# FIRST PICTURES OF THE NEW QUEEN PINBALL MACHINE **Source:** Knapp Arcade **Type:** article **Published:** 2021-09-28 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/first-pictures-of-the-new-queen-pinball-machine --- ## Analysis First official pictures and video footage of Pinball Brothers' upcoming Queen pinball machine have surfaced at Queen's pop-up store in London. The machine features a video screen in the backbox playing actual Queen concert footage. The game is based on a Barry Ousler design originally secured by Heighway Pinball before its bankruptcy, with assets later acquired by Pinball Brothers. This appears to be the company's next release after Alien. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Heighway Pinball had previously secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pinball machine, designed by Barry Ousler — _Years ago Heighway Pinball had secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pin prior to its bankruptcy and that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired._ - [HIGH] Pinball Brothers acquired the Queen pinball design as part of Heighway Pinball's bankruptcy assets — _that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired_ - [HIGH] The Queen machine is Pinball Brothers' next game after Alien — _This may be the first ever picture of Pinball Bros' next game after Alien._ - [HIGH] The machine features a video screen in the backbox that plays actual Queen concert footage during gameplay — _The video screen in the backbox plays actual Queen concert footage during games._ - [MEDIUM] Forbes reported the Queen pinball machine as 'soon-to-be-released' — _I came across a Forbes article that says 'and a first viewing of a soon-to-be-released Queen pinball machine.' Who knows if they got that fact right, but that's a fairly reputable source._ ### Notable Quotes > "Years ago Heighway Pinball had secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pin prior to its bankruptcy and that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired." > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Explains the chain of custody for the Queen license and design heritage_ > "This may be the first ever picture of Pinball Bros' next game after Alien." > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Identifies Queen as Pinball Brothers' second commercial release_ > "I had assumed that it was going to just be some sort of custom re-theme of another game. I didn't expect to find this, but I sure am glad that I did. So cool!" > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Expresses surprise at seeing a full custom-designed machine rather than a retheme_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Pinball Brothers | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; acquired Heighway Pinball's Queen design assets; second game is Queen after Alien | | Queen | game | Upcoming pinball machine themed after rock band Queen, featuring backbox video screen with concert footage | | Barry Ousler | person | Pinball designer who created the original Queen pinball design acquired by Pinball Brothers | | Heighway Pinball | company | British boutique manufacturer that originally secured Queen license; assets including Queen design acquired by Pinball Brothers after bankruptcy | | Alien | game | Pinball Brothers' first commercial release; Queen is their next game after this | | Queen's Greatest pop-up store | event | Temporary retail location in London where Queen pinball machine was first publicly displayed | | Knapp Arcade | organization | Pinball news and content source that broke first pictures of Queen machine | ### Topics - **Primary:** Pinball Brothers product roadmap, Heighway Pinball bankruptcy and asset acquisition, First look / leak detection - **Secondary:** Licensed IP in pinball design, Video screen integration in pinball machines ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Author expresses genuine enthusiasm about the discovery ('So cool!') and appreciation for finding exclusive first pictures. Tone is excited and celebratory about the Queen machine reveal. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Heighway Pinball bankruptcy resulted in loss of Queen license to competitor Pinball Brothers, representing significant asset transfer between manufacturers (confidence: high) — Heighway Pinball had secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pin prior to its bankruptcy and that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired - **[leak_detection]** First official pictures and video footage of Pinball Brothers' Queen machine surfaced at Queen's London pop-up store before any official announcement on Pinball Brothers social media (confidence: high) — Just checked and there is no mention of a new Queen pinball machine on any of Pinball Brothers social media accounts. - **[personnel_signal]** Barry Ousler confirmed as designer of Queen pinball; design originally created for Heighway Pinball before asset acquisition by Pinball Brothers (confidence: high) — that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired - **[announcement]** Queen pinball officially confirmed as Pinball Brothers' second commercial release following Alien (confidence: high) — This may be the first ever picture of Pinball Bros' next game after Alien. - **[technology_signal]** Queen machine features integrated video screen in backbox playing concert footage, representing notable use of video integration in modern pinball design (confidence: high) — The video screen in the backbox plays actual Queen concert footage during games. --- ## Transcript Here's the first ever look at The Pinball Brother's upcoming Queen pinball machine as seen at the iconic rock band's new pop-up store in London. The video screen in the backbox plays actual Queen concert footage during games. Years ago Heighway Pinball had secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pin prior to its bankruptcy and that Barry Oursler design was part of the assets that Pinball Brothers acquired. This may be the first ever picture of Pinball Bros' next game after Alien. Yesterday I read in an article that there was going to be a Queen themed pinball machine at this store, so I scoured the web trying to find pictures of it. There wasn't any out there until the store's official opening today. That's when I found this. I had assumed that it was going to just be some sort of custom re-theme of another game. I didn't expect to find this, but I sure am glad that I did. So cool! I came across a Forbes article that says "and a first viewing of a soon-to-be-released Queen pinball machine." Who knows if they got that fact right, but that's a fairly reputable source. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markfaithfull/2021/09/28/queen-rock-up-on-carnaby-street-to-celebrate-50-year-anniversary/?sh=477a15d52213 If you look closely at the first picture, at the top of the playfield by the backbox on the left side it looks like there is some sort of remote control attached to the game. Does anyone have any guesses as to what that is? I just checked and there is no mention of a new Queen pinball machine on any of Pinball Brothers social media accounts. At the 1:09 mark of this Reuters video about the store there's a short glimpse of the machine turned on: https://twitter.com/ReutersIndia/status/1442623837594607621?s=20 Queen the Greatest pop-up store launches in London https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/2021/09/28/queen-pop-up-store/ _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 38c2a05c-3b24-4c07-90b8-0f2dcb7b8c4b*