Arcade1Up Rises from Ashes: New Ownership Promises Better, More Authentic Home Arcade Experience

Daily Technology

19/02/2026

The hope of setting up a home arcade, which looked almost dead after Arcade1Up sold its assets, is back. The brand now belongs to the toy firm Basic Fun! and it will ship new arcade machines that aim for higher build quality, greater faithfulness to the originals and a broader set of classic titles. The move is meant to repair old problems plus spark renewed interest in retro gaming in household game rooms.

Key points

Basic Fun!, the company behind Lite Brite and K'nex, has bought Arcade1Up.
The new owner vows to raise cabinet build standards, tighten quality checks and keep the games true to the arcade originals.
The launch list contains a Sonic the Hedgehog compilation and a four player WrestleFest cabinet.
"Supreme" line cabinets will cost about $650 - lower cost models will sit near $500.

A fresh start for Arcade1Up

Basic Fun! does not have a long history in retro gaming but it has set out clear goals for the brand. Aaron Kredi, who manages digital promotion for Basic Fun!, said the product will move past earlier versions. The plan covers fixes like hiding screw holes but also replacing weaker woods or plastics that showed up in prior cabinets. Builders will use tighter quality control and art panels will receive a rubber coating to mimic the feel of 1980s arcade gear.

Past faults and next targets

Kredi did not ignore earlier complaints, especially about the short life span of Arcade1Up claw machines. The firm is talking to parts suppliers for stronger motors as well as claws and it may redo the whole mechanism. Leadership also intends to slow the release cadence. "We are a larger company - we do not need to ship a new cabinet each month" Kredi noted. Extra time between launches should let engineers polish each model.

New machines and their price tags

The first big launch of 2026 bundles four Sonic hits for the Sega Genesis inside an XL cabinet. The list now holds Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2, Sonic 3D Blast besides Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine or Sonic the Hedgehog 3 could join the pack before the fall release. A four player WrestleFest cabinet is also on the way for multiplayer matches. Both units belong to the "Supreme" range or will retail for around $650. A simpler Ms. Pac Man cabinet that keeps the Japanese ball top stick is planned near the $500 level.

Licenses and the path forward

Although Basic Fun! bought most Arcade1Up assets, some game licenses did not carry over. Staff are now returning to rights holders to secure classic titles. The firm wants to reach past famous names like Pac Man and add cult favorites like Dragon's Lair next to Simon Says. Whether this chapter succeeds will rest on Basic Fun!'s ability to meet its quality claims next to keep vintage arcade play attractive to fans.

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