drop game & a SpongeBob pusher, along with the previously released Bobblehead Baseball. But the real surprise came the other day when they announced that Pump It Up will be there. It will be sporting a new software update but for those looking forward to a brand new PIU, that will have to wait until next year. Still, it’s good news to fans, as I’d heard since last year that “PIU is dead” – looks like rumors of its demise were exaggerations. There’s no indication that they will have Chrono Circle there though, so that will remain a Round1USA exclusive.
Bandai Namco Amusements (Booths 900 & 1000)
As a reminder, when BNA comes to IAAPA, they’re represented by both their American and European divisions. Thanks to the European side being a distributor for certain regions of the world, this means that they end up showcasing products from other brands, like Adrenaline Amusements and Raw Thrills. This is generally confusing to newbies but that’s why.
They always have something new to show and this time we’re expecting Dead Heat Unleashed, among other in-production titles like Pac-Man Battle Royale Chompionship. Last year they were experimenting with a new Batman-themed whacker but that seems to have got the axe but I wouldn’t be surprised to find them bringing something else unannounced to the mix, particularly from the redemption side.
Barron Games (Booth 806)
Update: I had missed Barron in the post initially – they will be there showing off their sports products (air hockey/foosball) but mainly focusing on VR like Birdly VR and Koliseum VR foosball.
Bay Tek Entertainment (Booth 1015)
I always expect a surprise or two from Bay Tek, although it is common for them to bring test games that are never heard from again. Still, when they have a hit on their hands, like Connect4Hoops was, they give that a big roll out – this time they’ve announced a new redemption game called Big Ticket Drop as making its industry debut.
Betson/Raw Thrills (Booths 517, 615, 819)
While branded and staffed with Betson personnel, this is always effectively the Raw Thrills booth. In the past it was common for RT to bring a few new pieces to IAAPA at once but that has changed post-2020. Fast & Furious Arcade will definitely be there, as should Minecraft Series 2 cards, plus the many other games still rolling off the production line like King Kong and Super Bikes 3. Anything else new-new, like the SD version of Halo: Fireteam Raven or something else, would be a pleasant surprise; As would something like Moto GP VR.
Chicago Gaming Company (Booth 200)
Admittedly I’m not on the up-and-up with rumors as to what the next remake pinball is but perhaps it would pop-up here if it’s ready to go. Otherwise CG has zero social media or newsletter presence so I never know what they might have going into a show. Here’s the excellent Cactus Canyon remake as seen last year:
Coastal Amusements (Booth 1315)
Sporting a booth the same size as Bay Tek’s, this is one of the few companies to lay out in their profile what they are bringing. Aside from games seen before, they will debut: “Snow Day, Road Trip, Galaxy Rangers, Dinosaur Era, Slide Up and Zombie Land 4 Player.” They’ll also have the rest of their in-production selection to play.
Among those new games, Zombie Land is listed on their site and we’ve discussed Galaxy Rangers due to that being available over in Europe for a while. I’m not sure what Road Trip, Dinosaur Era and Slide Up are, although safest guess are redemption pieces (Dinosaur Era is a new water-gun videmption title).
Elaut USA (Booths 829, 1024, 1329)
Being a company which owns or partners with a few other companies, Elaut always has a varied mix of games to show. Last year they had the new Mega Blaster by Touch Magix, Surfin’ Surfari by Team Play, Gold & Mace by Boxblaster VR (although I don’t if this one was released) along with plenty of cranes & coin pushers.
At booth 829, Touch Magix will showcase their new Carnival Cups Crane that is being done in conjunction with Coast-To-Coast (one of Elaut’s divisions) and linked versions of Mega Blaster and SpaceWarp 66. Gold & Mace is mentioned in Replay’s preview, with the release of that pushed back to January 2023. No mention of Surfin’ Surfari so it’s unknown if that’s still going to be for sale or not.
exA-Arcadia (Booth 415)
exA was at IAAPA last year with a couple of cabinets but they’ve upped the ante by debuting a new cabinet design and are able to bring 12 (<-correction as I had said 16) of them along, as discussed in this article previous. They also will have 31 games available thanks to their cartridges, possibly meaning they have more games than anyone else at the show. As mentioned in the post linked to in this paragraph, we know that a few of those 31 games will be available to play in public for the first time, including a brand new version of Donut Dodo!, Arcana Heart 3 Xtend, Jitsu Squad and Shinorubi Pink Label.
