The holidays are here, and we’re happy to be launching Pinball Arcade on PS4 tomorrow! We’ve been working hard all year on remastering and relighting the classic pinball tables in our game to take advantage of the PS4’s power. And you’re getting a table on PS4 for free.
That table happens to be one of the best pinballs of all time, Tales of the Arabian Nights, which was designed and manufactured by Williams in 1996. We can’t wait for people to try it who may never have tried pinball before. Pinball is a much deeper game than some people think.
Out Tomorrow
The digital version goes live this week in North America. The blu-ray is also getting delivered to a few retailers this week — a great stocking stuffer for anyone who likes pinball (hint hint).
We’re launching with all of our Season One content available. That’s more than 20 tables worthy of first ballot Pinball Hall of Fame inductions. In fact, nine of the top fourteen ever, according to pinside.com are available from day one on PS4. We’re humbled to get to recreate these masterpieces for all of the real pinball fans out there.
Lighting Tech
Since we started re-creating pinball tables digitally, a decade or so ago, we’ve wanted to implement point lights — the illumination of light from specific points. Pinball tables are a great way to show off this technology. Some tables have more than 100 points of light that have been designed to flash on and off during the different modes and features of the table. I’ll always remember the PS4 for being the platform that we developed this on first.
Also adding to the eye candy is the amount of real-time environment map reflections we can add. Pinball tables are made up of lot of plastic and metal parts. Lots of chrome, combined with lots of colored lights going on and off makes for a beautiful light show!
Improvements
Since we first released the Season One tables on PS3 and PS Vita, we’ve been making fixes and improvements to our engine and each table. These fixes will soon be released for those platforms in a big patch that should be out in January. The PS4 version will get this updated gameplay on day one.
Discounts
We want to give players who own the PS3 and PS Vita content a discount on PS4. There have been some technical hurdles, but we’ve been able to work with PlayStation to implement a loyalty discount on PlayStation Store for the Season One Table Packs. Players who own all of the Season One tables can buy either of the Season One Packs for half price!
Happy holidays to all of you guys from everyone at FarSight!
BTW, I should also add that (I’m assuming it was Bobby on the facebook, though I’ll just go with TPA) TPA in another reply to me, explained in detail why they’re doing what they’re doing with the current pricing plan. I understand it fully. It made perfect sense. So honestly that issue for me is dropped. Once again, my largest issue is simply the PR, and Marketing.
There are other issues I have with Farlight of course, but they aren’t relevant in any way to what’s been said here, or elsewhere at this time. So won’t comment on them. Just understand, I’m not some angry fanboy who’s trying to be all “WOO! GO ZEN! WIN THE WAR” I agree 100% with XFRod.
These games ARE meant to “Scratch different itches”, and they do it well. In the past, I was very happy to throw money at both companies. Now.. I dunno.
Thanks, but no thanks. I own these tables on all the other platforms: xbox306, PS3, vita, android, ..
@ Entomorph
Did you bring up Zen first to them? If not, then again I say I think he’s just aware of how many people are already comparing their game to Zen’s, even though they shouldn’t.
Jet Set seemed like a random name pulled out of a hat, similar to how photopyle named “Titanic” as an example, and the rest of the post summarized the work they’ve put into the game. I don’t see anything over-the-top there, and I even agree with him that consumers seem to struggle with accepting/understanding how hard they work on these games for us to play, and they do indeed deserve to be compensated for their work by those who want to keep seeing more from them. All the ungrateful, whining know-it-alls are really annoying to me, so I can imagine how much it annoys FarSight, given that all this crap is always aimed at them.
In the past, neither FarSight or Zen had ever talked about each other very much, and when they did, they were positive, supportive comments expressing appreciation for each other’s contributions to pinball. So, I wouldn’t be so sure that Bobby or anyone at FarSight is going out of their way to damage Zen’s credibility… unless they had a falling out? I don’t know. Maybe they’re just stressed out…
It doesn’t matter if they’re upset that they get compared to Zen Studios. I personally have never seen Zen Studios put down Farsight. Ever. Now, if they have, then I’m sorry. But so far, I’ve yet to see this happen. No matter how you spin this, the only company/person saying “We worked hard, and they didn’t” is THIS company.
