{"id":21465,"date":"2021-08-27T22:19:24","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T21:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/?p=21465"},"modified":"2021-08-27T22:19:29","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T21:19:29","slug":"southern-fried-gaming-expo-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/2021\/08\/27\/southern-fried-gaming-expo-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"SOUTHERN-FRIED GAMING EXPO 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After going ‘virtual’ in 2020 due to local government concerns about the spread of COVID 19, the eighth annual Southern-Fried Gaming Expo<\/a> was held ‘in person’ at the Marriott Renaissance Waverly Hotel and Convention Center Atlanta<\/a> near the Cobb Galleria Shopping Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SFGE 2021 logo<\/a> was inspired by the mythic Phoenix bird rising from the ashes. Supposedly it was based on the Williams Phoenix<\/a><\/em> backglass art, but I wasn\u2019t able to see the resemblance. Event T-shirts and other merchandise with this show logo were available for purchase and the t-shirts were printed with glow in the dark ink. Shirts and other merchandise were completely sold out at the show but the organizers plan to make them available in the SFGE online store as soon as they are able to be restocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with similar shows, the SFGE was a 3-day event, opening to the public on Friday, August 20th, and concluding on Sunday, August 22nd. There was a full slate of seminars, tournaments, a film festival, cosplay, vendor presentations, auctions, stand-up comedy, corn hole tournaments, live wrestling, an ’80s prom (with live music), live wrestling matches, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SFGE organizers went to considerable effort to ensure that attendees could easily find show events that they wished to attend. Daily schedules were posted outside of each breakout room and the full schedules<\/a> were available on the event website and an event app available for iOS and Android. Key event staff were equipped with two-way radios which allowed a quick response to any show technical difficulties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SFGE covers a broad spectrum of gaming – board games, role-playing games, video games (console as well as arcade), and of course pinball in its many and diverse forms. There were tournaments for all of the above-mentioned gaming types, as well as opportunities for ‘free play’ among the participants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The table-top gaming area<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the table-top games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"When<\/a>
When it comes to table top games, do or do not. There is no try.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Playing<\/a>
Playing some of the table-top games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I will focus in this report on the arcade and pinball-related events. There are other reports covering board gaming, etc. available on places such as YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the 2021 SFGE, there were an estimated 200 pinball games and commercial video games in the Arcade area as well as pin games provided by the major distributors and game manufacturers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the pinballs at SFGE 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More pinballs at SFGE 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some older pinballs<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More pinballs<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A rare Roy Clark: The Entertainer pinball<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"An<\/a>
An Atlanta Falcons rethemed Striker Xtreme<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

An interesting highlight was the dozen or so Japanese ‘Candy Cab’ video arcade games provided by the Wedoca company<\/a> to the rear and left of the Arcade Hall. I had never seen these titles or the style of cabinet that they were enclosed in so I cannot comment other than they were there and available to play by attendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Wedoca stand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the Candy Cabs<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Blast<\/a>
Blast City from Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More Candy Cabs<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Marco Specialties<\/a> was once again on hand occupying a large section of the Hall D floorspace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Marco Specialties stand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Marco had several of the most recent Stern releases available to play including The Mandalorian<\/a><\/em>, Led Zeppelin<\/a><\/em>, The Avengers: Infinity Quest,<\/em> <\/a>and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Strangely,<\/a>
Strangely, no “This is the way” signage<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Stern<\/a>
Stern Pinball’s The Mandalorian<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the recent Stern Pinball titles<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Guardians<\/a>
Guardians of the Galaxy, Stranger Things and The Avengers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Marco also had technicians on hand to lend assistance to games that might need attention or to answer questions. Marco partnered with Classic Game Rooms<\/a> to provide a great gaming experience for all attendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spooky Pinball<\/a> was on hand with two current production examples each of Halloween<\/em> and Ultraman<\/em><\/a> games available to enjoy. The queues were quite long for a chance to play these titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Spooky Pinball stand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Spooky<\/a>
Spooky Pinball’s stand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Halloween<\/a>
Halloween from Spooky Pinball<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

American Pinball<\/a> was in attendance featuring their Hot Wheels<\/a><\/em> title, but singular examples of Oktoberfest: Pinball on Tap<\/em><\/a> and Houdini<\/em><\/a> were also available for free play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"American<\/a>
American Pinball’s Hot Wheels game<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hall D was also the home of the vendor and flea market area with virtually anything and everything gaming-related from wearables, console games, parts, and accessories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the vendor stands in Hall D<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More of the vendor stands in Hall D<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To the rear of Hall D, opposite the Marco ‘Pinball Alley’ was a space dedicated to local gaming clubs and organizations. Fellowship of the Silver Ball<\/a>, Paranoia Pinball<\/a>, Carolina Game Lab<\/a>, The Basement Arcade<\/a>, and others were represented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the local organizations represented at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More of the local organizations represented at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More of the local organizations represented at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Grand Ballroom II was host to the Pinball tournaments – at the time that I visited, a tournament was about to begin and the organizers were busy checking in players. We hope that the organizers will publish the winners on their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Ballroom III was the location of the Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment<\/a> show which I was not able to attend due to covering the Chicago Gaming presentation. Certain attendees who will remain anonymous suggested that there be a tag-team wrestling match among pinball company CEOs. Perhaps this will be added to the program in 2022 with the proceeds going to Project Pinball or another worthy non-profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Ballroom IV featured the sprawling Vintage Computer Festival Southeast where nearly all mass-produced personal computers since the Altair 8800 were on display and available for use, along with examples of IBM\u2019s ‘Midrange’ medium-sized multi-user computer line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several seldom-seen personal computers such as the Apple Lisa and TI99\/4 were available for hands-on exploration. An early magnetic disk drive about the size of a small carry on suitcase and having a whopping 20MB storage capacity was displayed with a clear casing which showed the platters and heads of the device when in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"One<\/a>
One of the vintage computing exhibits at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More classic computer gaming<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More classic computer gaming<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It was expected that Chicago Gaming<\/a> would reveal their Cactus Canyon<\/em> remake<\/a> at the SFGE. Delays in shipping certain components and an unfortunate delay in final licensing approval from WMS owner Scientific Games caused this plan to be scrapped the Monday before the opening of SFGE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, Chicago Gaming\u2019s Ryan White gave a presentation about what little he was able to reveal about the game without going into detail. I found it interesting that Chicago Gaming worked with some of the original Bally\/Williams design team to add features that will make it more like the game the original design team wanted it to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ryan<\/a>
Ryan White at the Southern-Fried Gaming Expo 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ryan discussed the new organizational structure at Chicago Gaming with two full-time project managers, which will allow multiple games to be developed concurrently. Ryan also mentioned Chicago Gaming\u2019s plans for another production run of Medieval Madness<\/em> remakes<\/a> in 2023. Chicago Gaming\u2019s new pinball operating system software, planned to be included in new pinball titles, was mentioned. Among other things, the new operating system allows the addition of software to incorporate a mini-game using the Cactus Canyon<\/em> remake’s interactive topper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The complete Chicago Gaming presentation can be viewed on the Pinball News Website<\/a>, on the Pinball News YouTube channel<\/a> or right here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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