# AMUSEMENT EXPO INTERNATIONAL 2016 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2016-05-19 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2016/05/19/amusement-expo-international-2016 --- ## Analysis Pinball News coverage of Amusement Expo International 2016 held March 16-17 at Las Vegas Convention Center. Stern Pinball exhibited seven machines including the newly released Ghostbusters (two Pro models), alongside Game of Thrones Pro, Spider-Man Vault Edition, The Walking Dead Pro, WWE Wrestlemania Pro, and Kiss Pro. Heighway Pinball displayed two Full Throttle machines with 27-inch LCD backbox displays, with Andrew Heighway joined by Norwegian investors Cato Paus Skrede and Roger Svanevik. The show theme emphasized large LCD screens and retro game updates across the broader coin-op industry. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Stern Pinball exhibited seven machines at Amusement Expo International 2016 — _Direct observation from event coverage_ - [HIGH] Ghostbusters was Stern's latest title and generated the greatest interest at the show — _Event report explicitly states 'The greatest interest was generated by their latest title, Ghostbusters'_ - [HIGH] Heighway Pinball's Full Throttle machines featured 27-inch LCD displays in their backboxes — _Event coverage states 'two Full Throttle machines, both sporting the 27″ LCD displays in their backboxes'_ - [HIGH] Cato Paus Skrede and Roger Svanevik from Norway are new investors in Heighway Pinball — _Event report identifies them as 'new investors in the company' and notes they 'are both operators and collectors'_ - [HIGH] Only two pinball manufacturers (Stern and Heighway) were represented at Amusement Expo International 2016 — _Report states 'These were the only pinball manufacturers represented'_ ### Notable Quotes > "The greatest interest was generated by their latest title, Ghostbusters, of which they had two." > — **Pinball News**, Event coverage > _Indicates Ghostbusters was the primary draw for Stern's booth and likely a significant recent release for the manufacturer_ > "In general, the themes of the show were 'big screens' and retro themes." > — **Pinball News**, Event coverage summary > _Identifies broader industry trends at the 2016 show: emphasis on large LCD displays and retro IP_ > "The success of games such as Fish Bowl Frenzy has led many companies to put huge LCD screens in their games, and for existing games to super-size their displays." > — **Pinball News**, Industry analysis > _Explains the market driver behind the 'big screens' theme observed at the show_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Stern Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer exhibiting seven machines at Amusement Expo 2016, including Ghostbusters Pro (2 units), Game of Thrones Pro, Spider-Man Vault Edition, The Walking Dead Pro, WWE Wrestlemania Pro, and Kiss Pro | | Heighway Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer exhibiting two Full Throttle machines with 27-inch LCD backbox displays; Andrew Heighway present with new Norwegian investors | | Andrew Heighway | person | Founder/representative of Heighway Pinball, present at Amusement Expo 2016 booth | | Cato Paus Skrede | person | Norwegian operator and collector, new investor in Heighway Pinball as of Amusement Expo 2016 | | Roger Svanevik | person | Norwegian operator and collector, new investor in Heighway Pinball as of Amusement Expo 2016 | | Keith Elwin | person | Top pinball player, filmed playing Ghostbusters at Amusement Expo 2016 for video content | | Ghostbusters | game | Latest Stern Pinball title at Amusement Expo 2016; two Pro models exhibited; generated greatest interest at Stern booth | | Full Throttle | game | Heighway Pinball title; two machines exhibited with 27-inch LCD backbox displays | | Game of Thrones | game | Stern Pinball Pro model exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | Spider-Man Vault Edition | game | Stern Pinball machine exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | The Walking Dead | game | Stern Pinball Pro model exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | WWE Wrestlemania | game | Stern Pinball Pro model exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | Kiss | game | Stern Pinball Pro model exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | Amusement Expo International 2016 | event | Annual spring coin-op trade show held March 16-17, 2016 at Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall N1; first show at this venue since 2013 | | Las Vegas Convention Center | location | Host venue for Amusement Expo International 2016; Hall N1 used for the show | | Flip N Out Pinball | company | Pinball-related company exhibiting at Amusement Expo 2016 representing Escalera (powered stair-climbing lifting machines) | | Raw Thrills | company | Arcade game manufacturer exhibiting Galaga Assault and racing/shooting games at Amusement Expo 2016 | | ICE | company | Arcade game manufacturer with Ghostbusters shooting game exhibited at Amusement Expo 2016 | | Fish Bowl Frenzy | game | Game cited as successful example that drove industry trend toward large LCD screens in arcade games | | Big Buck Hunter HD Wild | game | Latest Big Buck Hunter variant with larger HD screen shown at Amusement Expo 2016 | ### Topics - **Primary:** Stern Pinball product lineup