# RUMOR: American Pinball’s Upcoming Fall Release is Completely Unlicensed

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2022-06-15  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/rumor-american-pinball-s-upcoming-fall-release-is-completely-unlicensed

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## Analysis

A Knapp Arcade blog post reports a rumor from the Eclectic Gamers Podcast about American Pinball's upcoming fall release. The author speculates that AP's next game will feature an "unguessable" theme and claims it will be completely unlicensed original IP, distinguishing it from previous unlicensed AP titles based on public domain or generic concepts.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] American Pinball's next pinball machine has an 'unguessable' theme — _Reported from Eclectic Gamers Podcast 'Rumor Corner' segment by Dennis_
- [LOW] The next AP game is completely unlicensed original IP — _Speculation by Knapp Arcade author, not confirmed by official sources or direct industry sources_
- [LOW] American Pinball's fall release is coming this fall — _Author states 'look for something along those lines from Dennis Nordman and AP this fall' but no official confirmation provided_

### Notable Quotes

> "The next AP game is not only 'unguessable,' it is also completely unlicensed. And not unlicensed in a Houdini / Oktoberfest / Sherlock Holmes sort of way, but completely new unlicensed IP as far as I can tell."
> — **Knapp Arcade (author)**
> _Core speculation distinguishing this rumored game from AP's previous unlicensed titles based on generic/public domain themes_

> "My favorite was 'No Country for Old Men.' LOL."
> — **Knapp Arcade (author)**
> _Example of the tongue-in-cheek speculation about the 'unguessable' theme, indicating skepticism about the obscurity claim_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| American Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; subject of rumor about upcoming fall release |
| Dennis Nordman | person | Founder/designer of American Pinball; associated with next game release |
| Eclectic Gamers Podcast | organization | Pinball podcast featuring Dennis and Tony; reported rumor about AP's unguessable theme in 'Rumor Corner' segment |
| Dennis | person | Host of Eclectic Gamers Podcast; originated rumor about AP's unguessable theme |
| Tony | person | Co-host or guest on Eclectic Gamers Podcast; participated in speculation about AP's upcoming game theme |
| Knapp Arcade | organization | Arcade/pinball blog or media outlet; author of this rumor speculation post |

### Topics

- **Primary:** American Pinball upcoming game announcement/rumor, Unlicensed IP in pinball design
- **Secondary:** Pinball theme selection and licensing strategy, Pinball podcast community and rumor circulation

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0.5) — Author presents speculation in a lighthearted manner with humor ('LOL') while acknowledging uncertainty. Tone is speculative and playful rather than critical or promotional.

### Signals

- **[announcement]** American Pinball anticipated to release new game in fall; theme and licensing remain unconfirmed (confidence: low) — Author states 'look for something along those lines from Dennis Nordman and AP this fall' but provides no official source
- **[rumor_hype]** Unconfirmed speculation about American Pinball's next game featuring an 'unguessable' theme and being completely original unlicensed IP (confidence: low) — Author explicitly frames as rumor sourced from Eclectic Gamers Podcast; extends speculation beyond original rumor without direct confirmation

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## Transcript

I was just listening to the most recent episode of the Eclectic Gamers Podcast on a recent walk and Dennis brought out an excellent rumor in his famous “Rumor Corner” segment. The rumor was that American Pinball’s next pinball machine’s theme is ”unguessable.”

He and Tony then went on to throw out all sorts of obscure guesses on what it could be. My favorite was “No Country for Old Men.” LOL.

Well, I‘ll see their rumor and raise them one more. The next AP game is not only “unguessable,” it is also completely unlicensed. And not unlicensed in a Houdini / Oktoberfest / Sherlock Holmes sort of way, but completely new unlicensed IP as far as I can tell. So look for something along those lines from Dennis Nordman and AP this fall.

Here’s a link to the always awesome EGP podcast. Make sure to check it out:

https://eclecticgamerspodcast.wordpress.com

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 86df5f9e-6c37-4555-bb11-1e446e2f3a19*