ICE (Booths 1606, 1806)
ICE always goes big, although part of that is due to them making big games. One of those will be Dodgeball -Ultimate Arena; They also have a new soccer redemption game called World Football Pro and pieces we’ve seen before such as the videmption game Shipwreck. I did ask them about the Atari Asteroids that they were testing back in the summer and they seemed to indicate that it didn’t make the cut but it would be a nice surprise to find in case something changed.
As a note, this game is much larger in person than it appears to be in photos.
IMPLY (Booth #800)
This Brazilian bowling company has produced some arcade games in the past, the last one being a dinosaur themed bowling piece. Most of the other arcade products that they had been making at one time have been scrubbed from their website so I won’t be expecting much else apart from bowling here.
Incredible Technologies (Booth #813)
Given the different roll out of Golden Tee PGA Tour (it having to come along outside of IT’s normal release window of a new GT game every September), I’m not expecting them to unveil anything new, although they did recently unveil the home version of that one. You’ll find GTPGA there along with Retro Raccoons and Arcade Collection.
Jennison Entertainment Technologies (Booth #1006)
This company is mainly focused on redemption and kiddie rides, however, at Amusement Expo earlier this year they surprised everyone by importing a game from the UK that they rebranded as Quick Shot. It could operate as either a video game or videmption piece. I imagine this will be around…perhaps some other video title as well.
Jersey Jack Pinball (Booth #1735)
It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen JJP at an amusement/arcade trade show, so this will be my first chance to try out their most recent releases, Guns ‘N Roses and Toy Story 4. That said, there hasn’t been an official announcement of what they are bringing to the show, although they did bring those games to Pinball Expo last month. Could they bring something new? Possibly – they have debuted new titles at IAAPA in the past, such as Pirates of the Caribbean (early version seen here):
Unfortunately I’m not really able to do a multi-cam setup for pinball but I’ll try my best with what I’ve got.
Kalkomat/IGPM (Booth #628)
This Polish company is represented by IGPM Group in the United States but both are sharing the same booth here. They mainly produce boxing machines but also develop other titles like Cliffhanger and a punching/kicking machine that debuted at Amusement Expo earlier this year called Hit The Green. Per an email they sent out, here’s their IAAPA line-up:
I admit though, I am frequently confused by a few Polish manufacturers out there as they often have each other’s products listed and it isn’t always clear who made what first.
LAI Games (Booth 831)
LAI rolled out previews of their three new games to the show on social media and their website on the week of Oct. 31st, revealing two new redemption games (both based on big IP, such as FGTeeV and Rick and Morty) and finally a VR version of Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade. The latter comes with a new game mode called Hunted, where you are running away from ‘security’ – kind of like GTA or Need For Speed: Most Wanted (perhaps this exists in the console version of A9 somewhere but I haven’t played that so I’m not sure).
Luck Game (Booth 420)
This is a Chinese manufacturer that focuses a lot on bumper cars and kiddie rides but they showed up out of the blue in 2019 with their take on Sega’s 2Spicy video game with Super Firing. They have a new version of this game so it’s possible that it will be at the show but otherwise it’s unknown what they’ll have; Also note that on the map their name starts with “Zhongshan” but they will be easy to find, being near Betson & exA-Arcadia (last time they were in a weird random spot away from the arcades):
PLAYMIND (Booth 1818)
The high-end ball toss game PLAYBOX debuted at IAAPA 2021 and where that was a big piece made for up to six-players, they now have a 4-player version that is able to find it’s way into more venues. I’m not sure if they have anything else in store beyond that
Retro Arcade (Booth 1717)
The guys remaking Taito’s Ice Cold Beer and Zeke’s Peak are back although I am a little perplexed by their situation. They claimed at Amusement Expo that the game would be hitting production this past summer but after the show, it’s been total radio silence – I tried reaching out via phone & email and got…nothing. They are obviously still around but it will be nice to find out some answers as to what’s up here and where people can order, as many are quite interested in grabbing this.
Sega Amusements (Booth 1010)
Sega has been building up the hype for their booth over the past few weeks, where we’ve been able to cover their next video games. This roster includes Crazy Rafting, Drone Racing Genesis, Storm Rider 2, which joins their other existing titles from the last IAAPA. They will also have some new redemption items around, although the Solar System game they showed at IAAPA Europe doesn’t appear to be joining them. That’s probably for the best as they have the new Bop It! game and a pirate-themed EM shooting gallery redemption game that they want to see get some attention.
I would not be expecting any other surprises at this point but that’s all right – they have a lot of new content so it’ll keep me busy as it is.
