# Don’s Pinball Podcast is live! **Source:** Don's Pinball Podcast Live Streams (YouTube) **Type:** video **Published:** 2026-05-13 **Duration:** 11m 59s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbDD33rd2PU --- ## Analysis Don broadcasts live from Target while discussing the leaked Transformers pinball playfield by Stern. He expresses enthusiasm for the game's complexity, toy-heavy design, and mechanical features, and confirms he will attend media day on the 20th. He also discusses selling Pokemon LE below market rate to fund a home improvement project, defends against scalping accusations, and mentions upcoming travel to California for Tales of the Arabian Knights. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Transformers playfield has fully leaked with complete layout details visible — _Don directly confirms the leak occurred and states 'Go check it out' referring to publicly available images_ - [HIGH] Transformers will be released/available for ordering on media day (the 20th) — _Don states 'It getting released on media day on the 20th. I'll be there with two people.'_ - [HIGH] Transformers will be orderable from info@madpimble.com with Pro, Premium, and LE tiers available — _Don explicitly states ordering details and availability of all three tiers_ - [HIGH] Transformers orders will ship within 6 weeks (or 1 month for same-day orders) — _Don states 'you're still going to get it within a month' and mentions 6-week timeframe_ - [MEDIUM] The same designer worked on both John Wick and Transformers — _Don states 'It is the same designer' comparing John Wick and Transformers complexity_ - [HIGH] Pokemon LE was sold below market rate for financial reasons (home improvement costs) — _Don explains 'I needed money. Some home improvements are going on around the homestead and so I put it out there at the cheapest price on the market'_ - [HIGH] Transformers playfield features multiple talking characters: Megatron, Soundwave, and Grimlock — _Don describes leaked playfield: 'Talking Megatron. Talking Soundwave. Talking Grimlock'_ - [HIGH] Optimus Prime will transform into a truck as a mechanical feature in Transformers — _Don observes 'he's going to transform into a truck, so that that's cool' and 'tilts forward, tilts back'_ ### Notable Quotes > "the leak, man, we just got the teaser for Transformers from Spinball. Now we have the whole layout. So, it's out there." > — **Don**, early in stream > _Confirms the Transformers playfield leak has spread through the community_ > "It's got that aspect of games that I like where I see stuff that I know I can interact with, but I don't know how to do it at first. You got to play it and figure out like where the shots are." > — **Don**, mid-stream > _Articulates his design philosophy preference for discovery-based gameplay_ > "This looks a lot better than John Wick does. It is the same designer. So why couldn't Wick have had this level of complexity?" > — **Don**, mid-stream > _Compares designer output quality across two titles, raises questions about design constraints on John Wick_ > "Transformers looks like a heck of a lot of fun. Heck of a fun license. It's going to come out. You're going to be able to order it from info@madpimble.com." > — **Don**, mid-stream > _Official confirmation of ordering details and enthusiasm for the license_ > "I took a game, I had it, delivered two of them, actually, unboxed them, played them, and I got a thought in my head the other day... let me put it out there for the lowest price on the market. You know, kind of what kind of scalper does that?" > — **Don**, mid-stream > _Directly addresses scalping accusations regarding Pokemon LE resale, defends pricing strategy_ > "I think Transformers is going to be fun. It's ramp city. It's wire form craziness, which I love." > — **Don**, mid-stream > _Positive assessment of Transformers playfield design philosophy_ > "When you get the secret skill shot into the Psyduck layer, it plays that little cartoon snippet. Like, that's fantastic. If we're getting like 90% more of that, Pokemon's going to be awesome." > — **Don**, late in stream > _Identifies upcoming code updates as critical to Pokemon's long-term appeal_ > "NDAs are going to be a no thing." > — **Don**, end of stream > _Suggests industry is moving toward more open communication about unreleased games_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Don | person | Host of Don's Pinball Podcast, content creator, player, collector, and reseller; speaking from Target while broadcasting live | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Transformers pinball machine; subject of discussion regarding design and production | | Transformers | game | Stern pinball machine based on Transformers IP; playfield fully leaked, scheduled for media day release on the 20th | | Pokemon | game | Stern pinball machine; Don recently sold his LE unit below market rate; discusses upcoming code updates and animations | | John Wick | game | Previously released pinball machine; Don criticizes its complexity level compared to Transformers despite same designer | | Tales of the Arabian Knights | game | Remake being released by Pendred/Pendred Games; Don traveled to California to play it at a show | | Multimorphic | company | Home pinball machine manufacturer; Don references them as 'the home of the best themes' in pinball | | Monica | person | Don's family member (appears to be wife/partner); present during broadcast; working on 3D printing