# Q & A With Barrels of Fun’s David Van Es; Live Look at the Factory **Source:** Knapp Arcade **Type:** article **Published:** 2026-07-28 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/blog/q-a-with-barrels-of-funs-david-van-es-live-look-at-the-factory --- ## Analysis Barrels of David Van Es Es conducted a live Facebook Q&A and factory walkthrough on July 28, 2026, revealing production timelines and details about the newly announced Bon Jovi pinball machine. Key takeaways include: Bon Jovi will feature alternative backglass artwork and a new custom sound system, Dune production has ~2.5 weeks remaining before Bon Jovi enters production, Winchester prototypes are arriving within 3-4 weeks, and Barrels' 30,000 sq ft Houston facility is actively building multiple machines simultaneously. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Bon Jovi will have an alternative backglass artwork option, following the pattern established with Dune and Labyrinth — _David Van Es, CEO, during Facebook Q&A session_ - [HIGH] Approximately 2.5 weeks remain in Dune production before Bon Jovi enters the production line — _David Van Es statement during factory walkthrough_ - [HIGH] Barrels of Fun facility is 30,000 sq ft (note: KB context states 13,000+ sq ft; this represents a significant expansion or correction) — _Observed during live factory walkthrough_ - [HIGH] Winchester topper prototype will arrive at Barrels in 3-4 weeks — _David Van Es during Q&A_ - [HIGH] Bon Jovi features a new closed subwoofer box and custom speakers that will likely not be backwards compatible — _David Van Es technical specifications during Q&A_ - [HIGH] Four Bon Jovi machines are being brought to Southern Fried Gaming Expo for public play — _David Van Es announcement during Q&A_ - [HIGH] Barrels of Fun Reserve members receive exclusive two-hour private window to play Bon Jovi machines at Southern Fried Gaming Expo — _David Van Es detail during Q&A_ ### Notable Quotes > "Like they did with Dune and Labyrinth, an alternative backglass is in the works for Bon Jovi." > — **David Van Es**, July 28, 2026 > _Confirms Barrels of Fun's product strategy of offering alternative artwork for key releases, building on collector appeal and FOMO dynamics._ > "There is approximately 2.5 weeks left in Dune production. Dune production is complete, Bon Jovi will go on the line." > — **David Van Es**, July 28, 2026 > _Reveals clear production sequencing and timeline for transition between major titles, providing market visibility on supply pipeline._ > "Barrels of Fun facility is a whopping 30,000 sq ft. and there appeared to be a ton of employees working on the floor." > — **[name withheld pending review]**, July 28, 2026 > _Documents significant facility scale and operational capacity, suggesting manufacturing expansion or previous KB data being outdated._ > "Bon Jovi has a new closed subwoofer box & new custom speakers. The new sound system probably won't be backwards compatible." > — **David Van Es**, July 28, 2026 > _Indicates design innovation in audio hardware and potential aftermarket customization limitations for Bon Jovi versus prior machines._ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | David Van Es | person | CEO of Barrels of Fun; conducted live Facebook Q&A and factory walkthrough on July 28, 2026 | | Barrels of Fun | company | Boutique Houston-based pinball manufacturer; revealed Bon Jovi as latest game title; operates expanded 30,000 sq ft facility | | Bon Jovi | game | New pinball machine by Barrels of Fun revealed July 28, 2026; features alternative backglass, custom sound system, four units brought to Southern Fried Gaming Expo | | Dune | game | Barrels of Fun title; approximately 2.5 weeks production time remaining as of July 28, 2026; topper prototype delayed | | Labyrinth | game | Barrels of Fun title; established pattern of alternative backglass artwork that continues with Bon Jovi | | Winchester Mystery House | game | Barrels of Fun title; topper prototype arriving in 3-4 weeks; multiple units in various build stages on production floor | | Southern Fried Gaming Expo | event | Gaming event scheduled for week of July 28, 2026; Barrels of Fun bringing four Bon Jovi machines for public demo | | Knapp Arcade | organization | Pinball news and media platform; published article summarizing David Van Es Q&A session and factory walkthrough broadcast | | Barrels of Fun Reserve | organization | Membership program for Barrels of Fun; members receive exclusive two-hour private play window for Bon Jovi at Southern Fried Gaming Expo | ### Signals - **[announcement]** Barrels of Fun officially revealed Bon Jovi as new pinball machine title on July 28, 2026 (confidence: high) — Multiple confirmations in article of Bon Jovi reveal with four playable units and technical specifications - **[product_strategy]** Barrels