# Auction Date Set...Pictures from Inside the Shuttered Deeproot Pinball Headquarters

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2022-03-03  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/auction-date-set-pictures-from-inside-the-shuttered-deeproot-pinball-headquarters

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## Analysis

Deeproot Pinball's bankruptcy auction has been scheduled for March 14th through Mel Davis Auctions. The available assets consist primarily of industrial equipment and gym equipment rather than game prototypes or development materials, leading to speculation that former employees may have removed valuable items during the company's collapse.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Mel Davis Auctions will conduct an online-only auction of Deeproot's remaining assets starting March 14th — _Direct statement about auction date and format_
- [HIGH] The auction assets consist mostly of large industrial equipment and gym equipment — _Author examined auction listing pictures and characterized the inventory_
- [HIGH] There is only one RAZA prototype among the auction items — _Author explicitly counted available game prototypes in listing_
- [HIGH] No whitewoods or foam-core game mockups are included in the auction — _Author noted absence of typical development materials_
- [MEDIUM] Former employees may have taken valuable materials from Deeproot before the auction — _Author speculation based on missing development assets and company circumstances_

### Notable Quotes

> "Man, no whitewoods, no foam-core mockups of games, only one RAZA prototype. There has to have been more cool stuff than this."
> — **Knapp Arcade (author)**
> _Expresses surprise at the scarcity of game development materials in the bankruptcy assets_

> "I wonder if the company's former employees walked off with all of the interesting stuff. Given how things went down at the company, I wouldn't be surprised if they did."
> — **Knapp Arcade (author)**
> _Speculates about the disappearance of valuable development assets and implies dysfunction during company's closure_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Deeproot Pinball | company | Failed pinball manufacturer in bankruptcy; bankruptcy auction scheduled for March 14th |
| Robert Mueller | person | Described as 'disgraced financier' and owner of Deeproot Pinball |
| Mel Davis Auctions | company | Auction company conducting the online-only bankruptcy sale of Deeproot assets |
| Knapp Arcade | person | Author/content creator who reviewed the auction listing and pictures |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Deeproot Pinball bankruptcy and asset liquidation, Game prototype development materials, Industry business failure and financial collapse
- **Secondary:** RAZA prototype game

### Sentiment

**Negative** (0.25) — Article reports on company failure and bankruptcy with mildly sarcastic tone; author expresses disappointment at the meager game assets available in auction

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Deeproot Pinball bankruptcy auction revealing minimal game development assets; suggests significant losses of intellectual property or removal by former employees during company closure (confidence: high) — Auction inventory shows only industrial and gym equipment with single RAZA prototype; absence of whitewoods and foam-core mockups expected from game development company
- **[community_signal]** Deeproot's collapse and asset auction reflects ongoing industry business failures and potential mismanagement by leadership (confidence: high) — Author describes Robert Mueller as 'disgraced financier' and references problematic company circumstances; speculation about employee asset removal due to how 'things went down'
- **[market_signal]** Pattern of boutique pinball manufacturer business failures and financial instability affecting the industry (confidence: medium) — Deeproot bankruptcy adds to known industry history of failed manufacturers; contextualizes broader industry fragility

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## Transcript

The date for the bankruptcy auction for the disgraced financier Robert Mueller's failed pinball company Deeproot has finally been set. A company called Mel Davis Auctions will be auctioning off Deeproot's remaining assets in an on-line only auction starting March 14th.

I just went through the pictures of the items that are currently shown in the auction listing. Man, no whitewoods, no foam-core mockups of games, only one RAZA prototype. There has to have been more cool stuff than this. I wonder if the company's former employees walked off with all of the interesting stuff. Given how things went down at the company, I wouldn't be surprised if they did. The assets consist mostly of large industrial equipment and a bunch of equipment from the company's gym. The pics to give a good look at the inside of the company's secretive headquarters though.

Here's a link to the webpage for the auction and a bunch of pictures: https://mtdauctions.hibid.com/auction/352536/mel-davis-auctions-232---deeproot/

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 58de92eb-43c7-4161-bc37-d7c054428f7e*