project for Pokemon mod | | Pendred | company | Manufacturer of Tales of the Arabian Knights remake; involved in recent show Don attended | | IFPA | organization | Not explicitly mentioned but referenced context for competitive pinball community | | Optimus Prime | product | Transformers character featured as mechanical toy in Transformers pinball; transforms into truck | | Megatron | product | Transformers character featured in Transformers pinball; speculation about cannon ball-loading mechanism | | Grimlock | product | Transformers character (dinosaur) featured in Transformers pinball playfield | | Soundwave | product | Transformers character featured in Transformers pinball; appears to have talking capability | | Bumblebee | product | Transformers character discussed as potential mod/add-on for Transformers pinball; Don jokingly offers mod for $300 | ### Signals - **[leak_detection]** Complete Transformers playfield layout has leaked with visible toys, ramps, and mechanisms; Don confirms leak is widespread and publicly available (confidence: high) — Don states 'the leak, man, we just got the teaser for Transformers from Spinball. Now we have the whole layout. So, it's out there. Go check it out.' - **[announcement]** Transformers pinball official media day release scheduled for the 20th with available Pre-orders (confidence: high) — Don confirms 'It getting released on media day on the 20th' and states ordering details from info@madpimble.com with Pro/Premium/LE tiers - **[gameplay_signal]** Transformers shows high toy count, multiple mechanical features (ramps, diverters, ball locks, transforming toys), and discovery-based shot layout (confidence: high) — Don describes 'ramp palooa', 'ramps everywhere', 'diverters', 'Optimus Prime...transform into a truck', 'ball lock that's there', multiple talking characters - **[design_philosophy]** Transformers emphasizes mechanical complexity and toy integration; Don notes Pro version will likely reduce toy count to plastics while Premium/LE keep full toys (confidence: medium) — Don speculates 'What are they going to pull back on the Pro? Probably like three of the toys. It'll be just be plastics are there.' - **[collector_signal]** Don selling Pokemon LE below market rate; community expresses concern about scalping while Don defends pricing as legitimate resale strategy (confidence: high) — Don states 'I put it out there for the lowest price on the market' and 'went even cheaper' with 'best offer'; responds to scalping accusations - **[code_update]** Pokemon pinball identified as having incomplete code with only Charizard wizard mode currently implemented; four total wizard mode insert slots visible suggesting substantial future content (confidence: high) — Don states 'There's four inserts for wizard modes on there. We only have We only have the Charizard battle right now. So, there's like more that's coming.' - **[sentiment_shift]** Strong positive community sentiment toward Transformers following playfield leak; Don notes leak occurred just before Padre (potentially another manufacturer) could capture deposits (confidence: high) — Don observes 'those deposits just got evaporated into Transformers. Transformers looks like a heck of a lot of fun' and praises design complexity - **[market_signal]** Transformers will have rapid fulfillment (6 weeks or less) positioning it advantageously against import-based competition like Tales of the Arabian Knights (confidence: high) — Don states 'you're still going to get it within a month' and contrasts with 'everybody will be waiting on these imports from Europe' - **[design_innovation]** Optimus Prime toy features motorized transformation from robot to truck form with tilting mechanics (forward/back tilt) (confidence: high) — Don describes 'he's going to transform into a truck, so that that's cool. Tilts forward, tilts back. I get it.' - **[product_strategy]** Transformers available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition tiers with differentiated feature sets; Pro likely has reduced toys, LE has full toys (confidence: high) — Don mentions 'You'll get a Pro Premium. Heck, probably even an LE right now' and speculates on Pro reduction - **[industry_signal]** Industry moving toward more open communication post-launch; Don suggests NDAs becoming less restrictive or less enforced (confidence: medium) — Don states 'I think at this point, NDAs are going to be a no thing' regarding media day coverage - **[personnel_signal]** Same designer worked on both John Wick and Transformers; Don questions why Transformers shows better complexity than John Wick despite same creator (confidence: medium) — Don states 'It is the same designer. So why couldn't Wick have had this level of complexity?' implying design constraint or choice differences --- ## Transcript Can I go live? Close that stuff. Dramatic entrance ruined. What's up everybody? Did you see it? I saw it. Heck, the NDA. We don't need that. We can talk about it right now cuz that stuff leaked and I didn't even sign nothing yet. So, what the heck? My name is Optimus Prime. I'm a semicentient robotic being from the planet Voltron. Cybertron, sorry. Jeez, where's my head at? I'm in the I'm in the row at Target of the pinball machine theme ideas here. We got G.I. Joe's. We have WWE's. We got everything here. Minding my own business. Walking the daughter around Target when what you drop in my lap. But the leak, man, we just got the teaser for Transformers from Spinball. Now