Step Revolution (Booth 638)
When I first saw this booth on the map, I figured it would be a repeat of previous years but last night they put out an update stating:
As a “new product” that’s “big, beautiful and bold,” it could be a new Step ManiaX cabinet (DX maybe) or something entirely new. SMX has been selling quite well and is starting to become a dominant force in arcade dance gaming out there so I imagine whatever this is will help that along. I almost wonder if that’s why Andamiro is bringing PIU back to life, as apart from what you get with R1USA/D&B, SMX has been almost unopposed on the market within the genre.
Stern Pinball (Booth 412)
James Bond will be the main focus of Stern’s booth, although I’ll have to see if they will talk about the as-yet-unveiled 60th anniversary edition. They’ll also have their other in-production games like Godzilla and Rush to play.
Team Play (Booth 227)
I missed their big debut of Carnival Wheel at Bowl Expo, but this new entry into the big wheel redemption space will be there, along with their Photo kiddie ride.
Tecway (Booth #1602)
Sometimes this Chinese company has something interesting to show, although often it’s stuff I pay little attention to (oddball redemption games or forgettable video games). The last time I found something to film at their booth was 2011:
The Really Big Crane Company (Booth 215)
This company is associated with Raw Thrills but as we’ve seen before, they do more than cranes, despite the name. Last IAAPA they showed a very new version of Zombie Jam – whether they will have that again or some other new video piece, we’ll have to wait and see. They will have a giant crane there, which will finally fit with the “really big” part of their name – something that I oddly had never seen them do before, but perhaps they just didn’t bring those models to the show.
Triotech (Booths 5424 & 5818)
Triotech is in an odd place this year, compared to previous IAAPA’s, so if you’re expecting to find them around their usual place, you’ll be disappointed. Instead, if you’re entering the convention center from the south (as most do), head to the right where they tend to setup things like rope courses and theme park rides.
As for what they’ll have, you can always assume their products like the XD Dark Ride and Typhoon, but they will unveil a brand new “revolutionary coin-op multiplayer game.” Jdevy discovered that TT has filed for a trademark for something called “Qube” and given the 3D cubes on the image here, it’s safe to say that the two are a match. There is no mention of VR so could it be MXR-related? Something else?
UNIS (Booth 1306)
UNIS had a presence at IAAPA Expo Europe ’22 and as usual, they will use the main IAAPA event to unveil new stuff. They sent out an email stating that they will showcase over 30 games and you can check out a catalog here. They have Emoji Roller for redemption, the Wicked Tuna videmption game, Star Crusaders II videmption and are jumping back into VR after a hiatus with Sailor’s Quest VR. By what I can gather, this game takes the concept behind Deadstorm Pirates and adds VR to it – players have mounted guns that they use as controllers and they sit on a motion based although it’s unknown what exact base is being used here.
Valley-Dynamo (Booth 2000)
I wouldn’t expect to see a video game at their booth but they have done the pinball-like All star Baseball in the past and they are also known for commercial-grade air hockey. Among their new titles is an air hockey table called Black Thunder, which appears to be a redesign of their old Black Hole table.
Wik (Booth 843)
This Polish manufacturer, which I sometimes confuse with one of the other Polish makers out there since they often sell each other’s equipment (or clone it) will be there but I do not know what they might be bringing. They did unveil their Wik basketball a few IAAPAs ago and on rare occasion they might have a videmption game to show off.
Honorable Mentions
Komuse, S&B Toy, Smart Industries, are worth bringing up but they’re all focused on redemption or cranes that I’m not big into.
Augmented/Virtual Reality & Attraction-Focused Booths
I’m separating these out as I know that some readers to the site just don’t care about VR (or often called “LBE VR” for Location-Based Entertainment…nerdy way of saying VR arcade or attraction). But for those that do, here you go; Some may also include AR and MXR-focused products – overall these are focused on big, pricey attractions meant for FECs and theme parks.
Boxblaster VR (Booth 1888)
They should have their Boxblaster arena with the latest software; Their single-player Gold & Mace game is mentioned as launching in January although I don’t know if they are still doing this in conjunction with Elaut or not.
