# 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 Knapp Arcade reports the first public photographs of Pinball Brothers' upcoming Queen-themed pinball machine, displayed at Queen's pop-up store in London. The machine features Queen concert footage in the backbox video screen and is based on a Barry Oursler design originally licensed to Heighway Pinball before the company's bankruptcy, with assets acquired by Pinball Brothers. The discovery is unannounced on Pinball Brothers' official channels. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Heighway Pinball had secured the license to manufacture a Queen-themed pinball machine years ago, and the Barry Oursler design was part of the assets Pinball Brothers acquired following Heighway's bankruptcy. — _Knapp Arcade article, drawing on industry knowledge of asset transfers_ - [MEDIUM] Queen machine may be the first ever picture of Pinball Brothers' next game after Alien. — _Knapp Arcade speculation based on the timing and nature of the sighting_ - [HIGH] The backbox video screen plays actual Queen concert footage during games. — _Knapp Arcade direct observation of the displayed machine_ - [HIGH] There is no mention of the new Queen pinball machine on any of Pinball Brothers' social media accounts at the time of this discovery. — _Knapp Arcade verification check at time of writing_ - [MEDIUM] A Forbes article referenced a 'soon-to-be-released Queen pinball machine' in the context of Queen's pop-up store opening. — _Knapp Arcade citation of Forbes article, with cautionary note about accuracy_ ### 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** > _Explains the provenance of the Queen machine design and how Pinball Brothers obtained it_ > "This may be the first ever picture of Pinball Bros' next game after Alien." > — **Knapp Arcade** > _Suggests this could be the announced next title in Pinball Brothers' pipeline_ > "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** > _Reflects community excitement about discovering what appears to be a new original machine, not a reskin_ > "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?" > — **Knapp Arcade** > _Raises speculation about an unidentified accessory or feature on the machine_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Pinball Brothers | company | Manufacturer developing the Queen-themed pinball machine; acquired Heighway Pinball assets including the Barry Oursler Queen design | | Heighway Pinball | company | Former pinball manufacturer that originally secured the Queen license; entered bankruptcy, assets acquired by Pinball Brothers | | Barry Oursler | person | Pinball designer who created the Queen machine design originally for Heighway Pinball | | Queen | organization | Rock band whose theme and intellectual property is used in the pinball machine; hosted pop-up store in London where the machine was displayed | | Knapp Arcade | company | Source of this article; pinball media/content outlet reporting on the Queen machine discovery | | Alien | game | Pinball Brothers' most recent released game, making Queen potentially their next title | | Queen: The Greatest | event | Pop-up store in London celebrating Queen's 50-year anniversary where the pinball machine was publicly displayed | | Forbes | organization | News outlet that published article mentioning the 'soon-to-be-released Queen pinball machine' in context of the pop-up store | | Reuters | organization | News organization that published video showing brief glimpse of the Queen machine in operation at the store | ### Signals - **[leak_detection]** First public images of unreleased Queen pinball machine surfaces via pop-up store display before official announcement (confidence: high) — Pictures discovered at Queen's London pop-up store opening, no prior announcement on Pinball Brothers official channels - **[machine_intel]** Barry Oursler design originally licensed to Heighway Pinball transferred to Pinball Brothers through asset acquisition (confidence: high) — Knapp Arcade confirms design lineage through bankruptcy transfer - **[product_launch]** Queen-themed pinball machine displayed publicly before official release announcement (confidence: high) — Physical machine visible at venue with operational backbox video system - **[announcement]** Machine features confirmed via physical sighting: concert footage video integration in backbox (confidence: high) — Backbox confirmed displaying actual Queen concert footage during gameplay - **[community_signal]** Unexpected public sighting of unannounced machine generates community excitement and speculation (confidence: high) — Knapp Arcade expresses genuine enthusiasm about discovering the machine - **[licensing_signal]** Successful Queen intellectual property licensing arrangement with Pinball Brothers for themed machine (confidence: high) — Machine displayed at official Queen pop-up store with backbox featuring actual Queen concert footage - **[manufacturing_signal]** Pinball Brothers integrating acquired Heighway design into production pipeline (confidence: medium) — Queen machine described as potentially next Pinball Brothers release after Alien - **[market_signal]** Major rock band IP (Queen) utilized for premium pinball machine, reflecting trend of licensing legacy pop-culture properties (confidence: high) — Queen 50-year anniversary pop-up store featuring the pinball machine as attraction --- ## 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 2026-08-04 | Item ID: 38c2a05c-3b24-4c07-90b8-0f2dcb7b8c4b*