we have the whole layout. So, it's out there. Go check it out. I I kind of dig it. I kind of dig it. It's got that aspect of games that I like where I see stuff that I know I can interact with, but I don't know how to do it at first. You got to play it and figure out like where the shots are. Looks like there's some diverters. It's ramp palooa. There's toys everywhere. We got uh Optimus Prime in the back. You know, he's going to transform into a truck, so that that's cool. Have to have that. Uh you got Megatron there in the back. Do you load balls into his cannon or not? We have to wait and see. Looks like you can load balls back there for a multiball Decepticon battle. Awesome. I saw Grimlock there on the left. The dinosaur guy. Hell yes. And then is that Soundwave also bottom right by the solitary pop bumper. I think that's what pushed me over into this game. Looks pretty freaking cool. So, what are they going to pull back on the Pro? Probably like three of the toys. It'll be just be plastics are there. You won't have the physical ball locks or whatever. But I will say this looks a lot better than John Wick does. It is the same designer. So why couldn't Wick have had this level of complexity? How fun would that have been? So I'm excited for this. It getting released on media day on the 20th. I'll be there with two people. Myself, friend of mine, probably another friend of mine. We're going to draw Patreon people. I was going to do that a little later today when I get home from Target, but we decided to go live now. So, I have to do the final email check and see if anybody has entered in the last minutes to see who else will be going to the freaking media day for Transformers. What are you guys saying? I have Robbo Prime maybe a good topper. New game day work. Hey Monica, how you doing? Uh, Transformers leaked, so check that out. I'll be texting the picture to everybody I know. What's up, Cause? How you doing? Emma needs something for softball. Oh, okay. What? Monica, let's just stop the Transformers hype train for a second. Monica, what do you need from Target while I'm here? So, I was about ready to pack up Pokemon and then I realized that a new mod that I had made, I needed to print one more piece for it. So, it's printing right now. So, because that's still printing, I decided, let's just go. We'll go run the kid to Target. I need some stuff for the trip. Leaving tomorrow morning to head over to Loi, California for that show. We're gonna go play Tales of the Arabian Knights remake from Pendred. I swear, man. I just did a whole live show with Jenz. I'm going to post that on the W channel here soon. I might do another show today, too. It's wild. It's pinball day. There's so much going on. It's fantastic. Uh, but we heard Padre had a little window, man. That little window. They've been teasing. They needed to come out with details because I think they could have took deposits this morning and those deposits just got evaporated into Transformers. Transformers looks like a heck of a lot of fun. Heck of a fun license. It's going to come out. You're going to be able to order it from info@madpimble.com. You'll get a Pro Premium. Heck, probably even an LE right now. And you're going to have it within 6 weeks. Even if you like lay on your couch and order this afternoon, you're still going to get it within a month. And you know, everybody will be waiting on these imports from Europe to get their Tales Arabian Knights or whatever. So that's where we are in pinball right now. What do you guys think? What's up, Sterling? Azy's here. How you doing? You look like a Pokemon scoper. What is with these people? You know, like if I had got three deposits, you know, used my used my puppet strings and got three deposits and then flipped the deposits, then I well, I still think that's okay to do. I think you'd have more of a point. I took a game, I had it, delivered two of them, actually, unboxed them, played them, and I got a thought in my head the other day, you know what? I I think I'll visit this game down the road. I'll get it again. So, let me put it out there for the lowest price on the market. You know, kind of what kind of scalper does that? I went for the lowest price at all just to get someone a deal. It went for or best offer even lower than that. So, how was that scalping at that point? What's up, Sterling? That's fine. You can be mad. The game sucks. Nobody was saying when I sold Avatar for 2,000 less like you're an anti-scalper, you know? I was still selling it for market. I sell games below market rate. It's what I do. Don't get mad at me for that. The game sucks. It needed to go. Oh, Monica hating on it. Transformers like fun. And I'm sure the code's going to be better. Love the stream. Any tips on how I can get my dad to stop getting super jealous every time my brother and I sleep together. What What's the What in the world is going on? All right, Scott. How you doing? So, uh, Transformers just leaked the whole playfield. Tons of toys. Talking Megatron. Talking Soundwave. Talking Grimlock. Come on. Optimus Prime buried back down in the corner. I know you had to include him. Fine. He transforms to a truck is what it looks like. Fine. Tilts forward, tilts back. I get it. What other magic is in here? Something's going on at that left lower ramp there. Uh, where there's some diverter mechanism stuff. I can't even tell like just from the picture where the ball even goes. It's like, does it just shoot up and