# PINBALL SWITCHES OFF - UPDATED

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2020-03-17  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2020/03/17/pinball-switches-off

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## Analysis

A March 2020 article documenting the widespread cancellation of pinball events and closure of pinball venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Major shows including Texas Pinball Festival, Arcade Expo, and Midwest Gaming Classic were cancelled, impacting game announcements from Stern, Deeproot, Chicago Gaming, Spooky, Multimorphic, and American Pinball. Manufacturing halted in Illinois and New Jersey as governors issued stay-at-home orders, while museums, arcades, and tournament sanctioning were suspended globally.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Texas Pinball Festival organisers Ed and Kim Vanderveen and Paul McKinney cancelled the show due to viral transmission concerns and a Presidential ban on overseas visitors — _Stated as fact about TPF cancellation decision_
- [MEDIUM] Stern Pinball was expected to reveal Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Midwest Gaming Classic — _Described as 'widely expected' but not officially confirmed at time of writing_
- [HIGH] Illinois Governor issued a mandatory stay-at-home order closing all non-essential businesses, affecting Stern Pinball, American Pinball, Chicago Gaming, and Jersey Jack Pinball manufacturing — _Update dated 21st March 2020; direct government action_
- [HIGH] Jersey Jack Pinball's New Jersey manufacturing location would also be affected by similar non-essential business closures expected in New Jersey — _Update mentions expected governor action in New Jersey_
- [HIGH] Spooky Pinball's main parts supplier is Pinball Life, located in Illinois, creating supply chain constraints during lockdown — _Explicitly stated in 21st March update_
- [HIGH] IFPA suspended sanctioning of pinball tournaments and leagues worldwide with no WPPR points to be awarded indefinitely — _Stated as official IFPA action in response to pandemic_
- [HIGH] Deeproot Pinball postponed their RAZA game launch event indefinitely, with intention to conduct online launch when able — _Update notes scaling back, moving to online, then full postponement_
- [HIGH] Multiple pinball museums and arcades across North America and Europe announced immediate closures: Pinball PA, Olympia Pinball Museum, Seattle Pinball Museum, Pacific Pinball Museum, Dutch Pinball Museum, and Cidercade in Dallas — _Directly named venues with announced closures_

### Notable Quotes

> "Is 2020 going to be the year that wasn't?"
> — **Article author**, Opening
> _Thematic question framing the pandemic's impact on the pinball year_

> "The income stops when they close but the outgoings don't. Staff may be laid off, but the rent, business taxes, electricity, insurance and licence fees are relentless."
> — **Article author**, Mid-article
> _Highlights the financial sustainability crisis facing pinball venues and businesses during lockdown_

> "For some businesses, the off switch might never be switched back on."
> — **Article author**, Closing section
> _Suggests existential threat to some pinball businesses from pandemic impact_