and releases at Amusement Expo 2016, Heighway Pinball business development and new investor partnerships, Industry trend toward large LCD displays in arcade/coin-op games - **Secondary:** Pinball manufacturer presence and competition at major trade shows, Retro theme licensing and updates in arcade games - **Mentioned:** Broader coin-op and amusement arcade industry at Amusement Expo 2016, Visitor engagement and booth presentations at trade shows, Video content production and community coverage of pinball events ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.75) — Event coverage is straightforward and factual. Tone is enthusiastic about manufacturer presence and product innovation (Ghostbusters generating 'greatest interest,' Full Throttle's LCD displays as notable feature). General industry trends (big screens, retro themes) presented as positive developments. No negative criticism of products or manufacturers. Visitor numbers described as 'encouraging' with 'aisles busy throughout the first day.' ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Heighway Pinball announces new Norwegian investors Cato Paus Skrede and Roger Svanevik at Amusement Expo 2016 (confidence: high) — Event coverage identifies them as 'new investors in the company' and notes they 'are both operators and collectors' from Norway - **[event_signal]** Pinball News producing exclusive video content of top player Keith Elwin playing Ghostbusters at Amusement Expo 2016 (confidence: high) — Report states 'To see how the game plays, we shot a video of top player Keith Elwin playing one of his first games on Ghostbusters' and references 'exclusive Fifteen Minute Tour' video - **[event_signal]** Amusement Expo International 2016 held in Las Vegas with two pinball manufacturers exhibiting (Stern and Heighway) (confidence: high) — Event report explicitly covers the show with detailed coverage of manufacturer booths and product displays - **[market_signal]** Retro game franchises being updated with modern technology (Galaga Assault, Pac-Man big screens, Golden Tee World Championship) (confidence: high) — Show section titled 'Big screens combine with retro themes' with multiple examples of classic games receiving new releases - **[announcement]** Ghostbusters confirmed as latest Stern Pinball title, prominently featured at Amusement Expo 2016 with two Pro models (confidence: high) — Report states 'their latest title, Ghostbusters' and notes it 'generated the greatest interest' at the Stern booth - **[technology_signal]** Industry-wide trend toward large LCD screen integration in arcade and coin-op games; Heighway Full Throttle features 27-inch backbox displays (confidence: high) — Report notes 'In general, the themes of the show were big screens and retro themes' and attributes trend to success of Fish Bowl Frenzy --- ## Transcript **Date:** 16th & 17th March, 2016 **Location:** Hall N1, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV, USA **We return to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the first time since 2013 to visit the annual spring coin-op trade show now known as Amusement Expo International.** [![The Las Vegas Convention Center](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/1.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/1.jpg) The Las Vegas Convention Center The show was held in hall N1, which meant there wasn’t too far to walk from the main entrance. [![This way to the show](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/2.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/2.jpg) This way to the show [![The entrance to the show](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/3.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/3.jpg) The entrance to the show The show opened to registered visitors on Wednesday 16th March and lasted for two days. Inside the hall, the familiar mix of coin-op and amusement trade vendors were exhibiting their latest products. [![Looking down the main aisle](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/5.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/5.jpg) Looking down the main aisle Visitor numbers were encouraging, with the aisles busy throughout the first day. Our main interest lay in seeing what the two pinball manufacturers exhibiting at the show had brought along. Stern Pinball is first, and they had a display of seven machines. [![The Stern Pinball stand](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/6.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/6.jpg) The Stern Pinball stand The greatest interest was generated by their latest title, Ghostbusters, of which they had two. [![Ghostbusters Pro at each end, with Game of Thrones Pro and Spider-Man Vault Edition in the centre](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/7.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/7.jpg) Ghostbusters Pros at each end, with Game of Thrones Pro and Spider-Man Vault Edition in the centre [![Ghostbusters Pro](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/9.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/9.jpg) Ghostbusters Pro To see how the game plays, we shot a video of top player Keith Elwin playing one of his first games on Ghostbusters. Alongside the bank of four pinballs was another bank containing three more Pro models; The Walking Dead, WWE Wrestlemania and Kiss. [![The Walking Dead, WWE Wrestlemania and Kiss](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/8.