then feed into that ramp? Does it go up? It looks like there might be a physical ball lock that's there. It's ramp city. It's wire form craziness, which I love. And it looks like there's mechanical fun stuff that's in there. And there's shots that just from looking at an overhead picture, I can't tell what they do. And I love that. What's the ultimate mech toy they were teasing? Uh, I don't know. Maybe it's that Optimus that's back there. Maybe uh Megatron does something. So, if Megatron turns into a gun, fires balls at you, then that's going to get it. We know that the best mechanism in Pinball is going to be in Multimorphic, where the home of the best themes. So, we're waiting on that. All these people giving me crap about scalping Pokemon LE are going to eat their words when they find out it was just so I could afford a multimorphic P3 machine, which is the home of the best themes in pinball and what sounds like the greatest mech to come. Oh man, everybody did, including me, lost their minds over X-Men at the Well, we had the trailer. That's what caused us lose our minds. Not a leaked playfield image. Um, but yeah, I think Transformers is going to be fun. I get to go play it, which is cool. I thought we'll see what happens. We'll see what happens. I'm not committed at one point or another. Are we dual live streaming right now or you want to FaceTime? Oh, what's up, FaceTime friends? So, I'm excited for that. Look at this. Oops. I'm knocking toys off the shelf. We got some Autobots. Who is this? Age of the Primes. Red Alert. What else we got? Optimus. Dude, look at this red Megatron. How do I turn my camera around? There it is. Do Red Megatron. Oh, dude. Got Japanese writing here. What does it say? Akushan Fiagia action figure Atarashi. So brand new action figure. That's his action figure. It's Atarashi means brand new. That's cool. Toransu. Okay. Cool. Toransu action figure. Atarashi. Brand new. That's cool. I'm glad my Japanese came in handy. Y'all didn't know I could read Japanese, did you? Full of secrets and surprises. So, that's fun. What else we got? Got a Bumblebee. Oh, here you go. For only $300, I'll send you this mod for your Transformers right now. It's only a 90% markup, and you can add Bumblebee, the missing figure. Order now. I have I have three in stock right now. Okay. $300. I'll send you this mod to install your Transformers. We're selling We're selling bumblebees. We're selling $27 bumblebees for 300. Only $300. You know, the price is only going to go up. That's if you lock in now. Don Spinball podcast@gmail.com is where you PayPal the money, too. And I will send you the Bumble Bay mod for only $300. Or buy it off the raggar for 27. 27's overpriced. But pinball terms, if that was honestly, if it was 150 bucks, people would say that's a bargain for pinball. What's up, Luigi? What do we get in your game? All right. Okay. I've already sold a Bumblebee. 300 bucks. Tell you what, Aussie, you're on my Patreon. 20% off for you. Boom. We're doing deals in Target. You guys laugh, but somebody is going to be taking some craft wire and some hot glue, shove it up bumblebee, and we'll be selling it for like a hundred bucks on Pinside. They're probably posting it right now. All right. Should we play what's in the cart? We got cereal. Delicious cereals. Oh, James Rees's puffs are like the best. James Rees's puffs are the best. We got band-aids. We got some Pringles. It's Transformers day, man. Grandma thinks I were in China. Grandma, your mother, are you talking to her right now? Is she Is she watching live? What's up, mommy? Happy mommy's day. Stern pinball. What a racket. All right, I'm going to go get some jersey mics. My print's going to be done soon. I've got to wrap up Pokemon and get it down to the dock. It's shipping out tomorrow morning. should be in its new home on Monday. It's how we do it, man. I'm like I'm like Stern, man. You buy a game from me, you get it shipped right away. And especially if it is a Stern. Now, I was playing Pokemon just before I You don't not need another water bottle. I was playing Pokemon. I really do like the game. It's because of the animations that are going to be coming. Look, there's four inserts for wizard modes on there. We only have We only have the Charizard battle right now. So, there's like more that's coming. This game's going to appreciate. It's going to grow into its code. It's going to be fun. It's going to be cartoony. There'll be a lot of clips there. When you get the secret skill shot into the Psyduck layer, it plays that little cartoon snippet. Like, that's fantastic. If we're getting like 90% more of that, Pokemon's going to be awesome. It's just not great for me today right now. market that we got the need for money. Some home improvements are going on around the homestead and so I put it out there at the cheapest price on the market and it went even cheaper. So that's cool. So live from Target. We're going to talk later. I'll record a show later. The audio is going up on the channel as soon as I get home and then we're going to be in Golden State like tomorrow. Tomorrow. This is nuts. And then when we come back we're going to have media day for Transformers. we'll get to play it and give first play gameplay impressions. And I think at this point, NDAs are going to be a a no thing. _(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v5)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-06-06 | Item ID: a0ab3726-9d6f-4d9c-bec6-0c1f0f76d298*