of Fun continues product strategy of offering alternative backglass artwork for new releases (Dune, Labyrinth, now Bon Jovi), establishing collector value and FOMO mechanics (confidence: high) — David Van Es stated alternative backglass in development for Bon Jovi, following established pattern - **[manufacturing_signal]** Clear production pipeline: Dune winding down (~2.5 weeks), Bon Jovi entering production line afterward, Winchester in active build stages (confidence: high) — Van Es specified 2.5 weeks remaining in Dune production, multiple Winchester units visible on factory floor - **[manufacturing_signal]** Barrels of Fun facility documented at 30,000 sq ft with significant workforce visible (conflicts with KB data of 13,000+ sq ft), indicating major expansion or previous data inaccuracy (confidence: high) — Live factory walkthrough observations noted 30,000 sq ft facility with 'a ton of employees working on the floor' - **[design_innovation]** Bon Jovi features new closed subwoofer box and custom speakers with likely non-backwards-compatible specifications, representing audio system advancement (confidence: high) — Van Es technical specification about new sound system and backwards compatibility concern - **[product_launch]** Four Bon Jovi machines deployed to Southern Fried Gaming Expo for public play and test; exclusive VIP access for Barrels Reserve members (confidence: high) — Van Es announced four machines at expo with reserved member play window - **[collector_signal]** Barrels Reserve membership program offering exclusive access to new game reveals and early play opportunities, driving community engagement and FOMO (confidence: high) — Two-hour exclusive private play window for Reserve members at Southern Fried Gaming Expo - **[product_concern]** Dune topper prototype experienced slight delays; third prototype arriving soon, indicating ongoing refinement (confidence: medium) — Van Es noted Dune topper was slightly delayed with third prototype incoming - **[content_signal]** Live factory walkthrough and CEO Q&A represent direct community engagement strategy, providing production visibility and building trust (confidence: high) — David Van Es conducted live Facebook broadcast with detailed factory tour and technical specifications --- ## Transcript News Q & A With Barrels of Fun’s David Van Es; Live Look at the Factory k knapparcade July 28, 2026 Whew, it’s only Tuesday and it’s already been a heck of a week for pinball news. Earlier this afternoon, I wrote about Barrels of Fun’s reveal of its latest game, Bon Jovi. A few minutes ago, the Company’s CEO David Van Es went live on Facebook with a Q & A session about the game and a Live walkthrough of Barrels’ Houston Texas Factory. Here are my takeaways from the stream: \- Like they did with Dune and Labyrinth, an alternative backglass is in the works for Bon Jovi. \- Barrels is bringing four Bon Jovi machines to this week’s Southern Fried Gaming Expo. \- Barrels Reserve members will get an exclusive two hour window to play the games in a private room. \- A Winchester prototype topper should arrive at the Company in 3 to 4 weeks. \- The Dune topper was slightly delayed. A third prototype will arrive at the Company soon. \- There is approximately 2.5 weeks left in Dune production. \- Once Dune production is complete, Bon Jovi will go on the line. !Advertisement Ad 2 of 3 \- The Barrels facility is a whopping 30,000 sq ft. and there appeared to be a ton of employees working on the floor. \- Bon Jovi has a new closed subwoofer box & new custom speakers. The new sound system probably won’t be backwards compatible. \- A lot of Winchesters were on the floor in various stages of being built Below is a link to the entire broadcast on Facebook and some pics that I grabbed from it: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EgqPNYVwo/?mibextid=wwXIfr New sponsor slot Your sponsored ad here Be the first to claim this placement. Contact knapparcade@gmail.com today Posted 14 minutes ago k About knapparcade Site administrator Comments (0) Please sign in to join the conversation. No comments yet Be the first to share your thoughts on this post! Related Articles Q & A With Barrels of Fun’s David Van Es; Live Look at the Factory 14 minutes ago Barrels of Fun Reveals Bon Jovi Pinball about 2 hours ago Barrels of Fun Reveals Next Game Today; Play Dungeon Crawler Carl at Gen Con about 7 hours ago Subscribe to Updates Get the latest pinball news, blog posts, and event announcements delivered to your inbox Subscribe !Advertisement Ad 3 of 3 New sponsor slot Your sponsored ad here Be the first to claim this placement. Contact knapparcade@gmail.com today StripeM-Inner _(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v5)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-08-04 | Item ID: 8be6f4cf-dbed-4d37-b93c-67b9f144c650*