> "Design and management staff are still able to work from home developing game designs, software, graphics and sounds, but the production lines will be silent and the factory doors locked."
> — **Article author**, 21st March Update
> _Explains that manufacturing stopped but design work continued during lockdown_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Texas Pinball Festival | event | Major annual pinball show scheduled for end of March 2020; cancelled due to COVID-19; was to feature game launches from multiple manufacturers |
| Deeproot Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer planning public launch of Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland (RAZA) at TPF; postponed launch indefinitely |
| Chicago Gaming | company | Pinball manufacturer with Illinois manufacturing base; expected to reveal new remake title at TPF; manufacturing halted by state order |
| Multimorphic | company | Pinball manufacturer; was due to unveil next P3 release at TPF |
| American Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer planning to show Hot Wheels at TPF; Illinois-based manufacturing halted by governor's order |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Wisconsin-based pinball manufacturer; had Rick and Morty scheduled to show at TPF; supply chain affected by Illinois supplier closures |
| Stern Pinball | company | Illinois-based manufacturer expected to announce Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at MGC; manufacturing halted by state lockdown order |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | New Jersey-based pinball manufacturer; manufacturing affected by state non-essential business closures |
| Midwest Gaming Classic | event | Gaming show scheduled for weekend after TPF in 2020; cancelled by organizer Dan Loosen |
| Arcade Expo 6.0 | event | Arcade expo at Museum of Pinball in Banning, California; cancelled just days before opening |
| IFPA | organization | International Flipper Pinball Association; suspended tournament sanctioning and WPPR point awards worldwide due to pandemic |
| Pinball Life | company | Illinois-based pinball parts supplier; main supplier for Spooky Pinball; affected by state closures |
| Seattle Pinball Museum | venue | Pinball museum in Seattle; announced immediate closure during pandemic |
| Pacific Pinball Museum | venue | Pinball museum; announced closure during pandemic |
| Pinball Hall of Fame | venue | Pinball venue in Las Vegas, Nevada; closed due to state lockdown |
| Museum of Pinball | venue | Venue in Banning, California hosting Arcade Expo 6.0 (cancelled) |
| Ed Vanderveen | person | Co-organizer of Texas Pinball Festival; made cancellation decision with Kim Vanderveen and Paul McKinney |
| Kim Vanderveen | person | Co-organizer of Texas Pinball Festival; made cancellation decision |
| Paul McKinney | person | Co-organizer of Texas Pinball Festival; made cancellation decision |
| Dan Loosen | person | Organizer of Midwest Gaming Classic; made decision to cancel 2020 show |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Event cancellations and postponements, Manufacturing shutdown due to stay-at-home orders, Venue closures (museums, arcades, barcades), Financial impact on pinball businesses
- **Secondary:** Game announcement delays, Supply chain disruptions, Tournament suspension and IFPA action, Government lockdown policies

### Sentiment

**Negative** (-0.85) — Article documents widespread disruption, cancellations, and potential business failures across the pinball industry due to COVID-19 pandemic. Tone is serious and concerned about industry survival, though brief section offers constructive ways to support businesses.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Pinball venues face existential financial threat: income stops during closure but operational expenses (rent, taxes, utilities, insurance, licenses) continue relentlessly (confidence: high) — Article explicitly states 'For some businesses, the off switch might never be switched back on' and details ongoing cost burden
- **[business_signal]** Supply chain constraint: Spooky Pinball's main parts supplier (Pinball Life) is in Illinois, creating stock availability problems during lockdown (confidence: high) — Explicitly stated that Spooky employees in Illinois cannot travel and Pinball Life supply access problematic
- **[business_signal]** Manufacturing shutdown in Illinois (Stern, American Pinball, Chicago Gaming) and New Jersey (Jersey Jack) due to governor's stay-at-home orders (confidence: high) — Illinois governor's mandatory stay-at-home order effective 21 March 2020 closing non-essential businesses; New Jersey expected to follow; production lines halted while design staff work from home
- **[community_signal]** IFPA suspends tournament sanctioning worldwide; no WPPR points awarded indefinitely (confidence: high) — Stated as official IFPA response to pandemic; mentioned cancelled tournaments in Germany, Netherlands, UK
- **[event_signal]** Multiple pinball museums and arcades across North America and Europe closed: Pinball PA, Olympia Pinball Museum, Seattle Pinball Museum, Pacific Pinball Museum, Dutch Pinball Museum, Cidercade Dallas, Pinball Hall of Fame Las Vegas, plus European venues (confidence: high) — Direct citations of announcements from multiple venues; IFPA Pinball Olympics, PU-Battle, Dutch Pinball Masters, Flip Out London, Special When Lit all cancelled
- **[event_signal]** Midwest Gaming Classic cancelled, removing secondary venue for game announcements and Stern's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reveal (confidence: high) — Dan Loosen forced to call off MGC after TPF cancellation; Stern expected to reveal TMNT there
- **[event_signal]** Texas Pinball Festival cancelled by organizers, removing planned launch venue for multiple new games (confidence: high) — TPF organisers Ed and Kim Vanderveen and Paul McKinney called off the show; directly impacted announced releases from Deeproot, Chicago Gaming, Multimorphic, American Pinball, and Spooky
- **[product_strategy]** Multiple game announcements delayed: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Stern), Chicago Gaming remake title, Multimorphic P3, Hot Wheels (American Pinball), Rick and Morty (Spooky), Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland (Deeproot) (confidence: high) — All games were scheduled to debut at cancelled shows; Deeproot confirmed postponement of launch event

---

## Transcript

**Date:**
16th March, 2020 - updated 21st March, 2020

Is 2020 going to be the year that wasn’t?