Creative Works (Booths 4072, 4271)
CW has more involvement in the industry than just VR, although it is something they’ve really embraced in recent years. That said, they are kind of like a distributor – all of the VR products that they show off are developed by 3rd party companies. I believe they do some manufacturing too but it’s a little confusing. Anyways, one game they have out there that you might have seen is the SpongeBob VR piece; They will also be showcasing the Fury VR Solo by VRstudios and they will be demonstrating “8 and 16-player versions” of a freeroam VR arena that uses mapped walls & props called Limitless VR. Here’s a trailer:
DOF Robotics (Booths 2286 & 2686)
This company always has something quite impressive to fine, with their focus being on medium-level attractions for theme parks. They’ve done things with dome screens before but have pivoted towards VR systems for the past several years. Here’s one from way back; Last year they had the enormous Grave Digger VR system to show off; Recently on YouTube they posted this new Moon Mission experience, although if they bring it to the show, it’ll have to be greatly reduced as it’s supposed to take 30-40 minutes for the whole thing. It also does not use VR:
Hero Zone VR (Booth 3486)
This company out of Belgium uses Meta Quest headsets in an open arena, although I am not sure if the games have been made just for the HZ system or if they are available at home.
HOLOGATE (Booths 2883, 3083)
Hologate will be showing off their new Ghostbusters VR Academy experience, among other existing products to support their many arenas that are out on the market. As you can see below, GB is a two-story arena where the bottom features training in the Ectomobile-1 then upstairs is where you work at catching ghosts with a proton pack. I imagine the wait times on this very theme park/FEC piece will be long.
INOWIZE (Booth 3473)
This Romanian company has been to a few previous IAAPA events with their 6-player Arkadia VR arena and for this IAAPA, that product is being joined by a new piece called QBIX. QBIX isn’t VR though, it’s more MXR as it uses projection mapping on multiple walls, with players wielding a wireless controller to interact with their environment. Here’s a brief preview:
LASERTRON (Booth 1800)
This lasertag company introduced an MXR twist to axe throwing last year, so I would expect to see that again. Unsure if they will have anything else in the AR/MXR category though.
MaxFlight (Booth 2215)
Their simulators are always a sight to behold, simulating fighter jets or roller coasters; The stuff they bring to IAAPA is generally theme-park focused but they say they have products for FECs, museums, casinos, etc.
Phenomena (Booth 5609)
This company has a free roam VR arena that is heavily focused on competitive eSports VR games. One of their newest pieces of software is like Let’s Dance:
Rilix (Booth 838)
This Brazilian company will be back, showcasing their non-motion VR roller coaster platform, but whether they have a new product in the wings, I do not know. Their product is in the thumbnail here:
SPREE Interactive (Booths 3888, 3889)
The VR arenas that SPREE creates are generally open/free-roam along with wireless, with the games being more adventure experiences as opposed to fast action arcade-style titles. They used to be known as Holodeck VR.
Talon Simulations (Booth 2989)
I was unaware until recently that these guys built the VR setups you see at Dave & Busters but now they appear to be making their offerings available to others (it’s possible they already had been, I just wasn’t aware of them until now). One product that will be focused on for their booth is their Talon Vortex, a sit-down motion cabinet that offers multiple games on the single platform
Valo Motion (Booth 4879)
This company has multiple exergaming products available that incorporate projection mapping into much of what they do – I’d call them more of an MXR focused company. They have the ValoArena for multiple players but also things like an interactive climbing wall, interactive trampoline game and more.
VAR LIVE (Booth 202)
This Hong Kong-based VR company has brought their products like the VAR BOX to both IAAPA and Amusement Expo before; I’m not sure if they have a new hardware or software product that will be there but here’s their most recent video…from a year ago:
Virtuix (Booth 1828)
This company is one that’s been around the longest among VR companies, their Omni Arenas sporting an omni-directional treadmill. They have their own VR rhythm game that will debut at the show, Rhythm Master:
VR Coaster (Booth 2272)
This German company is focused on adding VR to roller coasters and some other out-of-home experiences
VR 360 Action (Booth 4882)
This company has been at IAAPA and AEI a few times before, showing off a range of VR products including motion simulators, racing games and VR plank walkers.
VRLEO USA (Booth 110)
This company has a “self-service VR arcade cabinet” that also uses a UV-light cleaning system to sanitize the headset.
VRsenal (Booth 427)
VRsenal will bring their Rhytmatic 2 rhythm game to the show, which I believe is the debut for this one, the new cabinet becoming their de facto standard over their previous models. This cabinet is also being licensed to VR Studios for their Football Frenzy game; VR Studios is at the Creative Works booth mentioned up above.
XR Immersive Tech / Synthesis VR (Booth 2082)
This company debuted their Uncontained VR experience last year, which takes shipping containers and converts them into a “multiplayer free-roam VR shipping container attraction.”
Anything else?
Oh, there’s always something else that you can’t grab from lists or is being saved for a surprise. Note that I see no mention of Motion Sphere, who had promoted the Star Wars Sphere earlier this year; A VR focused company MediaMation also sent out an email saying that they decided not to go to the show to focus on their many installs.