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/8.jpg) The Walking Dead, WWE Wrestlemania and Kiss Further back in the hall, Heighway Pinball has two Full Throttle machines, both sporting the 27″ LCD displays in their backboxes. [![The Heighway Pinball stand](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/14.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/14.jpg) The Heighway Pinball stand On the stand was Andrew Heighway and new investors in the company, Cato Paus Cato Paus Skrede and Roger Svanevik from Norway who are both operators and collectors. [![Andrew Heighway on the Heighway Pinball stand](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/15.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/15.jpg) Andrew Heighway on the Heighway Pinball stand These were the only pinball manufacturers represented, but they weren’t the only pinball companies, since Flip N Out Pinball were also there representing Escalera who make the powered stair-climbing lifting machines. [![The Flip N Out pinball stand](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/16.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/16.jpg) The Flip N Out pinball stand In general, the themes of the show were ‘big screens’ and retro themes. The success of games such as Fish Bowl Frenzy has led many companies to put huge LCD screens in their games, and for existing games to super-size their displays. Big Buck Hunter’s latest variant – Big Buck Hunter HD Wild – now has a larger screen and has zombified the targets. [![Big Buck Hunter is now both in HD and 'Wild'](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/12.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/12.jpg) Big Buck Hunter is now both HD and ‘Wild’ If the graphicised version of killing animals lacks sufficient realism, you can now shoot real arrows into life-like images of the poor critters. [![A real crossbow means this shooter needs supervision](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/19.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/19.jpg) A real crossbow means this shooter needs supervision Big screens combine with retro themes as Galaga becomes the latest classic game to be updated. [![Galaga Assault from Raw Thrills](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/10.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/10.jpg) Galaga Assault from Raw Thrills and Bandai Namco [![Not forgetting Pac-Man's own big screen appearance](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/4.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/4.jpg) Not forgetting Pac-Man’s own big screen appearance Golden Tee golf games have been around so long, they could almost be considered retro now. But they were back, and brought the Golden Tee World Championship to the Amusement Expo show. [![Golden Tee World Championships](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/13.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/13.jpg) Golden Tee World Championship 2016 Although it wasn’t officially derived from the classic game, Grand Piano Keys appeared to have a striking similarity to the game Simon. [![Grand Piano Keys](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/18.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/18.jpg) Grand Piano Keys Elsewhere, large screens could be found in both vertical and horizontal orientations. [![More big screen games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/23.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/23.jpg) More big screen games [![Multi-player collaborative games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/22.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/22.jpg) Multi-player collaborative games The remainder of the show was the usual mix of pushers, cranes, racers, and all the ancillary equipment for coin-op games such as locks, payment systems and coin-op publications. [![Racers and shooters from Raw Thrills](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/11.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/11.jpg) Racers and shooters from Raw Thrills [![Stern weren't the only ones with Ghostbusters games as this shooter from ICE shows](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/17.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/17.jpg) Stern weren’t the only ones with the Ghostbusters licence as this shooting game from ICE shows [![Lots of crane machines](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/20.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/20.jpg) Lots of crane machines [![Su](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/21.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/21.jpg) The Wizard of Oz pusher was one of many machines from Elaut [![Lots of different air hockey tables](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/24.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/amusement-expo-2016/24.jpg) Lots of different designs of air hockey tables And that brings us to the end of this report from Amusement Expo International 2016 in Las Vegas. We will leave you with our exclusive Fifteen Minute Tour of the show. _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 40b6bbc7-5065-486f-9c81-e29add6b5617*