# Why Pulp Fiction Pinball Was Announced So Early, Pulp Production Update, New Gameplay Video & More

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2023-07-25  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/why-pulp-fiction-pinball-was-announced-so-early-pulp-production-update-new-gameplay-video-more

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## Analysis

Chicago Gaming Company announced Pulp Fiction pinball early (pre-March 31, 2023) due to licensing agreement requirements. The license is valid for many years. Josh (CGC) confirmed the game is code-complete and inventory is ready, with October 2023 target shipping date. The game's distinctiveness from other March 2023 releases mitigated early announcement concerns.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Pulp Fiction pinball had to be officially announced prior to March 31, 2023 per licensing agreement — _Direct conversation with Josh (CGC), reported by Knapp Arcade author_
- [HIGH] Pulp Fiction license is 'good for many years to come in the future' — _Direct quote from Josh via Knapp Arcade interview_
- [HIGH] Code for Pulp Fiction is functionally complete and has been for over a year, almost two years — _Direct quote from Josh regarding game development status_
- [HIGH] Inventory is ready for Pulp Fiction with October shipping target — _Josh stated 'bunch of inventory ready to go' and 'October shipping' mentioned_
- [MEDIUM] IFPA will likely eclipse 10,000 sanctioned pinball tournaments in 2023 — _Josh statement during interview, using 'likely' qualifier_

### Notable Quotes

> "In terms of code [being] functionally complete, the entire game is in and has been for over a year. Almost two years probably. It will be done when it ships, as it should be."
> — **Josh (Chicago Gaming Company)**, N/A
> _Clarifies development timeline and readiness status of Pulp Fiction code_

> "I would love to be able to tell you. I don't know. I know that there is a bunch of inventory ready to go and stuff is happening. They said October shipping...so I hope before October 1st games will start to leave the factory."
> — **Josh (Chicago Gaming Company)**, N/A
> _Addresses shipping timeline uncertainty while confirming production readiness_

> "the Pulp Fiction license is 'good for many years to come in the future'"
> — **Josh (Chicago Gaming Company)**, N/A
> _Confirms long-term licensing security for continued support and updates_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Manufacturer/licensor of Pulp Fiction pinball alongside Raw Thrills/Play Mechanix |
| Play Mechanix | company | Developer credited with design/code for Pulp Fiction pinball |
| Raw Thrills | company | Co-partner on Pulp Fiction pinball project |
| Josh | person | Head of IFPA and Chicago Gaming Company representative; source of licensing and production information |
| Pulp Fiction Pinball | game | Chicago Gaming Company pinball machine based on 1994 film; early announcement was licensing-mandated |
| Gonzo's Pinball Flipperama | organization | Venue/organization that conducted interview with Josh |
| IFPA | organization | International Flipper Pinball Association; Josh is head; projected to hit 10,000 sanctioned tournaments in 2023 |
| Knapp Arcade | media | Content creator reporting on pinball industry news and interviews |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Licensing agreements and early game announcements, Pulp Fiction pinball production timeline and shipping, Game development status and code completion
- **Secondary:** Chicago Gaming Company business strategy, IFPA tournament ecosystem growth
- **Mentioned:** March 2023 pinball release avalanche and market differentiation

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Article is favorable toward Pulp Fiction's prospects, with 'strong sales and rave reviews' noted and author expressing anticipation for shipping. Josh's statements convey confidence in the project despite timeline uncertainty.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Strong sales and positive community reception of Pulp Fiction validates early announcement strategy despite market saturation from March 2023 release avalanche (confidence: medium) — Given the strong sales and rave reviews for Pulp Fiction pinball, that seems to have been the correct read on the situation
- **[competitive_signal]** Chicago Gaming Company differentiated Pulp Fiction as distinctly different from other March 2023 announcements to mitigate competitive cannibalization concerns (confidence: medium) — Companies decided that Pulp Fiction pinball is so different than any of the other games that were announced in the March 2023 pinball avalanche that they weren't very concerned about losing out on business
- **[licensing_signal]** Licensing agreement required mandatory announcement prior to March 31, 2023 deadline; demonstrates IP holder control over announcement timing and commercial strategy (confidence: high) — Per licensing agreement for Pulp Fiction, they had to officially announce the game prior to March 31, 2023. If not, company would be forced to amend the licensing agreement.
- **[announcement]** Pulp Fiction pinball receives new gameplay video release; continued media support and promotional activity (confidence: high) — Josh sent link to brand new Pulp Fiction gameplay video uploaded to YouTube
- **[product_strategy]** Pulp Fiction shipping delayed; October 2023 target mentioned but uncertainty expressed by Josh ('I hope before October 1st') (confidence: medium) — Josh: 'I would love to be able to tell you. I don't know... They said October shipping...so I hope before October 1st games will start to leave the factory'

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## Transcript

Pinball people are always asking, why did Chicago Gaming Company and Raw Thrills / Play Mechanix' announce their Pulp Fiction pinball machine so far in advance of it going into production. Well, I have an answer for you!

Per the licensing agreement for Pulp Fiction, they had to officially announced the game prior to March 31, 2023. If the game was not announced prior to that date the Company would have been forced to amend the licensing agreement. Announcing it then was the path of least resistance. According to a recent direct conversation that I had with Josh on the subject, the Pulp Fiction license is "good for many years to come in the future."

The Companies decided that Pulp Fiction pinball is so different than any of the other games that were announced in the March 2023 pinball avalanche that they weren't very concerned about losing out on business to the other launch titles. Given the strong sales and rave reviews for Pulp Fiction pinball, that seems to have been the correct read on the situation.

When asked the question about when is Pulp Fiction going to "hit the streets" Josh responded:

"I would love to be able to tell you. I don't know. I know that there is a bunch of inventory ready to go and stuff is happening. They said October shipping...so I hope before October 1st games will start to leave the factory.

On the rules of Pulp Fiction:

"In terms of code [being] functionally complete, the entire game is in and has been for over a year. Almost two years probably. It will be done when it ships, as it should be."

Also of interest in the interview, Josh stated that the IFPA, which he is head of, will likely eclipse 10,000 sanctioned pinball tournaments in 2023.

Kudos to Gonzo's Pinball Flipperama and Josh for the great interview. I can't wait to see Pulp Fictions start to ship out and be available at more locations and on more streams!

I have embedded the YouTube video of the interview below for anyone who is interested in checking it out.

Also, hot off the press, Josh sent me a link to a brand new Pulp Fiction gameplay video that he uploaded to YouTube an hour ago. I've included that below as well.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 90542071-f48c-4de1-88cf-71040c7ac1d0*