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The Classic Pinball Podcast
The Classic Pinball Podcast
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#118 Haggmess - The Classic Pinball Podcast

PodcastAnalysis updated 3d ago1 hr 59 min listenBy George
From the creator

Haggis. World Poker Tour. Nugent. Godzilla. Bonus Feature: Shango Axe.

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Highlights

  • Haggis Pinball used a 'friction playfield' design with no adhesive; playfield held in place by mechanisms only
  • COVID-era supplier change caused delamination problems; new material was different from original product
  • Haggis Fathom machines sold for approximately $10,000 originally; now reselling at $7,900 with delamination issues
  • Approximately 200 Fathom machines were manufactured worldwide
  • Distributors are owed $259,000 across three distributors (US, Canadian, European)
  • Individuals are owed $846,000 across 86 customers who pre-ordered
  • Haggis called customers claiming games would be ready in six weeks, requesting final payment, with alleged knowledge they would never deliver
  • Haggis created and shipped 'space age pods' to customers as part of a playfield replacement ruse, maintaining appearance of being proactive while company was failing
  • Haggis also produced a game called Celts that did not have delamination complaints and proved they could manufacture to decent quality
  • Zach Minney of Flippin' Out Pinball backed distributors' losses and refunded customers affected by delamination

Notable quotes

“They better get it right.”
Dave
“I don't like that. No, I don't either. And I don't know where this falls as far as companies that have done it in the past, but it never seems to work out the way that you have it in your mind. There's always a glitch. There's something that comes up, and then inevitably the house of cards falls.”
Dave
“This hobby is lucky to have a guy like Zach Minney and flipping out pinball to distribute machines.”
George
“It's basically two layers. The traditional plywood, you know, plate field. But on top they put, remember they said, oh, this, you know, plastic or whatever it was, you know, couldn't be dented. He took the sledgehammer.”
George
“The only thing that would adhere, they called it a friction play field. There's no adhesive. All the mechanisms were to hold this indestructible play field in place.”
George
“I feel bad for people. I feel really bad for people.”
George
“You effed up. You trusted us.”
George
“During COVID, you used to be able to go on Twitch any night of the week and find a pinball video. You know, somebody doing live stream. Not now.”
George
“What happens when you get all the way down to the apron, and you put in one of the screws, it was one of the last items on the playfield, and it spiderwebs? No good. You've got to take everything off and start all over again. A, expensive. B, that's just crazy to try to do that from a manufacturing standpoint.”
George
“We started this mess back in June of 2019. Wow. Yeah, what a long, strange trip it's been.”
George and Dave

Entities

  • Deep Root Pinball· company
  • Flippin' Out Pinball· company
  • Haggis Pinball· company
  • Pinball Brothers· company
  • Stern Pinball· company
  • Celts· game
  • Centaur· game
  • Fathom Revisited· game
  • NAP Arcade· organization
  • Rochester Pinball Collective· organization
  • The Classic Pinball Podcast· organization
  • Bruce Nightingale· person
  • Damien· person
  • Dave· person
  • George· person
  • John Day· person
  • Marty Robbins· person
  • Terry Hardy· person
  • Zach Minney· person
  • Lissy board· product

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