Now as was explained to me by them/him on facebook They had a plan to still make money, but be fair to their fans. Sadly, they weren’t able to pull this off. I was told by FarSight that they are upset about this. Honestly, I do believe them. It does make me feel bad about some of the things I said.
However, never once did they go “Gee, maybe we shouldn’t constantly compare ourselves to Zen Studios. Who works just as hard as us”. Instead it’s just “They’re porting a ps3 game to ps4, with nothing but a higher resolution. Us? We worked hard.” Which implies that Zen isn’t working hard. It’s a very simple concept, and it’s shameful.
Honestly, now that I sit here and reflect on it, I maybe WILL still buy at least one pack.. See how the new game pans out. Though all this does make it very hard for me to stomach supporting this company.
Think about it this way, when the CoD guys, and the BF guys throw stones at each other, it just makes them seem like children. However in this case, the ONLY ones casting stones, are FarSight.
LoL man u guys in the comments take pinball seriously … looking forward to the free table … I’ll see what other tables catch my eye to buy … Thx for bringing it to the PS4 ! It looks good
My little… “Fit?” Isn’t about my like, or dislike of Pinball.
Anyway, without getting back into that, some of the early tables, despite the bugs, were very fun. Bride of Pinbot seems a bit simple in nature, but if you’ve ever had the chance to see it in real life. Man.. It was just something else. Getting to play it here, is pretty amazing. Black Hole of course is a classic.
There are totally a few tables that will catch your eye for sure. Though I’m getting the feeling they’re doing it the same way on PS4, that it’s done on Steam. Basically you buy packs, instead of just the tables you want.
There are 3 seasons on steam right now, They range from 30 dollars to I think 50? Something like that.
@ Entomorph
Dude, I’m not trying to “spin” anything. I’m seriously going by what I know and what I’ve seen from FarSight and Zen in the past. Like I said, I’ve never seen either one of them bash each other, and they have even complimented each other’s work. So, again, like I said, I don’t know what happened between them. Whether FarSight is bitter about something, or if it was just an innocent, yet poor PR decision to mention another company like that, I’m not sure.
I will continue buying all new tables and table packs from both Zen and FarSight, like I always do. I have an addiction to pinball, and I’m not ashamed to keep feeding it… :)
@ INFIDEL_JIHAD
Pinball is SERIOUS fun!
Serious fun if you enjoy carpal tunnel ;)
Luckily, I don’t have that problem… yet.
Just wait until you’re old and bitter like me. That’s when your body decides to punish you.
And how old are you?
I own 2 seasons of TPA on IOS. I have zero issues buying this on PS4, if you don’t want to drop any cash on these great tables no one is holding a gun to your head. There’s plenty of games upcoming or play Zen if that turns your crank.
I would like to say that this has been a great read from beginning to end!As for the games we will see what TPA will look like tuesday around 6 to 9 am.. im just a gamer have been for 23 years when i see blogs or posts and interviews that just lead to arguments about who s better ect. To me and many of you here read or replying we just enjoy the game don’t be frustrated bout PR or cross buy .We made a choice to own a PS4 therefore are agreeing to their rules . Instead of getting let down about it embrace it .Games are very expensive and hard to make in all i congratulate both pinball companies and Sony for bringing us pinball games to next gen consoles please keep up the good work!As for cod and bf they Both are great games solo or with friends,it’s really how the younger generation of gamers views have caused this Hype. Alot of older gamers prefer bf over cod.Both are great ,obviously off topic n apologize just like to offer a mind changer and hope every one enjoys all games respectfully and those who work hard getting them to us the gamers,as we are all gamers and need to respect that.This is why social media can be a con instead of a pro all in all keep up the good work!
killapete closing transmission
Looks interesting , I will give a try :)
will it b free
no TPA isn’t zen will be but if you own the season pass its discounted to those who purchased it n are plus members.In all fairness it is updated as is zen they will be fitted to be better on ps4 1 games comprised of liscened tables , zen has tables created by the company who make that game both fun and addicting despite the bugs n or glitches 2 be found and thn patched.
just go to their websites to find all details that you might like to know.google the name of game and follow links.