The Coronavirus is sweeping around the globe causing hundreds of deaths and paralysis of normal society. Towns, cities, even entire countries are in lock-down, transportation is Slash or cancelled and gatherings of any size are either strongly discouraged or outlawed.

In the face of all this, it’s no surprise pinball events have been hard hit. While many big shows held on to the hope they would be able to go ahead despite the oncoming storm, nearly all have succumbed to the viral tidal wave and had to hit the off switch.

The [Texas Pinball Festival](https://texaspinball.com/tpf/) at the end of March was due to be the launchpad for several companies’ new releases. [Deeproot Pinball](https://deeprootpinball.com/) were due to have their public launch of their *Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland* game in Frisco in a week’s time. [Chicago Gaming](https://www.chicago-gaming.com/) were expected to reveal their next remake title. [Multimorphic](https://www.multimorphic.com/) were due to unveil their next P3 release. [American Pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2020/03/12/hot-wheels-revealed/) were due to show their new *Hot Wheels* game. [Spooky Pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2019/12/05/rick-and-morty-pinball-announced/) were scheduled to have their new *Rick and Morty* game for visitors to play.

Last weekend the Texas Pinball Festival (TPF) organisers, Ed and Kim Vanderveen and Paul McKinney bowed to the inevitable and called off the show. Vendors and attendees had gradually dropped out as guest and speaker worries about viral transmission and a Presidential ban on overseas visitors meant it was no longer viable.

The previous weekend’s [Arcade Expo 6.0](https://arcadeexpo.myshopify.com/products/arcade-expo-6-0) at the Museum of Pinball in Banning, California was also called off just a few days before the first visitors were due to arrive.

The [Midwest Gaming Classic](https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/2020-show-update/) was scheduled for the weekend following TPF, but it only took a few more days after the Texas show was cancelled before MGC show organiser Dan Loosen was also forced to call off this year’s show.

[Stern Pinball](https://sternpinball.com/) were expected to reveal their next title – widely expected to be *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* – at the MGC, while it would also have presented the opportunity for those who didn’t make it to TPF to see and play all the new game reveals as well as experience the wider gaming community.

Those shows – along with many other events – now have to pick up the pieces of a year’s planning which not only led to nothing but left the organisers with stacks of merchandise, along with vendor stands and advance ticket sales to refund. That’s not counting their contracts with the venues and affiliated hotels. Some might be partially-covered by event insurance. Not all were though.

[Deeproot Pinball](https://deeprootpinball.com/) were due to have a big press launch event just prior to the Texas Pinball Festival. This too has been cancelled with invitees either unable to attend or unwilling to travel. Deeproot Pinball may launch their *RAZA* game online instead, or may defer launch to a more suitable time.

These were one-off or annual events, but there are plenty of year-round pinball museums, exhibits, leagues and tournaments which have been forced to close their doors to paying guests.

[Pinball PA](https://www.pinballpa.com/), the [Olympia Pinball Museum](https://www.facebook.com/pg/OlympiaPinballMuseum/posts/), the [Seattle Pinball Museum](https://www.seattlepinballmuseum.com/hours---info.html) and the [Pacific Pinball Museum](https://www.pacificpinball.org/) have all announced their closure with immediate effect until the Coronavirus storm has blown through. The [Dutch Pinball Museum](https://www.facebook.com/pg/Dutchpinballmuseum/posts/) has done likewise, so have many pinball clubs across Europe and North America.

Numerous arcades and barcades such as [Cidercade](https://www.cidercade.com/home) in Dallas have closed, while in Seattle all [bars and arcades](https://www.facebook.com/pg/jupiterbarseattle/posts/) are to close from tomorrow. In Italy all social gatherings are banned, as they are in several other countries. France, Spain and Germany are the latest to adopt such stringent measures.

In recognition of the potential harm which could come from pinball gatherings, the IFPA has suspended its sanctioning of pinball tournaments and leagues worldwide. No more WPPR points will be awarded and no results can be submitted for the indefinite future.

