Almost nobody would have predicted quite how big Stranger Things was going to be for Netflix, with the show drawing in millions of viewers the world over to become one of the most commercially successful shows in the streaming service’s history. It launched several very recognizable careers, and it remains a cultural touchstone for many in the 2020s.
In my own opinion, it all got a little convoluted along the way, but there were plenty who disagreed, and stuck with the show through to its big budget conclusion. The entire run was arguably defined by its villains as much as its protagonists, and one of the most iconic is back in a new release that you may soon see when you’re out and about on your travels.
As first reported by Arcade Heroes, a new Stranger Things arcade game is on the way from Raw Thrills that brings the big bad from the show, Vecna, back in all his gross glory. The full description provided by the manufacturer goes into detail about what it will be like to play, with the breakdown reading as follows:
“Stranger Things Arcade is an electrifying new arcade game for 1-4 players from Raw Thrills, inspired by the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things. We are turning arcades upside down with this new arcade game. This family-friendly masterpiece invites players of all ages to battle Demogorgons, Demobats, Demodogs, and Vecna himself, in a high-energy, ball-throwing quest featuring the show’s iconic characters, locations, and haunting soundtrack. Engineered for maximum uptime, the cabinet boasts the proprietary Thrill-Scan™ ball sensing system for pinpoint accuracy. Hang out with the gang in Hawkins!”
As you’ll probably expect, this is an arcade cabinet designed for commercial locations more than anything else, so it’s worth keeping an eye out, as it will probably start cropping up physically quite soon. Gameplay seems to largely consist of hitting virtual targets with real, physical balls that you fire out of the weapons that come with the cabinet.
It’s obviously a pretty traditional approach to an arcade cabinet, but the Stranger Things designs and proprietary features will certainly draw in some additional players.
The run of the original Stranger Things show has obviously now come to an end, but it would be a surprise if Netflix left the IP behind entirely given how financially successful it was. Whether that means a movie, spin-off, or something else entirely, we’ll have to wait and see, but don’t expect this to be the last time you have to see Vecna’s horrendous face.