Aw, man. No cross-buy? Shame. I was really excited after that slip that it was. Guess I won’t be getting this then. I love the game to death, but not enough to buy it again.
I need pinball players in my friends list! Please send me some requests! :)
Can’t wait to get my refund from Sony later this week so I can buy some tables. Been waiting for this game for a long time. So stoked it’s finally here. After playing the demo on PS4 I was amazed and needed the game.
This is awesome news. By far the best pinball sim out there. But why is everyone complaining about not getting the tables for free? I own all the season one tables on ps3 and will be happy to pay for them again to get a full next gen experience.
Congrats on getting the game out on the PS4 — Love all the tables and can’t wait to play it tomorrow; definitely getting Season 1 [again]! IMO, completely worth picking it up again and again on the various platforms… Any dates on Season 2 and/or 3?
The whining in these comments over not getting everything for free has gotten way out of hand.
I will GLADLY pay again for remastered tables — especially when they’re remastered REAL tables — and a game reimagined with the PS4 in mind instead of simply ported. This is what I want a cross-gen game to be, not just a sharper looking xerox of something I already played.
Thanks, Pinball Arcaders. We’re a minority in a sea of crybabies but we’re out there and we appreciate this.
@50
“Don’t worry, it’s not enough to call a boycott on TPA”
Funniest thing I’ve read on this blog in a long time. Not intentionally so, but hilarious all the same. Gamers really are crazy.
I will definitely be checking this out, I want to see what the power of PS4 can do for this game.
If the devs are still reading, is there any intent of eventually re-creating the little known Pinball 2000 tables from Williams? Not sure how well they would translate to an all-digital format but I sure would love to be able to play Revenge from Mars again.
Looking forward to this one. Elvira table, here we go!
Will be getting a PS4, not sure if I will purchase. I have spent a lot of $$$ on PS3/Vita version. Any new tables coming?
Isn’t this game suppose to be out today? I don’t see it in the psn store. Thanks
Wheres the game!?!?!?!
looks decent :D
Bobby, I’ve just got to say it again – everybody at Farsight has done a stellar job with Pinball Arcade since DAY ONE. It’s amazing that you all continue to produce such spectacular content with a clear indication of how passionate that you are about pinball, ESPECIALLY in the face of perhaps the most inpatient, intolerant, vocally caustic, ungrateful, and downright disrespectful consumer base that I’ve seen for practically any game, ever. I don’t really know how you put up with it all, but you do and you continue to deliver. Looking forward to grabbing the PS4 version of PBArcade today and showing my support by RE buying my favorite tables. A quick question since there’s no information at all on the web detailing this. What tables will be feature on the physical disc release of this for PS4 that’s currently listed on Amazon and elsewhere?
FlyingBurrito, did you even read this post?? Or just come here to comment. It clearly says Season 1.
Out Tomorrow
The digital version goes live this week in North America. The blu-ray is also getting delivered to a few retailers this week — a great stocking stuffer for anyone who likes pinball (hint hint).
We’re launching with all of our Season One content available. That’s more than 20 tables worthy of first ballot Pinball Hall of Fame inductions. In fact, nine of the top fourteen ever, according to pinside.com are available from day one on PS4. We’re humbled to get to recreate these masterpieces for all of the real pinball fans out there.