Germany has already cancelled numerous tournaments. The [IFPA Pinball Olympics](https://www.flippermarkt.de/community/forum/threads/absage-cancellation-ifpa-pinball-olympics-2020-20-05-24-05-2020.218499/) at Bulls & Balls and [Pinball Universe’s PU-Battle](https://pu-battle.com/) have been cancelled. In the Netherlands, the [Dutch Pinball Masters](https://www.dutchpinballmasters.nl/) has been cancelled at the NFV Clubhouse, while in the UK [Flip Out London](http://www.flipoutlondon.com/) and [Special When Lit](https://www.facebook.com/pg/Special-When-Lit-185266908234079/posts/) pinball clubs are shut.

In every one of these cases, the income stops when they close but the outgoings don’t. Staff may be laid off, but the rent, business taxes, electricity, insurance and licence fees are relentless. For some businesses, the off switch might never be switched back on. The effects of the great Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 will almost certainly extend beyond the devastating human casualties before it starts to subside.

[![Some of the many pinball event cancellation or closure notices](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/pinball-switches-off/01-pinball-switches-off-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/pinball-switches-off/01-pinball-switches-off.jpg)

Some of the many pinball event cancellation or closure notices

So, what can we do to help?

In some cases, advance-purchase tickets can be rolled forward to next year’s show – an option which alleviates some of the financial pain for the organiser and helps to ensure the show can continue. In others, some of the 2020 show merchandise – T-shirts, swag bags, posters, etc. – can be purchased. Again, this is a huge boost to the show’s finances and could mean the difference between survival and collapse. Check the individual shows’ website links in this article for details of how you can help.

[Free Play in Texas](http://freeplayinc.com/savethearcade/) are struggling with the closure of their four locations. They, like many other arcades, barcades and museums are asking supporters to buy gift cards or branded merchandise to provide some income while their doors are shut.

While it’s crucial for the sake of our loved ones, friends and communities not to do anything which might cause the Coronavirus to spread, it’s also important those pinball-related events and businesses which are suffering – as well as those who run them – have our support to make it through these tough times.

**Please comment below about any other pinball locations being impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic so fellow readers can help support them through these tough times.**

**UPDATE – 21st March, 2020**

From today at 5pm local time, the Governor of Illinois has effected a mandatory ‘stay at home’ order, closing all but essential businesses. With Stern Pinball, American Pinball, Chicago Gaming and now Jersey Jack Pinball all having their manufacturing in the state, no new games from these companies will be built for the immediate future.

Design and management staff are still able to work from home developing game designs, software, graphics and sounds, but the production lines will be silent and the factory doors locked.

Not that keeping their manufacturing base in New Jersey would have helped Jersey Jack Pinball. The Governor there is expected to close all non-essential businesses later today. The same has already happened in Nevada, with the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas closed since end-of-business on Monday.

Deeproot Pinball have postponed their planned launch event, originally scheduled for this coming week. After scaling it back and then moving to an on-line only launch, the entire event was then postponed indefinitely with the intention to keep it online when it does take place.

Although Spooky Pinball are based in Wisconsin, they have several employees who live in Illinois and so cannot travel. Also, their main parts supplier is Pinball Life, also in Illinois, so getting any new stock they need is likely to be problematic over the coming weeks and months.

Elsewhere in the US, restrictions on movement or gatherings are much more diverse. California has already instituted a lock-down, banning all non-essential travel. New York is doing the same from Sunday evening, with Connecticut and Oregon planning to do the same. This effectively closes the three largest US cities, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Around the world pinball arcades, barcades and museums are closing, while shows and tournaments are being either postponed or cancelled altogether for 2020. Some events are hopeful they can merely delay until later in the year, while others have pulled the plug on their 2020 plans and started working on 2021’s show instead.

Check our [Diary page](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/diary/) for updates on which shows and events are still planning to go ahead and which have been either postponed or cancelled. We are updating it regularly as announcements are made.

If not issued automatically, refunds are usually available for those shows which have been postponed, although many organisers have asked that ticket-holders hold on to their pre-purchases if at all possible to help fund the re-scheduled event.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 74ecdef6-97f3-4bc2-a33d-f6863b470ea6*