@RedTurboMr2 I missed the “Blu-Ray delivered to retailers” portion as it’s in the exact same sentence as “Digital Version” so I quickly skimmed over that part having read the digital specification at the beginning. However, this is quite literally the first official statement regarding the table listing on the physical version. Great to know what’s on the disc, they should consider updating the Amazon/GameStop listings to clarify that it’s season 1.
Ya, they should update it. But if people knew that they’ll have to pay another 70$ or so to complete the game, a lot of people wouldn’t buy it. This game is very Expensive to complete, but it’s very fun and i can’t wait to play it.
@RedTurboMr2 Yeah, I didn’t think it would be just the one free table, but I was concerned that it would be similar to their pay digital version on PS3/Vita which only included 3-4 tables (Black Hole, Ripley’s, Arabian, Theatre of Magic). For all of Season 1 remastered for PS4 that’s a good price.
They wouldn’t sell any copies if it was just the 3-4 tables. They charge 30$ or 40$ “pro” for season 1 on pc, so it makes sense for the complete Season 1 to be included and not just a few tables. There will be 22 tables on the PS4 game, and then the other seasons as DLC
Where is it? I can’t wait to try this. It’s the 17th but the game is nowhere to be seen in the PSN store… :(
It’d be the first game I’d buy if I had a PS4, but that’s okay. I’ll continue buying it on PS3/Vita and PC so you’re not losing any money from me, and since the PC version will get the PS4 upgrade in the future, I have no reason to get a PS4 at this time anyway.
BTW, thank you for Fish Tales. Awesome pin. Bought it on PC. Thanks a lot!!!
HMMM, Zen Pinball 2 has been pushed back a week. I really hope they don’t push Pinball Arcade back also :(
Just finished chatting with someone from sony, and they said that the PS Store is getting updated right now, and might be a cpl hours before ready.
Wasn’t really a fan of Pinball Arcade the game just seemed totally off. The ball is floating around and its not the same compared to other pinball games out there.
I’ve heard great things about Pinball Arcade on PS4.
I’d really like to get this along with Season 1 DLC.
What’s the difference between the Bundle & the Pro Bundle?
Thanks. :)
@ saab01
I don’t think you’ve ever played real pinball.
You should, though. And once you do, you’ll see just how damn accurate the Pinball Arcade really is. Perfect, no. But it’s the closest thing to real pinball yet.
derb —- All of Season 1 is coming with Pinball Arcade. Please read the post.
_-
I really don’t like this. I’ve bought all 18 table packs off of PSN and the core game. I’ve spent over $100 dollars on the game and now I am going to have to ultimately spend another $30 for the 2 seasons I already own? No thanks. I’ll just stick to the Vita.
To say Zen is just porting a title over is in poor taste as well. They are working hard on the game to optimize it for the PS4 AND offering a new table at launch. Zen does very well at what they do with minimal issues. Farsight can take a page or two out of their book.
I ended up checking the store on the playstation website and i clearly see the game. 36$ for pro and 26$ for the regular game. I ended up purchasing the pro. Clicked download and ERROR :( I guess if you can’t download it from the ps4 store, you can’t download it from the website either. This sucks. Now i see why people complain about getting digital games. They get the money and we have problems getting the game. Thumbs down Sony.
@ RedTurboMr2
The store isn’t fully updated yet. That might be why there’s a problem.
@Niko408 I can understand your concern regarding re-purchasing tables that you’ve purchased on the PS3 and Vita, but having done the same myself (mostly on iOS and PS3/Vita) over the course of the past few seasons … and after testing out all of the tables on the PS4 version, I can say without hesitation that the resolution, physics and lighting are SIGNIFICANTLY better on PS4 than any other version that I’ve played. If you’re the kind of person that will buy a Criterion Collection Blu-Ray remaster of your favorite movie that you already own on DVD then I’d say it’s absolutely worth it to double dip on the PS4 set. If not, if you’re satisfied with the PS3/Vita versions of the tables, and there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be, it’s great there, then just stick with those. But the work that went into these versions is completely evident once you play them.